Latest news with #JensKalaene
The Star
18-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Airbnb now wants to sell you haircuts, museum visits and massages
Airbnb, the start-up that began as a platform offering cash-strapped travellers cheap sleeping arrangements in private homes, is now trying to expand into a massive new market: selling services and experiences like cooking classes, horse riding and museum trips. — Photo: Jens Kalaene/dpa LOS ANGELES: Airbnb is expanding its business beyond accommodation to include experiences like museum visits, horse-riding and cooking classes, as well as services from people like masseurs, hair stylists and professional chefs. "Hotels do have one thing that we don't have and those are services," Airbnb chief executive Brian Chesky said. The offering aimed at closing this gap will initially launch in 260 cities with 10 categories, including services from fitness trainers and photographers. Over time, the range of services is expected to expand. An app for more than just travel This could mark a radical shift for an app typically used only once or a few times a year. Chesky and co-founder Nate Blecharczyk emphasized that the services and experiences are not tied to travel. Their vision is that people could use the app whenever they want to book a photographer, a massage or haircut. Could Airbnb eventually become a platform for booking local tradespeople? Blecharczyk pointed out that Airbnb hosts already require services from cleaners or plumbers. Industry analyst Carolina Milanesi believes the move could change how the stock market views Airbnb. While the company has so far been evaluated using traditional travel industry metrics, such as the number of overnight stays, the stock market might now see it more as a tech platform. At the same time, Airbnb is entering areas where specialised apps have already carved out niches. This will also make it harder to ensure consistent quality across offerings, and there will be more regulations to comply with. Airbnb has faced criticism in various cities, with accusations that the service contributes to housing shortages by renting out more apartments in prime locations to tourists at high prices. But Blecharczyk argued that the expansion into the services business would not be affected by this debate. Bigger business than accommodation? The first 10 service categories were selected based on user surveys. Providers of services and experiences must apply, and Airbnb selects them based on factors such as experience and reviews in their field, Blecharczyk said. Blecharczyk is convinced that even during travel, services could potentially become a bigger business than accommodation. He explained that typically, for every US$1 (RM4.30) spent on accommodation, an additional US$3 (RM12.89) is spent on food, shopping, and excursions. Airbnb might even be surprised by how large this business could become. Airbnb says it will charge providers a fee of 20% for experiences and 15% for services. This revenue is used to cover costs such as payment transaction fees, customer service and insurance. Service and experience providers are not exclusively tied to the platform. Chesky said the idea behind the experiences is to explore a city with the people who know it best. Unwanted interactions can be reported with the push of a button, as is already the case with communication between accommodation providers and their customers. Airbnb also uses machine learning to detect problems. Airbnb Originals is set to be the space where users can find experiences hosted "by the world's most interesting people," Chesky said. The Airbnb app has been redesigned to accommodate the new offerings beyond accommodation. For example, after booking a stay, the app will suggest nearby services and experiences. – dpa
Newsweek
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
'The Voice' Season 27 Semifinals: Who Went Home? Who Is in the Finale?
