California appeals court hears arguments in Uber, Lyft gig worker lawsuit

By Tina Bellon 

 

© Reuters/Mike Blake FILE PHOTO: A sign marks a rendezvous location for Lyft and Uber users at San Diego State University in San Diego

(Reuters) - A California appeals court on Tuesday listened to arguments by lawyers for Uber Technologies Inc, Lyft Inc and the state of California about whether the state can recognize their drivers as employees with the right to minimum wage, overtime pay, health insurance and unemployment insurance.

The case is part of a battle over the future of the so-called gig economy in California. In January, the state implemented a law making it harder for ride-hail, food delivery and other app-based companies to classify workers as independent contractors.

While state law gives the appeals court 90 days to issue a ruling, a decision on the future of gig work will likely be made by California's voters on Nov. 3 instead.

Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, InstaCart and Postmates have collectively spent more than $184 million to write and support a ballot measure that would overturn the state gig worker law, also known as AB5.

In May, California and the cities of Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco sued Uber and Lyft for allegedly violating AB5 by refusing to reclassify drivers. A California judge in August ordered the companies to reclassify their drivers as employees within 10 days.

That ruling was put on hold when the companies, under the threat of leaving the state altogether, appealed the decision.

During Tuesday's nearly two-hour hearing before California's 1st District Court of Appeal, Uber's and Lyft's lawyers told the three-judge panel the lower court had ignored their evidence and ruled in the state's favor based on faulty assumptions.

The attorneys said the law would cause irreparable harm to the state and its residents, with the companies forced to overhaul their business models and cut thousands of part-time drivers from their platform.

A lawyer for the state and cities said harm was already caused to misclassified drivers and other California businesses that follow the law.

(Reporting by Tina Bellon in New York; Editing by David Gregorio)

ALBERTA 

Another 961 cases of COVID-19 identified over long weekend as province shifts to appointment-only testing

Stephanie Babych 

© Chris Schwarz/Government of Alberta Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta's chief medical officer of health.

Another 961 cases of COVID-19 were identified over the long weekend with an average of 240 cases per day, according to Alberta’s top doctor on Tuesday, as she announced that testing at provincial assessment centres is shifting to an appointment-only model.


Starting on Wednesday, Alberta Health Services assessment centres will no longer be accepting drop-in patients but will operate with an appointment-only system that is meant to speed up testing, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, explained during Tuesday’s press conference.

About 93 per cent of the province’s COVID-19 tests are already being booked by appointment online or over the phone with HealthLink.

“By shifting to a provincewide by appointment process, we will make on-site testing quicker and more efficient. We will also reduce crowding in line and help ensure that everyone is tested as quickly and safely as possible,” Hinshaw said.

There are 236 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, 259 cases on Saturday, 246 cases on Sunday and 220 on Monday, which brings the total of active cases in the province to 2,615.

There are 97 people in hospitals across the province, including 13 requiring intensive care. This is one of the highest numbers of hospital admissions that Alberta has seen since the start of the pandemic.

Hinshaw said 41 per cent of the hospitalizations were due to acute care outbreaks at Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary and Misericordia Community Hospital in Edmonton.

“We’re watching our province’s health system carefully to ensure that hospitalizations and ICU admissions remain within our province’s capacity,” said Hinshaw.

No new cases of the novel coronavirus were identified among patients at Foothills Medical Centre over the weekend but one health-care worker tested positive.

In total, 45 patients, 37 health-care workers and five visitors have tested positive in connection to the outbreaks at several units of the hospital.

There were no new deaths to report at Foothills Medical Centre, though Hinshaw mentioned the 11th patient who died which was reported by AHS on Friday.

Three other Albertans died over the weekend, including a woman in her 70s from the Edmonton zone, a woman in her 60s linked to Lifestyle Options Terra Losa outbreak in Edmonton and a woman in her 50s linked to Millwoods Shepherds Care Centre in Edmonton.

The death toll now sits at 286.

“Any death, at any time, for any reason is devastating for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one. It can be especially difficult during a holiday like Thanksgiving, and it’s made even harder by the pandemic, which makes gathering with friends and family more difficult at a time where you need their comfort most,” said Hinshaw.

Over the weekend, Hinshaw posted on Twitter to encourage people to get the flu vaccine this season.

“Starting Oct. 19 people 5 years+ can get a free flu shot at a pharmacy or Dr.’s office. Public health clinics will be for kids younger than 5, their parents and household members; those without an AHC number and those in communities with no other immunizing healthcare providers,” said Hinshaw.

