4 minute read
NEWS
Around North America in seven stories…
TECHNOLOGY
DONALD TRUMP’S SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM HAS LAUNCHED
TRUTH SOCIAL, DONALD Trump’s social media platform, has launched on the US Apple App Store in a limited form and has arrived as a controversial entry to the social media space.
Created by Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), Truth Social has become available to around 500 beta testers and is expected to be fully operational by the end of March.
The Truth Social app shares similarities with Twitter, a platform that Trump was banned from (as well as Facebook and YouTube) in 2021, and a recent screenshot shared by Donald Trump Jr showed his father’s first “truth” on the new social network: “Get ready. Your favourite president will see you soon.”
SUSTAINABILITY
TEXAS LEADS ENERGY PROJECTS IN THE US
2021 SAW TEXAS as the leading state in the US when it came to undertaking new renewable energy projects, according to a report released by the American Clean Power Association.
Texas established 7,352 megawatts (MW) of new solar, wind and energy installation projects during the last year, a significant number more than other states. In comparison, California installed just 2,697 MW of energy storage projects. 90 percent of Texas’ energy derives from fossil fuels, and the state still ranks as the 10th in the US for fossil fuel consumption. However, Texas is experiencing a rise in renewable energy projects due to the easy and relatively low-cost access to the likes of solar and wind development.
TRANSPORT
FORD MUSTANG MACH-E TOPS 2022 EV LIST
THE FORD MUSTANG Mach-E has been prompted as the “top pick” for an electric vehicle (EV) in 2022.
Reliability data from Consumer Reports show that the Mach-E has fewer problems than alternative EVs, replacing the Tesla Model 3’s leading position.
Consumer Reports still recommend the Model 3, yet there are claims that the Tesla model fails to match the Mach-E in certain areas, such as the notable hands-free driving aspect and driver alerts. Despite this, both models remain the pinnacle of customer EV options in 2022 so far.
FOOD & DRINK
ANIMAL WELFARE CONFLICT ESCALATES FOR MCDONALD’S
CARL ICAHN, BILLIONAIRE and activist investor, has stepped up his fight with McDonald’s regarding the welfare of pigs used in the conglomerate’s food supply chain.
The issue revolves around the claim that pregnant sows are kept in small crates, a practice that Icahn says to be “obscene”. Icahn has also said that McDonald’s’ has not been living up to its promise to reduce and phase out the use of pork sourced from pigs in these gestational crates.
Icahn owns 200 McDonald’s shares and believes that he has some leverage to fight for change. He has asked all the company’s pork suppliers in the US to transition to “crate-free pork”, as part of McDonald’s claim of improving animal welfare standards.
TECHNOLOGY
FORMER BRITISH DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER NOW WORKS FOR META
NICK CLEGG, FORMER deputy prime minister of the UK, has been promoted to the position of President of Global Affairs for Meta by CEO, Mark Zuckerberg.
Clegg used to be the leader of the UK’s Liberal Democrats party and joined Facebook in 2018 as Head of Policy and Communications. In his new position, Clegg will be placed in charge of “all policy matters” as Meta faces global regulation.
Clegg will oversee decision making that impacts billions of users across the multiple platforms owned by Meta, such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Oculus and Messenger.
Entrance to Meta’s headquarters complex (pictured in 2014 as Facebook Inc.) in Menlo Park, California
AEROSPACE
US ARMS MANUFACTURER Lockheed Martin Corp (Lockheed) has said that it has terminated its planned acquisition of rocket engine maker Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings Inc for $4.4 billion.
The decision follows the unanimous vote of the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to block the deal due to antitrust concerns.
The acquisition was announced in late 2020 but drew criticism as the merger would give Lockheed a dominant place in the solid fuel rocket motors space, a critical aspect of the US missile industry.
Lockheed has recognized the FTC’s actions and terminated the deal in the best interests of company stakeholders.
TRANSPORT
General Motors to cut popular features
VEHICLE GIANT GENERAL Motors (GM) has been forced to temporarily drop popular features such as heated seats due to a shortage of semiconductor chips in the industry.
The company is not alone, with many automakers having to respond in similar ways to the industry crisis that is spiking prices and delaying orders.
GM does, however, have a future answer to the problem; a retrofit option will be available to the owners of said vehicles later this year to rectify the issue.
