Tuesday 30 November 2021

U.S. Consumer Watchdog Probes Supply Logjams Fueling Inflation



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Omicron Clouds the Outlook



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Jack Dorsey Rejects the Cult of the Founder on His Way Out



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First Look With Surveillance: Omicron Threat, Powell Testifies



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Didi’s woes intensify as Beijing tightens ride-hailing rules

Measures increase pressure on SoftBank-backed platform already under investigation over data security

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London's Mayor Warns Tube Line Could Close Without More Funding



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Bloomberg Daybreak: November 30, 2021 - Hour 1 (Radio)



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The Best and Worst Places to Be as Winter Meets Omicron



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Vaccine Mandates Are in Limbo While Employers Wait Out Biden Rules



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'Bloomberg Daybreak: Middle East' Full Show (11/30/2021)



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Daybreak: New Shot Worries; Powell, Yellen Preview (Podcast)



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Biden faces legislative logjam in run-up to Christmas

Clock is ticking for Democrats to pass $1.75tn spending bill, avert a government shutdown and avoid default

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Extreme E's Climate Race



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Troubling Omicron Strain in South Africa Traced by Missing Gene



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Norway Tightens Rules on Isolation, Advises Return to Face Masks



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'Bloomberg Daybreak: Europe' Full Show (11/30/2021)



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EU Drugs Agency Can Clear Omicron Shot in 4 Months If Needed



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CBD's Mehra On Company Earnings, Market Risks



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Al Rayan's Khan: Pessimism Largely Overdone



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Tambyah: We Are Not Ready for the Next Pandemic



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Rare Protest in Yangon as Suu Kyi Verdict Postponed



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Monday 29 November 2021

Market Reaction to Omicron (Audio)



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Scotland Detects Six Omicron Cases, Some Through Local Transfer



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Spain Orders Quarantine for Flight Arrivals From Southern Africa



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Bloomberg Daybreak: November 29, 2021 - Hour 1 (Radio)



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Omicron: What We Know, What We Don't Know



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'Bloomberg Daybreak: Middle East' Full Show (11/29/2021)



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'Pension Poachers' Are Targeting America's Elderly Veterans



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What You Need to Know About Omicron and Other Covid Variants



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BioNTech Is Working on an Omicron Version of Its Covid Shot



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Striking US coal miners say windfall for private equity forced pay to be cut

Unions argue dividends taken by Apollo, Blackstone and KKR when Warrior exited bankruptcy came at workers’ expense

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Telecom Italia: will board revamp help ring in the changes?

KKR faces political hurdles and potential rivals in its €33bn takeover pursuit

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Daybreak: Omicron Turmoil Eases. OPEC+ Needs Time. (Podcast)



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Airbus Has Five Weeks to Deliver 100 More Jets and Hit 2021 Goal



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Kuroda Comments Indicate Little Concern Over Omicron for Now



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'Bloomberg Daybreak: Europe' Full Show (11/29/2021)



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Remembering Designer Virgil Abloh



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Is Omicron different for markets?

Investors looked right past Delta

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Portugal Says 13 Cases May Be Related to Omicron Variant



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Arqaam's Meijer: New Variant is Temporary Hiccup



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Moderna Surges After Saying Omicron Vaccine Ready Early 2022



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Baker Hikes Price of Sweden's Favorite Bread on Surging Energy Costs



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Why Job Openings Are Surging, Even With So Many People Out of Work



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Sunday 28 November 2021

Dutch Find 13 Omicron Cases Among Passengers From South Africa



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South Africa Minister Says No Decision Taken Yet on Virus Curbs



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Checking Out the Ingredient Label on Vaccines



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UK to bring in new measures against Omicron strain on Tuesday

Third case of variant has been identified in Britain and dozens more are suspected

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Travel and aviation groups dismayed by fresh Covid restrictions

Response to Omicron variant a blow to businesses that had hoped worst of the pandemic was over

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Inflation always punishes America’s left