“Influenza coupled with COVID-19 can result in severe outcomes for our senior citizens. We are protecting Alberta’s most vulnerable population by offering, for the first time a high-dose influenza vaccine for residents of provincially funded long-term care beds, who are 65+.”

sbabych@postmedia.com

Twitter: @BabychStephanie

Alberta outsourcing health-care services, axing 11,000 jobs as part of multi-year plan to control spending
Tyler Dawson 

44 YEARS OF THE ONE PARTY STATE OF PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVES

AND THEIR AUSTERITY IDEOLOGY RETURN AS A SPECTRE OF ITSELF

AS THE UCP 

© Provided by National Post Health Minister Tyler Shandro.
WHO HAS NO CLUE ABOUT HIS JOB AS HE HAS NO MEDICAL OR HEALTH

EDUCATION NOR EXPERIENCE IN RUNNING LARGE CORPORATIONS

EDMONTON — Even as the COVID-19 pandemic shows no signs of abating, the Alberta government is forging ahead with a multi-year plan for cuts to ancillary health-care services, including privatizing laboratory work and laundry services, with the aim of saving some $600 million annually.

The United Conservative Party has long promised to rein in provincial spending and, by extension, get a grip on health-care spending, which has an operating budget in excess of $20 billion and accounts for 42 per cent of government spending.

The cuts announced Tuesday amount to 11,000 jobs over the next few years, some 9,700 of them from services such as laundry and food preparation, and a further 1,300 care and support staff because of attrition.

Alberta health minister Tyler Shandro said there will be no cuts to frontline medical staff during the pandemic; any job losses to such staff will come as the result of attrition, or under “existing initiatives.”

“This approach will ensure Alberta’s pandemic response remains our top priority,” Shandro said.

The Alberta government sees the latest round of cuts as complementary to another government promise — to tackle wait times, which have grown during the pandemic. Last month, Shandro said they were going to “keep that promise, pandemic or no pandemic.”

The government predicts the changes would save $600 million annually, and savings would be put back into patient care. The cuts would total roughly 2,000 laboratory jobs, 4,000 housekeeping jobs, 3,000 food service jobs and 400 laundry jobs.

HOUSEKEEPING IS THE LAST LINE OF DEFENSE IN  THE PANDEMIC

THEY ARE ESSENTIAL WORKERS IN A SPECIALISED CLEANING JOB

FOOD SERVICE IS PERSONAL AS WELL, FOOD WOULD BE CONTRACTED OUT TO AN EXSITING COMMERCIAL SERVICE LIKE ARAMARK

Shandro said 68 per cent of laundry services and 70 per cent of laboratory services are already contracted out. The cuts to housekeeping and food preparation won’t come until Alberta Health Services (AHS) develops a business case for each, due in 2022 and 2023, respectively.

THERE IS NO SAVINGS WHEN WORKERS ARE CONTRACTED OUT AS THE CONTRACTOR INCREASES COSTS ANNUALLY, WHILE NOT PASSING THOSE BENEFITS ON TO ITS WORKERS

Second wave reaches western Canada as Alberta sees surge of COVID-19 cases
Alberta outlines government-wide strategy for attracting new investment to province

“This looks like, really, standard-type management reorganization within the health-care sector,” said Rosalie Wyonch, a policy analyst at the C.D. Howe Institute. “It’s not so much that there’s now $600 million that can be spent elsewhere, it’s that this action will prevent $600 million being spent.”

Dr. Michael Rachlis, a professor at the University of Toronto in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, said it’s possible the initiative will save money, but there are catches.

“Without a detailed analysis we don’t know if there’s actually going to be money saved or not. AHS will still be paying for laundry, it just won’t be done by AHS employees,” Rachlis explained.

Any cuts to health-care services or changes to health care more broadly, have become a flashpoint during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Shandro has been involved in acrimonious negotiations with the Alberta Medical Association regarding physician pay and extra billing. There has also been a substantial back-and-forth between the government and doctors about whether or not physicians are absconding to sunnier pastures.

As well, the province has a plan to allow private surgical clinics to try and clear out a backlog of surgery patients, another promise of the UCP.

“Is there any evidence that privatizing the surgery would save any money? It might, but there’s a compelling case that suggests it might not,” said Rachlis.

The Alberta government, according to its August fiscal update, spent $2.5 billion on its pandemic response.

John Church, a professor of political science at the University of Alberta who studies health policy, pointed out that the push for more private medical treatment in the province “isn’t new for Alberta.”

“The tactical advantage here is that they’re counting on a population that has bought into the ideology that they’re pitching. And historically, they’re actually fairly accurate,” Church said.

