The 2024 festive period could be a tricky one for retailers as shoppers hunt down the best deals amidst an ongoing cost of living crisis and focus the majority of their bargain hunting on the Black Friday weekend.

Tinkoff's new headquarters occupies ninety thousand square metres in two high-rise towers — of 13 and 20 storeys — at the AFI Square business centre on Gruzinskiy Val. Called Tinkoff Space, the company's new headquarters is designed in the style of Western big tech firms such as Google and Amazon. It includes a flexible workspace, a private clinic offering a full range of healthcare services, cafes and restaurants, a consumer services centre, a beauty salon, a free-of-charge fitness centre for company employees, as well as relaxation areas: a green garden space filled with real plants, norki (dedicated rest areas) and meditation rooms. According to Stanislav Bliznyuk, Chairman of Tinkoff's Management Board, the company decided to relocate due to its growing headcount:

Checkout finance provider, Divido, has launched two new product capabilities ‘Divido Analytics’ and ‘Split Capability’, allowing merchants to have greater understanding and flexibility over their checkout finance experience.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine plan to strike important targets in Russia with 600-km Storm Shadow cruise missiles, sources at US intelligence services say. The selected targets allegedly include: the fleet in Novorossiysk; the presidential residence in Sochi; the air defense system in Sevastopol; defense and gunpowder factories; headquarters located from the south of Russia to Moscow; Moscow and St. Petersburg; transport interchanges used for the traffic of military equipment and fuel for the Russian army. It was earlier reported that Paris discussed a possibility to allow the Armed Forces of Ukraine to strike Vladimir Putin's residence in Sochi, as well as military facilities deep in Russia. Earlier, The Telegraph and The Guardian also reported that the UK authorized Storm Shadow strikes on Russian territory without official public approval.

We Mean Business Coalition’s chief executive officer Maria Mendiluce, Zapmap’s co-founder and chief operating officer Melanie Shufflebotham, and co-leader of the Green Party England and Wales Carla Denyer are among those to have been awarded an inaugural Women in Green Business Award celebrating their work driving the UK's net zero transition.

The head of the Sudzha district of the Kursk region of Russia, Alexander Bogachev, was dismissed from his post. The official was fired on November 12 at a meeting of the regional leadership with the local population. According to Mash Telegram channel, the reason for the decision was Bogachev's unwillingness to communicate with displaced residents. Since August 6, the head of the municipality has not communicated with those who had to leave their homes in Sudzha after the Armed Forces of Ukraine attacked the area. Residents of the district gathered on Red Square in Kursk last weekend demanding officials answer their questions about social support measures, since many were left without housing and means of subsistence. The head of the Sudzha district of the Kursk region, Alexander Bogachev, was fired as a result of the meeting. The people met the news about his dismissal with applause.

[Inter-Korea] :
South Korea's ministry in charge of inter-Korean affairs assessed that North Korea likely has various objectives behind its test launch of a new intercontinental ballistic missile(ICBM) days ahead of the U.S. presidential election. At a press briefing on Friday, unification ministry deputy ...

[more...]

[Inter-Korea] :
North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea on Tuesday morning, just hours before the start of the U.S. presidential election.   South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff(JCS) said it detected the launches around 7:30 a.m. from the Sariwon area in North Hwanghae ...

[more...]

[Sports] :
The Kia Tigers have won the regular-season title in the Korea Baseball Organization(KBO), heading straight to the Korean Series. The Tigers were defeated by the SSG Landers 2-0 Tuesday but secured the regular-season title as second-place Samsung Lions lost 8-4 to the Doosan Bears. With seven games ...

[more...]

[Sports] :
The government is expected to announce next Wednesday interim results from an audit into the Korea Football Association's(KFA) appointment of Hong Myung-bo as head coach of the men's national team. Yu In-chon, minister of culture, sports and tourism, told the parliamentary culture and sports ...

