10 Wednesday, January 13, 2021 Economy & Business GM shares jump on plans fore-vehicle Parler site, booted by Amazon, delivery business moves towards relaunching Agencies powered concepts: A flying car and a boxy Co shuttle with sliding doors. Parler files suit against Amazon, says cloud-computing services provider violated antitrust law shares jumped on Tuesday Simcoe said Cadillac also is to their highest level since working on a luxury electric Tribune News Service the company’s post-bank- two-seater. ruptcy IPO in 2010, as the In a pre-show briefing, Hours after Amazon effec- automaker announced its Pam Fletcher, GM vice tively scrubbed it from the entry into the growing elec- president of global innova- internet, conservative social tric delivery vehicle busi- tion, said the BrightDrop media network Parler is tak- ness. EV600 is a large, purpose- ing stumbling steps towards a After Chief Executive built delivery van that will relaunch. outlined plans have a range of 250 miles Parler filed suit Monday for GM’s first BrightDrop (400 km) between charges, against Amazon in federal commercial vans to be de- with a long list of advanced court in Seattle, contending livered to FedEx later this safety features and built-in the cloud-computing services year, GM shares rose as provider violated antitrust law high as $48.95 in morning and breached the terms of its trading, pushing the com- contract when it pulled the pany’s market cap over $68 plug on Parler in the aftermath billion. of the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. The new BrightDrop de- Capitol. That day, mobs loyal livery business will put GM to President Donald Trump squarely in competition in Competition breached congressional cham- the commercial sector with The new BrightDrop delivery bers to demand lawmakers cross-town rival Ford Mo- business will put GM overturn the presidential elec- tor Co, as well as startups squarely in competition in tion. Parler asked the judge for such as Rivian, Arrival and the commercial sector with a temporary restraining order Canoo that are developing cross-town rival Ford Motor that would allow it to keep us- electric commercial vehicles Co, as well as startups ing Amazon’s web-hosting ser- for customers ranging from such as Rivian, Arrival and vices. Amazon to Hyundai Motor. The same day, Parler Fuelled in part by the Canoo that are developing transferred its domain name COVID-19 pandemic, GM electric commercial to Sammamish, Wash.-based estimates the U.S. market vehicles for customers Epik, which hosts the similar for parcel and food deliv- ranging from Amazon to far-right social media network ery will climb to more than Hyundai Motor. Gab. $850 billion by 2025. It That’s not to say Parler is one sector that EV sales internet connectivity. lives again: The conservative Shown here is the Parler logo. Parler announced it has transferred its domain name to Sammamish-based Epik. (Anthony Behar/TNS) leader Tesla has yet to crack. Unlike Cruise, the San Twitter competitor will still Barra said BrightDrop Francisco self-driving start- need to migrate its operations which briefly became the No. Parler has not only lost current websites, hosting conspiracy own efforts to strip dangerous will offer delivery and lo- up that is majority-owned to a new hosting provider. 1 free app downloaded on Ap- and future customers, but Par- theory channel InfoWars and content from the internet. In gistics customers such as by GM and is developing a And Parler’s suit against ple’s App Store, according to ler has also been unable to find neo-Nazi site The Daily Storm- 2018, Epik announced it would FedEx a range of products robotaxi business, Bright- Amazon got off to a bumbling the lawsuit. an alternative web-hosting er in addition to Gab. stop hosting far-right message and services that leverage Drop does not plan to op- start. The social network filed Amazon terminated Par- company,” the company wrote Epik issued a lengthy and board 8chan after law enforce- the automaker’s expertise erate its own vehicle fleet. a day late, obviating its request ler’s accounts Sunday, saying in its complaint. “In short, circuitous statement Sunday ment linked its users to three in electrification and fleet It will focus on supplying for a temporary restraining or- the social network had violated AWS’ false claims have made castigating Twitter and Face- mass shootings. management. electric vans and related der. Nor did it serve Amazon its terms of service by inad- Parler a pariah.” book for suspending accounts Epik CEO Rob Monster, The BrightDrop EV600 services to commercial cus- with its complaint, as court equately policing content on But Parler’s move to Epik