Volkswagen will take another trip down the memory lane. However, the return will not be without new projects. The giant company intends to resurface the successful line that propelled the company to new heights within the minibus niche. The result will be an all-electric ID Buzz which used to be quite a sensation in its golden times. Executives are sure the same experience can be replicated within the EV industry as well. However, enthusiasts must wait for five years to get their hands on such a piece.

The Electric Version of the Beloved ID Buzz Minibus Will Be Available in 2022 in North America, China, and Europe

This year’s North American International Auto Show came with some really exciting news. Volkswagen announced the revamp of one of their most successful vehicle concepts, the minibus.

However, the modern version will come with a twist. It will empower a completely electric system. This way, the product targets EV fans, VW customers, and today’s hippies alike.

The concept has already appeared at showrooms and displayed a positive mix between old style and futuristic technology. Volkswagen CEO Dr. Herbert Diess reaffirmed his confidence in the popularity of such a model.

He announced that the product would be available not only in North America, but also in Europe, and China starting with the year of 2022. On top of that, he admitted that the automaker started to receive emails from enthusiasts pleading for a quick completion of such a new project.

The All-Electric Minibus Will Offer Plenty of Space, Level 3 Autonomy, and 300 Miles Range

Technical details reveal 369 hp inspired from electric motors that will feature on each of the axes. This way, the driver will enjoy a better handling of the vehicle.

However, the main focus will be on other performances such as a large range of 300 miles per charge. The electric ID Buzz will also be equipped with VW’s fast-charging system. This way, it would take around 30 minutes to replenish 80% of the energy.

The minibus is not only a sight for sore eyes, but it also provides plenty of room to recreate an entire living room on wheels. That’s because there will be no more heavy gas engine to take up a lot of space.

Drivers themselves can take advantage of this generous room as most of their worries will end up on the shoulders of a Level 3 autonomous navigation system.

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Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz was open about the Charlottesville events that degenerated into hatred and even violence. Over the weekend, Virginia witnessed a rally in the name of white supremacy. The executive decried the Charlottesville violence. He also stated that Americans are able to do great things and avoid such uncivilized situations.

The ‘Unite the Right’ Rally Sparked from the Removal of a Confederate Monument and Degenerated into Acts of Hatred

According to media, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz talked with his employees about the recent Virginia events. This university state saw a mobilization of people who formed a rally under the slogan ‘Unite the Right.’

They hoped to make authorities change their minds regarding the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee. The location of the public monument is in Emancipation Park. Protesters identified themselves as white supremacists, neo-Nazis, white nationalists, militia, and neo-Confederates.

The country leadership sparked controversy when they decided to remove Confederate monuments throughout the country. Unfortunately, the Virginia rally took a violent side that resulted in one death of a young woman and 30 injured.

The U.S. President Donald Trump did not identify any ideological groups within the rally, yet he called out violence on both sides. At the same time, several business leaders voiced out their own take on Charlottesville violence.

Starbucks CEO Viewed the Charlottesville Violence as a Crucial Turning Point in American History

CEO Howard Schultz reiterated what other corporate leaders thought about this event. He claimed that he fears that such demeanor received a fabric of normality in today’s world. This allowed hateful groups to come out of the shadows and voice out their malicious ideology in broad daylight.

“What we witnessed this past weekend is against every sense of what is right… I know we are better than this.”

Schultz used this opportunity to make a reference to one of the bloodiest mistakes of the past that targeted Jews. He showed a rock he collected as a memory from a concentration camp in Auschwitz 17 years ago. He declared that this period is a crucial moment in the American history.

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Ryanair confessed that it would have liked some assets from the available German airports. However, there was no initiative for a basic process of a sales pitch. On the other hand, the company still plans to acquire a 20pc share of the air market in Germany by 2021. Even though some officials stated that Ryanair would not oppose Lufthansa taking advantage of the insolvent rival Air Berlin, the CEO showed different cards.

Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary Views Partnership between Lufthansa and Air Berlin as a Conspiracy

On Tuesday, Air Berlin filed for bankruptcy. The decisive moment that triggered such a constrained situation was when investor Etihad refused to aid the company with any more financial support.

Therefore, the company turned to the German government for a $176 million loan. These funds would be enough to keep the air traffic running while Air Berlin negotiates with Lufthansa company and another party.

On the other hand, Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary intends to hinder this contact between the two airlines to happen. The company filed a complaint with the German and European Union competition authorities.

The documents indicate that Ryanair perceived this collaboration as a conspiracy as Lufthansa has nothing but to gain from aiding Air Berlin. This way, the company is going to secure for itself a much larger influence within the German market.

“All this is down to prevent Ryanair growing in Germany, but it won’t stop us.”

Insolvent Rival Air Berlin Broke No Anti-Trust Rule According to German Economy Ministry

So far, Germany was the first to deny the veracity of such a statement. A spokeswoman for the economy ministry claimed that the loan the government granted insolvent rival Air Berlin doesn’t go against anti-trust laws.

On the other hand, Germany’s public trust in the business area was dinted recently. There are several allegations that the government treats easily the domestic industry. On top of that, there are suspicions that authorities weren’t too quick to uncover the emissions fraud that Volkswagen was practicing. It is worth mentioning that the state has partial ownership over the carmaker.

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German grocery chain Aldi Inc. felt the pressure adding up from two different directions. On the one hand, the supermarket landscape became more challenging the moment Amazon announced the future acquisition of Whole Foods Market Inc. On the other hand, its German counterpart Lidl has ambitious plans to open stores in America and consolidate its position through ruthless strategies. Therefore, Aldi considered it’s high time it opened its first grocery delivery system.

The Grocery Delivery System Will Start with Three U.S. Cities

Aldi is still one of the most popular supermarket chains in the U.S. However, the company still needs to adapt to new trends in order to remain relevant to the public. Therefore, the upcoming plan is to serve their customers door to door saving them time and a trip to the nearest Aldi supermarket.

Therefore, Aldi partnered up with Instacart to bring on its new delivery service by the end of this month. The new grocery delivery program will take off in three U.S. cities at the beginning. These locations are Dallas, Atlanta, and Los Angeles. If the pilot test renders positive results, it is likely that the company will extend this service. Scott Patton, Aldi’s Vice President of Corporate Buying, claimed that this entire online grocery demand niche is new and therefore full of gaps.

“Grocery shopping online is a relatively small part of the business but it is continuing to grow.”

Both Lidl and Amazon Are Leveling up the Stakes within Supermarket Industry

In January, Food Marketing Institute researched the potential of this market. They worked on 2016 reports which stated that the online grocery sales reached $20.5 million. However, by 2025 this niche is likely to grow 4.3% to as much as 20%, hitting a record high of at least $100 million.

Aldi has also scheduled this program at a time when its industry has to confront with a price war. German rival Lidl has already opened its first stores across America. The company resorted to price adjustments and made them appealing to anyone. On top of that, Amazon menaces to take over this industry as well the moment it announced plans to acquire Whole Foods Market Inc.

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Starbucks is known for its pleasure to add, mix, and deliver new recipes. However, what truly makes this hobby exciting is that most of these new eccentric beverages are available for a limited time only. The most popular yet transient drink is the hot coffee with pumpkin juice to truly celebrate the spirit of Halloween. The company has introduced a new such beverage to make the end of summer more bearable. On top of that, the recipe is mindful about clients who are lactose intolerant.

Starbucks Horchata Frappuccino Is Based on Almond Milk Which Is Ideal for Lactose Intolerant Customers

The Starbucks place in your way has something new for you, Horchata Frappuccino. The recipe seems specially tailored to those consumers who cannot eat or drink dairy products. On top of that, there are many other people who choose by themselves to consume only non-dairy milk. That’s because the Horchata Frapp is the first such beverage to replace an essential ingredient with almond milk.