The New Democrat opposition party has repeatedly attacked Jason Kenney’s government for moving towards what they see as “American-style” private health care.

NDP leader Rachel Notley, called the Tuesday health-care cuts “completely irresponsible.”

With files from the Edmonton Journal and The Canadian Press

Alberta government to cut up to 11,000 health-care jobs

EDMONTON — The Alberta government will cut up to 11,000 jobs at Alberta Health Services to save money — a move the Opposition says is cruel and will create chaos in the health-care system.

© Provided by The Canadian Press

Health Minister Tyler Shandro made the announcement Tuesday at a news conference in Edmonton, noting that nurses and front-line workers will not lose their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some of the cuts will come from further contracting out of laundry and lab services, with possibly housekeeping and food services also being outsourced in the future, he said.

A minimum of 100 management positions will also be eliminated and there will be a review of senior executives before the end of the fiscal year.

The government estimates the move will save up to $600 million a year.

"Given the circumstances that Alberta faces, this approach strikes the right balance between the two unprecedented challenges we face as a province — on one hand the response to the pandemic, and on the other hand the fiscal responsibility we face as Albertans," Shandro said.

He said that every dollar saved will go into patient care to improve the health-care system.
CONTRAC5ING OUT DOES NOT SAVE MONEY

But Opposition NDP Leader Rachel Notley said Premier Jason Kenney is intent on bringing American-style health care to Alberta.

"These plans are cruel. They are irresponsible and they are stupid," Notley said at a news conference. "They will create nothing but chaos throughout health-care institutions across this province."

Notley said people who do housekeeping, prepare food and provide laboratory services are front-line workers in every way, and forcing them out to seek lower paying jobs in the private sector is unconscionable.

"It is a turning point in Alberta history," she said.

"I think that all Albertans are going to be very, very upset because this is the exact opposite from what Jason Kenney committed to Albertans when he asked them for their vote."

An official with the United Nurses of Alberta (UNA) said Shandro's promise that the layoffs won't affect front-line workers does not seem sincere.

"There is nothing to prevent this government from prematurely declaring the pandemic to be over whenever it pleases, so this is a relatively meaningless promise," said David Harrigan, labour relations director for the UNA.

"Stability in the midst of a pandemic won't be achieved by short staffed hospitals and burnt out health care workers."

Dr. Verna Yiu, president of AHS, said the pandemic is the single-greatest public health challenge the agency has ever faced.

"The pandemic is not over. It is far from over," she said at a news conference Tuesday.

"We must also continue to evolve the health-care system so that it is financially stable now and into the future."

The cost-cutting measures received the endorsement of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
KENNEY USED TO BE THEIR PAID MOUTHPIECE 

"Today's announcement is an excellent step to make Alberta's health-care system more efficient," said Franco Terrazzano, the Alberta director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

"Alberta's businesses do a great job of doing laundry and preparing meals, so this is a no-brainer to help relieve some of the mounting costs to taxpayers."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 13, 2020.

The Canadian Press

UK
PM's offshore windfarm plan could bring jobs boost for SW and Wales

Celtic Sea windfarms could mean 3,200 jobs and £682m economic boost for region say business leaders

By William Telford Business Editor, Plymouth Live 6 OCT 2020

Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaking at the virtual Conservative Party Conference (Image: PA)

THE UK TORY PARTY HAS ADOPTED THE ORIGINAL BIDEN CAMPAIGN MESSAGE

The Prime Minister’s windfarm pledge could be a huge economic and environmental boost for Cornwall and the South West, business leaders say.

Boris Johnson wants the UK to generate enough electricity from offshore windfarms to power every home in the nation within a decade.

According to a report commissioned by the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), 1GW of floating offshore windfarms in the Celtic Sea could support 3,200 jobs in the South West and Wales and £682million of spend in the local supply chain by 2030, powering hundreds of thousands of homes.

In his speech to the Conservative Party virtual annual conference, Mr Johnson pledged to power every home in Britain with offshore wind energy within a decade.

How a floating windfarm could look in the Celtic Sea off the South West and Wales (Image: Statoil)

And he said: “We will not only build fixed arrays in the sea, we will build windmills that float on the sea – enough to deliver 1GW of energy by 2030, 15 times as much as the rest of the world put together.”

The pledge is being seen as a huge boost to floating offshore wind ambitions in Cornwall and the South West, which have been led by the LEP for the past two years.