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. In a dramatic two-part TV special, NBC's The Voice narrowed its Season 27 field from 12 contestants to just five finalists. Tuesday's special event was divided into two episodes: Episode 19 recapped the standout performances from the previous night's semifinals, while Episode 20 focused on live eliminations and the reveal of the Season 27 final five. Four artists advanced through America's vote, four were eliminated and the remaining four battled live for the coveted fifth spot via the "Instant Save." A file photo from 2016 shows the set of "The Voice Kids," a German spinoff live television series. The latest episode of "The Voice" in the U.S. premiered on Tuesday. A file photo from 2016 shows the set of "The Voice Kids," a German spinoff live television series. The latest episode of "The Voice" in the U.S. premiered on Tuesday. Jens Kalaene/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images What Happened on 'The Voice' Last Night? Monday's episode marked a pivotal shake-up: The show's "Super Save" brought back four previously eliminated artists to perform in the semifinals. Tuesday night began with a performance from judge John Legend and followed with a retrospective look at the semifinal performances. "It's going to be a tough night tonight watching us go from 12 to five," host Carson Daly said during the broadcast before announcing the safe four contestants. After a performance from country star Kelsea Ballerini, Daly named the four contestants that would battle it out for the final spot in the top five. With the final now just a week away, the top five set the stage for a wide-open championship. Which Contestants Cracked the Top 5? The first finalist revealed was Renzo, 34, from Philadelphia, representing Team Legend. Previously seen on American Idol as Dennis Lorenzo, Renzo closed Episode 19 with a high-octane version of Aerosmith's "Dream On." Next through was Lucia Flores-Wiseman, of Washington, from Team Adam. The third finalist was Team Bublé's Jadyn Cree, who impressed some viewers with a performance of "I Think We're Alone Now" by Tommy James & The Shondells. Jaelen Johnston, the 22-year-old member of Team Kelsea, was the fourth name announced. Johnston's country twang made him a fan favorite throughout the season. The final spot came down to an Instant Save, with four singers—Adam David (Team Bublé), Olivia Kuper-Harris (Team Legend), Iris Herrera (Team Kelsea) and Bryson Battle (Team Legend)—competing live. Ultimately, David clinched the fifth finalist position. Who Was Eliminated From 'The Voice' on Tuesday? Kaiya Hamilton, Alanna Lynise, Kolby Cordell and Conor James did not advance to the finale, or perform for the final spot. Despite their performances in Episode 20, Kuper-Harris, Herrera and Battle did not advance. When Is 'The Voice' Finale? The Season 27 finale of The Voice will air live May 19 on NBC, with the top five artists performing one final time. Episodes are available for streaming on Peacock the next day. Voting will begin and the winner of The Voice will be crowned in a live results show on May 20. Fans can vote via The Voice app or during the finale.
Local Germany
13-05-2025
- Local Germany
How is the transition to digital ID photos progressing in Germany?
Since May 1st, Germany's immigration and citizens' offices have been required to accept digital photos for ID cards, passports and residence permits as part of the latest digitalisation efforts . In practice that means that Ausländerbehörden and Bürgerämter around the country have been equipped with new photo machines where people can take their ID photos on-site for a fee. Alternatively, digital photos (taken at an off-site studio) can be submitted in the form of a scannable code. The change was intended to help streamline the process of applying for a new ID. But it appears the transition to digital photos has not been perfectly smooth. One week after the change was enacted, a Reddit post on the Berlin subreddit said that the new photo machines at offices in Berlin were not working. The author of the post suggested that people with appointments would be better off taking photos elsewhere in advance, and even bringing a printed backup just in case. Comments on the post showed mixed responses: some users said they had indeed brought printed photos to their appointments (which had been accepted), a couple users said they had actually been required to provide physical photos, and at least one user said they had used a new digital photo kiosk with no problems. Advertisement As is so often the case with German bureaucracy, it seems that the smoothness of obtaining a digitial photo depends on where you live - and is partly luck of the draw. READ ALSO: What foreigners should know about Germany's digital ID cards and residence permits With that in mind, we contacted immigration authorities in Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich to get a sense of how Germany's latest digitalisation effort is playing out on the ground. Berlin reports 'no disruptions' (but you can bring a printed photo just in case) A spokesperson for Berlin's immigration authority, the Landesamt für Einwanderung (LEA), told The Local there would be 'no disruptions to service' following the changes implemented on May 1st. However, they added that due to long appointment lead times many customers are still bringing printed biometric photos to their appointments, which are still accepted during the transition period. As The Local has reported , local authorities have been given a transition period, or Übergangszeit , of three months (until July 31st) before they must switch to only accepting digital photos. The entrance to Bürgeramt Reinickendorf in Berlin. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Jens Kalaene One commenter on the aforementioned Reddit post said they successfully used the on-site photo kiosk at the LEA office on Friedrich-Krause-Ufer. The new photo kiosks, which should be available at all immigration and citizens' offices in Germany by July 31st at the latest, are called 'PointID' terminals. They are set-up and maintained by the Federal Printing House ( Bundesdruckerei ). READ ALSO: Berlin citizenship offices to offer drop-in appointments on May 14th Frankfurt has yet to turn on the new photo machines Asked if immigration offices in Frankfurt were having any issues with the PointID photo kiosks, a spokesperson for the City of Frankfurt told The Local the new photo machines were 'not yet operational.' They added that Frankfurt's immigration office has six PointID devices, but none are currently in service. These will presumably be working ahead of the July 31st deadline. Advertisement In the meantime, the immigration office in Germany's banking capital continues to accept printed ID photos, which can be brought in from external photo studios or taken at a 'Photo-fix' machine on-site. Customers with upcoming appointments at the immigration office can expect to be informed directly by the Ausländerbehörde ahead of their visit as to how the transition to digital photos is progressing. REVEALED: The new flights from Frankfurt starting in spring 2025 Munich notes issues taking photos of babies on the new machines A spokesperson for Munich's District Administration Department (KVR), which is the city's security and regulatory authorit y, said that the immigration office as well as all citizens' offices have been using PointID photo machines since May 1st. 'The launch went mostly smoothly,' the spokesperson told The Local, but they added that taking photos of babies and small children with the new machines 'can sometimes be difficult'. Advertisement Therefore, the KVR asks parents of children under the age of six to have a biometric photo of their children taken in a certified photo studio before their appointment. A digital copy of these photos can then be retrieved directly from the cloud by case officers. You can find links to certified photo studio locations in Munich in this update on the city website.
Local Germany
16-04-2025
- Health
- Local Germany
Electronic patient records to launch in Germany from end of April
Starting April 29th, the electronic patient record ( Elektronische Patientenakte or ePA) will be available throughout Germany. From October, it will be mandated that all doctor's offices and clinics support it. What is the electronic patient record? Put simply, the ePA is just collecting patients' health records online in a database where medical offices across Germany can share and access them as needed - as opposed to having records only on paper or in private systems at various clinics which would need to fax or mail them to other clinics on request. READ ALSO: What residents in Germany need to know about the electronic patient file Outgoing Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) has moved to launch the ePA in an effort to streamline healthcare in Germany and improve digitalisation. The ePA system is being set up by the digital agency Gematik. For patients and doctors alike, digital records are expected to make healthcare more effective and easier to navigate. For patients, medical information - such as records of treatments and operations, X-rays and prescriptions - will all be viewable in an online portal. But perhaps more importantly, doctors can immediately see a patient's medical history including useful information on their recent treatments and medications they've been taken. This saves clinics from needing to request documents from other medical facilities - a process that is still often done via fax. READ ALSO: Why Germany is still hanging on to the fax machine Especially in emergencies, doctors being able to quickly view a patient's medical history can dramatically improve treatment and medical outcomes. A selection of health insurance cards. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Jens Kalaene A haphazard rollout The ePA's launch was planned for February of this year, but has been pushed back due to technical issues. In the meantime, it was tested for three months in around 300 participating practices in Hamburg, Franconia and North Rhine-Westphalia and is now thought to be ready for a national roll-out. In fact e-files for medical records were introduced as early as 2021 as an optional offer, but relatively few people opted to have their records saved digitally. This may have been due to a lack of awareness about the scheme. Going forward, the ePA is to be implemented automatically with an opt-out system instead. Germany's Health Ministry hopes that around 80 percent of patients in the country will participate. Advertisement What do I need to do? The beauty of the ePA being rolled-out on an opt-out basis is that you don't need to do anything to make it work - assuming you're on board with your medical records