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Europe
BBC Business

Amazon bars breastfeeding boss from business course

Image source, Getty ImagesByMitchell LabiakBusiness reporterPublished4 hours agoA breastfeeding boss has been barred from a business course run by online retailer Amazon because it would not let her child on to the site. Rachel Bews said she had let Amazon know a week ahead of the in-person event at an Amazon warehouse in Dunfermline, Scotland, that she would need to take her 20-week-old baby with her as she was breastfeeding. However, she said she was told over the phone on the train to the event that children under six were not allowed on site. Amazon said: "We sincerely apologise to Ms Bews that our site access policy was not communicated clearly before she travelled." "That should not have happened, and we understand her frustration. Amazon does not permit children under the age of six on any of our fulfilment centre sites," the retailer added. "This is a long-standing health and safety policy that applies to all visitors and employees... We are reviewing our communications process to prevent this from happening again." Bews told the BBC's The World Tonight that there was a lactation room at the event on Friday, which would have allowed her to express milk for her child. But she said she had not planned for this, so did not have any sterilised bottles or equipment for expressing. She added that not every breastfed baby would feed from a bottle. "All events should really have good consideration to accessibility and inclusivity for all sorts of considerations," she said. "It's a challenging thing becoming a new mum, and being in business is a big part of my identity, so having access to these same opportunities is really important for me and a lot of other working and professional mums out there." She said she had been told she could continue with the online part of the six-week course, but she said she had missed out on "the most important things". "The in-person, face-to-face connections you make over coffee, the people you meet over lunch – there's connections I could have made to maybe help my business," she added.

Amazon bars breastfeeding boss from business course
Europe
BBC Business

'I wear it on my middle finger': The rise of the defiant divorce ring

Shimmering on Deb Marino's finger are diamonds set in an eye-catching gold ring. "Of course it's a middle finger ring, because, why not?" the Florida-based blogger says on her Tiktok feed. Getting rid of her engagement ring would have suggested a regret the 34-year-old doesn't feel - after all, her marriage brought her daughter. Even just not wearing it would have felt like a waste. Plus she does sometimes feel like sticking one finger up after the break-up of her marriage. Deb is part of a rising trend promoted by jewellers around the world of women marking a new chapter in their life with a new statement piece: the divorce ring. Deb had the diamond from her engagement ring set at one end of an open circle and added a new sapphire to represent her daughter to the other end. It cost $3,000 (£2,245). Ring resale values tend to be only around 30% of the original price so for many the trend of giving their old jewellery a new life feels a better investment. And Deb's middle finger statement fits right in with what the fashion pages are calling this year's "hot divorcee summer" - a celebration of liberated glamour and a "don't care energy". Divorce rings can also be a way of marking a kind of financial liberation, says Kate Daly, co-founder of Amicable, a UK company offering mediated divorce services. "Your whole life gets thrown up in the air," she says. "Your finances are under extreme pressure." If at that point a woman decides to buy a new ring it's a sign that she is making her own financial decisions and "not needing to ask permission from anyone," says Daly. "It's very easy to trivialise, but maybe that's the first big spending decision you've made in a very long time, and certainly perhaps the biggest one you've made solo for a long time."

'I wear it on my middle finger': The rise of the defiant divorce ring
Europe
BBC Business

Banks accused of failing most vulnerable customers

Image source, Getty ImagesByKevin PeacheyCost of living correspondentPublished4 hours agoSome of the UK's biggest banks have been failing their most vulnerable customers, according to the financial regulator. Banks have been pushing homeless people or those in financial hardship towards unsuitable online applications and away from basic bank accounts. These accounts are free, do not include an overdraft facility, and provide essential banking for those unable to open a mainstream account. Now, the nine UK banks and building societies which operate basic bank accounts have agreed to demands from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to make access more straightforward. Basic bank accounts have many of the same functions as a regular current account, but are designed for those who might otherwise be excluded from the banking system. More than four million people in the UK have these accounts. But a mystery shopping exercise by the FCA rated a third of experiences with basic bank accounts as poor or very poor. The exercise covered 298 interactions across branches and by telephone, and rated 28% of cases as good or very good, 38% as fair, 20% as poor and 14% as very poor. Problems included failing to offer these accounts to people who needed them, particularly those with no fixed address. Some pushed customers in vulnerable circumstances towards online applications to open an account unsuitable for their needs. Emad Aladhal, director of retail banking at the FCA, said: "Bank accounts are important for financial inclusion, and this is about making sure the very people who could benefit from basic bank accounts are not missing out." Banks have agreed to provide the right account for customers first time, make it straightforward for customers without standard ID or a fixed address to open an account, and offer alternatives to online applications to those who are vulnerable. Peter Tyler, director of personal banking at trade body UK Finance, said: "We recognise that more can be done to ensure consistently good outcomes for everyone."