The rest of the recipe indicates coffee, ice, and Cinnamon Dolce syrup. The mug is then topped with whipped cream, caramel drizzle, and cinnamon-sugar sprinkles. Nonetheless, those who desire or need the full non-dairy product can order their Frappuccinos with alternative milk options. These are usually made of coconut, soy, and almond. Starbucks has given this choice to customers for several years now.

The Traditional Horchata Is a Rice-Based Beverage

Looking at the recipe, people realize that the new Starbucks drink has not a drop of Horchata even though this is how it is actually called. However, the coffee chain explained that the Latin American beverage had been just a source of inspiration for their new product.

The most popular Horchata is a Mexican recipe which is a milky beverage with rice and a taste of cinnamon. Only in some regions of Central America, people take their drink with some almond milk. Therefore, Starbucks has just come up with another name for a Cinnamon Dolce Frappuccino that has an extra ingredient of almond milk. The drink is limited edition, so lactose intolerant coffee fans should hurry up and grab it.

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Mayor de Blasio is still trying to make ends meet for the “Summer of Hell.” New York commuters are struggling to accomplish a simple a task as going to work as the subway system is undergoing much over due repairs. However, the issue might escalate even further if authorities don’t keep financially supporting the operations. Therefore, the mayor of New York will propose a new tax for the wealthiest 1% to fund subway repairs.

The Mayor Refused to Offer City Funds to Support Subway Repairs

Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo are both Democrats but with a different view regarding the New York Summer of Hell. They propose different ways to pay for the construction site. Therefore, the state is incrementally sliding deeper into the largest transit crisis that sees more mechanical failures, delays, and power outages than ever before.

However, the mayor felt the pressure to make a decision when the Chairman of Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Joseph Lhota, proposed an emergency plan. He urged the city to split the costs for the operations. However, the mayor refused to offer any financial support. Therefore, de Blasio turned to rich people to solve the issue with subway repairs.

The Upcoming Tax Plan Will Have Long-Term Effects and Will Affect Rich People Only

The mayor stated that the tax plan would have long-term goals and shouldn’t be viewed as a quick solution. The main mission is to gather almost $800 million. The majority of these funds will support upgrades for buses and subways. However, the plan needs state lawmakers to endorse it to be put into practice.

“Instead of searching for a quick-fix that doesn’t exist […] we have come up with a fair way to finance immediate and long-term transit improvement.”

City officials claimed that the tax would address only to married couples who earn more than $1 million or to individuals who make at least $500,000 per year. The tax rate will increase from 3.9% to 4.4% which will apply to 32,000 New York tax payers.

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The National Labor Relations Board went against Nissan Motor Co. in allegations that place the company at the hearth of anti-union efforts. In the meantime, Nissan plant workers are preparing to vote on whether the United Auto Workers should represent them or not. There will be around 3,700 workers in Canton who will decide on Thursday and Friday to join their trade union.

UAW Is Going to Hold Nissan Responsible for a Majority of Negative Votes for a Trade Union

The United Auto Workers or UAW has been held responsible for the decay of Detroit which used to be America’s fifth richest city per capita. The union group turned this city around drew it on the edge of bankruptcy. However, the same organization is now turning to Canton, Mississippi for their support.

On the other hand, UAW proved numerous times that it serves more the interests of officials than its members. A recent scandal placed a union vice president and an executive at Fiat Chrysler at the core of a theft. The illegal action stripped worker training funds of millions of dollars.

In light of these events, UAW might have another agenda as it pushes Nissan plant workers towards a trade union. Based on its past decisions, the organization’s mission is chasing power and influence rather than acting in the name of its members and helping them with wages and working conditions.

On Monday, UAW Secretary-Treasurer Gary Casteel published a sharp accusation towards Nissan’s efforts to impair unionization. He stated that a negative result of this week’s vote couldn’t reveal anything else but the machinations of the company.

“If we lose, it’s a direct result of the unlawful behavior and threatening and intimidating and coercing of workers.”

