What’s more, since the pandemic, a number of four-day work week trials have taken place across the globe some involving hundreds of companies and thousands of workers The results has been overwhelmingly positive which countries are taking the leap to the four-day week and where’s the easiest place in the world to get a job that won’t make you work Fridays a four-day working week is a working arrangement that allows employees to complete their weekly hours within four days Not all four-day workweek arrangements are the same Some actually involve employees working fewer hours in total over the course of any given week Others require them to work the same number of hours Many four-day workweek trials have deployed the “100-80-100” method This involves paying workers 100% of their existing pay This just in! Viewthe top business tech deals for 2025 👨‍💻 We’ll cut to the chase – although four-day workweeks have been creating quite a buzz over the last few years there are very few countries that have actually implemented the concept nationwide or passed a law that grants it as a universal freedom for all workers there are some countries where it’s more common than others and some nations where existing laws are helping speed up the transition toward a four-day week Belgium became the first European country to legislate a four-day workweek back in 2022 Belgians can now complete the hours that would make up their standard “The goal is to give people and companies more freedom to arrange their work time,” Belgium prime minister Alex de Croo said in November of 2022 when the law was passed all government employees can now work a four-day workweek if they choose to Cold little Iceland – a country with just over 350,000 people living in it – actually has more workers working a four-day workweek than almost anywhere else in the world After running one of the world’s largest and longest trials into the four-day workweek between 2015 and 2019, it seems to have caught on. According to a 2022 Forbes article, almost 90% of Icelandic workers have reduced working hours every week Lithuania doesn’t have a blanket law enforcing a four-day workweek, but it enacted legislation in 2021 that now means parents with young children can just work 32 hours a week (the average workweek in the country is 40 hours long) This effectively means that parents in Lithuania are working a four-day week’s worth of hours even if they end up spreading the work across five days Although France doesn’t legally enforce a four-day workweek it’s increasingly common for businesses in the country to offer a four-day workweek This is in part due to the fact that France famously enshrined a 35-hour workweek into law way back in 2000, and it is extremely unlikely to ever be overturned. France’s Labor Ministry says that 10,000 workers in France already work a four-day week This law makes transitioning to a four-day workweek quite easy – working for four 8-hour days totals 32 hours of work per week which is only slightly less than the number of hours most workers do Multiple four-day workweek trials have taken place across the world recent four-day workweek trials took place in the UK and involved 61 companies and more than 2,900 workers 92% of the companies that participated continued with the four-day week (92%) after the study was completed 18 confirmed shortly after the study that this had become a permanent change to their company policy 900 workers across 33 companies based in the US and Ireland took part in a four-day workweek trial over a six-month period According to CNBC, participants rated the experience a 9.1 out of 10 while 97% said they wanted to keep the four-day workweek The Spanish city of Valencia was the home of another recent trial which took place between April 10 and May 7 of 2023 The city’s council scheduled four local holidays on four consecutive Mondays giving 360,000 participating workers an extra day off per week The study found that the arrangement was better for Spanish workers’ health and benefitted their children too such as reduced fuel emissions due to less commuting South Africa kicked off its own trial of the four-day workweek in March 1 involving 28 businesses based in the country and one from neighboring Botswana most companies signaled that they wanted to continue on with the new working arrangements with only three companies halting it outright BusinessTech reports that the experiment “showed a 40% decrease in stress Despite its international reputation for having some of the most grueling workweeks on the planet Japan is actually another country where a four-day working week has been trialed Microsoft Japan ran an experiment with its workforce back in 2019 to see if a four-day workweek would benefit them and the business The results were nothing short of incredible – participants in the trial were around 40% more productive after their hours were compressed with much better results than the same month a year prior Canada ran a four-day workweek trial involving 41 companies most of which had 11-25 employees on their payroll it was up to the companies to decide how to reduce their hours – the only task was to ensure it didn’t negatively impact output 35 reported that they were either planning to keep the change or leaning towards doing so Portugal is one of the most recent nations to give a selection of their workforce the all-clear for a trial to take place a 6-month trial started involving 39 corporate businesses Almost three-quarters of Portuguese workers work more than 40 hours a week so it’ll be fascinating to see how it affects productivity Brazil’s four-day workweek trial is only just getting into full swing and all of them employ more than 400 workers Hundreds of Brazilian businesses applied to participate in the study It is the first four-day workweek trial to take place in Latin America September 2024 saw South Korea kicking off a 4-day week trial with 50 organizations in the Gyeonggi Province taking part in a move to tackle a culture of burnout within the country It’s a sharp contrast to the proposal last year to extend the maximum workweek in the country to 69 hours (up from 52) which was met with strong criticism and quickly shelved Along with countries that have actually instated a four-day week or have a huge amount of companies that now offer it there are other countries that have been gradually chipping away at the total amount of hours their workforce is required to work Denmark has one of the shortest workweeks in the world workers are only required to work a minimum of 33 hours a week This would be the equivalent of just over 8 hours a day However, in the nearby Netherlands, that’s even shorter. According to 4dayweek.io the average workweek in the Netherlands is just 29 hours long This is the shortest working week in Europe which has an average workweek of just 24.7 hours – the amount of time many workers in the US will have already worked by mid-morning on Wednesdays Most of the evidence from the trials referenced above is remarkable. If the 4-day work week trials are to be believed it seems workers are able to claw an extra day back to relax and recharge without harming a company’s productivity it completely depends on how your business currently operates The first thing you have to consider is the financial aspect Is your business in a stable enough stage of its growth to implement a trial even if it is ineffective and doesn’t work out a four-day workweek might help you cut down on office expenses such as electricity and other overheads some businesses won’t be able to transition to a four-day week easily would always need some staff working every day of the week Providing the arrangement to a workforce like this would be more complicated than simply shutting the office down on Fridays If you do end up implementing a four-day week for your staff remember to consult them throughout the process and gather feedback – it might work for some departments and teams there’s a chance it won’t work for anyone at your company Read our full guide on how to implement a four-day week If you don’t think a four-day week is right for your business, there are other options. Most companies offer some remote roles while others allow their staff to come into the office some days The concept of “Summer Fridays” – letting staff work a half day on Fridays during the summer months if they make up the hours in the week prior – is offered by the likes of Asos The bottom line is this: the way most companies approach their employees’ working patterns and arrangements has changed significantly since the pandemic Attracting the top talent in 2024 is much harder if you can’t provide some level of flexibility for your staff members – as is keeping them happy while they’re with your company Stay informed on the top business tech stories with Tech.co's weekly highlights reel By signing up to receive our newsletter, you agree to our Privacy Policy We're sorry this article didn't help you today – we welcome feedback so if there's any way you feel we could improve our content HR professionals have seen a huge influx of ADA requests in.. Intel joins the line of tech companies bringing workers.. Microsoft has deemed 2025 the birth year of the Frontier.. Big tech firms have gone from mandates to ultimatums in.. Renewable energy asset profit margins can be more than enough to pay for coal plant closure costs while still generating a profit for the power facility’s operator Investing in a coal-to-clean transition transaction rather than a pure decommissioning of coal Philanthropy can play a catalytic role by funding local transition facilitation teams that carry out financial analysis and diligence of a specific coal-to- clean project (rather than funding the entire transaction) This reduces transaction development risks while leveraging philanthropic funds effectively Only 10% of the world’s existing coal power capacity is slated for decommissioning by 2030 More coal decommissioning transactions can be closed in the next three to five years investors and philanthropic organisations should invest effort to identify these opportunities The decarbonisation of electricity in emerging market economies can be achieved through a market-based economically viable transaction to accelerate the transition of generation from coal to clean energy Coal generation assets can be ramped down and decommissioned while renewables and storage assets are invested in to replace them This report analyses five specific opportunities around the world where a coal-to-clean transaction could be economically and practically feasible well before 2030 Paul Jacobson is President of Jacobson Solutions LLC He has worked for more than 20 years in engineering and financing major capital programs in energy Model D blends the strengths of SUVs and MPVs into a versatile EV Foxconn showcased its growing automotive expertise at