Tag Archives: Business/Consumer Services

Italy

José Mourinho has secured his 10th job as a football manager at AS Roma in the Italian Serie A | Instant News


ROME (AP) – It must be fun.

José Mourinho, football’s most outspoken coach, will take charge next season in Rome, the team with some of Italy’s most outspoken fans.

“The extraordinary enthusiasm of the Roma fans convinced me to take the job and I can’t wait to start next season,” Mourinho said in Roma’s shock announcement on Tuesday.

See: Tottenham fires manager José Mourinho

Mourinho’s job is to challenge new Serie A champions Inter Milan – a team he led well to triumph over the treble of titles more than a decade ago during his only previous job in Italy.

“We are very pleased and delighted to welcome José Mourinho into the AS Roma family,” said club president Dan Friedkin and vice president Ryan Friedkin. “A great champion who has won trophies at every level, José will provide extraordinary leadership and experience for our ambitious project.”

After impressively proclaiming himself “The Special One” when he first reached his prime at Chelsea in 2004, one of Mourinho’s most famous phrases in Italy was uttered at the expense of Roma five years later.

Shortly after the 3-3 draw between Inter and Roma which included a controversial penalty for Inter won by Mario Balotelli, Mourinho responded to the anger from Roma fans by suggesting that the Giallorossi would finish the season with “zero titles” despite having a full squad. of “great players”.

At the moment, Roma are mostly a young team with some old stars like Edin Džeko.
The Giallorossi is captained by 24-year-old Lorenzo Pellegrini, although the team’s most talented player is perhaps 21-year-old midfielder Nicolò Zaniolo, who has been sidelined this entire season through injury.

With Roma in seventh place in Serie A and beaten by Manchester United 6-2 in the first leg of last week’s Europa League semi-final, Mourinho will face huge challenges with the club.

While Roma reached the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2018, the team has not won a single trophy since lifting the Italian Cup in 2008.

“He is a very prestigious coach with a lot of experience. And most importantly, he is a coach who knows Italy very well, “Fabio Capello, who coached Roma to their third and final Serie A title in 2001, told the LaPresse news agency. “Rome is a tough city but he excels in difficult cities. I hope for Roma fans that he is doing as well as he did at Inter. “

The move to sign Mourinho came hours after Roma announced that current coach Paulo Fonseca would leave at the end of this season. Mourinho’s contract is for three seasons, although he will not take over until this season.

“José’s appointment is a huge step in building a culture of long-term and consistent winning throughout the club,” said Friedkins, who bought the club last year from James Pallotta to retain American ownership. Mourinho has also coached Porto, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Tottenham, where he was sacked last month.

In Rome, Mourinho can speak Portuguese with compatriot Tiago Pinto, the team’s general manager. The coach needs to revive his career after apathy in the dressing room and growing disappointment at his tactics cost him his job at Tottenham after 17 months at the London club.

It was Mourinho’s shortest spell with the team since he became the chic and confident Porto coach at the start of this century. Roma job is his 10th career management position.

“After meeting the owner and Tiago Pinto, I immediately fully understood their ambition for AS Roma,” said Mourinho. “It is the same ambition and drive that has always motivated me and together we want to build successful projects in the years to come.”

Fonseca will still coach Roma during the second leg of the Europa League semi-final against United at the Stadio Olimpico on Thursday, as well as four games remaining in Serie A this season.

“I wish Paulo Fonseca all the best and I hope the media appreciates that I will only speak further in due course,” Mourinho said, before adding a cheer in the local dialect: “Daje Roma!”

MarketWatch contributes.

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Games

How the creators of ‘Fortnite’ Epic Games will try to prove Apple operates the App Store as an illegal monopoly | Instant News


Epic Games Inc., maker of “Fortnite,” has drawn a clear battle line as it prepares for a monumental court battle against Apple Inc.: They claim that the iPhone maker is abusing control of the App Store for anti-competitive purposes.

Apple
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controls the only way to install software on iPhone through the app review process. As such, the iPhone maker has rounded up more customers and locked them into its ecosystem, and removed apps for business reasons under the pretext of security, Epic said in an April 7 legal filing.

“Apple’s core business model is to ‘hook’ its users to this integrated Apple ecosystem, so they ‘don’t want to leave it,'” Epic said in 365 pages. filing. “On the agenda for the 2010 executive team meeting, Apple founder and late CEO Steve Jobs wrote that he wanted to ‘put all our products together, so [Apple] further keys[s] the customer becomes [its] ecosystem. ” ‘

Apple’s burdensome 30% cut, in turn, has forced developers like Epic Games to raise prices, increases which are then passed on to consumers, Epic claims.