Nissan Has Until August 11 to Respond to UAW’s Allegations

On the other hand, Nissan responded to these allegations by highlighting its compliance with the law. Executive Rodney Francis claimed that there are no regulations to stop them from revealing their position. However, if Nissan doesn’t respond to these allegations by August 11, the issue could escalate for the two parties to appear in front of a court.

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One strong voice from the government was raised in the matter of “the incredible shrinking airline seat.” More and more flight companies decide plane restructuring. Almost all of them consist of a smaller legroom and additional seats. As a consequence, the incremental demand for plane tickets is met with uncomfortable conditions. Therefore, a prestigious U.S. court demanded aviation regulators to take the necessary measures to overturn this situation.

Flyers Rights Filed Lawsuit for Aviation Regulators to Address the Concerning Plane Issues of Cramped Space for Passsengers

On Friday, the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C. took a stand against the raising cramped issues that all passengers have to deal with nowadays. Therefore, this authority asked those in charge to instate minimum standards regarding the space in which each passenger has to make themselves comfortable for the entire flight.

Judge Patricia Ann Millett spoke on behalf of all three judges in the panel. She dubbed this issue as “The Case of the Incredible Shrinking Airline Seat.” She underlined a growing problem for the United States. While there are more Americans than ever who can tap into airline services, the seats and spacing between them are getting narrower than ever.

Therefore, the court ruled in favor of a nonprofit advocacy group, Flyers Rights. The agency imposed the Federal Aviation Administration to regulate restrictions in order to avert serious safety hazard for all airline passengers.

The legroom situation quickly took scandalous proportions when several national carriers announced additional seats per plane. For instance, American Airlines intends to shrink the space between rows and leg room to 30 inches. These changes would allow increasing their clients per flight to the detriment of everyone’s comfort.

Lack of Legroom Can Lead to Fatal Health Cases

Aviation regulators are currently considering that their safety standards are adequate. So far, FAA refused to make the necessary changes naming obscure tests that were based on undeclared parameters. However, the court made a reference to this weak alibi stating that it would no longer tolerate such shaky records.

Smaller legroom than before in combination with a larger number of passengers can undermine any operation for emergency exit. On top of that, the safety hazard extends to the health department as well. A lack of moving space can lead to more risks of deep vein thrombosis. These are cases of blood clots in legs that can be fatal.

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On Tuesday, House Republicans cast their votes regarding a new rule that came from the Consumer Financial Bureau. The proposals gained controversial proportions as it would have allowed consumers to sue banks directly in class-action suits. However, the majority decided to kill this initiative off.

Republicans’ Efforts Against the Arbitration Clause Will Need Almost Full Support from Senate

On Tuesday, lawmakers voted in conformity with the Congressional Review Act. This legal text offers them 60 days to decide whether to go on with the newly released legislations or not. On top of that, the outcome of this vote is decisive for other future similar rules as well.

As far as the consumer watchdog’s proposal is concerned, it received 231 to 190 against it. Republican Walter Jones was the only one who voted against a repeal along with all Democrats. However, the decision is not final just as yet. They need near-unanimous support from Senate for the resolution to reach the upper chamber.

On the other hand, the White House confirmed that it is ready to sign the repeal the moment it gets on President’s desk. Donald Trump is a strong supporter of the repeal resolution. This determination dates back a while ago when Republicans and consumer watchdog revealed their relentless conflict. There are many other strategies set in place to dent the power of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Each Contract with a Financial Institution Won’t Allow Clients to Sue Banks

The proposal would have reversed a common feature almost all consumers have to agree with the moment they sign a new contract with a bank. This is about an arbitration clause which forces clients to settle their issues with the institution in private. This allowed banks to avoid appearing in front of the court. On top of that, almost all cases ended up with minimum prejudices that banks have to cover.

Therefore, the new legislation would have enabled customers to sue banks at a courthouse. On top of that, a class-action suit would have been possible in case of a minor harm that can mobilize a group of complaining parties against one institution.

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