Biden’s lowest-cost remedy is to get tough on Covid

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13 Cases of Omicron Variant in Dutch Testing of Travelers



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Merck Covid Pill Set for Authorization Despite Concerns, MS Says



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Middle East Newsletter Nov. 28: Omicron Curbs Kick In



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Magnitude-7.5 Earthquake Strikes Northern Peru



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Moderna Says New Vaccine for Omicron May Be Ready in Early 2022



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China says zero-Covid policy will protect it against Omicron variant

Beijing sees new strain vindicating its strategy as study warns against ‘disastrous’ western-style reopening

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‘What did democracy do for us?’ Tunisians keep faith with populist Saied

Long-suffering people pin hopes on authoritarian president who has yet to deliver a single economic policy

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Swiss Vote for Keeping Covid Pass to Help Halt Lockdown



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Iran, EU, China and Russia Meet in Vienna Ahead of Nuclear Talks



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Guinea Junta Leader Names Savane to Top Mining Ministry Post



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Suncity CEO Admits to Illicit Betting Activity, Macau Police Say



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Fiala Is Named Czech Prime Minister Amid Record Covid Outbreak



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Tesla to Start Production in Germany in December: Automobilwoche



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Javid Says Omicron Steps Buy 'Precious Weeks' for Scientists



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Virus Variant Sends Mideast Stocks Into Nosedive After Oil Slump



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Saturday 27 November 2021

South Africa Considers New Restrictions to Curb Omicron's Spread



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Where ConstitutionDAO Failed, Another Hopeful Wins at Sotheby's



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Stocks Face More Challenging Environment in 2022, Says Bangsund



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U.K. Finds Two Cases of Omicron Covid Variant, Javid Says



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French Troops in Niger Fire Warning Shots to Disperse Crowd



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Melt-Up Markets Have a Lot to Unwind Should Covid Scare Stick



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WHO calls for balanced response to new virus variant

South Africa prepares to share Omicron samples with world’s leading biosecurity agencies

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IWG vs WeWork: investors’ starkly differing views of the rival shared office groups

The UK company is bigger and more profitable than its US-listed competitor — but has a far lower valuation

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Glass bottle shortage leaves US distillers high and dry

Strong spirits demand and vaccine vial competition prompt search for new vessels

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How Worried Should We Be About the New Variant?



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Your Weekend Reading: Market Mayhem Just In Time for the Holidays



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Burkina Faso Police Clash With Anti-Kabore Protesters in Capital



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At Least 2 People Dead During First Winter Storm in U.K.



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Italian Economy May Grow 6.4% This Year, Confindustria Says



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Citi Hires Analyst James Hardiman, He Says on LinkedIn, Twitter



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Czechs Are Ready to Keep Raising Rates Despite Virus, Mora Says



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Majority of Austrians Back Mandatory Vaccinations in New Survey



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Goldman to Offer Asia-Pacific Staff $5,000 for Quarantine Costs



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Macau Detains Man After Arrest Warrant for Suncity Junket Head



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Highly Probable Omicron Is in Germany, State Minister Says



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Spanish TV Producer's Owners Agree on $702 Million Restructuring



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Iran Arrests Several Protesting Over Isfahan Water Shortages



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Modi Seeks Review of Plans to Ease International Travel Curbs



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Friday 26 November 2021

The president of Ukraine accused Russia of preparing a coup, as Russian troops amass near the border

Russian President Vladimir Putin walks past military personnel during a ceremonial event.
Russian President Vladimir Putin at a ceremonial event.
  • Ukraine's president said a coup involving Russia was being planned for early Dec.,, Reuters reported.
  • It comes after the US warned allies that Russia is boosting troop numbers and could invade, per Bloomberg.
  • Experts also told Insider that a Russian invasion of Ukraine was a "very real possibility."

Ukraine's president has accused Russia of preparing a coup as early as next week.

Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that he has information that Russia is involved in a coup planned for December 1 or December 2, Reuters reported.