HHTD24 unveiling the Model D electric SUV and Model U mid-sized electric bus chairman and CEO Young-Way Liu highlighted the company's plans to introduce additional electric vehicle (EV) models throughout the year demonstrating Foxconn's extensive expertise and growth in the automotive industry adopts the lifestyle multipurpose utility vehicle (LMUV) concept combining the benefits of SUV and MPV designs into a versatile hybrid It incorporates Foxconn's latest platform technology and features an adjustable air suspension system with a height range of 15-25 millimeters (0.6-1 inch) for optimal stability The vehicle's aerodynamic design includes S-duct intakes and air curtains resulting in a low drag coefficient of 0.23 This impressive drag coefficient (Cd) of 0.23 demonstrates superior aerodynamic efficiency most passenger cars have a Cd ranging from 0.27 to 0.35 while high-performance EVs like the Tesla Model S typically achieve a Cd of around 0.24 or lower builds on the Model T's design and is tailored for narrow urban streets and remote rural areas it features a compact body with a customizable interior to meet diverse requirements Equipped with an advanced electronic control system and advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) Model U enhances safety and driving comfort Its optimized structure and aerodynamic design also contribute to extending the vehicle's driving range The premium flagship edition of Model U features a refined interior with a VIP lounge Designed for VIP shuttle services and mobile office setups this luxurious version offers comfort and exclusivity HHTD24 also revealed two exclusive highlights: Liu presented the North American version of the Model C with mass production scheduled for late 2025 The "Being White" themed Model A concept car debuted with a compact 4.3-meter body Its flexible layout provides adaptable solutions for brand clients flexible design targets urban mobility and customization aligning with Foxconn's strategy for adaptable EV solutions A product specialist noted its suitability for household and commercial use with foldable seats providing a flat surface for accessible vehicle adaptations Foxconn displayed an expansive lineup of EVs featuring both prototypes and mass-production vehicles highlighted Foxconn's advanced capabilities in EV development The event garnered significant attention with the North American version of the Model C and a rally edition by famed rally driver Ho-Huang Chen The Geneva Motor Show edition of Model B was also showcased Reports from MarketScreener and the Financial Times emphasized that this year's lineup showcases Foxconn's strategy to develop flexible and scalable EV solutions targeting global markets HHTD24 underscored Foxconn's integration of cutting-edge platform technologies and design collaborations including a partnership with the Italian design house Pininfarina for the Model D This reflects Foxconn's commitment to combining EV production with enhanced aesthetics and aerodynamics The event also highlighted Foxtron's progress in its contract design and manufacturing service (CDMS) model aimed at serving both domestic and international OEM clients A model railway company is helping towards repair work for the Severn Valley Railway’s recent landslip through sales of a very special set of model figurines - based on some of the railway’s volunteers Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.comand on Freeview 262 or Freely 565 Modelu, based in Chipping Sodbury, has created a set of eight figurines that accurately depict individual SVR volunteers The company has used its specially developed 3D scanner to capture the likenesses of the volunteers Modelu’s owner Alan Buttler said: "We want to create figures that are incredibly accurate Working with real life volunteers means that we can get poses that are authentic and realistic Our bodyscanner has a rig of 105 separate cameras and can capture a pose in a fraction of a second "When we heard about the SVR’s landslip and realised how much it’s going to impact the railway We wanted to give something back to the line in recognition of the time and support its volunteers have given us to help us develop our business." the SVR’s managing director Jonathan ‘Gus’ Dunster said: "This is a wonderful show of support from Modelu and we’re so grateful to the company for doing this The figurine sets really are astonishingly accurate and it’s great to see our own recognisable volunteers portrayed in action!" Modelu is donating 50 per cent of the sales price for each set of figurines that it sells Sets are available in a range of scales, including N, O and OO, from modelu3d.co.uk The Severn Valley Railway continues to work towards finding a remedy for the landslip, which occurred at the end of January, between its stations at Bridgnorth and Hampton Loade Although the northernmost section of the line is currently closed because of the landslip operating on the 12-mile stretch between Kidderminster and Hampton Loade Although Bridgnorth station is cut off from the rest of the line its award-winning pub the Railwayman’s Arms is open as usual along with the station’s refreshment rooms On selected weekends, there are short footplate rides on one of the SVR’s steam locomotives. These can be booked online at svr.co.uk Though many negative repercussions of human immunodeficiency virus infection can be mitigated with the use of antiretroviral therapy (ART) one area where medical advances haven’t made as much progress is in the reduction of cognitive impacts Half of HIV patients have HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) from forgetfulness and confusion to behavior changes and motor deficiencies the model recapitulates important features of how HIV infection and ART affect the brain.  “Frankly the models we generally use in the HIV field have a lot of weaknesses,” says Jordan-Sciutto, co-corresponding author on the paper, which appears in the journal Stem Cell Reports “The power of this system is it allows us to look at the interaction between different cell types of human origin in a way that is more relevant to patients than other models.”  members of the team plan to use the same model to shed light on the neurological mechanisms that underlie other conditions “We’re collaborating with a variety of colleagues to use this system to study Alzheimer’s disease as well as schizophrenia,” says Anderson “We have the components in a dish that we know are interacting in these diseases and this gives us a new mix-and-match way to understand how certain cells are contributing to neuronal damage.”  the impetus to create the model grew not out of HIV research but work that Ryan was pursuing in Anderson’s lab on schizophrenia.  “We had been looking at the role of microglia the resident immune cells of the central nervous system,” says Ryan “We wanted to see if we could see the mechanistic changes that occur with microglia in schizophrenia.” Ryan and Anderson were interested in using human-induced pluripotent stem cells—adult cells that are reprogrammed to resemble embryonic stem cells—which can be coaxed into differentiating into a variety of different cell types.  But schizophrenia is a complicated disease with a variety of contributing genetic and environmental factors and a broad spectrum of presentations they sought to apply their new system to a disease that likewise causes neurological damage but does so in a more dramatic way and in which microglia are also implicated: HIV/AIDS infection who has deep experience investigating the mechanisms of HAND and was eager for the opportunity to develop a model superior to those currently available the scientists identified the three cell types they were most interested in studying: neurons Neurons aren’t directly infected by HIV but are known to be damaged during infection Meanwhile astrocytes are believed to interact with neurons causing damage by sending pro-inflammatory factors into the spaces between cells which are responsible for maintaining a healthy environment in the absence of disease are seen to expand and contribute to inflammation during HIV infection After nailing the technical challenge of creating this tractable model in which each cell type is generated independently and then mixed together the team used it to probe how HIV infection and ART impact the cells “A lot of people are taking PreEP [pre-exposure prophylaxis] if they’re in a situation where their risk of contracting HIV is heightened,” says Ryan “Just as we want to understand the cognitive impacts of HIV we also want to see whether these drugs alone are impacting the brain health of otherwise healthy people.” The researchers looked at RNA expression in their cultures to get a sense of what proteins and signaling pathways were becoming activated in each scenario they saw inflammatory pathways that had previously been implicated in HIV in earlier research When they introduced the antiretroviral drug EFZ which is not in common use in the United States but remains a frontline therapy in many other areas of the world the activity of most of these pathways was reduced.  “But this scenario involved its own unique response,” says Ryan Certain pathways associated with inflammation and damage remained despite the introduction of EFZ “EFZ treatment of the tricultures that included HIV-infected microglia reduces inflammation by around 70%,” Ryan says “It seems a combination of infection and ART is creating its own unique response that is different from the sum of its parts,” Ryan says “Knowing what pathways are still active due to ART could help us appropriately target additional therapies so patients don’t develop HAND.” Many features of infection seen in the three-cell culture mirror what is known from HIV infection and ART treatment in people giving the researchers confidence in the reliability of their model.  “Just looking at the microglia,” says Anderson “we see in our system that they are taking on both of their normal roles in keeping key signaling systems balanced during their normal state and activating and causing damage when they’re fighting infection We’re able to model normality and abnormality in a way we haven’t been able to before.” the new system “is really going to change the way my lab operates going into the future.” She’s hopeful many other HIV scientists will take it up to further their studies as she also explores more aspects of HIV’s impact on the brain such as how it navigates through the blood-brain barrier that normally protects the central nervous system from inflammation and infection The study authors give credit to the collaborative environment at Penn for this cross-disciplinary project “Tentacles of this project extend from CHOP to the dental school to the vet school to the medical school,” says Anderson “Penn is a very special place where people seem to be more likely to share their technologies around and let other people work with and develop them Kelly L. Jordan-Sciutto is vice chair and professor in the Department of Basic and Translational Sciences in Penn’s School of Dental Medicine, associate dean of graduate education, and director of biomedical graduate studies at the Perelman School of Medicine Stewart A. Anderson is director of research in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Services at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and a professor of psychiatry at the Perelman School of Medicine Sean K. Ryan was a graduate student in Penn’s Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Group in the Genomics and Epigenetics program, co-mentored by Jordan-Sciutto and Anderson. He is now a postdoctoral researcher at the Perelman School of Medicine and Ryan’s coauthors on the study were CHOP’s Michael V and Hakon Hakonarson; Penn Medicine’s Frederick C Bennett and Eugene Mironets; and Spelman College’s Kimberly S The research was supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (Grant NS107594), Penn Center for AIDS Research, and Penn Mental Health AIDS Research Center the ambitious Dakar Greenbelt project seeks to create an extensive network of ecological infrastructure in and around the city to sustainably address environmental concerns and enhance urban life With support from David Gouverneur and Ellen Neises candidate Rob Levinthal in the Weitzman School of Design led two courses that included a field trip to Dakar that culminated in students presenting their visions for parts of the Greenbelt The new Vagelos Laboratory for Energy Science and Technology boasts adaptable laboratory spaces to support the dynamic needs of pioneering research highly relevant issue briefs and reports that break new ground with a focus on advancing debates by integrating foundational research and analysis with concrete policy solutions the Atlantic Council’s experts have you covered—delivering their sharpest rapid insight and forward-looking analysis direct to your inbox New Atlanticist is where top experts and policymakers at the Atlantic Council and beyond offer exclusive insight on the most pressing global challenges—and the United States’ role in addressing them alongside its allies and partners A weekly column by Atlantic Council President and CEO Frederick Kempe Inflection Points focuses on the global challenges facing the United States and how to best address them UkraineAlert is a comprehensive online publication that provides regular news and analysis on developments in Ukraine’s politics UkraineAlert sources analysis and commentary from a wide-array of thought-leaders and activists from Ukraine and the global community MENASource offers the latest news from across the Middle East and independent analysis from fellows and staff Econographics provides an in-depth look at trends in the global economy utilizing state-of-the-art data visualization tools It’s a pleasure to be here and see so many familiar faces in the audience Today’s conference in many respects represents the essence of the democratic process Today we want to discuss a problem that we have been struggling to resolve ever since the “little green men” showed up in February 2014 to invade Crimea: countering Kremlin disinformation I will offer a few thoughts that I hope will stimulate discussion and lead to some specific ideas about how we can expand our network and work together to keep the information space free; and to ensure that our public has the facts and not propaganda The report lays out how Russian soldiers occupied Crimea something Putin finally acknowledged after weeks of denial The report shows how Russian troops are fighting in Ukraine and why these events need to be brought into the cold light of day The second report is “Putin. War,” which the Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov was working on when he was gunned down near the Kremlin in February Nemtsov had been meeting with families of Russian soldiers who died in the war in Ukraine and he was demanding answers from his government But Nemtsov’s death did not stop the inquiry The swift condemnation of Nemtsov’s assassination by the international community and the publication of Nemtsov’s work are testaments to the indomitable human striving to set the truth free And Berlin is just one stop on the Atlantic Council’s tour of European capitals to organize discussions around these reports The extent of the Kremlin’s global disinformation ambition is evident in the media enterprise it finances: a $400 million media operation that extends to 100 countries This operation includes the Russia Today network which offers slick entertainment programs interspersed with manipulated Russian news content The Russia Today news agency offers video content provided via its Ruptly website for a modest subscription fee One of RT’s ploys is to download content from social media sites and then package it as “news.” Kremlin trolls are using social media to lead carefully organized attacks against the Internet the ultimate democratic communications medium They flood the comment sections of online news sites in the U.S particularly articles that are critical of Russia the goal is to make the public think the Internet is an ungoverned zone of unreliable information And whenever I meet with an editorial board in Germany – something I do on almost a weekly basis – my observation that any article mildly critical of Russian policies results in a flurry of social media attacks is inevitably met with a nodding of heads and sardonic smiles This campaign of obfuscation has become all too familiar since the occupation of Crimea This campaign strives to obscure that Putin intends to create dissension among allies and undermine the global rules-based system the G7 leaders declared their respect for international law and for human rights and their support for the sovereign equality of all States we have to be as strategic in forging bonds of solidarity with everyone who shares our ideals and commitment to defending the free information space My presence here today is somewhat paradoxical “Government support” for media independence carries inherent contradictions Government is trying to uphold the institution of the Fourth Estate Freedom of speech is a fundamental human right and defending that right is a key objective of our diplomatic engagement at all of our embassies is more information – obtained through unfettered investigative reporting I commend the German media for their coverage of the crisis in Ukraine and for exposing the Russian government’s crude efforts to deceive the public We understand that you will ask tough questions and you deserve honest the Department of State has increased funding to train journalists to uphold the ethics of journalism in pursuit of the truth but we are helping them learn the skills and craft of professional journalists we contributed funding for a “tech camp” for 60 reporters from Eastern Europe who worked with independent veteran journalists on how to use modern technology to be better reporters we working to change cultures of impunity in societies where crimes committed against journalists are ignored by raising the cases in our meetings with host governments and advocating for prosecutions against those who attack members of the media The Kremlin’s iron grip over Russia’s media is driving some who believe in press freedom to speak out a reporter for Russia’s NTV was fired for providing candid comments to a German television station Some of us remember NTV as the channel that first gained a national audience in Russia for investigative reporting about Chechnya in the late 1990s Correspondent Konstantin Goldenzweig manifested some of NTV’s former independent spirit when he told his German interviewer that Putin felt insulted by being excluded from the G7 Summit in Elmau and then compared Putin’s authoritarian regime with the Soviet Union in the late 1980s Goldenzweig apologized for participating in the “propaganda madness” of the Kremlin media machine in a posting on his Facebook page Others are fighting the “propaganda madness” by speaking on the record to international reporters conducting investigative reports like the June 2 report in the New York Times magazine about the troll operation in St an anchorwoman for Russia Today in Washington quit because she no longer wanted to work for a network that “white washed” Putin’s actions some Russian journalists have been the victims of physical abuse and then accused of drug offenses in Donetsk while covering an anti-war demonstration And the stakes can be even higher for champions of free press and free speech in Russia In commenting about her father’s death Boris Nemtsov’s daughter Zhanna said “Russian propaganda kills.” She drew the line of culpability directly to Russian media that incited hatred toward the political opposition and branded them traitors simply for holding different political points of view and human rights activist Anna Politkovskaya an outspoken critic of Russia’s conduct of the war in Chechnya and of President Putin’s policies All of us know it’s not enough to release reports and then sit back and wait for someone else to take action Kremlin disinformation cannot spread if human rights advocates like Ambassador Herbst and Carl Bildt and organizations like the Atlantic Council This conference is an important and responsible action in response to this challenge to the democratic community of nations. John B Emerson is US Ambassador to Germany.  