Apart from Scotland, the Celtic Sea is the only other part of the UK where floating wind turbines can be deployed at scale. And November 2020 will see the formal submission of a Cornwall-led £30million-plus funding bid for Government investment to accelerate the creation of a floating offshore wind industry in the region as part of a £64millon project.

The South West Floating Offshore Wind Accelerator project is being led by Wave Hub, the Cornwall Council-owned marine renewables research and technology organisation, in collaboration with the LEP, University of Plymouth, University of Exeter, the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, A&P Group, Cornwall Council and Plymouth City Council.

It aims to build on Cornwall and Plymouth’s world-renowned excellence in offshore renewables business and research to fast-track the construction of large scale floating offshore windfarms in the Celtic Sea from the mid-2020s onwards.

LEP director Steve Jermy, who is also executive chair of Wave Hub, said: “We’re delighted with the Prime Minister’s support because it recognises the huge contribution floating wind can make to the UK’s renewables targets and the thousands of jobs that would result.

“The deployment of floating wind farms off Cornwall and in the Celtic Sea is something we have been working towards for the last two years.

“We’ve been able to draw on the county’s unique expertise in offshore renewable energy and we are confident that Cornwall can play a leading role in delivering the Prime Minister’s ambitious vision.”

Mr Jermy said plans to sell the Cornwall Council-owned Wave Hub offshore energy test site to a renewable energy project developer by the end of the year meant there could be a floating wind pilot project generating power off the coast of Cornwall as early 2023.

And he said there was the ambition in Cornwall to develop 3GW of floating offshore wind energy in the Celtic Sea by 2030.

Mark Duddridge, Chair of the Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership

Mark Duddridge, chair of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly LEP, also welcomed the Prime Minister’s announcement and said: “Our region has huge expertise in offshore renewable energy and one of the best wind resources in Europe in the Celtic Sea.

“What we need now is for some of the Prime Minister’s promised infrastructure investment to come to Cornwall and the South West to upgrade our ports and grid connectivity to we can play a national role in the UK’s green industrial revolution.”

Drystan Jones, Port Operations Director, Falmouth Docks and Engineering Company, part of the A&P Group added: “A&P Group welcomes the Prime Minister’s pledge to ‘build back greener’ with today’s announcement of investment in offshore wind energy.

“We are working closely with local partners to help make Falmouth and the wider South West economy a prime hub for the offshore wind sector, with A&P playing its part to ensure the region has the skills, facilities and capabilities to deliver the construction of floating offshore wind.

“We look forward to future commitments from Government for the South West to help achieve our shared ambitious targets for offshore wind capacity.”

Cornwall is no stranger to renewable energy. It is home to the UK’s first commercial windfarm and has the best solar climate in the UK.

And as well as floating offshore wind Cornwall is pioneering deep geothermal energy to tap the heat in granite deposits five kilometres beneath the earth, and is looking at how lithium can be extracted from deep geothermal brines for use in battery technology to help drive the electric car revolution.

Only last month the LEP announced it was supporting a £4million project to build Europe’s first geothermal lithium recovery pilot plant using investment it has secured from the Government’s Getting Building Fund. The project is a collaboration between Cornish Lithium and Geothermal Engineering Ltd.

Dr Adam Marshall, director-general of the British Chambers of Commerce (Image: Coventry Telegraph)

Adam Marshall, director general of BCC (British Chambers of Commerce) said: “The Prime Minister’s ambitious commitment to clean, renewable energy will be appreciated by our business communities.

“Chambers in our coastal regions have been clear that offshore windfarms must integrate local firms into supply chains to support investment and jobs. This will be even more critical as local business communities try to restart and rebuild following the pandemic.

“Decarbonising electricity generation is crucial to the UK’s future, but it won’t happen without a route map that gives investors confidence. The Energy White Paper needs to be published.”

Gail Cartmail , assistant general secretary of the union Unite, said: “We welcome the prime minister’s conversion to offshore windfarms, but what it reveals is the poverty of ambition compared with France and Germany.

How to contact William Telford and Business Live

“The spending proposed by Boris Johnson pales into significance with the vast sums that our main European competitors have invested in this sector.

“The commitment for 60% of the turbines to be manufactured in the UK only highlights that much more could have been done to invest in this sector and the jobs boost that would have been created.

“The Johnson rhetoric will turn out to be a mirage without a strong economy, retention of skilled jobs and investment in apprenticeships – and this means that chancellor Rishi Sunak needs to continue to do much more to protect employment as we go through the coronavirus pandemic.”