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[Sports] :
South Korean forward Son Heung-min of the Tottenham Hotspur soccer club has missed a Premier League match against Manchester United due to an injury. Tottenham won three-nil Sunday in Son’s absence at Old Trafford.  Son was substituted against Qarabağ FK in the team's Europa League opener Thursday with ...

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[Sports] :
Men's national football team head coach Hong Myung-bo has cast doubt over captain Son Heung-min's availability in the upcoming World Cup qualifiers next month. During a press conference on Monday, Hong announced the roster for October's World Cup qualifiers, which included the Tottenham Hotspur star ...

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[Sports] :
The Korea Football Association(KFA) has revised its regulations on selecting the head coach of the national football team in a bid to boost the competitiveness and efficiency in operating the team.  Following a meeting of its board of directors in Seoul on Tuesday, the association said that in order to ...

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[Domestic] :
Students taking this year’s College Scholastic Ability Test(CSAT) on Thursday are set to meet for venue checks on Wednesday. Test takers are required to visit their test sites Wednesday to check the locations and receive their admission tickets.  They need to check their admission tickets to be sure ...

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Capitalism can be like a warped and extremely un-fun game of Monopoly, and most people are entering the fray much too late to get a slice of the action.

[International] :
U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is reportedly heading to the Palm Beach County Convention Center in Florida to address his supporters at an election night rally. That is according to Reuters on Wednesday, citing an unnamed official from the former president’s election camp. Trump, ...

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Headers can be used to improve the performance of your car's engine. Learn about headers and find out how exhaust headers can improve engine performance.

Shower head leaking? That's definitely annoying but not the end of the world. Shower heads are subject to several problems when it comes to leaks. Learn how to address a dripping shower head.

[Economy] :
The minister of trade, industry and energy has met with automotive and battery industry representatives ahead of Donald Trump’s return to power in the U.S. The ministry announced on Wednesday that the meeting took place earlier in the day, with participants highlighting the importance of South Korean ...

[more...]

#FreeBritney activists protest outside the Los Angeles Superior Court during one of Britney Spears' hearings this April.; Credit: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images

Pop star Britney Spears hasn't been in charge of her personal life or her finances for 13 years — that's how long she has been in a court-dictated legal arrangement called a conservatorship.

But on Wednesday, the artist will be speaking directly, albeit from a remote location, to a Los Angeles Superior Court judge about her situation. What exactly she intends to say in her appearance and what her goals might be are anyone's guess.

Before then, here's a quick look at what conservatorships are and why they exist, the specifics of Spears' arrangements, the #FreeBritney movement and what Spears and others have said publicly — and privately — about her conservatorship.

What is a conservatorship, and why does one get put in place?

Typically, legal and financial conservatorships are arranged for people who are unable to make their own decisions in their own best self-interest, such as in the case of an elderly person or someone with some kind of cognitive impairment.

Why does Britney Spears have one?

The exact reasons that the 39-year-old Spears is under a conservatorship have not been publicly disclosed. She lost her autonomy 13 years ago, in 2008, after apparently suffering a mental health crisis.

During the time that Spears has lived under this arrangement, though, she has released four albums (two of which, 2008's Circus and 2011's Femme Fatale, achieved platinum sales); appeared as a judge on both The X Factor and American Idol; and had a four-year residency in Las Vegas that reportedly grossed close to $138 million. Those accomplishments don't exactly line up with the typical profile of someone unable to look after themselves.

What does Spears' conservatorship cover?

Essentially, it controls all the major aspects of Spears' life, including decisions regarding her financial, medical and personal well-being. The conservators also oversee visitation arrangements with her two teenage sons, who are under the full custody of her ex-husband, Kevin Federline.

According to Forbes, Spears' current net worth is around $60 million.

Who controls Spears' conservatorship?

Up until recently, both the financial and personal arms of the conservatorship were controlled by Spears' father, Jamie Spears.