Emerson (right) speaks on ways to counter Kremlin disinformation The extent of the Kremlin's global disinformation ambition is evident in the media enterprise it finances: a $400 million media operation that extends to 100 countries Sign up to receive expert analysis from our community on the most important global issues © 2025 Atlantic CouncilAll rights reserved If refreshing the page doesn't resolve the issue you could try clearing the sites browser cache Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker A full-scale nuclear war between Russia and the U.S. could trigger a global famine and kill more than 5 billion people, according to peer reviewed research published in Nature Food on Monday while a smaller regional nuclear conflict could also lead to the starvation of billions sober findings that show the wide-reaching implications of nuclear war as tensions between several nuclear-armed states soar amid ongoing conflict in Ukraine Even a limited nuclear war could kill billions Soot blasted into the atmosphere following a nuclear exchange would obliterate crop production by blocking out sunlight and lowering temperatures according to climate models simulating six different nuclear war scenarios which analyzed changes to agricultural production and trade in five scenarios for how smaller nuclear wars between India and Pakistan could play out and one large war between Russia and the U.S. localized nuclear war could have far-reaching consequences and trigger food shortages so severe they would kill billions of people Under the most extreme scenario—a large-scale nuclear war between the U.S and Russia—plummeting agricultural output would mean more than 75% of the planet would be starving within two years covering almost all countries except for Australia and a few nations in Africa and South America More than two billion people could die due to famine within two years of a smaller exchange between India and Pakistan Crop declines would be most severe in mid-high latitude nations which includes exporting powerhouses like the U.S and would likely result in export restrictions that would cause severe hardship in import-dependent countries in Africa and the Middle East Savings from offsetting strategies like using crops fed to livestock to feed people or eliminating all food waste could be of limited help in the immediate aftermath of a small nuclear war but would be of minimal use after major conflicts The other impacts of nuclear war on food production The scenarios considered by the researchers focused explicitly on calories and the impact of soot put into the atmosphere Caloric intake considers only a fraction of the nutritional needs of humans adding that future research should consider the impact on the various proteins and micronutrients vital to human health A nuclear war would also have impacts that stretch far beyond initiating a nuclear winter Heating of the atmosphere by nuclear detonations could destroy the ozone layer and allow more UV radiation to the planet’s surface There would be large areas impacted by radioactive contamination and key infrastructure and products for food production could be wiped out These issues should be considered in future research Russia is one of nine nuclear-armed states How a small nuclear war would transform the entire planet (Nature) the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has assessed mitigation pathways limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels all of which require a near-total reduction in coal use for electricity generation by 2050 with reductions of approximately two-thirds by 2030 This briefing examines how such drastic cuts two-thirds reduction in coal power generation in 2030 and a near-total reduction by 2050 The 1.5°C Pathway described in this briefing is based on CoalSwarm’s Global Coal Plant Tracker (GCPT) which provides unit-specific details on all coal-fired generating units of 30 MW or more The 1.5°C Pathway models two “oldest-first” phase-out schedules one for OECD countries and the other for non-OECD countries the schedule retires plants by reverse age order until the entire fleet is phased out in 2030 the schedule retires plants by reverse age order at a pace rapid enough to meet the IPCC benchmarks for 2030 and 2050 A Coal Phase-Out Pathway for 1.5°C Recall the scene from the film Her (2013) when Theodore meets his AI lover, Samantha, in the cloud and they embark on a romance through endless conversations. While this fantastical… About 80% of the world’s energy still comes from fossil fuels. This reliance is a huge risk for us. Not just because gas, oil and coal are fuelling the climate crisis. The G7 group of industrialised nations has overshot self-imposed targets to reduce carbon emissions by 2025, instead subsidising climate-damaging fossil fuels by record amounts Please select which cookies you are willing to store. These cookies are required for technical reasons so that you can visit our website and use the functions we offer. These cookies are used to recognise you between successive visits and thus provide you with a better experience, storing your consent preferences and the last Greenpeace.org website visited. We use tracking and analysis tools to ensure continuous optimisation and demand-oriented design of our website. 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These cookies may also be used to serve advertising to you after you have left our site (retargeting cookies). in Italy's Pomigliano plant.($1 = 0.9201 euros)Reporting by Giulio Piovaccari editing by Alvise Armellini and Emelia Sithole-Matarise Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab , opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. , opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. © 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved a dictator who outlasted 10 American presidents I found a man who sensed that change was coming and that the Cuban system would not last forever Castro speaking with the press in Havana during a visit of U.S 2016 ShareSave If these were ordinary times I might argue that the death of Fidel Castro the revolutionary who brought the world to the brink of nuclear annihilation marks the symbolic end not only of the Cold War but of the 20th century itself if he was in command of any of his faculties in his final months was watching the machinations and manipulations of Vladimir Putin the ex-KGB man and current dictator of Russia who took power when Fidel fell ill in 2008 did not find the new dispensation at all amusing This new dispensation was one created largely by President Obama who decided that the decades-old American taboo against normalizing relations with Cuba was retrograde and futile The decision to restore diplomatic relations with the Communist regime in Havana was met with relief across much of Latin America; with happiness in many quarters in Cuba; with anger among a surprisingly modest number of Cuban exiles in the U.S; and with chagrin in the modest rigorously guarded Boca-Raton-style bungalow Fidel Castro had made into his retirement home Fidel reveled in his half-century confrontation with America that it would be more difficult for Cuba to resist battalions of Yankee capitalist hoteliers and an invasion fleet of Fort Lauderdale-based cruise ships than it was to defeat the hapless landing party at the Bay of Pigs on a road trip to the colonial city of Trinidad from Havana I took my family on a detour to Playa Giron the beach on the Bay of Pigs where the American-led invasion ended in catastrophe for the CIA and for the Cuban exiles it trained Near the beach was a beat-up shop that sold This one stocked mainly Che Guevara T-shirts One of my daughters saw the stacks and stacks of Pringles and drew the appropriate conclusion about the inevitability of American capitalism  I spent a phantasmagorically strange week with Fidel and in our meetings I heard him suggest in various ways that he knew what was coming At my first lunch with him—a lunch at which the allegedly ailing Fidel drank wine and spoke extemporaneously for hours—his prolixity did not surprise me When I asked him if his illness and advanced age had caused him to rethink his position on the existence of God I’m still a dialectical materialist.” At another point he showed us a series of recent photographs taken of him one of which portrayed him with a fierce expression “This was how my face looked when I was angry with Khruschev,” he said The reason he was angry at Khruschev would soon come up in our conversation His self-awareness evinced itself most notably during a discussion about the relevance of Cuban revolutionary socialism I had asked him if he believed that the Cuban model was still something worth exporting “The Cuban model doesn't even work for us anymore.” As I wrote at the time this struck me as the mother of all Emily Litella moments—it seemed as if the leader of the Revolution had just said I was traveling on this trip to Havana with Julia Sweig and I asked her after lunch what he could have possibly meant “He wasn't rejecting the ideas of the Revolution,” she said “I took it to be an acknowledgment that under ‘the Cuban model’ the state has much too big a role in the economic life of the country.” talking with Fidel not about Cuba’s constantly collapsing economy He had called me down to Cuba—his representatives summoned me for an audience  three days before they hoped to grant me this audience—to discuss my writing on the Iranian nuclear threat and the possibility that Israel or the U.S would use military force to stop Iran from crossing the nuclear threshold The ironies here were great—Fidel had read my articles on The Atlantic’s website because he had made sure that the internet was more-or-less verboten in his one-party dictatorship to make a point about the dangers of nuclear war considering the particulars of his role in the 1962 Cuban missile crisis This is from my original report on this portion of our rolling conversation I had asked him if his fear of nuclear war in the Middle East was informed by his earlier experiences: I mentioned to Castro the letter he wrote to Khruschev in which he recommended that the Soviets consider launching a nuclear strike against the U.S "That would be the time to think about liquidating such a danger forever through a legal right of self-defense," Castro wrote at the time “At a certain point it seemed logical for you to recommend that the Soviets bomb the U.S Does what you recommended still seem logical now?” He answered: “After I’ve seen what I’ve seen Though he had apparently reached the conclusion that the nuclear destruction of the United States would not have been a good thing Fidel announced that we would all be attending a dolphin show at the Havana aquarium the next day (This is when I began to understand the true nature of dictatorial power: When his son informed Fidel that the aquarium was actually closed the next day The 500 is certainly a miracle of Italian design, but also, and above all, a car that has improved the lives of millions of people. It has accompanied the economic recovery, put Italy on four wheels and then it was exported all over the world. So much so that today, 80% of 500 cars are sold outside Italy and it is the leading car in Europe, first in 8 countries and on the podium in 6 more. With 60 years of history behind it, the Fiat 500 is about to start another, long journey, maintaining its status as a symbol of the best Italian style. A democratic yet distinctive icon, destined to achieve ever-growing popularity and desirability worldwide, and to stay forever young, thanks to its evolution and the special series that have added value to the range over time. by Chaim Gartenberg FacebookThreadsApple has officially announced the iPhone XR a new model that features a notched 6.1-inch LCD display and Apple’s Face ID system The new iPhone XR is a pretty significant upgrade for Apple making the iPhone X’s design and features standard across the company’s latest line of phones Apple is calling the 6.1-inch screen a “Liquid Retina” display which offers a 1792 x 828 resolution at 326 PPI featuring Apple’s True Tone technology while the XR may look like a larger iPhone XS there are a few compromises — the frame is