Unite national officer for energy Peter McIntosh said. “What we are waiting for is the Government’s much-delayed energy White Paper which will show how the UK reaches its pledge of net-zero carbon emissions across all forms of energy by 2050. This will include low carbon nuclear and renewables, such as wind power.

“What the prime minister spoke about today is only a partial picture of what needs to be done to keep the lights on for industry, business and the consumer.”

Business Live's South West Business Reporter is William Telford.
He is based in Plymouth but covers the entire region.
William has more than a decade's experience reporting on the business scene in Plymouth and the South West.

UK's first zero-carbon electric passenger ferry launched

Pioneering vessel will now undergo trials before entering service on routes in Plymouth


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By
William TelfordBusiness Editor, Plymouth Live
10:21, 13 OCT 2020
ENTERPRISE

The pioneering e-Voyager electric ferry

The UK’s first environmentally-friendly electric passenger ferry has been launched and will undergo rigorous trials before going into service in Plymouth.

Plymouth Boat Trips and Voyager Marine have launched the trailblazing zero-carbon e-Voyager. Designed and developed in partnership with the University of Plymouth, the University of Exeter, Teignbridge Propellers, MarRI-Uk and EV Parts, the ferry will now undergo running trials, before carrying passengers on Plymouth Boat Trips’ ferry routes from April 2021.

The project has been funded through the £1.4million Clean Maritime Call: a Maritime Research and Innovation UK (MarRI-UK) initiative supported by the Department for Transport (DfT) and launched to support the UK’s goal of zero emission shipping.

Project leader for Plymouth Boat Trips and Voyager Marine, Andy Hurley, said: “It’s hugely exciting to see the launch of e-Voyager and the result of such a progressive collaboration to create a cleaner and more sustainable future for the marine industry.

Th e-Voyager being tested off Plymouth

“Through developing the technology and maritime applications, Voyager Marine is helping to place Plymouth and the South West as UK leaders in the conversion and new build of zero-carbon, fully electric commercial vessels.”

Partnerships and funding support from the universities came via Environmental Futures & Big Data Impact Lab, a £6.4million project to support small businesses, and the £4million Marine Business Technology Centre, both part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund.


Dr Richard Pemberton, lecturer in mechanical and marine engineering design at the University of Plymouth, said: “Through our diverse mix of staff and specialisms, the University of Plymouth has supported Plymouth Boat Trips and its partners in both data analysis and regulatory advice.

“The University firmly believes that the work conducted on e-Voyager will pave the way for larger scale innovation towards meeting the Government’s target of a 50% reduction in emissions from the maritime sector by 2050.”

Technology and design engineering technology company, EV Parts, designed the battery storage and motor installation. An advanced electric motor, together with fly-by-wire controls, have replaced the traditional diesel engine, a process which will be directly transferable in under 24m commercial vessels.

The motors, energy storage, control and charging systems are now being tested in a real-world environment, enabling the team to gain approval from regulatory bodies so they can be used in vessels across the sector and carry passengers.

Through duty cycle modelling and advanced simulation of propeller performance, Teignbridge Propellers worked on the project to ensure every kilowatt hour of battery capacity is put to efficient use, ensuring maximum vessel range and safe and effective handling.

Mark Phare, sales and marketing director, said: “This pioneering project provides an ideal platform to explore the myriad technical challenges associated with the industry’s accelerating move to full electric propulsion and a low carbon future.”

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Commercial benefits Repurposed, Nissan Leaf batteries, used in e-Voyager, mean low maintenance and present clear commercial benefits for businesses in the marine sector.

The University of Plymouth’s scientists carried out research during the build, measuring emissions including noise pollution, air pollution and fuel consumption.

Brian Lambert, a University of Exeter research fellow in the Marine Business Technology Centre project joined the consortium to shape the bid into MarRi-UK.


He and Professor Chris Smith worked closely with the team, bringing expertise in project management and innovation to support the development of e-Voyager.

The team at Exeter are using their knowledge to investigate safe charging solutions for marine applications, including deposition of nanomaterials and inductive charging technologies.

William has more than a decade's experience reporting on the business scene in Plymouth and 
Plymouth City Council will install three 22 kWh chargers on the Barbican Landing Stage, and using this system, e-Voyager will take under three hours to achieve a full charge.

The vessel will be charged overnight when berthing, providing enough power to run for a full day and complete its journey on a single charge.

If required, the boat can simply plug in and recharge between runs as passengers embark. The council is working with ferry companies to further develop a charging infrastructure for marine transport in the city.

Green marine e-Voyager will be the first vessel to have been recognised by both the MCA and a Classification Society, for satisfying the exacting standards of both organisations.