being kept in the digital system. According to the Ministry of Health, the data is to be encrypted and stored on secure servers. So only medical professionals involved with your care should be able to access your records. Reportedly, digital specialists have worked to identify security gaps in the model, and fix those problems in recent weeks. If, however, you don't want your records stored digitally in the ePA you can opt-out. Advertisement Under the framework of the ePA, health insurance companies are required to inform their members about how they can object. In most cases, this was done by mail around the beginning of this year. Insurance companies will have online and/or paper forms with which you can notify them to remove your consent for being added to the ePA. You will also be able to object retrospectively, in which case the health insurance company must then delete all of your data in the electronic file. READ ALSO: Everything that changes in Germany in April 2025
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Fashion Industry Regulations Don't Do Enough to Protect Workers or the Planet — Here's Why
Jens Kalaene/picture alliance via Getty Images 'We're producing 100 billion pieces of clothing a year,' explains Katrina Caspelich, executive director and chief marketing officer of Remake, an organization that advocates for garment worker protections and against overconsumption. 'We don't need to be doing that. Everything…that you could need has probably already been made.' And yet, we keep buying more. Stay up-to-date with the politics team. Sign up for the Teen Vogue Take. Though COVID curtailed our buying, after the height of the pandemic Americans are actually increasing their spending on clothing. According to a report compiled by the Business of Fashion's data and advisory team and McKinsey & Company, in 2025 'industry growth is expected to remain low, but increase slightly from 2024.' The global fashion industry is projected to reach an astonishing $1.8 trillion by 2025 according to one analysis. Aided by the low price point and availability of fast fashion, we're continuing to stock our closets with flared leggings and cow-print totes. But rampant overconsumption isn't just rough on our wallets. It's bad for the planet, for workers, and for consumers too. The fashion industry has normalized supply chains that are as opaque as they are complex, stretching across the planet and making regulation difficult. Now, a new generation of fashion industry workers and organizers aims to address the lack of regulation in the industry and propose legislation that can actually change the harmful status quo. 'I think what we're ultimately trying to do is reduce the impact,' states Maxine Bédat, a lawyer turned founder and director of the New Standard Institute, a think tank that advocates for the passing of a landmark Fashion Act, 'and the most direct way to do that is to put into law requirements that those companies reduce the impact.' In her book, Worn: A People's History of Clothing, artist and writer Sofi Thanhauser explains that while the textile industry has been hazardous since the Industrial Revolution, 'three of the four deadliest garment factory disasters in history occurred during the 2010s.' It seems as though the disposability of people has closely paralleled the disposability of fashion. The global fashion industry employs 94 million people, according to a 2023 report published by the International Labour Organization (ILO) on gender equality in garment supply chains. Most of these workers are women, most are criminally underpaid, and all are susceptible to the whims of an industry that can always drop them when they demand more. Take Bangladesh, for instance. In 2023, the country's garment workers brought production to a screeching halt. A decade after the Rana Plaza collapse that killed over a thousand workers, the Wall Street Journal reported that 'tens of thousands have refused to work, calling for the minimum wage to be raised to nearly three times that amount.' Protestors burned buildings and ruined machines, calling for Western companies to pay up. Yet, at the time, these brands were ambivalent at best. In the 2023 Journal report, H&M, among others, admitted to some degree that the workers' requests for higher wages were valid, but could not commit to steps to meet their demands. As protests intensified, Bangladesh's government raised the country's minimum wage from $75 a month in US currency to $113 a month. Even with the pay increase, and with some companies like H&M providing additional increases, these wages still fell far short of what the workers wanted. Bangladesh is still paying the price for these protests. In the aftermath, along with a constitutional crisis earlier in 2024, the country is struggling to convince Western customers that its supply chain is as stable as those of competing nations. Reuters recently reported that the country's garment 'exports to the US fell by 0.46% to $6.7 billion between January and November last year, while India's exports rose 4.25% to $4.4 billion.' The industry is also impacted by child labor and forced labor, the latter defined by the ILO as 'all work or service which is exacted from any person under the threat of a penalty and for which the person has not offered himself or herself voluntarily.' The stats included in the United States Department of Labor's annual report were grim: While