Banks accused of failing most vulnerable customers
North America
CNBC Finance

Manhattan luxury real estate sales hold firm despite fears of a 'Mamdani effect'

A month after the passage of a tax on second homes in New York City, sales of luxury real estate remain strong and inventory is falling, according to brokers and analysts. When New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and the state legislature approved the so-called pied-à-terre tax on May 27, real estate agents and developers predicted an immediate impact. Brokers said the New York wealthy would flee to Florida, developers said they would halt new projects and real estate lobbyists predicted declines in employment. Many cited what they called "the Mamdani effect," referring to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and potential wealth flight from taxes. "The tax on second homes will dampen market activity, reduce property values, hurt new development and weaken the city's economy," the Real Estate Board of New York said in a statement soon after the measure passed. Yet sales of luxury apartments show little signs of weakness. There were 126 contracts signed for apartments priced at $4 million or more in June, up from 124 during the same four-week period last year, according to Olshan Realty. The average price of a Manhattan apartment reached its second-highest level ever during the second quarter, up 5% over the past year to roughly $2.2 million, according to Brown Harris Stevens. Sales of condos priced between $10 million and $20 million surged 55%, according to Compass. Sales of condos over $20 million were up 33%, with average asking prices up 14%, the real estate brokerage said. The deals in June included an $80 million duplex penthouse in a new condo building near Manhattan's West Village, a $26 million condo downtown and a $22 million co-op on the Upper East Side. Brokers say that while some buyers were initially spooked by the tax, the flood of liquidity from recent initial public offerings and soaring wealth from asset prices has outweighed their fears. "The amount of money out there is insane," said Lauren Muss of Douglas Elliman, who had a $17.5 million condo listing go to contract in June. "We're seeing big things come to us every day. It's only getting stronger." It's too early to judge the long-term impacts of the tax, of course. And real estate lawyers say there will be years of litigation related to valuations, co-op boards, residency status and other issues related to the new tax. While Hochul and Mamdani have said the tax will raise $500 million a year, the New York City Comptroller estimates it will raise about $340 million to $380 million. Yet top brokers said the pied-à-terre tax fears are quickly subsiding. The surcharge, imposed on non-primary residences valued by the city at more than $1 million, was first proposed in April, approved in May and officially took effect this week. It applies to residences that fit the tax criteria as of Jan. 5, 2026. So any buyers of pricey pied-à-terres this year will be subject to the tax. Some buyers initially paused their deals when the tax was first proposed, according to agents. Scott Hustis, of Paradigm Advisory at Compass, said he listed a $16.5 million penthouse duplex in Madison Square Park Tower on April 8. One buyer expressed immediate interest and was about to make an offer, he said, but when Hochul announced the proposed tax a week later, the buyer pulled back. By late May, however, as the details of the tax started becoming more clear, buyers came back into the market. The penthouse went into contract on June 6. "There is a lot of confidence out there," Hustis said. "Markets are strong. A lot more New York buyers are coming out of the woodwork."

Manhattan luxury real estate sales hold firm despite fears of a 'Mamdani effect'
North America
CNBC Economy

Job seekers giving up: Labor force participation rate falls to lowest in 50 years, outside of Covid era

On the surface, a June drop in the unemployment rate helped provide some upside to what was an otherwise downbeat jobs report — but it was for all the wrong reasons. That's because the decline in the jobless level to 4.2%, the lowest in a year, came largely from an exodus of workers from the labor force, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics data Thursday. In fact, the measure of the working-age population either employed or looking for a job slid to 61.5%, the lowest since March 2021. Excluding the Covid-era jobs market, it was the lowest labor force participation rate in exactly 50 years. The decline in the labor force marks a "massive exodus" driven by multiple factors, said Mike Reid, head of U.S. economics at RBC. "The unemployment rate fell to 4.2% as both the number of unemployed workers and the size of the labor force pulled back," Reid wrote in a post-report commentary. "This may well be a story of retirements but could also be a story of prior job seekers dropping out of the labor force." Within the bureau's household survey, where the participation numbers are drawn, is a story of a consistently contracting labor force potentially driven by unemployed workers simply giving up. In June alone, the labor force, a measure of those either employed or not employed and looking for work, plummeted by 720,000. Similarly, the rolls of those counted as not in the labor force, a group that includes the unemployed and those not looking for work, jumped by 832,000. And while the establishment survey, which counts jobs filled, showed growth for the month of 57,000, the survey of households, which counts the actual level of those working, tumbled by 507,000. On a year-over-year basis, the labor force is down by just over 1 million, while the level of the employed also has fallen by 1.06 million and the ranks of the unemployed have risen by 40,000. The employment-to-population ratio slipped to 59% in June, the lowest since October 2021. All that has happened while the unemployment rate has risen by just one-tenth of a percentage point to 4.2%. "What really affects me is not so much the unemployment rate," said Dan North, senior economist for North America at Allianz. "What's an important development is the participation rate, and this is a big leg down in one month, and over the past year it's a pretty big leg down. I think this is a more important number." The drop in participation is sometimes attributed to a shrinking immigrant population and retiring baby boomers and Gen Xers. However, in June the biggest plunge came from what is defined as "prime age" workers, or those between the ages of 25 and 54. That rate fell 0.6 percentage point to 83.3%, its lowest since December 2023.

