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Boston Globe
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- Boston Globe
As foreign tourists stay away, US could lose $12.5 billion this year, tourism group says
Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up AUTOMOTIVE Advertisement Nissan slashes 15 percent of its global workforce as the Japan automaker sinks into losses A logo for Japanese automaker Nissan is pictured at the top of their headquarters building on May 13. RICHARD A. BROOKS/AFP via Getty Images Nissan is slashing about 15 percent of its global workforce, or about 20,000 employees, as the Japanese automaker reported a loss Tuesday for the fiscal year that just ended amid slipping vehicle sales in China and other nations, and towering restructuring costs. Nissan Motor Corp. said it will reduce the number of its auto plants to 10 from 17, under what it called its recovery plan to carry out 'decisive and bold actions to enhance performance and create a leaner, more resilient business that adapts quickly to market changes.' It did not say which plants were being closed but confirmed the closures will include factories in Japan. The job cuts to be done by March 2028 include the 9,000 head count reduction announced last year. Nissan also previously announced the scrapping of plans to build a battery plant in Japan. — ASSOCIATED PRESS Advertisement TECH Microsoft to lay off about 3 percent of its workforce Microsoft's headquarters in Redmond, Wash. JOVELLE TAMAYO/NYT Microsoft began laying off nearly 3 percent of its entire workforce Tuesday, its largest mass layoff in more than two years. The tech giant didn't disclose the total amount of lost jobs but it will amount to about 6,000 people. That includes 1,985 workers in its home state of Washington, according to a notice it sent to the state workforce agency Tuesday. Microsoft employed 228,000 full-time workers as of last June, the last time it reported its annual headcount. About 55 percent of those workers were in the United States. Microsoft said the layoffs will be across all levels and geographies but the cuts will focus on reducing the number of managers. Notices to employees began going out on Tuesday. The latest layoffs come just weeks after Microsoft reported strong sales and profits that beat Wall Street expectations for the January-March quarter, which investors took as a dose of relief during a turbulent time for the tech sector and US economy. — ASSOCIATED PRESS SOCIAL MEDIA Major platforms fail to protect LGBTQ users, advocacy group says The logo of X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, displayed on a smartphone in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Aug. 31, 2024. Tuane Fernandes/Bloomberg Major social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and X have failed to protect LGBTQ+ users from hate and harassment, in part, because they intentionally rolled back previous safety practices, the advocacy group GLAAD said Tuesday in its annual Social Media Safety Index. The report said that recent 'unprecedented hate speech policy rollbacks' from Instagram and Facebook parent Meta Platforms and Google's YouTube are 'actively undermining the safety of LGBTQ people' both online and offline. Meta's rollback now allows users to call LGBTQ people 'mentally ill,' among other policy changes. The scorecard assigns numeric ratings to each platform with regard to LGBTQ safety, privacy, and expression. Elon Musk's X received the lowest score at 30 out of 100, while TikTok came in highest at 56. Meta's Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and Google's YouTube were in the 40s. The group's methodology has changed since last year, so the scores are not directly comparable to previous reports. While X has received the lowest scores since Musk's takeover of the platform in 2022 — when it was called Twitter — Meta's backslide can largely be attributed to its recent policy shift. CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in January that Meta is removing restrictions on topics like immigration and gender 'that are out of touch with mainstream discourse,' citing 'recent elections' as a catalyst. GLAAD calls the rollback 'particularly extreme." — ASSOCIATED PRESS Advertisement GOVERNMENT Facing lawsuit, USDA says it will restore climate change-related webpages The US Department of Agriculture building stands in Washington on Dec. 7, 2024. Jose Luis Magana/Associated Press The US Department of Agriculture has agreed to restore climate change-related webpages to its websites after it was sued over the deletions in February. The lawsuit, brought on behalf of the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Environmental Working Group, argued that the deletions violated rules around citizens' access to government information. The USDA's reversal comes ahead of a scheduled May 21 hearing on the plaintiffs' motion for a preliminary injunction against the agency's actions in federal court in New York. The department had removed resources on its websites related to climate-smart farming, conservation practices, rural clean energy projects and access to federal loans related to those areas after President Trump's Jan. 20 inauguration. — ASSOCIATED PRESS Advertisement MARKETS Tesla's board chair made $198 million selling stock as profit fell The chair of Tesla's board, Robyn Denholm, has made $198 million in the past six months selling Tesla stock that she earned for serving on the board, according to a New York Times analysis of securities filings. Brendon Thorne/Bloomberg In March, after a steep decline in Tesla's share price, Elon Musk told employees, 'Hang on to your stock.' The chair of Tesla's board, Robyn Denholm, has not heeded his advice. Denholm has made $198 million in the past six months selling Tesla stock that she earned for serving on the board, according to a New York Times analysis of securities filings. That brings