He told a press conference, according to Reuters: "We have challenges not only from the Russian Federation and possible escalation — we have big internal challenges. I received information that a coup d'etat will take place in our country on December 1-2."

The warning comes as Russia builds up troops along its border with Ukraine, stoking fears that it could be preparing an invasion.

The US warned allies that Russia may decide to invade Ukraine in the next few months and could deploy around 100,000 troops to Ukraine, Bloomberg reported this week.

Experts also told Insider's Ryan Pickrell that a Russian invasion of Ukraine is a "very real possibility."

Ukraine's defense ministry warned this week that Russia is increasing its "combat readiness" in Ukraine.

The head of Ukraine's defense intelligence agency also told Military Times last week that Russia already has around 100,000 troops on the border.

Read the original article on Business Insider


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Hinge is free, but you can pay for extra features — here's what the dating app offers

An Android phone displaying the Hinge app, inside of someone's pocket.
A Hinge Preferred Membership isn't free, but can enhance your dating app experience.
  • Hinge is free to download and use, but you can pay money for extra features.
  • Hinge's "Preferred Membership" gives you unlimited likes, extra filters, and more for $30 per month.
  • You can also buy Roses and Boosts, which prioritize your profile for other users.
  • Visit Insider's Tech Reference library for more stories.

Like most dating apps, you can use Hinge forever without paying a cent. But also like other dating apps, you can pay to unlock extra features.

Hinge gives users three ways to pay: You can buy a Preferred Membership, Roses, or Boosts. Each of these features does different things, and costs a different price.

Here's what you can get on Hinge if you pay.

Hinge is free, but has a paid membership version

You can download Hinge for free from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, and you can make an account without providing any payment information.

But there are some limits on your account. For example, you can only give out 8 likes every day — after that, you can only browse profiles without interacting.

The solution to this is a Hinge Preferred Membership. The Preferred Membership gives you unlimited likes, meaning that you have a lot more chances to make a match. 

Along with that, it unlocks almost a dozen new filters, including height, political stance, drug use, and more. You also have the option to immediately match with anyone who likes you. If you want to find close matches quickly, this can really help.

All the filters that you can unlock on Hinge with a Preferred Membership.
All the filters that you can unlock on Hinge with a Preferred Membership.

Hinge's Preferred Membership costs $29.99 for a month, $59.99 for three months, and $89.99 for six months.

The menu that lets you sign up for a Hinge Preferred Membership.
Hinge offers three types of Preferred Membership plan.

Alternatively, if you don't want a monthly fee, you can buy Roses and Boosts.

Roses are similar to likes, but sending a Rose to someone bumps you to the front of their feed. They're always seen before regular likes, and let the person know that you're really interested.

You can buy Roses in a pack of three for $9.99, a pack of 12 for $29.88, and a pack of 50 for $124.50. You also get one Rose for free every Sunday.

The menu that lets you buy Roses on Hinge.
You can't buy individual Roses — you have to get a bundle.

Boosts, meanwhile, make it so your profile appears on more users' feeds for an hour. Hinge claims you'll be seen by 11 times more people. You can also buy a "Superboost," which boosts your profile for an entire day instead of one hour.

One Boost costs $9.99, a pack of three Boosts costs $26.97, and a pack of five Boosts costs $44.95. A Superboost costs $19.99.

The menu on Hinge that lets you buy Boosts.
Boosts work for an hour, but Superboosts work for a day.
Read the original article on Business Insider


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Rise of a new coronavirus variant in Africa looks like the disaster scenario experts warned of if rich nations hoarded vaccines for themselves

A man gets a coronavirus vaccine on a train intended to get vaccines to remote areas in South Africa in August 2021.
A man receiving a coronavirus vaccination on a train in South Africa.
  • A new coronavirus variant was found in southern Africa. Experts worry it could be the worst so far.
  • Scientists had warned that a dangerous new variant could emerge if there isn't global vaccine access.
  • They said all countries need vaccines before wealthy ones get boosters. Rich nations didn't listen.