The partners are now progressing to the conversion of larger passenger vessels in Plymouth Boat Trips’ fleet of cruise boats and ferries, along with the new build of similar vessels.

Business Live's South West Business Reporter is William Telford.

He is based in Plymouth but covers the entire region.

Government to increase safety tests on 5G waves in France

The French government will increase tests on the possible effects of being exposed to 5G waves to reassure the public and local officials.

13 October 2020
I

n 2021, 80% of popular smartphone models sold in France are expected to be tested for 5G safety

By Joanna York


The government announced plans on Monday (October 12) to double testing on the possible effects of being exposed to 5G waves, before the technology is rolled out throughout France.

Fears around 5G are numerous and include specific worries about the health risks of being exposed to the strong electromagnetic waves that 5G technology relies on. General suspicions over 5G technology in France have also lead to antennas being vandalised by people who are against the new technology.

Scientists in France have debunked 5G health concerns, but government agency l’Agence nationale des Fréquences (AFNR) will now increase tests on mobile phones and antennas to reassure the public and local officials that 5G technology is safe.
5G Smartphone tests

Smartphone tests will measure the DAS rate (débit d'absorption spécifique known as SAR, or Specific Absorption Rate in English) to understand how much energy the human body absorbs while using products that can connect to 5G networks such as smartphones, tablets and connected watches.

Tests will be run by AFNR in a laboratory, using smartphones that are currently available on the French market.

In 2019, 70 types of smartphones were tested and in 2021 this number will rise to 140. This means 80% of popular smartphone models sold in France should be tested by the AFNR in 2021.

Results will be made public.

5G tests on antennas

5G antennas are already subject to strict testing by AFNR – in 2019 more than 3,000 were tested. These tests revealed average exposure almost 150 times lower than maximum level thresholds defined by French and European standards.

Cédric O, junior minister for the digital economy said in a press release that tests on antennas will also increase. He said: “In the context of launching 5G, ANFR will do 4,800 specific tests to measure the strength of emissions from antennas before and after 5G is deployed.”

Mr O confirmed that local officials would have full access to the results of these tests.
Access to 4G technology also being improved

Mr O’s office also issued a reminder that, rather than focusing solely on 5G, its top priorities are “improving 4G mobile coverage and accelerating the deployment of new fibre optic networks in order to guarantee quality fixed and mobile internet access to all”.

To this end, 2,000 new pylons will be installed in France in the next few years to reduce the number of zones blanches (dead zones) in which people cannot access the internet.

UK unemployment hits 3-year high in August, as COVID-19 sees nearly 3 million people claim jobless benefits

snagarajan@businessinsider.com (Shalini Nagarajan) 

© WIktor Szymanowicz/NurPhoto via Getty Images 

UK unemployment jumped to its highest rate in over three years, rising to 4.5% in the three months to August.

Nearly 3 million people claimed jobless benefits in September, according to data released by the Office for National Statistics.

The jobs data was worse than the 4.3% rise economists had expected.

The situation could deteriorate after the British government announced a new system of local lockdowns, introducing a three-tiered system of rules as infections surge across the country and a furlough program is set to expire later this month.


UK unemployment rose to a three-year high of 4.5% in the three months to August, from 4.1% in July, according to data released by the Office of National Statistics on Tuesday.

The number of people claiming jobless benefits rose to 2.7 million in September — an increase of 1.5 million since March 2020, the ONS said.

People who were laid off, or voluntarily left jobs, rose o 227,000 in the three-month period to August, up by 113,000 from the same period the previous year, the largest annual increase since April to June 2009, during the financial crisis.

Redundancies in the quarter reached the highest level since May to July 2009, ONS said.

© ONS ONS


Video: By the Numbers: Faltering US economy (ABC News)
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/money/markets/uk-unemployment-hits-3-year-high-in-august-as-covid-19-sees-nearly-3-million-people-claim-jobless-benefits/ar-BB19Y5ty?ocid=msedgdhp

Economists at Pantheon Macroeconomics predicted the unemployment rate would rise to 4.3%, meaning that the actual picture is worse than expected.

The British government on Monday announced a new system of local lockdowns for England, introducing a three-tiered system of rules as infections surge across the country. That means things could get worse.

"Almost a million people have lost their jobs since the start of the pandemic and, given the latest lockdown measures, this number could climb again in the coming months," Orka Technology CEO Tom Pickersgill said. "While this is a terrible situation for so many to be in, the picture of the job market isn't completely black and white and there are some opportunities out there."