labor exploitation happens in virtually every region of the world no matter the country's income, the report added 37 new goods to the list that were previously in the clear, as well as four new countries. Of the 82 countries, a large swath (including Argentina, Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, the list goes on alphabetically) engaged in labor exploitation within the garment industry or associated industries, like gold or cotton. While the United States isn't exactly included on the Department of Labor's list of offenders, the report does admit to a whopping '88% increase in the number of children employed in violation of federal child labor laws' in the country since 2019. Anecdotally, the report mentions busting American poultry factories and sawmills for using child labor. What it doesn't mention is the exploitation of models, including children, in American fashion. Thanks to prodding from organizers, government officials have finally started to address the harms experienced by fashion industry workers. In 2021, for example, California passed the Garment Worker Protection Act, protecting these workers from wage theft and ensuring that they get paid an hourly wage versus payment for each item they produce. The European Union's Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, which takes effect in 2027, is aimed, among other goals, at protecting labor exploited in global supply chains. Other promising legislation is underway to protect models. Led by Sara Ziff, who modeled for Gap and Chanel before becoming an organizer, Model Alliance helped push a landmark pro-labor bill that New York governor Kathy Hochul signed into law late last year. The bill protects models from the misuse of AI, allows models to directly access their contracts with clients, and guards against harassment and abuse, among other protections. According to December 2020 research from Science Feedback, a science education nonprofit, the fashion industry emits 3 to 10% of the world's greenhouse gases. Climate change affects everyone on the planet, subjecting us to more extreme weather events, from heat waves and droughts to flooding. (It's worth noting that the countries likely to feel the first and worst impacts of the crisis include those from which the world sources many of its garment workers. A 2022 article published by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with Reuters highlighted that even with intermediate warming 'Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka's exposure to wildfires, floods, major storms, and also water shortages mean South Asia has 10 to 18% of GDP at risk, roughly treble that of North America and 10 times more than the least-affected region, Europe.') Yet, according to the 2025 State of Fashion report, as executives struggle to invigorate a sluggish fashion market, businesses will likely make sustainability less of a priority. Despite fast fashion's staggering environmental impact, the report points out that most US and UK customers state that when buying they are more concerned about price than sustainability. Underregulation also means that consumers are often paying for low-quality clothing that is sometimes made with unsafe materials. There's also the fact that most fast fashion is so poorly constructed that garments tend to fall apart after a handful of uses, according to UCLA's Sustainability Institute. Fast fashion also leans heavily on synthetic materials produced from petrochemical-based fabrics. Journalist Alden Wicker has also flagged how some chemicals used in fashion production have been linked to infertility. Whether personally or collectively, we hold the power to transform how fashion is consumed and governed. 'I [am], like, a reformed fashion girlie,' Caspelich confesses. 'I used to be a fashion editor. Oh, leopard's in? I'm buying leopard. Oh, you know, green's in? Buying green. And now just even waiting a week to purchase something to see if I still want it, it makes such a difference!' In the US, organizers like Bédat are optimistic about state-level policy changes that can protect consumers and won't be at risk each time a new president is sworn into office. 'We've seen in history, that when the federal government relinquishes its responsibilities, the states really have carried the load in terms of ensuring that we are still able to make progress,' she says. Bédat's work at the New Standard Institute aims to champion the passing of the Fashion Act, a bill that mandates 'environmental and social due diligence' for companies with global revenue of over $100 million selling merchandise in a particular state. It requires companies to set and achieve 'science-based targets for reducing carbon emissions,' as Atmos notes. So far, versions of the legislation have been introduced in New York, Massachusetts, and Washington. Bédat says that during one of the Fashion Act's advocacy days, high schoolers were the ones who spoke out and best commanded the attention of elected officials. 'They did a much better job than I did because they could really speak from the heart,' she said. 'There was a vibe shift when they spoke.' Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue Want more Teen Vogue climate coverage? 17 Young People on the Moment the Climate Crisis Became Real to Them 7 Ways to Manage Climate Anxiety Why Activists Go on Hunger Strikes In California, Incarcerated Teens Help Fight Wildfires
