UK announces new plan to help workers hit by pandemic LONDON — Britain’s treasury chief announced a new income support program Thursday for workers hurt by the coronavirus pandemic, as the government races to prevent widespread layoffs when earlier employer subsidies end next month. Chancellor Rishi Sunak, in a speech to lawmakers, unveiled his plan to subsidize the wages of workers whose hours are cut due to the pandemic as part of a wider package of measures to help businesses and bolster the economy. Businesses and labor unions had pressed the government to step in with more direct support for people in precarious work situations. Under a furloughed worker program that expires next month, the government pays 80% of the wages of workers placed on leave.
iPhone 12 Mini and 12 Pro Max begin preorders Friday, both expected to be in short supply The last of the 2020 iPhones go on sale Friday for pre-orders, a time-honored tradition that lets early adopters (hopefully) get the shiny new devices delivered to them by opening day. The preorders open at 8 a.m. ET. The iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max are scheduled for in-store sales on Friday, Nov. 13, starting at $699 and $1,099. Both are expected to be in short supply, due to manufacturing issues. Donald Trump steps up wild attacks on Joe Biden as first debate looms Five weeks from from polling day, two days from the first presidential candidates’ debate, and moments after the New York Times published bombshell revelations about Donald Trump’s taxes, the US president took aim at his Democratic opponent Joe Biden with a series of wild and unproven accusations. In an unfocussed White House briefing, the president retailed baseless allegations, including that his Democratic opponent, Joe Biden had used “performance-enhancing drug” during appearances. Trump compared Biden’s performance across primary debates, including, according to the president, that he was stronger in some debates than others: “People say he was on performance-enhancing drugs. A lot of people have said that,” Trump claimed, without evidence. When challenged Trump told reporters to “look on the internet” to see who was saying it. .
Xbox Series X and Series S review: New game consoles attempt to lighten the load With the launch of the Xbox Series X and S, it’s not so much about better video game graphics as it is about making your life as a console game player better. Yes, Microsoft’s latest consoles, available Nov. 10, feature video games that will look better than its predecessors. But having spent time with the Xbox Series X ($499.99), the more exciting perks not only involve access to a larger library of games available to play, but spending less time waiting for those games to launch and load. Console launches have typically focused on the graphical leaps made between generations, as video games shifted closer to realistic high-resolution visuals. But with the arrivals of Xbox Series X and S, and Sony's PlayStation 5, out Nov. 12, graphics are taking a backseat at launch in favor of changes that attempt to remove the hassles of console gaming.
Google Pixel phone 'designed for economic downturn' image copyrightGoogle Google's hardware chief has said its new flagship smartphone was designed to go on sale during an economic downturn. As a result, the Pixel 5 has abandoned some of its predecessor's headline features and runs on a slower chip in order to be sold at a lower price. GM fast-tracks electric vehicle plans, starts hiring near former Lordstown plant General Motors CEO Mary Barra said the company will bring new electric vehicles to market faster than anticipated as the automaker announced a major step forward Thursday in its self-driving car development. GM is also making strides in hiring and calling back workers at two of its facilities. GM said it has started hiring what will eventually be more than a thousand workers at its new EV battery plant near GM's former Lordstown Assembly factory in northeast Ohio.
Smoke choking California again as dangerous fire conditions continue Smoke from nearly two dozen wildfires burning across California will continue to darken skies across the west this weekend, as residents prepare for more heat, toxic air and conditions that are expected to keep fueling the flames. The National Weather Service reports that both excessive heat warnings and heat advisories will remain in effect along California’s coast, while the Bay Area Air Quality Management District has extended its Spare the Air Alert through Tuesday, with air quality deemed “unhealthy”. Meanwhile the state is closing in on a devastating new record, with close to 4m acres now consumed by wildfires this season. What's hot for tech holiday? 'Practical' gifts like routers and computer monitors Are you feeling practical? We're just a few weeks away from Black Friday and intense holiday shopping time during an era of COVID-19. Do you know what you'll be purchasing? Stephen Baker, a longtime analyst with the NPD Group, which tracks sales of consumer products, says to expect a holiday filled with non-sexy products like computer monitors, external mice and keyboards and routers.
Billionaires' wealth rises to $10.2 trillion amid Covid crisis The world’s billionaires “did extremely well” during the coronavirus pandemic, growing their already-huge fortunes to a record high of $10.2tn (£7.8tn). A report by Swiss bank UBS found that billionaires increased their wealth by more than a quarter (27.5%) at the height of the crisis from April to July, just as millions of people around the world lost their jobs or were struggling to get by on government schemes. The report found that billionaires had mostly benefited from betting on the recovery of global stock markets when they were at their nadir during the global lockdowns in March and April.