Author: Alan Lorenz

Tesla Delivers More Cars Again
2Jul By Alan LorenzNo Comments
Business, News

Tesla Delivers More Cars Again

Tesla produced and delivered more than 200,000 cars last quarter. This means that the company has further increased production compared to the first three months of this year. Analysts had expected slightly more.   More than 99 percent of all cars Tesla made and delivered to customers were Model 3 and Model Y. These are the smaller coupe and SUV the company makes. Tesla made 204,081 of those models and delivered 199,360. The Model S and Model X, the larger coupe and SUV, produced 2340 units, and Tesla delivered 1,890 to customers. However, production of the Model S was stopped for some time because Tesla was working on a renewed version of that model. Tesla does not disclose where it sold its cars. However, the company has car factories in the United States and China and is workin...
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Trump Chief Surrenders Under Criminal Investigation
1Jul By Alan LorenzNo Comments
US, News

Trump Chief Surrenders Under Criminal Investigation

Trump Organization finance director Allen Weisselberg surrenders to authorities as part of a criminal investigation into former President Donald Trump's company. That reports The New York Times.   Allen Weisselberg walked into the building that houses the Manhattan criminal court today, according to the American newspaper. He and a Trump Organization representative are expected to appear in court later in the day. In recent months, it was investigated whether tax had been paid on, among other things, cars, homes and apartments for employees. The prosecutors tried to get Weisselberg's cooperation, but his lawyers always said he wouldn't. Now the financial director has decided to cooperate. These are the first charges against former US President Donald Trump's company since prosecut...
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Putin: British Naval Ship Wanted to Test Russian Response
30Jun By Alan LorenzNo Comments
Russia, News, UK

Putin: British Naval Ship Wanted to Test Russian Response

The British naval vessel that Moscow said illegally entered Russian waters in the Black Sea near Crimea earlier this month did so to observe in detail the response of Russian forces. President Vladimir Putin said so on Wednesday.   "This was, of course, a provocation," Putin said in his annual televised question-and-answer session after the British ambassador in Moscow had previously been questioned. "Even if we had sunk the British destroyer near Crimea, it is unlikely that the world would have been on the brink of World War III," he added. The warship HMS Defender sailed in a maritime zone that most countries consider belonging to Ukraine, but the Russians have claimed that sea area since the annexation of Crimea in 2014. According to the recent discovery of confidential military...
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Inflation in Germany Rises Less Sharply in June
29Jun By Alan LorenzNo Comments
Business, Germany, News

Inflation in Germany Rises Less Sharply in June

Inflation in Germany rose less sharply in June than in May when it reached its highest level since 2018. Lately, there has been a lot of buzz in the financial markets about rising inflation because central banks such as the European Central Bank (ECB) may be able to raise interest rates more quickly. Lower inflation is related to less sharp increases in energy and food prices. Certain services also became less expensive after their prices previously rose sharply due to high consumer demand due to the reviving of the economy from the corona crisis. For example, it concerns holidays. According to introductory figures from the German Federal Statistical Office, inflation was 2.1 percent year-on-year, equated to 2.4 percent a month earlier. This is a so-called harmonized figure so that Ger...
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UN: Racism Against People of African Descent Often Systematic
28Jun By Alan LorenzNo Comments
News

UN: Racism Against People of African Descent Often Systematic

Racism against people of African descent is still systematic in many parts of the world. That's what Michelle Bachelet, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said in a new report Monday.   Systematic racism is still common, especially in North and South America and Europe. This makes it more difficult for people with an African background to find jobs, healthcare, housing, education and fair treatment. These problems are especially common in countries with slavery or colonial past. "I call on all countries to stop denying racism and start dismantling it," Bachelet said. The UN started its report after the death of black American George Floyd in May 2020 to the consequences of police brutality. The report cites another 190 deaths of Africans or people of African de...
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Max Verstappen Also Fastest in Second Austria Training
25Jun By Alan LorenzNo Comments
Sports, News