Pickersgill said while permanent 9-5-style roles will take time to recover, there will be a spike in temporary job opportunities as businesses favor flexibility in hiring. Anyone looking for work should consider industries such as security, logistics, and cleaning, as they offer the benefits and protections of traditional full time employment, he said.

Although the unemployment rate is not high by historical standards, the picture is clearly deteriorating, according to Laith Khalaf, a financial analyst at AJ Bell.

"We're beginning to see what the economic wound looks like as the bandage of furlough is gradually removed," Khalaf said. "The new Jobs Support Scheme will help to cushion the blow, but we're likely looking at the thin end of the wedge when it comes to unemployment."

The Institute for Fiscal Studies has said COVID-19 would cost the UK £350 billion ($455 billion) in public borrowings this year, a level unseen in peacetime Britain.

London's benchmark FTSE 100 index fell 0.4% on Tuesday.

Ecuador indigenous group sues president for crimes against humanity
AFP 

Ecuador's largest indigenous organization filed a lawsuit Monday against President Lenin Moreno and other authorities for alleged crimes against humanity committed during protests last October which left 10 people dead.

© Martin BERNETTI Demonstrators fire a home-made mortar during clashes with riot police at October protests in Quito

The Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE) asked the prosecutor's office to investigate "crimes against humanity" because they believe the crackdown was "a systematic and widespread attack on the civilian population," the group's lawyer, Carlos Poveda, told AFP.

"We have asked that there be no isolated or circumstantial investigations. We have asked that all the complaints be united that they be dealt with in a context of crimes against humanity," Poveda said.

The government has yet to comment on the lawsuit.

A wave of protests, marked by violence, erupted in Ecuador in the first half of October 2019, after the government increased fuel prices.

The demonstrations led the government to declare a state of emergency, and at one point Moreno moved his government from the capital Quito to the port city of Guayaquil. He eventually backed down and reestablished fuel subsidies.

Poveda said the lawsuit was against Moreno, the minister of the interior, the defense minister, the police chief and the comptroller.

"We had filed complaints, we had told the State that they should investigate the events of October 2019, but this irresponsible government and the Ecuadorian justice system have not been able to respond and give an explanation to the Ecuadorian people," CONAIE president Jaime Vargas told reporters.

According to data provided by the ombudsman's office, the protests left 10 people dead, 1,340 injured and 1,192 arrested. The demonstrations also caused an estimated $821 million in damage.

pld/rsr/to/leg

Indonesia Islamic groups, students join movement to scrap jobs law

By Yuddy Cahaya Budiman and Agustinus Beo Da Costa 48 mins ago

© Reuters/WILLY KURNIAWAN Protest against the new so-called omnibus law in Jakarta

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Wearing white Islamic garb and waving red and white Indonesian flags, more than 1,000 protesters from Islamic and student groups gathered in the world's most populous Muslim nation on Tuesday to show discontent over a divisive new jobs law.

© Reuters/WILLY KURNIAWAN Protest against the new so-called omnibus law in Jakarta

Conservative Islamic groups are among the latest to join the volatile street demonstrations, during which police fired tear gas on Tuesday to try to break up crowds, as pressure mounts on the government to repeal a law they say undermines labor rights and environmental protections.

© Reuters/WILLY KURNIAWAN Protest against the new so-called omnibus law in Jakarta

The country's largest Islamic organization, Nahdlatul Ulama, is among its opponents and says it favours conglomerates while "trampling" on the rights of working-class Indonesians.

Hamdan, a 53-year-old teacher who goes by one name, said he would keep protesting until the law was repealed.

"People can't go out, some people can't even eat and unemployment is still high," he told Reuters in Jakarta. "Even my son still can't find a job."

Protests against the so-called omnibus law took place in multiple locations involving thousands of Indonesians last week, some of which saw streets blocked, tyres burned and rocks hurled, leading to more than 6,000 people being detained.

© Reuters/WILLY KURNIAWAN Protest against the new so-called omnibus law in Jakarta

"The bill will definitely affect myself, my job, my relatives, my friends and everything," said engineer Rafi Zakaria, 30.

"It doesn't only affect labourers. Our students here joined the protest because they're concerned about their parents' jobs."

The law, designed to reduce red tape and attract investors, has yet to be published and the unofficial versions circulating in the media and online have led to speculation and confusion.

Deputy house speaker Achmad Baidowi told Reuters the law would be sent to the president and made public on Wednesday.

The government is standing by the legislation and President Joko Widodo has blamed the public outcry on disinformation. Indonesia's defence minister has blamed the demonstrations on "foreign interference".