As coronavirus vaccines were produced, approved, and rolled out, health experts said the doses needed to make it around the world, not just to the richest countries.

This was needed, they said, to reduce the rates of death and serious illness in poorer nations, and to protect their populations.

They also pointed to another reason: The more the virus spreads, the more likely it is to mutate, and result in a strain that could become more dangerous to everyone, including the vaccinated.

A worrying variant found

A new variant, dubbed B.1.1.529, has been mostly identified in Botswana and South Africa, as well as Hong Kong, where it was imported by a traveller.

A relatively small number of cases have been discovered so far, but the variant has been spreading rapidly, officials said.

Experts are describing B.1.1.529 as worrying, pointing to its high number of mutations — meaning it could render existing antibodies, vaccines, and treatments less effective, as Insider's Dr. Catherine Schuster-Bruce reported.

Scientists are currently trying to figure out if it's more infectious, or more deadly, or both.

Many experts already say it's the worst variant they have seen since the pandemic began.

It's not clear exactly where the new variant developed. It could have been in South Africa or Botswana, or in a neighboring country, or somewhere else entirely.

But both those countries have low vaccination rates, and have documented the struggle in securing doses, including accusing rich nations of hoarding vaccines.

As of Thursday, just 23.51% people in South Africa and 19.58% in Botswana have been vaccinated, Our World in Data reported.

A graph showing the vaccine rates of South Africa and Botswana to many of the world's wealthiest countries.
A graph showing the vaccine rates of South Africa and Botswana compared to many of the world's wealthiest countries.

This means the nightmare scenario could be arriving in just the way experts warned about.

Expert warned of this for months

The World Health Organization had repeatedly urged richer countries to share or buy fewer vaccine doses, and make sure poorer nations have their first doses before distributing booster shots.

Those countries have not listened.

The WHO experts said this wider vaccine distribution was needed in part to stop new, dangerous variants from emerging. WHO chief scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan warned in August that she was "afraid" that booster campaigns "will only lead to more variants."

Other experts have warned of the same scenario for months.

Ken Shadlen, professor of development studies at the London School of Economics and Political Science, told Insider in March that if global vaccine inequality persisted, "it's going to potentially undermine the health benefits of all that we're doing with lockdowns and vaccines."

He said it wasn't inevitable that a vaccine-escaping variant would emerge if the virus keeps spreading, but that "it would take a lot of confidence to believe that it's not going to, if it keeps spreading." 

Dr. Michael Osterholm, an epidemiologist at the University of Minnesota who advised Joe Biden on COVID-19 during his presidential transition, expressed the same concerns to Insider in March.

He said that efforts to end the pandemic would be difficult if there is "largely uncontrolled transmission in the low-and-middle-income countries," even if the world's richest nations have done widespread vaccinations.

Countries like the UK and Germany are restricting travel from a number of African nations in a bid to stop the spread of the new variant.

Read the original article on Business Insider


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You can get iMessage on an Android, but you'll need a Mac computer — here's how it works

An Android phone and an iPhone, held up next to each other.
You don't need an iPhone to send iMessages.
  • To use iMessage on an Android, you'll need to download the AirMessage app and link it to your Mac.
  • When you send a message from your Android, AirMessage will run it through the Mac first.
  • iMessages are just like regular texts, but they get sent over the internet and have a distinctive blue color.
  • Visit Insider's Tech Reference library for more stories.

It sounds silly to some, but "blue bubble" envy is real. There are a massive amount of users who get rid of their Android phones specifically because they can't use iMessage. It's not that there's anything wrong with SMS — people just like the blue iMessage bubbles.

But what these users might not know is that you can send and receive iMessage texts from your Android. It takes some setup, and you'll need access to a Mac computer, but it works well.

Here's how to get iMessage on your Android, so people can text you without running into green bubbles.

How to use iMessage on Android

To do this, you'll need an Android phone and a Mac computer.