aluminum There’s IP67 water and dust protection instead of the improved IP68 rating on the iPhone XS There’s also no 3D Touch — instead Apple is offering a new Haptic touch system that offers similar feedback to the buttonless MacBook Pro trackpad The iPhone XR features Apple’s latest A12 Bionic processor just like the iPhone XS and XS Max — which Apple says offers improved speeds and performance over last year’s model particularly for Apple’s “Neural Engine” AI processing The iPhone XR features only a single rear camera the iPhone XR features only a single rear camera The camera is a single 12-megapixel wide-angle camera — the same wide-angle camera as the XS The single camera does offer portrait mode combining hardware and software to create the blurred background effect it’s gotten an upgrade to Apple’s TrueDepth system from the iPhone XS with a 7-megapixel sensor that allows for Face ID as well as features like portrait mode selfies It’s the same improved system as featured on the XS Apple is promising up to an hour and a half longer battery than the iPhone 8 Plus The XR also will come in a variety of colors and red options available for the widest selection of chromatic choice since the iPhone 5C But while the iPhone XR may feel like a less flashy version of the iPhone XS it does come at a significant advantage: a much lower price The iPhone XR starts at $749 for a 64GB model with 128GB and 256GB models also available Preorders will start on October 19th for the XR which will ship a week later on October 26th Developing. Check out our Apple event live blog for the latest updates Playoff hockey is not for the faint of heart It’s home to “big boy hockey” where games become more intense leaving less space for skill to shine through It’s a grueling ordeal where only the toughest and fittest survive Every trade deadline features a similar shopping list as a result: get bigger and get tougher to play against — even if it doesn’t actually mean “get better.” In order to win the toughest trophy to win in all of sports The old adage goes that certain teams don’t have what it takes — that they’re too soft to win it all in such a physically demanding environment It’s a label that gets put on certain players It’s 2018-19, Johnny Gaudreau and the Flames are on top of the hockey world Gaudreau had just put up the best season of his career posting 99 points to lead the Flames to a best-in-the-West record of 50-25-7 Gaudreau had become one of the league’s most valuable players It was that same year that Mitch Marner ascended into the league’s upper echelon. The Maple Leafs are a team on the rise toward becoming a league power and Marner has become a crucial part of that Things were looking up in both Calgary and Toronto. The Flames looked like a conference contender while the Leafs looked like they might finally have enough to take down Boston and win a round But the optimism that the regular season brought quickly turned into disappointment. The Leafs lost to Boston in seven games, as they do, and the Flames were unceremoniously ousted in five by the Avalanche.  No playoff loss can ever be placed on a single player smaller-statured 90-point wingers struggle to produce when the playing environment changed The games got tougher and the two most dynamic players for the Flames and Leafs wilted — especially at even strength Gaudreau had just a single point at five-on-five Marner wasn’t any better with just one goal at five-on-five Gaudreau should’ve had three-or-four points (plus some power-play production) Just one is well below expectations and it’s why both players were outshot and out-scored at five-on-five for their respective series.  If you’re looking for a reason either team struggled More was expected out of both Gaudreau and Marner but neither was able to rise to the occasion when it mattered most The question is whether that was just random variation at play or each player’s inability to thrive in a more physically-contested environment That the two aren’t that far off in both size or style doesn’t feel like a coincidence.  five-to-seven games is not a lot to go off of What we saw from Gaudreau and Marner that year may have just been a small stretch of bad luck with unfortunate consequences But what’s concerning is how consistent it’s been throughout their playoff careers in 2017-18 where he mostly played on a sheltered third line There may not be much to write home about after five-to-seven games but 30 games should be enough to at least raise some eyebrows In the seasons where they’ve made the playoffs Gaudreau has scored 2.14 points-per-60 at five-on-five while Marner has scored 2.46 points-per-60 at five-on-five both players are not only struggling to generate offence they’re struggling to create it up to their usual standards Calgary’s offence generation with Gaudreau on the ice drops by 23 percent in the playoffs while Toronto’s drops by 13 percent More worrying is that the drop is far bigger by actual goals Gaudreau and Marner have a pretty strong history of out-scoring expectations due to their playmaking ability — but that seems to vanish come playoff time where the drop-off in on-ice goals scored is substantial Gaudreau’s goal rate drops 57 percent while Marner’s drops by 46 percent.  That explains why the point production is so low time and space are essential commodities in how they create offence two things that are much less abundant in a playoff atmosphere The best players find ways to create time and space but in the playoffs that becomes a lot more challenging and it’s possible that challenge becomes especially daunting for smaller Are they outliers or are they part of a larger trend It’s very difficult to say what’s real and what isn’t when it comes to playoff data — after all It is absolutely possible that Gaudreau and Marner just got unlucky a few times But it’s also possible that this is a real phenomenon highlighted by two high-profile offensive superstars who have struggled to show the same oomph come playoff time Going all the way back to the 2010 playoffs how valuable the player was expected to be going into the playoffs and how valuable he actually was in the playoffs that year The idea is to see whether a certain subset of players struggle to match their projected value come playoff time based on certain attributes That’s where the second step comes in: Assessing which players fit the prototypical mold of ‘heavy hockey’ and which don’t That was determined by size (specifically a player’s weight) and physicality which was a weighted combination of how often a player hits and how often a player got hit (using road data only to limit the effects of rink bias) The idea there is that more passive players will not only hit less A greater emphasis was placed on actual hits but hits taken were also a part of the equation too I separated the database into 20 nearly-equal groups of players and then within each group I measured how many wins they were collectively projected to earn in the playoffs and what the average difference was.  there may be some truth to the theories about being too small and soft for the playoffs Because the playoffs are harder for everyone with a stiffer benchmark of team quality it’s to be expected that a majority of players wouldn’t live up to their value and that’s exactly the case here players from the fifth percentile to the 100th percentile were 0.48 wins worse than expected come playoff time They were 0.85 wins worse — 0.22 wins worse than the next worst group especially when it seems essentially random for 95 percent of the population But considering these results mirror what many old-school types have suggested for a long time there does seem to be at least some signal that the smallest and least physical players wilt to a larger degree during the postseason compared to their peers “Too soft for the playoffs” may not be an archaic take after all And that effect only grows when looking at more recent seasons where the idea of ‘needing to be heavier’ has grown louder and louder We’ve entered a new era where heavy hockey has been king and looking at only those seasons becomes even more eye-opening the average player from the fifth percentile up has seen their value drop by 0.43 wins instead of 0.48 The other five percent featuring the smallest and least physical players: minus-1.06 wins over twice as bad as the rest of the league and 0.31 more than the next worst subset Playoff hockey is getting heavier by the year and the smallest players have struggled to keep up there are plenty of other players who have struggled to replicate their regular-season value in the playoffs.  but sees that drop to 41.5 percent in the playoffs — with an even worse 23.8 percent goal rate It’s a small part of the hockey-playing population but for some teams a very crucial one For two teams like Calgary and Toronto with legitimate Cup aspirations this year it’s a deeply concerning finding given the importance of Gaudreau and Marner.  But just because that’s the way it has been recently doesn’t mean that’s the way it will be going forward you’d have more success picking the team that weighs more (63 percent) the more physical team (62 percent) or a combination of both via their Heavy Score (72 percent) to win a given series compared to the team that was simply favoured (55 percent) From 2010 to 2017 it was the reverse effect as favoured teams won 68 percent of series while “heavier” teams won 63 percent of series It was the second year in a row the final four was all above average in Heavy Score Some people may be surprised to see the Lightning ranked so high given some of their smaller, skilled forwards — but they had a massive blue line and a very physical bottom six. Size-wise, they had much more in common with teams like the Kings and Capitals than the Blackhawks and Penguins They were built for the playoffs — at least this current version of it This isn’t meant to be a predictive study of what will happen in the future Just because that’s the way it is now doesn’t mean that’s the way it will be always — it just takes a team on the other side of the ledger to break through That may be difficult with how the game is officiated in the playoffs where the rulebook is optional There are different ways to skin a cat and winning the Stanley Cup is no different That becomes apparent when looking at how big and physical each past playoff team has been while specifically highlighting conference finalists and then Stanley Cup champions it seems like being big and physical has been crucial over the last four playoffs with nearly every red dot residing in that quadrant there were plenty of other conference finalists with different makeups That shows pretty clearly when looking at just Stanley Cup champions which feature two distinct clusters: the heavy teams and the not-so-heavy teams Teams have won before without conforming to “heavy” hockey