North America

Portrait for @ash
by @ash
2021-03-06T00:00:02+00:00
Business • Economy
Disney to close 20% of its retail stores, shifts towards e-commerce
Disney Store in Toronto's Eaton Centre
Disney Store in Toronto's Eaton Centre Credit: Raysonho @ Open Grid Scheduler / Grid Engine (Public Domain)

Disney has announced it will be closing 20% of its 300 retail stores in North America by the end of the year, hinting at additional closures and layoffs in the future. As the company closes its brick-and-mortar stores, it is working to improve its e-commerce business ShopDisney.

Portrait for @Matt
by @Matt
2021-01-15T21:00:02+00:00
Science
Microplastics from laundry machines found in the arctic
Esmarkbreen,Isfjorden, Spitsbergen
Esmarkbreen,Isfjorden, Spitsbergen Credit: Gunvor Røkke (Creative Commons Attribution 2.0)

Polyester fibres traced from laundry machines in North America and Europe have been discovered in Arctic seawater. The microplastics are thought to have drifted into the Arctic from the Atlantic ocean.

Scientists do not yet know the impact of these microplastics on the Arctic, its marine life, and the communities that live there.

Portrait for @jfunez
by @jfunez
2020-08-19T17:30:02+00:00
Regional News • Americas • United States
Trump gives nod to Oracle takeover of TikTok
Trump gives nod to Oracle takeover of TikTok
Credit: Illustration: Pendect, Ashley Winkler – Logo via TikTok (Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 4.0)

The United States President Donald Trump stated tech giant Oracle would be "a great company" to take over TikTok's US operations.

The President reaction comes days after media reported that Oracle would be a possible buyer of the TikTok in North America, Australia and New Zealand.

Trump ordered TikTok's owner ByteDance to sell their US business within 90 days or face being shut down by the government.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Oracle is working with Sequoia Capital and General Atlantic, investors that already have stakes in ByteDance.