Setting up the Mac

First, you'll need an Apple ID account. All iMessages have to go through an Apple ID that's connected to your phone number.

1. Create an Apple ID on the official website and link it to your phone number. If you've already got an Apple ID that's not linked to your number, head to the Apple ID website and log in, then click Account Security and add your number.

2. Log into your Apple ID in your Mac's System Preferences app by clicking Sign In in the top-right corner.

The System Preferences menu on a Mac, with the "Sign In" option highlighted.
Sign into your Apple ID account.

3. Once you're logged in, head to the Apple ID menu and click Name, Phone, Email in the left sidebar.

4. Under the Reachable at heading, click the plus sign.

The Apple ID menu on a Mac.
You'll need to set your phone number as a "Reachable" address.

5. Select the Phone number option and type your number, then enter the code that's sent to you.

6. Next, open the Messages app and log into your Apple ID there, too.

The Messages app on a Mac.
Log into the Messages app.

You've now got your Apple ID set up on the Mac. Now, you'll set up AirMessage.

Setting up AirMessage

Next, you'll set up AirMessage, the app that lets you send the iMessages.

1. On your Mac, head to the AirMessage website and download AirMessage Server for macOS, then unzip the file and move the app to your Applications folder.

The AirMessage webpage that lets you download AirMessage Server.
Install AirMessage Server on your Mac.

2. Open AirMessage on your Mac and make or connect an account. You'll also need to give the app disk access.

The AirMessage Server app on a Mac.
You just need a Google account to log in.

3. You'll also need to stop your Mac from falling asleep — if it's asleep or the lid is closed, you won't be able to route your messages. Open System Preferences and then click Energy Saver or Battery to change these settings.

The Battery menu on a Mac.
You don't have to keep your brightness up — you just need to keep the computer awake.

4. Next, install AirMessage on your Android and open it.

5. Log into your account in the Android app and it'll link your devices automatically.

6. Tap the blue chatting icon in the bottom-right corner of the app and type in a number that you want to send an iMessage to. A pop-up will appear on your Mac saying that AirMessage wants to use the Messages app — allow it.

Now you can send and receive iMessages straight from your Android, as long as both it and your Mac are on and connected to the internet.

A text message conversation in the iMessage app.
A text message sent to an AirMessage address will show up blue — it'll be an iMessage.
Read the original article on Business Insider


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‘Tax giveaways to millionaires’: Democrats’ ‘Salt’ plans divide party

Changes to state and local tax rules have become a bone of contention in US president’s $1.75tn spending bill

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Drive a gas-guzzler, buy a coal mine and other uses of reverse logic

‘The perfectly logical case for employing reverse logic’

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Taiwan’s UMC settles chip trade secrets dispute with Micron

Company was fined for stealing designs from US rival in case that highlighted China links

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New Variant Puts South Africa at Risk of Global Shut Out



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Alibaba-Backed Creative Biosciences Weighing Hong Kong IPO



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Billionaire Bollore Can End KKR's Smooth Italy Ride



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The Weekly Fix: Early Hikers Are Set to Give Way to the Big Guns



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Australians Warned La Nina's Rains May Create Severe Fire Season



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The owner of an ice cream company giving vaccinated employees a $1-an-hour pay raise says he's been inundated with emails from anti-vaxxers, including one likening the policy to Nazism

booster vaccine
The owner of an ice cream company that's giving vaccinated employees a pay raise says he's been inundated with emails from anti-vaxxers.
  • The owner of an ice cream company says some anti-vaxxers have likened his vaccine policy to Nazism.
  • Chapman's is giving vaccinated employees a $1-an-hour pay raise.
  • Owner Ashley Chapman says he's been inundated with emails and calls attacking the policy.

The owner of an ice cream company that's giving vaccinated employees a pay raise says he's been inundated with emails from anti-vaxxers.

Canadian ice cream company Chapman's started giving vaccinated workers a pay raise of 1 Canadian dollar an hour ($0.78) last week.