of Trump and his supporters reached by phone Monday, will use a version of GM’s tomers. rules require. The judge or- the site. In its letter to Parler, casts doubt upon that state- and drawing an equivalency declined to comment further Ultium battery system that A source familiar with dered Parler to serve Amazon Amazon included screenshots ment. The attorney represent- between the insurrection at on the statement, which was will power many of the com- details of the EV600 said with the complaint before 5 of posts advocating and glori- ing Parler in the suit, Spokane- the U.S. Capitol and ongoing signed by the company’s senior pany’s future electric vehi- it will share basic under- p.m. Monday or risk having fying violence against Trump based David Groesbeck, could protests over police brutality, vice president for communica- cles, including the Hummer body architecture with the the case thrown out. As of 7 opponents, and noted there not be reached for comment. sparked by the death of George tions, but said it was reflective EV pickup and the Cadillac Hummer EV and a vari- p.m. Monday, it remained un- had been a “steady increase” As of Monday evening, Groes- Floyd last summer. of his viewpoints. Lyriq crossover. ety of other large GM trucks clear whether Parler had com- of such violent content on the beck’s website redirected to an “Without smarter discern- In October, the company Barra introduced Bright- and SUVs that will hit the plied. social network. “under construction” page, but ment outside of a mob-based posted a series of blog posts Drop in an online keynote market over the next three Tech giants took swift ac- Parler accused Amazon of online reviews indicate he spe- judgement [sic] of instant riddled with conspiracy theo- address at the CES annual years. tion to suspend or restrict so- collaborating with Twitter, in cializes in small business and convenience, the decisions we ries after PayPal terminated tech and gadget show. The first 500 units will cial media accounts belonging violation of antitrust laws, to property disputes. Several real make now may ultimately be the domain registrar’s ac- As part of Barra’s pres- go to FedEx by the end of to Trump and his supporters, “kill Parler’s business — at the estate holding companies and utilized to reduce liberties that count. The online payments entation, GM design chief the year, with deliveries to saying those users had insti- very time it is set to skyrocket,” a tobacco import business are many take for granted,” the processor said it could no Mike Simcoe hosted a virtu- other customers starting in gated the mayhem at the Capi- according to the complaint. registered in his name. statement said. longer bear the risk of work- al unveiling of two battery- early 2022, Fletcher said. tol. The purge prompted many “Because of AWS false Epik has emerged in recent In the same statement, ing with Epik, Mashable re- of those users to flee to Parler, claims, leaked to the public, years as a home for far-right however, Epik pointed to its ported at the time. Pakistan’s tax hopes bank on new digital payment system Property sales wrap up

DPA central bank. 2020 at record high value Islamabad A couple of digital payment and cash transfer systems al- Tribune News Network palities — Umm Salal, Al Pakistani authorities said We plan to switch ready exist in Pakistan that do Doha Khor, Al Dhakhira, Al Doha, on Tuesday they were optimis- disbursement of not require bank accounts for Al Rayyan, Al Shamal, Al tic a new digital payment sys- government employees’ transactions, but Raast is the Property sales in Qatar Daayen, Al Shehaniyah and tem will boost one of the low- salaries and pensions first one run by the govern- between December 27 and Al Wakra. est tax collections in the world ment, Qamar said. 31 generated QR2.7 billion, Doha Municipality ac- by beginning to document an through this in future. “We plan to switch dis- with sales of buildings bring- quired the highest deal overwhelmingly cash-driven Abid Qamar, spokesman of bursement of government em- ing in the biggest chunk of it in terms of value through economy. Pakistan’s central bank ployees’ salaries and pensions — around 2.6 billion, which the sale of a tower in the Pakistan’s tax-to-GDP ra- through this in future,” the accounts for 97 percent of Onaizah area, at a value of tio is less than 10 per cent, spokesman said of the govern- the total transactions, the QR 609mn. which has in the past forced rolled out a new digital system ment’s long-term goals. latest Ezdan Real Estate re- The tower spans over an the country to seek loans for instant payments, Raast, If adopted successfully, port has said. area of 4,030 square meters, from