And that’s the rub right now; it’s easy to say a team is “too soft” to win in the playoffs when the current version of the playoffs have confirmed that for four straight years It’s been a long time since a non-heavy team has done significant damage making it difficult to envision success through such an avenue Even the speed and skill era had intermittent victories by the Kings to suggest there was another way it’s getting a bit difficult to see a pure skill team break through That’s where Gaudreau and Marner re-enter the picture After an incredibly successful regular season for both superstar wingers it’s up to them to show they can withstand the rigours of playoff hockey like never before Prove they can keep their level of play in a tougher environment Prove they belong by showing that elite finesse not only has a place come playoff time It’s not just those two either as there are other key players from playoff teams who also qualify in the bottom five percentile. Panarin, Grzelcyk, Spurgeon, Samuel Girard and Zuccarello all fall in the same boat as Gaudreau and Marner They’re all worth paying attention to closely during this postseason None of this is to say they’re all guaranteed to fail or play worse during the playoffs — it’s merely noticing a trend from the past four years and highlighting who’s most at risk of being affected But there’s one final important element to all of this: how teams support their finesse players. It shouldn’t be lost on anyone how crucial the additions of Blake Coleman and Barclay Goodrow were to the Lightning before they won in 2020 While neither player was the reason Tampa Bay won they were valuable additions that fit a need that made the team as a whole tougher to play against.  Looking back at Gaudreau and Marner’s lack of playoff success it’s interesting to note that not only did both players qualify as the least heavy players that season — but so too did their teams 99 and 101 (mostly stemming from weight rather than physicality) This year Calgary is at 106 while Toronto is at 88 Given the way the last few playoffs have shaken out and that Panarin fits the Gaudreau-Marner mold that may have been for a better reason than previously given credit for.  Heavy hockey has often been ignored by stats-types in the past (myself included) due to the inverse link between puck possession and physicality but it’s getting too difficult to ignore how big of a factor physicality has been over the last few playoffs It’s time to start paying more attention to that side of the game That doesn’t mean it’s the only way to win but it does mean that it’s become hard to win without that element For four years that’s been the truth about this game a truth that’s getting more and more difficult to ignore and all it takes is one player and one team to buck the trend These playoffs are going to be especially interesting for that reason with several teams trying to zig while others zag One playoff alone might not shift the balance away from heavy hockey but a breakthrough performance from a skilled team might be enough to show there is in fact more than one way to win How long that reign will last though is up for debate (Photo: Gerry Angus / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Dom Luszczyszyn is a national NHL writer for The Athletic who writes primarily about hockey analytics and new ways of looking at the game. Previously, he’s worked at The Hockey News, The Nation Network and Hockey Graphs. Follow Dom on Twitter @domluszczyszyn after JLR ended production in Solihull in 2016 The new version of the Land Rover Defender will be built in Slovakia rather than the UK The last Defender came off the production line in Solihull in the West Midlands in 2016 after almost 70 years continuous production of the 4X4 vehicle and its forebears On Tuesday, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) confirmed that the next model would be assembled at its plant in Nitra in Slovakia A camouflage-patterned prototype of the new model has been in testing After the boom of the first half this decade British car manufacturing dropped 14% year-on-year in March The industry body has warned that a no-deal Brexit could see it recede even further amid fears of a repeat of the “dark days of the mid-1980s” Photograph: Charlie MageeMike Hawes chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said the new “limbo” around Britain’s departure date was creating further havoc with investment industry was on track to produce 2 million cars by 2020 – a target now impossible with Britain’s reputation as stable and attractive business environment undermined,” he said JLR has cut jobs and suffered heavy losses in the face of backlash against diesel vehicles, slumping demand in China, and Brexit uncertainty. The company posted a quarterly loss of £3.4bn in February JLR emphasised that the new Defender had been designed and engineered in the UK and would also use engines built in Wolverhampton “reinforcing both the company’s British roots and the diversified globalised nature of its manufacturing strategy” It said the 2020 model was now in its final phase of testing which would include wildlife parks in Kenya after trials in extreme temperatures in the desert and the Arctic The company said the decision to move the Defender abroad came amid plans for “significant investment” at the Solihull plant for the next generation of Range Rover and Land Rover models the company owned by Britain’s richest man could manufacture the Projekt Grenadier 4x4 Ineos announced last month that the engines would be supplied by BMW in Germany Consumers tend to associate Johnson & Johnson with Band-Aids and baby shampoo but those well-known products are only part of a much larger picture Weldon has the mind-boggling task of overseeing more than 200 operating companies across three sectors Weldon spoke at the 2008 Wharton Leadership Conference about the challenges of running the J&J family of companies he elaborated on J&J's decentralized structure and on what he sees as key issues for the health care industry in the coming decade including the consumer products that have made Johnson & Johnson a household name; pharmaceuticals like Tylenol; and medical devices Weldon spoke at the 2008 Wharton Leadership Conference about the challenges of running the Johnson & Johnson family of companies he elaborated on how J&J’s decentralized structure informs his leadership style and what he sees as key issues for the health care industry in the coming decade A transcript of this interview is available below Knowledge at Wharton: Many of our readers are familiar with Johnson & Johnson consumer products they may not be familiar with the Johnson & Johnson family of companies and what that actually encompasses Weldon: The way that we look at our organization is that we have three business segments we work in But then it also includes Neutrogena and Aveeno and a lot of consumer companies that people would not know belong to the J&J family The second part of our business is our medical device and diagnostics business which by itself is the largest medical device and diagnostics business in the world That consists of everything from cardio-vascular products for stents to joint replacements for knees and hips to contact lenses with ACCUVUE surgical Ethicon sutures and endoscopic instruments That really deals with cardio-vascular products immune mediated products for rheumatoid arthritis and those types of areas and a lot in the Virology area for HIV AIDs and Tuberculosis most people think of it as the consumer side but it’s actually our smallest portion of the business we have about $61 billion in revenue and anywhere from $180 billion to $200 billion in market capital Knowledge at Wharton: What are the main challenges of leading in a decentralized corporate environment I think there are pluses and minuses to decentralized and centralized I think J&J is probably the reference company for being decentralized and that is you may not have as much control as you may have in a centralized company But the good part of it is that you have wonderful leaders you have great people that you have a lot of confidence and faith in and they run the businesses we have the local management running the companies they understand the people they are dealing with and they understand the government and the needs in the marketplace Whereas it’s very hard to run it from the U.S and to think that we would know enough to be able to do this And so I think it really affords us a lot of opportunities by being decentralized; what you do lose is control with our credo and the value system that we work under we feel very confident about our leadership and our management — and you have to have trust and confidence in them I think the other thing that decentralization does is that it gives you a tremendous opportunity to develop people You give them a lot of opportunity to work in different areas to make mistakes and to ultimately move to larger companies I also think that the benefit of the cultural side that you asked about is that you do have local people running the businesses The men and women who run our businesses around the world usually are people who grew up in those markets understand those markets and develop themselves in those markets They can relate to the needs of the customer The challenge really… I see it as a great benefit This is because the problem with centralization is if one person makes one mistake you’ve got wonderful people running businesses but you let them run it — and you don’t have to worry about making that one big mistake Knowledge at Wharton: When you became CEO in 2002 what was the biggest challenge you faced and how did you overcome it Weldon: I think the challenges always are around the area of people and making sure that you have enough really outstanding leaders to run the businesses We just talked about decentralization and allowing people to run the business We have over 200 operating companies; we need 200 great leaders I think that the challenge is always developing great leaders who can run the businesses I think that that is always the biggest challenge The thing that is really the challenge for anyone who goes into a role like the one that I went into is worrying about who is going to sit here next but you have to think about the 120,000 employees and families that we are responsible to you are leaving it in the hands of people who you feel very comfortable with We had challenges in our Pharmaceutical pipeline And we had to really revamp and do a lot of things in our R&D organization to make sure that we strengthened our pipeline; because when you think about it it is dependent upon people in the pipeline So you look at the pipeline of people and the pipeline of products — and those are the two things that I think we have to be focused on all the time requires a heavy focus on innovation