Ashley Chapman, vice-president and owner of the Ontario-based company, told CBC Radio that the external reaction to the policy was "very, very aggressive" and that he'd been sent "hate packages" in the mail.

He said that his 78-year-old father got a voicemail "telling him he was like Hitler, and obviously a Nazi, and we should be convicted of war crimes, essentially."

Chapman told The Globe and Mail that the company had received at least 1,000 negative e-mails and "so many terrible, cruel comments on our Facebook group."

"One e-mail asked us why we are employing segregation tactics," Chapman said. "The exact words were: 'Kudos on implementing Nazi-ism into our modern day.'"

The Globe and Mail reported that a photo of Chapman's vaccine policy had been spread in anti-vaccine groups on social media, with some people urging a boycott of the brand.

Chapman said that news coverage of the backlash led to emails, phone calls, and social-media posts from people praising the pay raise and encouraging other companies to introduce similar incentives for vaccinated workers.

"Overall, the ratio of good comments to bad comments is now about 20 to 1," Chapman told The Globe and Mail. The company's sales hadn't been hit by the boycott, and it had actually got multiple requests from Americans asking where they could buy its ice cream, he said.

Chapman told CBC that before introducing the pay raise he had been paying for unvaccinated staff to get two COVID-19 tests a week, which he said cost around 40 Canadian dollars ($31.35) per person.

"It just felt like we were treating the unvaccinated better than we were the vaccinated," he told the radio station. "So we said, 'You know what? Let's try and be equitable to both sides.'"

Around 100 of his 850 employees aren't fully unvaccinated, Chapman told CBC on Tuesday. He said he expected this figure to roughly halve over the next month as more staff members get their first and second shots.

As of November 19, 78.2% of Canadians had had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, rising to 89% among people aged 12 and older, government data shows.

More and more companies are mandating vaccines for their employees, and some governments are rolling out similar policies, too.

Ontario is requiring people to be fully vaccinated to visit some indoor venues like restaurants, nightclubs, gyms, and cinemas. Police in Toronto will be placed on unpaid leave if they don't provide proof of full vaccination by the end of November

In the US, President Joe Biden is requiring all companies with more than 100 employees to mandate COVID-19 vaccines for their staff or implement weekly testing.

Read the original article on Business Insider


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5 things to know before the opening bell

Good morning! Today we're bringing you a special edition, highlighting five of our top stories of the past month. We'll be back with a regular newsletter on Monday morning.

Plus, it's Black Friday. Sign up today and become an Insider for our lowest annual subscription rate ever — just $38 for full access to everything we offer

Let's get into it.


Hai Dinho, a crypto miner.
Hai Dinho, a crypto miner.

1. Meet Hai Dinho, a college student who uses his old laptop to mine shiba inu coin for free. He told Insider that he used the website UnMineable to download software that has allowed him to gather over 12,000 SHIB a day. (SHIB is one of the most popular meme-tokens of 2021.) Dinho broke down his strategy — and shared how others can mine coins too.

2. A Federal court in Miami this month dismissed a class action lawsuit by retail investors claiming Citadel Securities and Robinhood conspired to halt GameStop trading. Many meme-stock traders believe the two companies worked together to halt the trading of certain stocks on January 28. "Internet conspiracies and Twitter mobs try to ignore the facts," Citadel wrote in response when #CitadelScandal trended on Twitter. The judge said that while some of the emails between the two firms were suspicious, they did not constitute overwhelming evidence of unlawful activity. 

3. This 26-year-old built a $1 million real estate portfolio after starting out with an $18,000 loan. James Walker III told Insider he looks for tenant-friendly laws in areas where he purchases property. This allows for a more conducive environment to create positive cash flow. He explained his strategy, and why beginners should purchase their first homes through FHA. 

4. What is a DAO and why did one just try to buy the US Constitution? A group of internet friends came together to form a DAO, or a decentralized autonomous organization, in a bid for an original copy of the US Constitution. Together they crowdfunded $46 million for the auction. They were in the running to win it, but Citadel's Ken Griffin outbid them. Still, the group's rapid fundraising has made the DAO the next big thing in the world of crypto. 

