Month: July 2021

Fury cross the Mersey: Liverpool loses world heritage status

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Read time : 2 mins

Level : Intermediate

By JILL LAWLESS Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — Civic leaders in Liverpool expressed outrage Wednesday after the English port city was stripped of its World Heritage status by the United Nations’ culture organization.

UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee voted in a secret ballot to remove the designation because of developments in the city center and on its historic River Mersey waterfront. The committee said the projects, including a planned new stadium for soccer team Everton, were “detrimental to the site’s authenticity and integrity” and had caused “irreversible loss of attributes.”

Liverpool Mayor Joanne Anderson called the decision “incomprehensible.”

“I’m hugely disappointed and concerned by this decision to delete Liverpool’s World Heritage status, which comes a decade after UNESCO last visited the city to see it with their own eyes,” she said.
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Habitat for Humanity struggles with high construction costs

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Read time : 3 mins

Level : Advanced

By HALELUYA HADERO AP Business Writer

Reeling from massive cutbacks in volunteers during the COVID-19 pandemic, and grappling with high construction costs, Habitat for Humanity leaders would be the first to admit they’re struggling.

The past year has felt like one punch after the other, they say. First hit: Habitat’s local affiliates had to limit volunteers over virus concerns, forcing them to fork over more money to hire contractors. Second hit: Revenue was dented by temporary closures of ReStores, the reuse stores operated by local Habitat organizations. The third: Construction delays caused by pandemic-induced kinks in the supply chain, which make affiliates wait longer for supplies.
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Hawaii teenager recycles to help students reach college

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Read time : 2 mins

Level : Intermediate

By JESSIE WARDARSKI and LUIS ANDRES HENAO Associated Press

In the beginning, Genshu Price recycled for his own sake — his father said it would be a good way to save money for his college tuition.

But then, he came up with grander idea: Why not recycle thousands of bottles and cans to help other students in Hawaii reach their college dream.

“That way, it would be able to help a lot more local families, help a lot more people throughout the generations,” Price said.

The 13-year-old from Oahu launched Bottles4College three years ago. The goal is to collect and recycle 2 to 4 million cans and bottles annually to fund college tuition for up to two students. Price said his project “gained traction” during the coronavirus pandemic.
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As stock prices peak, markets begin to fear looming threats

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Read time : 4 mins

Level : Advanced

By STAN CHOE AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — With the U.S. economy humming, corporate profits flowing and stock prices peaking, investors on Wall Street are beginning to pose an anxious question: Is it all downhill from here?

Financial markets are always trying to set prices now for where the economy and corporate profits are likely to be in the future. And even though readings across the economy are still at eye-popping levels, investors see some areas of concern.

New variants of the coronavirus are threatening to weaken economies around the world. Many of the U.S. government’s pandemic relief efforts are fading. Inflation is raging as supplies of goods and components fall short of surging demand. And the beginning of the end of the Federal Reserve’s assistance for markets is coming into sight.
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Stellantis: 98% of models to be electric or hybrid by 2025

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Read time : 2 mins

Level : Intermediate

By TOM KRISHER AP Auto Writer

DETROIT (AP) — Stellantis is a little late to the global electric vehicle party, but on Thursday it pledged to catch up and pass its competitors.

CEO Carlos Tavares says that by 2025, 98% of its models in Europe and North America will have fully electric or plug-in gas-electric hybrid versions. He says the company that combined Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot is developing four fully electric vehicle platforms with ranges from 500 kilometers (311 miles) to 800 kilometers (497 miles).

It also will have three electric drive modules to power all of its vehicles, and Stellantis will take advantage of its scale to reduce electric vehicle costs. The company expects to reduce battery costs by more than 40% from 2020 to 2024 with two new battery chemistries. It plans to introduce solid-state battery technology by 2026 that can store more energy than current versions.
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