Despite repeated claims by Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook that Apple is not dominant in any market, Epic highlighted 40% market share of iOS smartphone operating system based on revenue in 2019, and 56% of Apple revenue for smartphones priced at $ 300 or more. as of 2019.

Do not miss: Apple v. Epic: What to expect from a trial that could change antitrust laws and the mobile app ecosystem

See also: Will videogames be a weakness for Apple, Google in an antitrust investigation?

Apple’s aggressive defense of App Store cash, Epic argues, is part of a PR engine designed to protect profitable territory and keep pressure on rival potential apps at high cost and arbitrary rules. It even jokingly refers to Apple’s stance as a “sleepy monopoly” rather than as an innovator.

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney did not dispute the effectiveness and value of Apple’s mobile operating system, the company said, but took issue with Apple’s efforts to shut down competition through app distribution.

The sentiment is echoed at a Senate hearing at the app store on April 21. “Yes [Apple] took the internet and moved it to the App Store, ”Jared Sine, chief legal officer at online dating service company Match Group Inc.
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testify. He and other developers have called for federal legislation on app stores, backed by Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, the top antitrust vote among Democrats.

The Senate hearing underscored what Epic’s strategists claimed to be a general feeling in the developer community that Apple may have created a great mobile operating system but has exercised unlimited power over developers through commission fees, which the store admits, its intimidation, and accusations.

For more: The ‘Fortnite’ dispute may open the floodgates for serious scrutiny of Apple

Epic’s other line of legal attack centers on iMessage and Apple’s temptation to make it available on Alphabet Inc.’s Android operating system. – who was also the target of an Epic antitrust lawsuit – in early 2013.

A new character citing an email exchange between Eddy Cue, now Apple’s senior vice president of software and services, and Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering, in April 2013. “Do we want to lose one of the most important applications in the mobile environment for Google? “Cue asked.

The exchange occurred amid reports that Google
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has tried to buy WhatsApp for $ 1 billion. Facebook Inc.
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finally acquired WhatsApp, amounting to $ 19 billion, in 2014.

In another dig at his legal adversary, Epic quoted a senior Apple engineer comparing the App Store’s defense against sophisticated digital attackers to “bringing plastic butter knives into the crossfire.”

This anecdote is based on an internal document that quotes Eric Friedman, head of Apple’s Fraud Engineering Algorithm and Risk unit. In it, Friedman said Apple’s new app review process for the App Store was “more like a beautiful woman greeting you … at a Hawaiian airport than a drug-sniffing dog.”

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Germany

Apple is slapped with antitrust complaints in Germany over the new iPhone privacy settings | Instant News


Apple is facing antitrust complaints over the new iPhone privacy arrangements from Germany’s largest and most powerful group of media and advertising companies.

The German Advertising Federation, called ZAW, said on Monday that it had filed an antitrust complaint with Bundeskartellamt, the German Federal Cartel Office, which confirmed to MarketWatch that it had received a complaint against Apple.
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The complainants, who include eight associations in the media and communications industry, said ZAW, alleging that Apple is abusing its market power and violating antitrust laws through new changes to iPhone privacy settings.

Also read: The fate of Facebook’s business model may rest in the hands of the EU’s supreme court

Plus: Facebook, Google, Apple and Amazon could face multibillion-dollar fines under the new EU technology regulations

The change, called App Tracking Transparency, is set to take effect with the iOS 14.5 software update expected on Monday. After the update, apps will need user permission to track them for advertising purposes, which is expected to be detrimental to the digital advertising industry as users opt out.

“With this unilaterally enforced action, Apple effectively excludes all competitors from commercially relevant data processing in Apple’s ecosystem,” ZAW said. in a press release which has been translated. “At the same time, however, the group excludes its (advertising) services from the planned changes and collects large amounts of user data itself.”

The news is first reported by the Financial Times, who notes that Facebook
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and Axel Springer – the media conglomerate that owns Bild and Insider – are among the companies represented by ZAW and industry associations.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Germany

The German federal election may be an autumn Georgia Senate race | Instant News


When the US Senate surprisingly fell into Democrats after Georgia’s election race, the impact on financial markets was immense.