5. A crypto trader is betting that the metaverse is about to explode. Mason Versluis scours the web for new projects that have the potential to go mainstream — and he sees metaverse-linked cryptos as the next big thing. Among other coins, he's been monitoring Decetraland's mana token, which is used in one of the most popular metaverse environments. These are his top five altcoin picks. 


Compiled by Phil Rosen. Feedback? Email prosen@insider.com or tweet @philrosenn.

Sign up for more Insider newsletters here.

Read the original article on Business Insider


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'A black Black Friday': Here's what analysts are saying as global stocks plunge on fears about new COVID variant

A trader works during afternoon trading on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange
Global stocks plunged Friday.
  • Global stocks are cratering after a new, highly mutated COVID variant was discovered in South Africa.
  • Analysts said volatility would be worsened by poor liquidity, with US trading limited by Thanksgiving.
  • Another said investors are simply taking no chance as they wait for more details about the new variant.

Global stocks are being hammered on Friday after a new, heavily mutated COVID variant was identified in South Africa, causing countries to limit travel and sparking fears of another wave of cases.

Scientists are racing to find out whether the new variant, called B.1.1.529, is more infectious or deadly than previous strains. South Africa has confirmed around 100 cases, but it's already been found as far away as Hong Kong.

Global investors are not liking what they're seeing. S&P 500 futures were last down 1.73%, suggesting stocks will plunge at the start of a Thanksgiving-shortened trading day. Dow Jones futures dropped 2.16%.

In Europe, the continent-wide Stoxx 600 tumbled 2.57% in morning trading after Tokyo's Nikkei 225 dropped 2.53% overnight. Oil prices have cratered more than 5% as investors weigh the chances of more lockdowns and travel bans.

Commerzbank analysts called it a "black Black Friday." Here's what others are saying as the new variant shakes markets.

Poor liquidity is driving volatility

"US equity futures shot lower from the moment they opened overnight on the new Covid variant news," said Steen Jakobsen, chief investment officer at Saxo Bank.

"Given poor liquidity today in the US, as many are away from their desks for a long holiday weekend and the market is only for a half session, any significant flows by traders looking to reduce risk could mean significant volatility."

Markets are taking no chances

"Investors are voting with their feet this morning," said Jeffrey Halley, senior market analyst at trading platform Oanda.

"The one bull in the china shop that could truly derail the global recovery has always been a new strain of Covid-19 that swept the world and caused the re-imposition of mass social retractions.

"Markets are taking no chances, equities are falling, haven currencies such as the US dollar, Japanese yen and Swiss franc are rallying... US 10-year bond yields have moved sharply lower, and oil has slumped."

Growth and central banks should provide cushion

"With equity markets at all-time highs, thin year-end liquidity and COVID cases up again, a pull-back seems logical," said Emmanuel Cau, head of European equity strategy at Barclays.

"But we believe resilient growth and patient central banks should continue to provide cushion on a medium-term horizon, while investors have dry powder to buy dips.

"What is key is to find out whether current vaccines remain effective against the variants, or not. COVID uncertainty might force central banks to err on the side of caution."

Travel industry hits violent storm

"Fear has gripped the financial markets with the travel industry flying into another violent storm, after the discovery of a new COVID strain which could be far more contagious and may render vaccines less effective," said Susannah Streeter, senior investment and markets analyst at broker Hargreaves Lansdown.

"There are now fears that the highly mutated COVID strain discovered in states in Southern Africa will prompt fresh shutdowns.

"The decision by the UK government to impose stringent quarantine rules on six southern African countries within hours has severely rattled the travel and tourism industry."

Read more: Jay Powell's renomination as Fed chair will keep inflating a stock market bubble that is a systemic risk to the economy, Stifel's top strategist warns. He shows why stocks haven't been this overextended since 1929 or 1999 — and shares when he thinks the bubble will pop.

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