in order to stay ahead How does Johnson & Johnson’s decentralized corporate structure relate to innovation and how does it enhance it Weldon: I think that where decentralization helps in innovation is that it allows different people with different skills to bring together different products and technologies to satisfy the unmet needs of patients or customers we had a meeting where we brought together our engineers from our MD & D Group and our scientists from our pharmaceutical businesses They came up with putting a drug on a stent … for cardio-vascular disease This actually brought the skills and knowledge from two different sets of people together We are now working on a product that we have just launched in Europe and will launch here shortly which did the same thing It brought the skills of the engineers together with the skills of the scientists to develop a patch which will deliver a narcotic for post-operative use so that patients don’t have to carry around PCA pumps and everything else with them all of the time you hit it and you get your dose of narcotic It has a battery which makes sure that it’s delivered properly You look at the convergence of these skills technologies and products and then people — and I think that it offers us a distinct competitive advantage I think that you are going to see a lot more personalized medicine We are going to be able to identify who will respond to a product That takes the skills of our diagnostics group and our pharmaceutical group and puts them together to identify the patient who will respond to these products I think that decentralization and having this broad array of companies actually fosters innovation and stimulates those who are working in similar areas Knowledge at Wharton: What are the downsides to that structure With so many subsidiaries I would image that coordination must become quite an issue I think that the downside to decentralization or innovation is actually the coordination It is trying to get people together and moving in the same direction our medical device and diagnostics and our consumer group They each have their responsibilities in the markets they compete in sometimes there is enough to do in their own group and now we are asking them to cross boundaries and work together Sometimes we’ll set up skunkwork groups that is the challenge — the coordination It’s not so much that there is replication but finding the right people to be able to give the resources to this convergence of technologies as opposed to just working in their own areas we have all of those working in our R&D organizations It’s the ability to work across the boundaries that really brings true innovation and is going to take some real breakthroughs and will bring real breakthroughs in the future it also does take some coordination and some sacrifice from the individual getting people to get outside of the silos that they work in and work across the groups Knowledge at Wharton: Can you identify the formal and informal ways that Johnson & Johnson identifies new innovations One is we have what we call internal ventures The internal ventures would be somebody working in the organization or a group of people who may put forward a recommendation for something that can be done for example – where none of the groups will take ownership of it put together a budget with it and then we allow that group to go off and work on that if we’re looking at the area of oncology where we may bring people from the consumer pharmaceutical and medical device and diagnostics groups together to share what they are doing they will generate ideas where they can work together to bring products forward It’s usually better when they generate them rather than when we try and impose upon them we found that there were 80 products in our pipeline that had some form of convergence that was necessary the important thing for us to do is to make sure that we understand the value that those bring It’s being able to bring those down into a focused area We have another product going on in our medical device group which is primarily in the suture and wound closure area that needs the skill sets of the people in our biotechnology area It is actually a product to stop serious wound bleeding We actually brought scientists from the biotechnology area over to work specifically in the Ethicon group So we have a lot of both formal and informal ways that we can create this environment Probably the last thing that we do which has been very successful is we’ve created our own Internet for our scientists so that they can go online and see what others are doing and communicate with each other Then if there’s an interest in one area they can get skunkwork people to get together think about those areas and work together to bring products to the market Knowledge at Wharton: What are the major challenges facing drug and healthcare companies Weldon: If you look at the cost of health care I think it’s a responsibility we all have to figure out how to get it under control the emerging middle class in other parts of the world and technology they want to live better and they want to live healthier I think that we have a couple of responsibilities One is to get up front and look at prevention and wellness healthy people and how do you keep them healthy and treat them on the other end And so the cost of health care is a big challenge I think that the regulatory environment has become another huge challenge People are looking for products that can be risk free You get up in the morning and you walk across the street — that’s not risk free So don’t think that you’re going to be able to deliver a product in a patient Drugs by definition have good effects and side effects I’ve had a knee replaced and you know there’s a risk associated with having your knee replaced; mine has worked out extremely well There are all kinds of issues there and I think that everybody is looking for this risk free environment — and it’s not risk free We have to look at evidence-based medicine and see what is going to come out of it But I think that the regulatory environments have become somewhat risk averse many times you don’t find everything out because of the way somebody may use a product or what not I think that it is in the area of cost control I think that it is in the area of regulatory — they are probably the two biggest there are barriers that we have to overcome This puts the onus on the industry and this isn’t all bad It puts the onus on us to do better work when we do our clinical trials when we do our research and when we have full transparency and disclosure I think that’s really important and I think that that comes from the ability of the regulatory bodies and the industry to work together We’ve been advocates of strengthening the regulatory bodies the stronger it will force us to be and the better it will be for patients I think that the industry does support indigent people We’ve actually supported in Sub-Sahara Africa our HIV products; we’ve made them available there at very low prices If there are indigent patients here in the United States they just have to file a form with us or any other pharmaceutical company and we will supply them with products free of charge if they qualify Knowledge at Wharton: Johnson & Johnson has operated in India for more than 50 years now there was a big shake-up among drug companies there when the Japanese firm Daiichy Sankyo bought out Ranbaxy What is your view on that deal and does it say anything about the state of the pharmaceutical industry in India Weldon: I could be wrong on this but I think that about 70% of drugs dispensed are generics There is a big opportunity in the generic field because of large products going off patent I think that if you are a research-based company you need to really commit yourself to research If you are a company committed to your employees you need to make sure that they are treated appropriately and properly — and there are costs associated with that Each company has its own choices that it has to make if you understand the needs of patients and if you can deliver good products into the market that is the most important thing to be doing and that is where we’ve committed ourselves so far But that is not to say that we wouldn’t go into generics or other companies I think that there is a big market emerging and big opportunities in the future Each company has its own business model that it thinks is the best; some may be both research-based and a generic company; others just research-based and others just generic-based it’s evolved into very good products Many reputable companies are going there and feeling that that’s part of the model that they want to choose I guess it’s just really a personal choice for the company A business journal from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania Designed to emulate the Model T in the 21st century Ford's Model U concept is powered by a supercharged hydrogen internal combustion engine equipped with a hybrid electric transmission and applies eco-friendly materials and processes offered the most advanced manufacturing and was built with the most advanced materials," says Dr Ford Motor Company vice president of Research and Advanced Engineering "In a similar but entirely contemporary way are all key questions facing the entire industry Equipped with an array of upgradable technologies and a multi-function tailgate the Model U is designed for mass production but has the capacity for a high level of personalisation Reconfigurable Interior and Exterior - the Model U interior is modular door panels and instrument panel in accommodate modular components and provide power and access to the vehicle's electronic network The exterior is highlighted by a power retractable roof allowing the vehicle to go from closed to open Hydrogen ICE plus Hybrid Electric Powertrain - A 2.3-litre intercooled hydrogen internal combustion engine coupled with a hybrid electric transmission offers enhanced fuel economy - the equivalent of 45 miles per gallon and about 300 miles of range - plus near-zero regulated emissions and a 99-percent reduction in carbon dioxide The powertrain also features Ford's advanced Modular Hybrid Transmission System a way to simplify hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) technology in manufacturing while contributing to significant fuel economy improvements Conversational Speech Interface - Model U showcases advanced conversational speech technology that allows a person to speak naturally to operate on-board systems including entertainment Improved Driver Visibility and Awareness through Active Safety - Model U features pre-crash sensing adaptive front headlights and an advanced night vision system to help the driver avoid accidents before they occur Green materials and processes - The Model U features advanced materials that have been designed for the