"There are those who do not want to see Indonesia as conducive to investors, and want to always benefit from that," the ministry spokesperson, Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak, said, without elaborating.

(Writing by Kate Lamb; Editing by Martin Petty)

SANTA MUERTE 

As pandemic rages, Mexicans pray to death 'saint'

Their arms raised towards the sky, worshippers of Mexico's "saint" of death pray before a giant cloaked skeleton asking for protection from the coronavirus and its devastating economic fallout. 

© CLAUDIO CRUZ Mexico's 'Saint Death' has no shortage of followers during a pandemic that has claimed tens of thousands of lives

© CLAUDIO CRUZ Some devotees arrive on their knees to worship at a shrine in Mexico City's Tepito neighborhood

The Grim Reaper-like figure, whose devotees include drug cartel members as well as ordinary Mexicans, has been rejected by the Roman Catholic Church as blasphemous.

But with tens of thousands of Mexican lives lost to Covid-19, there is no shortage of followers of "Santa Muerte."

"With the pandemic, more devotees want to come to ask for health and protection," said 30-year-old Cristel Legaria, whose late mother erected the 22-meter (72-foot) fiberglass statue in Tultitlan near the capital

.

© CLAUDIO CRUZ The Grim Reaper-like figure has been rejected by the Roman Catholic church as blasphemous

Wearing a golden robe, the skeleton stands with its bony arms spread out against the blue sky, like a statue of Jesus.

Historians trace Santa Muerte back to the 18th century, when indigenous people turned images of the Grim Reaper brought by Spanish conquistadores into an icon, prompting the Church to destroy chapels devoted to the folk saint.

© CLAUDIO CRUZ Others indoctrinate their children into the cult of Santa Muerte

After many decades underground, the practise emerged from the shadows in the mid-20th century, particularly in the capital, as Mexicans arrived from the impoverished countryside.

© CLAUDIO CRUZ Some followers have tattoos of Santa Muerte on their neck or chest

- 'Always there' -

The number of followers grew in 2001, when a woman named Enriqueta "Dona Queta" Romero displayed her Santa Muerte figure in Mexico City's rough neighborhood of Tepito.

Hundreds now visit the shrine on the first day of each month to worship Santa Muerte.

Video: Mexican devotees pray to death 'saint', ask for protection from pandemic (AFP)

"I came to thank her for everything that she's given us this year, which has not been easy due to the pandemic," said 34-year-old stylist Suri Salas, returning for the first time after months of confinement.

"Fortunately, she's always there to support us," said Salas.

The faithful -- some shuffling on their knees -- arrived with effigies of Santa Muerte, while others offered flowers, sweets and liquor.

Few wore face masks and social distancing was almost impossible. The aroma of marijuana filled the street, where street vendors hawked Santa Muerte statues and candles.

"Since the pandemic began I've never closed," said Romero, who welcomes visitors from as far afield as the United States and Europe after word of the saint of death spread.

Some have tattoos of Santa Muerte on their neck or chest and indoctrinate their children.

"She helps you when you're on the razor's edge, facing insecurity, economic troubles or -- like now -- health problems," said Alfonso Hernandez, a journalist and official chronicler in crime-plagued Tepito.

- Heresy to Church -

The worship of Santa Muerte is "an adaptation of a harsh world," but heresy for the Catholic Church, said Bernardo Barranco, a sociologist who specializes in religions.

"It's not a religion. It's a cult. You can be Catholic or Evangelical and be a follower," he said.

Some devotees are also believers in the Virgin of Guadalupe, patron saint of Mexico, the world's second-biggest Catholic country.

In 2016, during a visit to Mexico, Pope Francis alluded to the veneration of Santa Muerte when he said he was concerned about people who worship "macabre symbols."

But that does not seem to bother Rodrigo Oliva, who travels 70 kilometers (44 miles) from the capital to Tultitlan, where face masks, temperature checks and social distancing are compulsory.

The 28-year-old photographer follows the Afro-Cuban religion Palo Monte, but his temple closed due to the epidemic so he prays to Santa Muerte.

With Covid-19 "there are more people who have taken an interest in a cult," he said.

"We pray to her so she protects us, but that does not make us immune," he added.

With around 84,000 deaths, Mexico has the world's fourth-highest coronavirus toll, and many have lost a relative, friend or neighbor.

"The only thing I ask of my saint is to give me strength, health and harmony. Nothing else matters if you don't have good health," said 23-year-old shoeshiner Jonathan Flores.

nc/axm/dr