The move is most evident in the bond market – the yield on the 10-year US government bond
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jumped to as high as 1.75% from 0.92%. That’s because a slim majority in the Senate allows Democrats to push for a $ 1.9 trillion coronavirus aid package without Republican support, and allows, though uncertain, that a multi-trillion dollar infrastructure package can pass. Congress.

In Europe, a similar betting selection is underway in the race to replace Angela Merkel as chancellor. The winner can unlock spending in the notoriously tight European economy.

After electing Armin Laschet to lead the party, polls showed Merkel’s party, the Christian Democratic Union, would still control the eurozone’s largest economy. According to a Politico poll tracker, the CDU’s alliance with the Christian Social Union has 28% support. The real change, however, is the Green Party’s success so far, with 21% support, according to a Politico poll tracker. That would put the party led by Annalena Baerbock with a high likelihood of joining the coalition and displacing the center-left Social Democratic Party.

The Prime Minister of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and chairman of the conservative Christian Democratic Union party, Armin Laschet, delivers a press conference on April 20, 2021

tobias black / Agence France-Presse / Getty Images

The PredictIt betting market gives Laschet a 58% chance of becoming chancellor on December 31, followed by Baerbock with 28%, and somewhat unlikely, Merkel with 9%.

Christian Schulz, an analyst at Citi, said the so-called black-green coalition was the only viable outcome of the September 26 election.

The Greens are likely to push for more government spending to support environmental initiatives. They could potentially exclude public investment from Germany’s zero-deficit rule, according to Dario Perkins, global macro managing director at TS Lombard, a London-based research service.

Citi’s Schulz agrees. He said he would expect the black-green coalition to have an “ambitious” climate protection policy backed by large public investment, but paid for by borrowing rather than tax increases. A two-thirds majority will be needed to get past the constitutional debt brake, which Schulz says is possible given the SPD and the Left Party, as the opposition, can agree.

This is a development that financial markets are starting to take into account, although it is difficult to distinguish from the escalating European COVID-19 vaccination efforts after a slow start.

The yield on the German 10 year bonds
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rose after the Baerbock elections, and the euro
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has recovered from late March lows around $ 1.17.

It is inconceivable that the more charismatic Baerbock could become a chancellor and not just a partner in a coalition government. “The left-wing surprise in September is ultimately an upside risk for German and Eurozone assets,” said analysts at BCA Research. “A proactive fiscal shift will be positive for growth prospects and support the German and European cyclical sectors such as industry and materials, and currencies. A lower European parting risk premium also supports the euro and would lead to narrowing of peripheral bond yield spreads. “

Holger Schmieding, chief economist at Bank Berenberg, said both Baerbock and SPD leader Olaf Scholz were pragmatic – but nothing would have happened if they were organized together, rather than with the CDU / CSU alliance.

Berlin’s lease limits – which were overturned by Germany’s constitutional court – would be the kind of policy the government would pursue, he said. “The ‘green-red-red’ coalition between the Greens, the SPD and the Left Party without the corrective elements of the CDU / CSU or FDP could mark a major shift in German policy, particularly towards tighter labor, housing and products. market regulations that will reduce the German trend growth, “he said.