In 2020, her lawyer, Samuel D. Ingham III, stated in a filing that Spears "strongly opposed" her father as conservator and that she refused to perform if he remained in charge of her career. Spears asked the court for her father to be suspended from his role as conservator. (He had temporarily stepped away in 2019 for health reasons.)

In February, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny overruled an objection from Jamie Spears to having a third party help look after his daughter's financial affairs. A wealth-management company, Bessemer Trust, is now a co-conservator for the financial side of Spears' situation. But Jamie Spears is still the main conservator for all other aspects of Spears' arrangement.

Why is Spears planning to talk to the court now?

Back in April, Spears' legal team asked Penny to allow her to speak to the court directly about the conservatorship, and they agreed that June 23 would be the date for this to happen. At the time, Ingham did not disclose why Spears wants to speak or what she intends to say.

Has Spears ever asked for the conservatorship to end?

Up until now, Spears has never voiced a desire for the conservatorship to be removed completely — at least not publicly. In a court filing, she has stated that the conservatorship "rescued her from a collapse, exploitation by predatory individuals and financial ruin" and allowed her to "regain her position as a world class entertainer."

But on Tuesday afternoon, The New York Times reported that it had obtained confidential court records that purport to show that Spears has opposed the conservatorship privately for years. The Times quoted a 2016 report from a court investigator assigned to Spears' case, in which the investigator wrote that Spears told her that the conservatorship had "become an oppressive and controlling tool against her" and that she wanted the arrangement to end quickly.

According to the Times, Spears told the court in 2019 that the conservatorship had forced her into a stay at a mental health facility, as well as into making public performances against her will. The article further reported that the conservatorship had dictated Spears' friendships, her dating life and her spending habits, even preventing her from refinishing kitchen cabinets according to her taste.

As early as 2014, the article states, Spears wanted to consider removing her father from his prime role in the conservatorship, citing his reportedly heavy drinking.

Does Spears herself support the #FreeBritney movement?

Certain Spears fans have organized themselves into a grassroots movement — #FreeBritney — to help Spears regain autonomy over her life. The dynamics between Spears and her dedicated #FreeBritney fans are murky, as are her various declarations on social media.

In a court filing last September, her lawyer, Ingham, wrote: "At this point in her life when she is trying to regain some measure of personal autonomy, Britney welcomes and appreciates the informed support of her many fans."

On the other hand, Spears to date has never publicly asked to be released from the conservatorship and regain her autonomy — which is the main goal of #FreeBritney.

A very sympathetic New York Times television documentary, Framing Britney Spears, debuted on FX in February. The project reckons with the way the media, comedians and the music industry itself characterized Spears during her ascent to global fame and during her later, very public struggles — and it also profiles some #FreeBritney activists.

After it aired, Spears wrote on Instagram: "My life has always been very speculated [sic] ... watched ... and judged really my whole life !!! ... I didn't watch the documentary but from what I did see of it I was embarrassed by the light they put me in ... I cried for two weeks and well .... I still cry sometimes !!!!"

Some #FreeBritney supporters don't believe Spears writes her own Instagram messages, leaving them to speculate about the pop star's true feelings. But Spears reportedly told TMZ in April that she writes her own captions.

What's next for Britney Spears?

Unclear. In an Instagram video posted last week, a visibly jittery Spears professed to be answering fans' most burning questions, including her shoe size and her favorite business trip (answer: "a trip to Italy [to] Donatella Versace. ... She fined [sic] and dined us").

The last question Spears put forward to herself was a crucial one: Would she ever return to the stage again?

"I have no idea," she said. "I'm having fun right now. I'm in transition in my life, and I'm enjoying myself."

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Smart Electric North America, LLC is opening its North American headquarters in Conover, NC at 1550 Deborah Herman Road SW. SENA plans to build market share by supplying quality components and finished goods to the top tier lighting companies in the US first; then abroad.