Job seekers giving up: Labor force participation rate falls to lowest in 50 years, outside of Covid era
North America
CNBC Finance

Premier Lacrosse League plans to bring in team owners by 2028 'or soon thereafter,' co-founder says

The Premier Lacrosse League wants to begin selling its teams to individual owners or groups by 2028 "or soon thereafter," league co-founder Paul Rabil told CNBC. In the next decade, Rabil said, he wants the league to expand from eight teams to as many as 16, with each franchise owned independently, similar to other U.S. professional leagues. The PLL is in its eighth season, and currently the league, itself, owns the teams. Rabil, 40, is perhaps the most famous American lacrosse player in history, playing Major League Lacrosse from 2008 to 2018 before co-founding the PLL with his brother, Mike. The PLL merged with MLL in 2020. The PLL is one of a number of emerging sports leagues, along with League One Volleyball, the Professional Women's Hockey League and the Basketball Africa League, that have begun with a single-entity ownership model. League One Volleyball has recently begun selling off teams to interested owners who pay expansion fees to take control of franchises. The BAL is beginning that process now, NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum told CNBC Sport last month. The demand to own sports teams has skyrocketed in recent years as valuations for the biggest sports — the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL — have soared. The spike in team valuations for the so-called Big Four U.S. sports leagues has pushed a class of investors toward more affordable teams in Major League Soccer, the National Women's Soccer League and the WNBA. Emerging sports leagues like the PLL are seeking to prove they can join this mezzanine class of leagues that can garner team valuations in the hundreds of millions or even close to a billion dollars. Earlier this week, the PLL raised $100 million in a Series E funding round to grow the league. Rabil is banking on the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics to give exposure to the league and the sport. Lacrosse hasn't been a medal sport in the Summer Games for about 120 years but is returning in 2028. "The first allotment of tickets sold out in 48 hours for lacrosse, so there's good hype building," Rabil said. However, Rabil said, if a large private equity fund or a strategic company such as TKO Group, which owns World Wrestling Entertainment, Ultimate Fighting Championship and Professional Bull Riders, would like to acquire the league, "we would absolutely have those discussions." Get this delivered to your inbox, and more info about our products and services. Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes. Global Business and Financial News, Stock Quotes, and Market Data and Analysis.

Premier Lacrosse League plans to bring in team owners by 2028 'or soon thereafter,' co-founder says
Europe
BBC Business

Three things you can do to stop EU border checks at the airport costing you

ByKevin PeacheyCost of living correspondentPublished4 hours agoIf you're heading to Europe this summer you need to be prepared for queues caused by the EU's new border control system - or it could end up costing you more money. UK travellers have to register fingerprints and a photo when you scan their passport as part of the Entry/Exit System, or EES. The extra time this takes, as well as some technical glitches, have meant long delays at some airports. Some holidaymakers have missed their flights and had to pay for another ticket. Here are three things experts say you must do before you travel to Europe to avoid any additional costs as a result of the new checks. Building in plenty of time to check in and complete the EES registration steps will help you to avoid missing your flight. The UK boss of budget airline Wizz Air told the BBC that British holidaymakers should arrive at European airports three hours before their flight home departs. Other airlines such as Jet2 and Ryanair have suggested the same, depending on the airport. However, Eurostar advises passengers to arrive at the station at the recommended time stated on your ticket, external as it already takes EES steps into account. At the Port of Dover, technology issues have prevented the new system from being used. It is advising passengers to arrive no more than two hours before their ferry departure. It warned arriving too early could cause queues to build up. Top tip: Check arrival time advice with your airline, ferry or rail company in advance and build in your travel from home. Airlines and travel providers will send out messages to let passengers know of current waiting times and any changes so it's important you are signed up to receive them. "Airlines typically notify passengers of significant delays. We also advise passengers to always check directly with their airline before heading to the airport to allow enough time for security checks and reaching their departure gate," the Civil Aviation Authority says. Most airlines have an app you can download in advance to receive alerts and it's also worth checking you're signed up to get texts and that emails don't go into your junk folder.