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Travel

Time for accounts: remote work, travel and home reality | Instant News



While some workers are starting to return to the office this year, others have been given the opportunity to work from home indefinitely. Twitter TWTR, -2.22%, Dropbox DBX, + 0.04%, NerdWallet and many other tech companies will allow employees to move completely or almost completely remotely, freeing them from commutes and crowded elevators. Yet what are the travel options and the realities if you are now working remotely? Should you become a digital nomad? Moving to a new city or staying put? Is it really possible to work in a hammock on the beach, or does it get uncomfortable? Many new remote workers are excited and overwhelmed by the options. Here we outline five important considerations to keep in mind when taking the next step to working remotely while traveling (or not). Should you stay or go? If your job is far away, are you automatically a digital nomad? Not necessarily. Typically, digital nomads don’t have a specific home and bounce from place to place in search of cheap accommodation and fast Wi-Fi. As a digital nomad myself, I can tell you that most of us spend uninstagrammable time in our parents’ house. See: Digital nomads don’t sit on the beach or travel all the time – this is what life really looks like One of the first things to consider once your job gets distant is where you want to live and how often you want to travel. At one end of the spectrum is complete digital nomadism. On the other hand, stay exactly where you are. And in between are a myriad of hybrid options, including: Slow-madism: Rather than constantly moving, some remote workers take longer, spending long periods in each location. This can be a great way to start, as it allows you to explore and get to know the pace of life in each destination. Home base: Even remote workers who call themselves “digital nomads” often have a home base to return to between trips. This offers some convenience, but also a lot of potential expense. Snowbirding: Although generally attributed to well-tanned retirees, the term “snowbird” refers to anyone who migrates to warmer climates for the winter. Whether it’s getting off in a motorhome or catching a flight to Mexico, this is an attractive option for remote workers looking for vitamin D. The big challenge with each option is to find a balance between quality of life and costs. For example, keeping a household base means you can keep your stuff, but it can also get expensive. And renting furnished accommodation as a nomad can be more expensive than you might think. Each situation is unique. If you already own your home, you may be able to use it as a base of residence and rent it while traveling. If you are renting, you may need to stay put or move out completely. Get out the spreadsheets, get creative, and set a budget that works for you. What about taxes? It’s not the most exciting aspect of working remotely, but taxes are an important and often overlooked factor in deciding where and how to live. Local and state taxes differ so much that they can affect the cost of living in a particular area just as much as the cost of transportation or housing. For example, the cost of living in Minneapolis and Austin, Texas is roughly equal, according to NerdWallet’s calculator. Yet that ignores state income tax, which runs at 6.8% in Minnesota for an individual earning $ 100,000 per year and 0% in Texas. That’s a difference of $ 6,800 per year, or $ 566 per month, enough to have a significant impact on your budget. Additionally, the tax rules for nomads bouncing between locations are extremely complex, varying from state to state. Be sure to consult a tax professional if you plan to work in many states in a single year. Can you live abroad? Living on the beach in Thailand has been the dream of digital nomads for decades, but can you swing it? And you want it? The biggest advantage of living in another country is the reduction in the cost of living. After enjoying a banh mi in Ho Chi Minh City for $ 1, it’s hard to get back to US prices. And for those who can earn a salary in the United States, living elsewhere can be a financial dream come true. Yet working remotely while traveling abroad comes with many complexities and important considerations. From tax rules (which vary by country) to visa considerations, it’s not as easy as packing a bag and leaving the country. Also, your job might not allow it. Be sure to check with your HR team before you expatriate, as many companies require their employees to stay in certain countries for administrative reasons. Plus, it can be difficult to work collaboratively when you are 12 hours ahead of your coworkers. Should you move to a cheaper location? Zillow Z, -4.80% of surfing is the waste of time of the day. For workers who have been stranded in expensive cities because of their work, it can be tempting to see how much you could afford in other cities. “If we move to Akron, we can buy a mansion!” Plus: The 10 Best US Cities for Remote Workers in 2021 But don’t let the cost of housing guide your entire decision. Usually, cheaper places are cheaper for a reason, and buying a dream home in a random city isn’t necessarily a recipe for happiness. Consider spending time as “lazy” in a cheap city before settling there. What do you like? This is the last consideration on our list, but it really is the most important. Remote working offers options, and which option you choose will depend on what you enjoy. Do you want to be close to the family? Or to friends? Do you want to live on the cheap and retire early? Or do you want to make the most of the money you earn now and live in a vibrant, vibrant city? Related: Where’s Your Best Place to Live? Ask yourself these questions to find out. Many people never have to face these questions. They just live close to their work and get the most out of it. Shifting to a distant mindset can – and should – prompt tough questions about what matters to you and how you will build your life to maximize those values. Remember: very few decisions are permanent and you can always try something new and turn the tide. Try experimenting one variable at a time (for example, if you want to keep a permanent home) and see what works and what doesn’t. See also: Best Places to Live in America in 2020 The End Result The pandemic has changed many aspects of daily life, from the mundane to the monumental. And if your job has given you the opportunity to work from home permanently, you have the opportunity to change the very structure of your life – or not. Learn more: What to pack and what to leave behind if you want to be a digital nomad. Romantic notions of working remotely while traveling aside, there are several important financial considerations to keep in mind when planning your next step. If you want to travel more, make sure you don’t pay the rent or mortgage twice at home. Make sure you understand the tax implications whether you are staying in the United States or moving abroad. Don’t let the cost of living dictate your entire decision and be sure to maximize your personal values. More from NerdWallet Sam Kemmis writes for NerdWallet. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @samsambutdif. .



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