As we welcome a new year and a new decade, we can make one prediction with certainty -- profound change lies ahead.

Two new rapid expert consultations from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine offer lessons learned from the 2020 fall semester regarding COVID-19 testing and guidance on student behavior, as college administrators plan for the 2021 spring semester.

Organizers of the recent Nobel Prize Summit shared a statement titled “Our Planet, Our Future - An Urgent Call for Action” — issued by the summit’s steering committee and co-signed by 126 Nobel laureates — with leaders of the G-7 countries and the U.N. secretary general, as well as other groups.

In this new role, he will focus on advancing AI and cloud technologies, leveraging his extensive experience to drive innovation within the organization.

Ola Krutrim is an AI startup, which has formed a series of strategic partnerships with global majors like Arm and Untether AI for the development of CPU and AI chips, platforms, and systems.

With 24 years of professional experience, Jhajhria specializes in strategy consulting and business management.

In an interview with the BBC last month, CEO Elon Musk said he had fired more than 6,000 people since taking over Twitter.

Procter & Gamble (P&G) is using advanced data science algorithms to help over 20 lakh kirana stores in the country through a special initiative called ‘Smart Basket’

He will report to Ashish Pandey, Global CIO, Dabur India, and Manish Mathur, CFO- International Business Division, Dabur

Amazon's shares were 1.2% higher at $128.84 in early afternoon trading.

Green-tech start-up Melodea, Ltd. joins the sustainable packaging scene to take on the plastic waste crisis.

Attendees can vote on the awards during the packaging show, Sept. 11–13 in Las Vegas.

The right technology can help snack and bakery professionals avoid or minimize supply chain challenges.

The company's R&D expert reveals insights on creating and launching successful bakery ingredients.

This week's Fun Friday includes a Big League Chew bobblehead, M&M's x Kate Spade collab, National Chocolate Day deals with Kinder and Fannie May, some fun Halloween stats from NCA, and National Tavern-Style Pizza Day.

Organic baking brand debuts redesigned logo, refreshed packaging, and two new SKU's.

The Topped Bons sprinkle Warheads Sour Popping Candy onto Cinnabon’s cinnamon rolls for a balanced sweet and sour flavor explosion.

Urschel has long offered targeted cutting solutions to the global community of leading food processors—adapting to the requirements of individual applications and continuing to grow in the company's engineering and manufacturing expertise through each endeavor.

Head chef and co-founder of Blaze Pizza, Brad Kent, is opening a brand new restaurant in Highland Park, CA later this fall, Bagel+Slice. 

The acquisition strengthens Anvil International’s fire protection product package.

HammerHead point repair resin is odor-free, styrene-free and VOC-free.

The state-of-the-art facility houses IAPMO R&T’s Oceana research center and product testing laboratory.

The American Supply Association (ASA) recently joined the Alliance for Water Efficiency in its appeal to the United States Department of Energy related to allowable flow-rate changes for multi-head showers, and the subsequent negative affects it will have on business operations for ASA members, as well as overall negative water-efficiency consequences that will result.

The WQA Board of Directors officially approved the relocation plan in April 2019, after more than two years of research and planning, and the former headquarters was sold to another Lisle-based association in March 2020, right as the coronavirus pandemic hit.

The dawning of a new year has PHVAC industry experts cautiously optimistic about new opportunities that lie ahead in 2021. 

QSSP increases the knowledge and competency of safety sales professionals, which in turn, builds trust and credibility in the customer relationship. The resulting partnership can be instrumental in reducing injury and illness in the workplace.

MCR Safety is proud to announce that Paul Harris will be leading our Sales and Customer Service as well as Consulting and Compliance teams as our newly appointed Vice President, US Sales. 　

Toxic chemicals at Camp Lejeune creates ripple effect on OHS practice of tracking harmful exposure.

Whether workers are toiling under the sun or next to a blast furnace, the risks of heat-related illnesses and accidents are ever-present and growing.