her total profit on the sale of Tesla stock to more than $530 million since becoming the board's leader in late 2018, far more than her peers have made at the most valuable US companies during that time, the analysis shows. The share sales raise questions about Denholm's confidence in Tesla's prospects. Her most recent sales, executed under a prearranged trading plan filed last summer, came as Musk, the company's CEO, took a time-consuming role in the Trump administration. Tesla's car sales have plunged partly because Musk's political activities have turned off some car buyers. The company's quarterly profit fell in the first three months of 2025 to its lowest level in four years. — NEW YORK TIMES LABOR Starbucks baristas strike over dress code, signal more walkouts A Starbucks coffee shop in New York on Jan. 29, 2024. Angus Mordant/Bloomberg Hundreds of Starbucks Corp. employees have walked off the job since Sunday to protest the company's new dress code, according to the union representing baristas, with more strikes likely in the coming days. The walkouts have occurred at more than 50 US stores, Starbucks Workers United said. The union represents baristas at about 570 of the chain's more than 10,000 company-operated locations in the United States. Starbucks said that there's been no significant impact to store operations on a national level and most stores are open and serving customers as usual. The coffee chain on Monday implemented a new dress code that requires baristas to wear solid black tops, a change from prior practice that allowed any color. There are also new rules on the bottoms baristas can wear, among other changes. — BLOOMBERG NEWS Advertisement MEDIA CNN's new streaming service will debut this fall Three years after CNN's parent company killed the hotly anticipated (and very expensive) CNN+ service shortly after it was released, the news network will introduce a new streaming product this fall that packages live and on-demand programming. Mike Stewart/Associated Press CNN is getting ready to launch a streaming service. Again. Three years after CNN's parent company killed the hotly anticipated (and very expensive) CNN+ service shortly after it was released, the news network will introduce a new streaming product this fall that packages live and on-demand programming. Mark Thompson, the company's chief executive, told employees about the service in a meeting Tuesday afternoon. Some of the details about the service remain unclear, including pricing and an exact release date. But Thompson said the new service would be tied to the company's recently introduced subscription product, which gives paying members unlimited access to articles posted on CNN is also taking pains to avoid alienating its most valuable customers: traditional cable distributors. Those customers will have free access to CNN's streaming service. — NEW YORK TIMES
The Irish Sun
05-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Irish Sun
I road tested seven pairs of running trainers – these are the best I found for beginners wanting to train for a marathon
WITH the London Marathon kicking off running season last weekend, Brits are turning to Stava in their thousands. More than 840k people applied to run the London Marathon - smashing all previous records - with new research saying 25 per cent of us now run at least once a week. 14 More people than ever before signed up to the 2025 London Marathon Credit: Getty - Contributor And whether you're doing couch to 5k or going for an ultra, it's no secret when it comes to running, the most important piece of kit you need is good shoes. When I started training for There seemed to be so many things to consider - and no shortage of choice when it came to what to buy. While I'd previously only ever bought shoes based on aesthetics, I knew in order to run 21k I needed to be focusing on comfort over anything else. So on behalf of all beginner runners, I've road tested seven of the new models to see which are worth the money. BROOKS Brooks are a brand I've seen lots of people wearing over the past few months - and while they come in at the higher end when it comes to pricing, I could feel a real difference in bounciness when I hit the pavements. 14 The Brooks Glycerin GTS 22 were one of the more pleasing pairs to look at I road tested the Glycerin GTS 22 which cost £165 to start. These trainers are built for road running which makes them a great choice when it comes to city marathons. Most read in Fabulous 14 Glycerin GTS 22, £165, Brooks The sole is cushioned with tuned nitrogen in the midsole which makes impact less sharp. I really noticed the difference on my knees with long-distance in these trainers, with the usual 12 km pain coming in a later and less aggressively. I found the sizing of these slightly on the small size and had to go up by half a size as they did start to nip on the toes by the end. I also loved the look of them and had no end on compliments when I turned up at run club in them. RATING: 4.5/5 Next up I tried the Gylcerin Max - an even more elite model from Brooks. 14 The Gylcerin Max look like something out of a futuristic movie 14 Glycerin Max, £180, Brooks These shoes cost £180 and are ultra futuristic looking with an overly thick sole and elevated toe and heel. While theses shoes were super bouncy and light to run in, I found them too stiff around the ankle which made long distances tricky. RATING: 4/5 SALOMON While their shoes have become somewhat of a fashion statement of late, Salomon remain one of the best running shoe makers on the market. Their Genesis running shoes are designed to run on literally any surface. I wore these both on a trail run and on the road - 10km test run for each - and found them to be super comfy on both. 14 The Salomon Genesis trainers are a great option for both road and trail running 14 Salomon Genesis, £140 The trainers are durable with a high-grip outsole meaning you never feel like your slipping and they are cushioned enough to run over rocky surfaces too. I'd also recommend on sizing up on these as they nipped a bit at the base of the laces after a few miles. RATING 4.5/5 MERRELL I found the Merrell Agility Peak trainers a great alternative to the Salomon Genesis - at exactly the same price. Slightly less bulky, these shoes feel super lightweight but have serious grip for running on slippery surfaces. What I love about this option is you can add GORE-TEX finishing to them to make them totally waterproof. 