Three things you can do to stop EU border checks at the airport costing you
North America
CNBC Finance

Ford CEO wants level playing field with Toyota, GM imports as USMCA trade talks reopen

DETROIT — As negotiations officially reopen for the USMCA North American trade deal, Ford Motor CEO Jim Farley is clear about what the automaker wants under the new talks: a more level playing field. He told CNBC he wants automakers such as Ford that largely produce their vehicles domestically to be awarded under the deal. Along with that, Farley said other automakers — such as General Motors and Toyota Motor — that may produce here but also heavily rely on imported vehicles should get more penalties. "It's imperative that any new agreement makes it easier, not harder, to compete with U.S. makers who import from Japan, South Korea and global competitors that import from those locations," Farley told CNBC during a phone interview Wednesday. "That's the key for us." GM and Toyota are No. 1 and No. 2 in U.S. sales, respectively, while also being the top two importers of vehicles in 2025. GM imported 1.17 million vehicles, or 41% of its U.S. sales, while Toyota imported more than 1.19 million units, or 47%, of its domestic sales, according to industry data. Hyundai Motor, which plans to roughly double its amount of U.S.-produced domestic sales to 80% by 2030, was the largest importer of vehicles from South Korea, followed by GM. Ford, meanwhile, reports it assembled more than 2 million vehicles in the U.S. last year — more than any other auto manufacturer, including 311,000 units for export to more than 60 international markets. It imported 378,000 vehicles, or 17%, of its 2.2 million sales last year. "Ford's a leader of U.S. auto production with the most U.S.-built vehicles but, more importantly, we import very few, and we export the most, and we have the most UAW [union] workers here," Farley said. "So we're very proud, especially of the ratio between what we build here and what we import." Farley's comments come as the Trump administration has decided not to renew its trilateral trade pact with Canada and Mexico, instead opting to conduct annual reviews of the treaty that could eventually lead to an end to the agreement by 2036. The auto industry represented about 18% of America's trading with its neighboring countries last year, according to industry data, making it one of the key sectors in the discussions. Automakers and others watching the talks are concerned that reopening the deal could create additional trade uncertainty that leads to lower investments and fewer jobs. A consortium of U.S. trade groups representing most automakers, dealers and suppliers on Wednesday voiced support for a trilateral deal like the countries currently have. "We urge the leaders of the U.S., Canada, and Mexico to swiftly reach consensus on an extension of USMCA that preserves the existing trilateral partnership, returns to preferential treatment for qualifying goods, and continues the stability and predictability that has helped the industry thrive for the past six years," they said in a statement.

Ford CEO wants level playing field with Toyota, GM imports as USMCA trade talks reopen
Asia
The Hindu BusinessLine

Honda eyes sub-4 metre SUV, EV push to drive growth

Honda Cars India is preparing to enter India’s highly competitive sub-4 metre SUV segment in 2028 as part of a broader strategy to regain market share. This reflects the structural shift in India’s passenger vehicle market, where compact SUVs have emerged as the fastest-growing category, Kunal Behl, Vice-President, Sales and Marketing, Honda Cars India Ltd, told businessline.. “The sub-4 metre space was missing from our portfolio. It is important for us to be present in both SUV segments,” he said. Hatchbacks have been shrinking at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 4 per cent over the past five years, while sub-4 metre has grown by more than 20 per cent annually, he added. The proposed compact SUV will be offered with multiple power train options, although Honda has not disclosed whether these will include petrol, hybrid or battery electric variants. Behl said Honda is also accelerating its electrification roadmap with plans for its first India-developed Battery Electric Vehicle SUV to be launched in the second half of the current financial year. Honda plans to offer petrol, hybrid and battery electric vehicles based on customer preferences while continuing to stay away from diesel, he said. On fresh manufacturing investments, Behl said the company’s Tapukara facility in Rajasthan, with an installed annual capacity of 1.8 lakh units, is currently operating at 60-70 per cent utilisation and caters to both domestic and export markets. The Japanese auto major will focus on improving utilisation through an expanded product portfolio before committing to additional capacity, he said. “As demand grows, we will evaluate expansion options, but the first objective is to utilise the existing plant better,” Behl said, adding that the company is evaluating multiple expansion options without specifying a utilisation threshold for fresh investments. Honda has lined up six launches during the current calendar year, including the new electric SUV. The broader product offensive is aimed at boosting plant utilisation and strengthening the company’s position in India’s evolving passenger vehicle market, said Behl. Tamil Nadu contributes nearly 12 per cent of the overall domestic sales for Honda. While the State ranks sixth nationally in passenger vehicle sales, it is Honda’s largest market, driven by a higher preference for petrol-powered and automatic transmission vehicles. The company has a warehouse for spare parts in the State but no immediate plans for manufacturing. Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments. We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of TheHindu Businessline and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.

Honda eyes sub-4 metre SUV, EV push to drive growth