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As our selection of publications keeps growing, we are sharing highlights from the English-language Aposto publications every week. Curated by the editors at Aposto, the issues will feature the best articles from our media service from business to technology, travel to literature, philosophy to wine...
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Aposto Team
Aposto Europe delivers your daily briefing on markets, politics, business, tech and more - all under 5 minutes. Don't miss out on what's happening in the world.
• The EU delayed efforts to approve an energy relief package as member states struggled to resolve a deep split over a push to toughen the planned price cap on gas imports. Energy ministers holding an extraordinary meeting in Brussels agreed on the content of several emergency measures, but will put formal approval on hold until mid-December, EU energy chief Kadri Simson said.
• Workers at China’s largest iPhone assembly factory confronted police —many in white hazmat suits and some in riot gear— over disputes about pay and sanitary conditions. On Wednesday, protesting workers were saying in a video shared over social media that Foxconn failed to honor their promise of an attractive bonus and pay package and has been implementing insufficient anti-Covid measures.
- A step back: The Zhengzhou plant, which was put under lockdown last month in line with China’s zero-Covid policy, had seen many workers flee the site after an outbreak. In order to fill positions, Foxconn held a massive recruitment drive and offered quadrupled daily bonuses.
• The global economy in 2023 will face a “significant growth slowdown” but should avoid a recession, the OECD’s latest Economic Outlook said on Tuesday, while high —albeit declining— inflation will remain in many countries. The OECD is forecasting world growth to slow from 3.1% this year to 2.2% next year and bounce back to a relatively modest 2.7% in 2024, with Asia being the main engine of economic expansion whereas Europe will bear the brunt of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
- Furthermore: The Paris-based organization also expects the UK to be at the bottom of the G7 table for growth in the next two years, with only Russia being seen to perform worse among the top 20 major economies. British output will contract by 0.4% in 2023 and expand by just 0.2% in 2024 while Germany is the only other G7 country forecast to shrink next year, by 0.3%, but will bounce back with 1.5% growth in 2024.
Spektrum is a weekly politics publication focusing on Turkey, city agendas and international policy.
Following the terrorist attack in Taksim, Turkey launched a military campaign against the terrorist organisation PKK and its extension YPG in the northern regions of Iraq and Syria ‘to eliminate terrorist attacks, ensure border security, and eliminate terrorism at its source.’ Pençe-Kılıç (Claw-Sword) organised the air campaign. President Erdoğan said ‘It will not be limited to an air campaign’ and signaled that a ground campaign is on the way.
While the terrorist organisation threatened Turkey after the campaign, two people, including a child, were killed in rocket attacks in Gaziantep and Kilis. Many people were injured.
Impending dangers in Afghanistan and Israel
Clashes broke out on Sunday night in the border region between the Taliban, who took control of Afghanistan last year, and Pakistan, where Imran Khan's government was ousted in April. Although tensions have been reduced, it is obvious that the two administrations, which cannot agree on the control of the area called the Durand Line, will face each other again.
Aposto Tech gathers the best articles on technology at Aposto, curated by our editors. Topics include startup news, AI, fintech, gadgets, and more.
Web Summit 2022
A brief history
Started by Paddy Cosgrave, David Kelly and Daire Hickey in the capital of Ireland, Dublin, to bring the tech community together with both old and new sectors, Web Summit was permanently moved to Lisbon in 2016. Web Summit which draws attention with its almost aggressive marketing has been a way out of the box since starting off, and has been defined as ‘The best technology conference on the planet’ by Forbes, ‘Where the future goes to be born’ by Atlantic, and ‘A grand conclave of the tech industry's high priests’ by New York Times; Web Summit has become one of the biggest tech summits of the world today.
Focusing on issues such as Internet technology, developing technologies, and risk capitalism, Web Summit’s partners are from companies like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon, which are in the Fortune 500 that stands for all levels and sectors of the global high technology industry, to newly founded companies and state institutions. So, Web Summit makes a perfect platform for the gathering of the giants of the sector and promising enterprises.
Aposto Business offers the best articles on business at Aposto, curated by our editors. Topics include micro-mobility, future of work, energy, green economy, consumer products, marketing and more.
‘Big Brother’ era in the shopping world
With new marketing technologies, while the power of personalisation makes us feel like we are under surveillance, it also radically changes our shopping habits.
After the pandemic, I had long forgotten the existence of escalators, stores, and changing rooms like the vast majority and I had got used to the comfort of online shopping to the fullest. Last month, when I happened to pass by a shopping centre after a very long time, I flinched with a message on my phone as soon as I got inside. The message I received from a brand from which I had shopped for only 2 or 3 times in my whole life was as follows: ‘We are pleased to see you! Save 15% on your next order with new arrivals in our X (the name of the shopping centre I went to) store.’ As a person who has a hard time acknowledging such a rapid transformation of the world, I was quite impressed with this message. And I was astonished by thinking how fast we came to the days where shopping comes to us from the days we would go shopping.
Digital Siege
This anecdote is one of the smallest examples of how digital marketing technologies brought personalised shopping experience into our lives. However, the online side of the affair is a much longer story. For example, all brands from retail to online markets invite us to do shopping regardless of where we are or what time it is.
Aposto Istanbul is a weekly city guide for Istanbul lovers who want to make this city their neighbourhood. Hand-picked events, local news, recommendations and more.
She’s Back: She Past Away
What is it? Concert. The last darkwave benders of the country, She Past Away is ready to dive into the waters of the country for two days after a long world tour.
Where? IF Performance Hall Beşiktaş
When? 30 November
Why should you go? Because they gave us masterpieces such as Narin Yalnızlık and Belirdi Gece.
Duly noted: Those in İzmir get to listen to them one day prior to us at Hangout PSM. Istanbulites can get their tickets here.
Aposto London is a weekly, practical zine to London for those who want to make this city their neighbourhood.
Planque: easy on the eye, nose and tongue
Some restaurants have that je ne sais quoi that makes you want to describe them by using the vague and lazy phrase 'je ne sais quoi'. Planque deserves better.
The Haggerston restaurant matches an excellent modern French menu with an atmosphere that’s too spacious even for East London.
The high ceilings and wood-covered generous seating plan remind me of trending Brooklyn restaurants designed by Danish architects rather than London or Paris establishments where the spaces between the tables are as small as the shared plates. Despite its modern feel, you know you are at a French restaurant.