Max Verstappen Also Fastest in Second Austria Training

Max Verstappen also set the best time in the second free practice for the Styrian Grand Prix. The fastest lap of the Dutch driver over the Red Bull Ring in Austria went in 1.05,412. Verstappen was also the best in the first session (1.05,910).   Australian Daniel Ricciardo set the second-fastest time in the McLaren, 0.336 behind his former teammate. Frenchman Esteban Ocon (Alpine) finished third, and Lewis Hamilton finished fourth. The British leader of Mercedes is Verstappen's main rival in the battle for the world title. The Dutchman has a 12-point lead after his victory in France last week. Valtteri Bottas provided the most striking moment of the training. The Finn spun when he drove away a little too enthusiastically after practising a pit stop. Bottas lost control of his Merc...
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Charles Still Supported Harry and Meghan Financially After Their Departure
24Jun By Alan LorenzNo Comments
UK, News

Charles Still Supported Harry and Meghan Financially After Their Departure

Prince Charles did support his son Prince Harry financially after he and Meghan Markle renounced the British royal family.   According to Harry, however, the money tap was immediately turned off at the beginning of last year when he left for the US. But that's not right. Documents with which the royal family has to account for its income and expenses, however, show that Charles still gave money to his youngest son. The heir apparent gave £4.5 million from his private income to his sons Harry and William last year. A portion was used to help Harry and his wife Meghan, a spokesperson said. The financial support did stop last summer.
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Petitions: Let Multi-Billionaire Bezos Stay in Space
23Jun By Alan LorenzNo Comments
Business, News

Petitions: Let Multi-Billionaire Bezos Stay in Space

Multi-billionaire Jeff Bezos' planned space trip has sparked multiple petitions from people who are believed not to be fans of the Amazon founder. On the internet, some 120,000 people have signed up for actions calling for the businessman not to return to Earth.   Bezos recently announced that he would join the first manned flight of his space company Blue Origin next month. "Since I was five years old, I've dreamed about a trip to space. On July 20, I will actually go on such a trip, together with my brother," the wealthiest person on Earth told Instagram. That announcement sparked the "don't allow Jeff Bezos to return to Earth" petition on the Change.org website. Almost 100,000 times had already been signed for that on Wednesday afternoon. "Billionaires shouldn't exist. Not on Ea...
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OECD Focal Point Looks into Chevron Tax Avoidance
22Jun By Alan LorenzNo Comments
Business, News, US

OECD Focal Point Looks into Chevron Tax Avoidance

The National Contact Point for OECD Guidelines (NCP) handles a complaint from the trade union FNV about tax avoidance by the American oil and gas company Chevron.   FNV submitted the complaint to the NCP 2.5 years ago. This institution checks whether companies adhere to the guidelines of the OECD, the organization of mainly western industrial countries, on corporate social responsibility. FNV chairman Tuur Elzinga expects a "firm final judgment" from the NCP and realizes that such a judgment does not help much. "The NCP cannot impose a penalty, and Chevron has walked off the table during discussions in the complaints procedure. That shows that Chevron is evading its responsibility." Elzinga, therefore, sees more benefit in new legislation that puts an end to such practices. "That ...
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Pope Receives Prisoners at Home in Vatican City
21Jun By Alan LorenzNo Comments
Europe, News

Pope Receives Prisoners at Home in Vatican City

Pope Francis received some 20 inmates at his home in the Vatican on Monday. What the Argentine prelate discussed with his visitors has not been disclosed.   The 84-year-old pope received the prisoners of a detention centre on the outskirts of Rome at the Casa Santa Marta. He has lived there since he was elected pope in 2013. Francis has previously made it a habit to wash and kiss the feet of prisoners on the eve of Good Friday. His predecessors chose priests' feet and washed them in one of the great churches in the Italian capital. The current pope's choice refers to Jesus' humility and servitude to his apostles on the eve of his death.
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