global lenders and look which means “right path” in the new system could help the Citing figures from Qa- at a price of QR14,039 per for occasional handouts from Urdu. country boost revenue col- tar’s Real Estate Registra- square foot. partners like China and Saudi The system, which has lection by helping authorities tion Department, the report Doha has also witnessed Arabia. been developed in coopera- document what is often re- said the sale of two towers at Around 40 per cent of the tion with the Bill and Melinda ferred as the black economy, sale of land lots during the same price, each at QR country’s total transactions Gates Foundation, the World officials and experts said. the period generated up to 467mn located in the Pearl take place in cash, a ratio Bank, United Nations and “We hope a turnout in our QR78mn, accounting for 2.9 Region, while Al-Mirqab much higher than single digit Britain, is “very quick and tax and other revenue collec- percent of the total sales. area witnessed the sale of figure in the developed world. low cost,” said Abid Qamar, tion as a long-term benefit,” Most of the sales took another tower at a value of The government this week spokesman for the country’s Qamar said. Pakistan’s tax-to-GDP ratio is less than 10 per cent, place across eight munici- QR212.3mn. UK tightens its modern anti-slavery laws China wanted to punish EU DPA ures that should prevent ties have been placed in polit- London Britain’s private and public ical indoctrination camps for countries for banning Huawei sector from “deliberately or seemingly arbitrary reasons The British government will inadvertently” profiting from such as praying or travelling DPA document, wanted to reserve out. The agreement must also tighten its modern anti-slav- or contributing to abusive la- abroad. Beijing the right to deny the benefits be approved by EU member ery laws to punish businesses bour. Claims have been made of the partial opening of its tel- states and the European Par- with links to the alleged abuse They include fines for people are being forced to In the recent business invest- ecom sector to investors from liament, a process that could of Muslim minorities in Chi- businesses that fail to meet work while the women have ment deal signed by the Eu- countries “that block or arbi- last several months. na, including Uighurs. their statutory obligations to been sterilised or fitted with ropean Union and China fol- trarily discriminate against Considerable resistance There was “far-reaching publish an annual modern contraceptive devices to pre- lowing seven years of talks, Chinese telecommunication against the deal has emerged, evidence” of abuse against slavery statement; new guid- vent them from having chil- Beijing’s negotiators had enterprises in law or policy.” with critics saying it does not the Uighur Muslims who live ance for businesses that out- dren, according to a report sought to punish EU coun- That passage, found in a De- give Brussels enough power in Xinjiang, a province in line the risks faced by com- published by German scholar tries that limit or block access cember 11 draft text, was ulti- to address concerns about hu- China’s far west, said Foreign panies with links to Xinjiang; Adrian Zenz last summer. to Chinese telecom companies mately crossed out. man rights and labour prac- Secretary Dominic Raab on and a review of regulations The Chinese government such as Huawei. The European Commis- tices in China. Tuesday. surrounding exports to Xin- Britain cracks down on firms with initially denied the camps But the EU thwarted Bei- sion and China announced on Incoming US President The focus of the govern- jiang. links to labour abuses in China. existence and then said they jing’s plan to insert a clause to December 30 that they had Joe Biden’s team has also ex- ment’s action is ensuring that Furthermore, the trans- were boarding schools. that effect into the final docu- struck a deal on a comprehen- pressed reservations, saying it products made with forced la- parency requirements that tor firms. They have denied the ac- ment, according to a draft text sive investment agreement. would be better if the US and bour do not enter global sup- apply to British businesses Experts have estimated at cusations over slave labour, of the agreement obtained by Both sides are still final- Europe were reading from the ply chains. under the UK Slavery Act will least 1 million Uighurs, Ka- sterilisation and contracep- dpa on Monday. izing the text of the deal, with same playbook in regards to Raab unveiled four meas- now also apply to public sec- zakhs, Huis and other minori- tives. China, according to the legal details still to be hashed China.