optimum health of the car's occupants These were designed for their ecological effects and can go from cradle-to-cradle instead of staying in typical cradle-to-grave waste streams Reconfigurable Interior and Exterior Designs The Model U's unique 3-box profile exterior has a tough modular look Body panels are visually separated through different finishes and are made of different materials The body side has a glossy appearance; the doors are matte and grooved for both design appearance and structural integrity The body structure is aluminium; the front side panels are built with a natural fibre-filled composite material Model U goes from completely closed to completely open The rear seats can be removed to provide a longer loading floor.The roof is a power-retractable canvas soft top that opens rearward to offer a nearly open-air motoring experience The rear of the vehicle also can be opened with power controls The rear window folds into the deck lid and the deck lid then folds back and down into the floor so that it is hidden and safe from being damaged.The Model U also features a power hood that opens from the windshield toward the front of the SUV The hinges are hidden in the front bumper.The interior of the Model U is uncluttered and open but allows for flexibility through the use of the innovative slot system Three basic layers that make up the interior: The bottom surface is the base of the vehicle It is painted a dark gray and helps to emphasize the glossier layer Nicknamed 'the magic carpet' by the designers it flows from the top of the instrument panel down the footwell over the hydrogen storage tanks and all the way to the tailgate The top layer is fabric and is used on all points of contact The fabric is an orange colour.Model U comes with wireless capability The steering wheel is located in the first slot and is equipped with two controls One operates voice controls and the other is a scroll wheel that lets the driver control fan speed and volume of the entertainment system These buttons are repeated on the armrests in both the front and rear rows but the gear shifter is a wireless device that can be located between the seats or directed to the driver.The owner can choose to place a second screen in the passenger side there or use the space for storage.Rear seats are located on slots and can be moved forward to offer more rear space or removed to create the pickup bed Rear-seat passengers will have small entertainment screens in front of them small slots are located in the roof for placement of the rearview mirror sun visors and microphones for the speech system These slots also are the design element of modular technology that is central to Model U's functionality The advantages of Hydrogen based propulsion Because hydrogen has a very wide combustion range (from 4 to 75 percent) hydrogen-fueled engines are able to use a wider range of air/fuel mixtures than gasoline engines and can be run in the fuel-efficient "lean" regime without the complications of pre-ignition or "knock." the hydrogen ICE runs unthrottled while under way with air/fuel mixtures as lean as 86:1 during highway cruise compared to the 14.7:1 of gasoline-powered vehicles It can reach an overall efficiency of 38 percent which is approximately 25 percent better than a gasoline engine.Because there are no carbon atoms in the fuel combustion of hydrogen produces no hydrocarbon or carbon-dioxide emissions and catalyst research may soon reduce tailpipe output of potentially smog-forming emission to below ambient conditions in many cities.Designing a gasoline engine to burn hydrogen fuel has typically resulted in significantly lower power output Ford researchers have shown that with supercharging the hydrogen ICE can deliver the same power as its gasoline counterpart and still provide near-zero-emissions performance and high fuel economy The centrifugal-type supercharger provides nearly 15 pounds per square inch (psi) of boost on demand Model U uses a novel dual-stage intercooling process the intake air passes through a conventional air-to-air intercooler then through an air conditioning-to-air intercooler for a further reduction in temperature This patent-pending solution further improves the performance of the engine.Ford Modular Hybrid Transmission SystemThe hydrogen ICE is joined with an advanced hybrid electric transmission technology called the Ford Modular Hybrid Transmission System (MHTS) The torque converter from a conventional transmission is replaced with a high-voltage electric motor and two hydraulic clutches that permit the motor to operate independently of The electric motor simultaneously fills the role of flywheel The hybrid system is known as a "parallel" arrangement which means that Model U can operate on either the hydrogen ICE engine or electric motor A regenerative braking function reclaims energy that would otherwise be lost as heat air-cooled battery pack for the next acceleration passing manoeuvre or hill climb.When the driver comes to rest at a traffic light the engine can automatically be switched off to save fuel the electric motor instantly starts the engine all within 300 milliseconds.Model U can carry up to 7 kilograms of hydrogen on board made of a 3-millimeter aluminium pressure barrier with a carbon-fibre structural casing are rated to an operating pressure of more than 10,000 psi.Hydrogen offers the potential for a sustainable is exploring the potential for hydrogen production BP currently produces hydrogen from natural gas Continued support from industry and government might one day make its use a reality in vehicles like Model U The conversational speech interface has a vocabulary of over 50,000 words so far Model U's system can be used to configure different drivers' personalized settings - including the type of voice the graphic style of the visual interface or music The Bluetooth technology enabling the system to work is located within the controls of the Model U It works with any Bluetooth-enabled cellular phone or PDA provided the device is turned on and is located somewhere inside the vehicle It can be inside an occupant's pocket or a purse This allows occupants to connect with all their personal files including phone lists and Internet addresses The Model U and individual personal electronics are automatically synchronized when entering the vehicle Improved Driver Visibility and Awareness through Active Safety Four technologies in the Model U are designed to address these issues: Adaptive Front Lighting enhances what our eyes can see with headlights Active Night Vision also enhances the images we naturally see A stereo camera-based pre-crash sensing system A Ford-patented TrafficView system that allows the driver to see beyond vehicles directly in front of it the goal is to change the area being lit depending on the driving environment at an intersection broader coverage is needed than when a vehicle is going straight at a constant speed steering wheel angle and turn indicator position plus global positioning satellites and digital mapping to constantly know where the Model U is located and what beam pattern is needed for safe driving An advanced Active Night Vision system on the Model U will allow the driver to see well beyond the range of low-beam headlights during night-time driving without affecting drivers in oncoming vehicles The system uses a near-infrared (NIR) diode laser a sensitive CCD camera and a heads-up display The NIR light is invisible to the human eye so the laser is used to illuminate the roadway with a high-beam pattern at all times without blinding oncoming drivers Natural-looking video images that include lane markings and signs are shown on the heads-up display directly below the driver's view of the roadway Another technology on Model U is designed to help determine if collision threats exist Pre-crash sensing technology uses a forward-looking stereo camera system A pair of cameras detects if a vehicle is in front of Model U The system then processes the image to classify what type of vehicle it is and assess the potential collision threat information is sent to the driver and appropriate safety technologies can be applied Traffic View uses cameras in the side mirrors to help drivers see around large vehicles and enables the driver to see problems up ahead without placing the vehicle in a dangerous situation Model U also has four-point safety belts in all seating locations for improved protection of occupants in the case of a collision Cishe asikho isidingo sokukukhumbuza lokho Samsung ihlelelwe ukwethula amafoni amasha asongekayo kulo nyaka Galaxy Z Fold6 a Galaxy Z Flip6 kube nokuqagela ukuthi umdondoshiya waseKorea uzokwethula inguqulo ebiza kakhulu yentsha Ngokusho komngane leakera Samsung kulo nyaka bazoveza hhayi 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isibonisi kuyilapho eyesithathu ine-chipset kanye/noma isibonisi esibi kakhulu okungenzeka sibe nesikrini sangaphandle esincane kuyilapho esesithathu sine-chipset embi kakhulu kanye/noma isibonisi ngokunokwenzeka isikrini sangaphandle esincane kuyilapho esesithathu sine-chipset/noma isibonisi esibi kakhulu ngokunokwenzeka i-slot ezinikele ye-stylus Ngokuvumelana nokuvuza kwakamuva, izindida ezintsha ezivela kumdondoshiya waseKorea zizokwethulwa kusenesikhathi iminyaka Uma ngempela bembule amafoni amane amasha asongekayo kulo nyaka obulokhu ukhula kule ndawo eminyakeni yamuva Umugqa Galaxy S24 kanye nezinselele Samsungu ungathenga okungcono kakhulu lapha Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); fun and practical.Get the latest with our exclusive in-language podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.Watch on SBSSBS World News Volební výsledek Přísahy může hrát zásadní roli pro formování budoucí vládní většiny Podle zářijových volebních modelů začíná hnutí slábnout Podle předsedy Roberta Šlachty bude pokračovat zejména v přímém kontaktu s lidmi Když na jaře hnutí Přísaha prorazilo do výzkumů preferencí že do české politiky vstupuje nová štika oslovující statisíce nespokojených voličů který je širokou veřejností znám zejména kvůli kauze Nagyová začal objíždět zemi se svou představou boje proti korupci a dalším nešvarům slibovala na jednom z předvolebních hesel Přísaha která se zaměřila na kritiku covidových zakázek Po jarním nástupu se ale růst Přísahy zastavil u některých agentur dokonce zřetelně klesla Necelý měsíc před volbami je tak toto hnutí v pozici kdy nemá zvolení jisté a bude se muset prát o každého voliče Podle čerstvých dat STEM by Přísahu volila 2,2 procenta lidí, Data Collect jí připsal 4,5 procenta a výzkum Medianu pro MF Dnes z přelomu srpna a září ukázal podporu čtyř procent voličů Další renomované agentury své volební modely v září zatím nezveřejnily tak bude poslední měsíc ve znamení mobilizace všech příznivců Šlachta si ale podle svých slov pro Deník N z posledních sociologických šetření těžkou hlavu nedělá