14 The Merrell Agility were a great alternative for trail running 14 Women's Agility Peak 5, £140, Merrell They also feel roomier than any of the other models, allowing for thicker socks in cooler temperatures. The design is also one of my favourites - and I've worn them socially several times too. RATING: 4/5 Tips to prevent running injuries Anya Culling is one of the UK's fastest female marathon runners. Here, the LuLu Lemon athlete gives her top tips for avoiding injury while training... Build a strong base before diving into a training block. If you've got 16 weeks before a race, I recommend using the first 4 weeks to build solid foundations. This phase is all about prepping your body for the workload to come. Personally, I do most of my strength and conditioning work before I start focused race training. I hit the gym with lots of compound lifts (think squats, deadlifts, lunges) and work on fixing any imbalances or weaknesses. That way, once I transition into a higher running load, my body is ready to handle it - and I can ease off the gym work when my running increases which means less gym DOMS during peak running weeks! 2. Embrace easy runs - and make sure they're actually easy. Easy runs are your secret weapon for staying injury-free. They should feel comfortable, conversational, and leave you feeling better than when you started. Keep your heart rate low, don't chase pace, and let these runs help your muscles recover and adapt. An easy run shouldn't increase your fatigue. 3. Progress your running slowly - in both mileage and intensity. This is where a lot of people trip up. The body needs time to adapt to new stress, so avoid the temptation to make big jumps in mileage or start smashing interval workouts too soon. A good rule of thumb is the 10% rule - don't increase your weekly mileage by more than 10% week to week. e.g. if you can comfortably run 10km per week, next week run no more than 12km. And only once you are comfortable with the mileage would I advise increasing intensity like speed sessions. 4. Don't skip your rest days - they're where the real magic happens. Training stresses your body, but it's during rest that you actually absorb the gains and adapt. Skipping rest days or filling them with 'junk miles' can lead to fatigue building up, eventually tipping into injury as your body can't recover. Prioritise sleep, stay well-hydrated, and use rest days to really listen to your body. A day off when you're feeling run down is an investment in your next few weeks of training. 5. Focus on your running form - small tweaks can make a big difference. Good form helps you move more efficiently, reduces unnecessary strain on joints, and can be the difference between feeling smooth or struggling through runs. You don't need to overhaul everything, but being aware of posture, cadence, and stride length goes a long way. I like to remind myself to stand just 1cm taller which automatically makes me feel lighter on my feet, keep my arms relaxed, and focus on a quick cadence (around 170–180 steps per minute is a good benchmark for most) - this helps avoid over striding so you land below the weight of your body on the balls of your feet. 6. Consistency is king (Queen) This might be the biggest one. The best training isn't about having a handful of amazing workouts - it's about stacking solid sessions week after week. I always say aim for consistent B+workouts rather rather than occasional A* efforts that leave you wrecked. Training smart means leaving a bit in the tank, so you can recover and show up again tomorrow, the next day, and the day after that. SAUCONY X SWEATY BETTY If there's one thing Sweaty Betty nail with their sportswear, it's style and comfort. And their new trainer in collaboration with Saucony is no different. I love both the design and fit of their new trainer collaboration, which comes in a white and pink design or a baby blue. 14 The shoe comes in white and pink or blue 14 SAUCONY X SWEATY BETTY, £130 And at £130 it's one of the lower price points for an elite shoe model. The trainers have a high heel collar foam to support the foot as well as breathable mesh which keeps things airy on long runs. They are much lighters than some of the beefier models but with plenty of bounce - they were also probably the comfiest, alongside Hoka. RATING: 5/5 HOKA I was seriously impressed with the Bondi 9 from Hoka, which come in at £160. These trainers are designed for road running and have a thick and bouncy midsole which makes it feel like you're running on marshmallows. 14 The new Hoka Bondi 9 trainers are hard to beat when it comes to road running 14 Bondi 9, £160, HOKA I also loved the added cushioning around the ankle which gave much needed extra support on longer runs. The sturdy build and design makes me think these shoes would last a long time, and I'm keen to see how they feel in a few months after a few hundred more miles in them. RATING 5/5 STARBUY: ASICS Novablast 4 14 Asics Novablast 4, £94 Coming in as the cheapest model at just £94 - reduced from £135 - the Asics Novablast 4 are my star buy. These shoes are super lightweight, keeping that heavy legs feeling at bay for much longer. I've run over 500km in mine this year alone and they still feel like they have several hundred left in them. Read more on the Irish Sun While the colour schemes are quite bold, I cannot fault these running shoes on comfort. RATING: 5/5
