Qaasid News

Download Our App

Category: 3. Business

  • Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock Announces New TexStats Statewide Economic Dashboard

    January 8, 2026

    (AUSTIN) — Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock today announced the launch of the TexStats Statewide Economic Dashboard, a new interactive tool designed to provide Texans with data and a clear view of the state’s economic performance.

    “Texas’ economic strength shows up in real numbers — jobs, growth, production and opportunity,” Hancock said. “The TexStats dashboards bring that information together in one place so Texans can better understand where the state stands and where it’s headed.”

    TexStats dashboards, which include a regional version launched in October 2025 and the newly added statewide version, are part of the Acting Comptroller’s ongoing effort to deliver clearer, more actionable insight into the strength of Texas’ economy. Together, they equip businesses, policymakers and communities with reliable data to support informed decision-making and long-term economic development planning.

    The TexStats Statewide Economic Dashboard offers a high-level view of Texas’ economic pulse, including:

    • Gross state product
    • Employment and workforce trends
    • Oil and natural gas rig counts, production and prices
    • Housing market indicators
    • Inflation measures

    The dashboard complements the TexStats Regional Data Dashboard by focusing on statewide trends while allowing users to explore how major economic indicators interact across the broader Texas economy.

    Additional interactive features, including expanded data filtering and download capabilities, are under development and are expected to be available by mid-February.

    Continue Reading

  • Aecon schedules fourth quarter and year-end 2025 financial results release and conference call

    Toronto, Ontario – January 8, 2026: Aecon Group Inc. (TSX: ARE) announced today that it intends to release its fourth quarter and year-end 2025 financial results on Thursday, March 5, 2026 after market close, and has scheduled a live webcast and conference call for 9 a.m. (Eastern Time) on Friday, March 6, 2026.

    A live webcast of the conference call can be accessed using this link and will be available at www.aecon.com/InvestorCalendar. Participants can also dial-in to the conference call and pre-register using this link. After registering, an email will be sent, including dial-in details and a unique access code required to join the live call. Please ensure you have registered at least 15 minutes prior to the conference call time.

    An accompanying presentation of the fourth quarter and year-end 2025 financial results will also be available after market close on March 5, 2026 at www.aecon.com/investing. For those unable to attend, a replay will be available within one hour following the live webcast and conference call at the same webcast link above.

    About Aecon

     Aecon Group Inc. (TSX: ARE) is a North American construction and infrastructure development company with global experience. Aecon delivers integrated solutions to private and public-sector clients through its Construction segment in the Civil, Urban Transportation, Nuclear, Utility and Industrial sectors, and provides project development, financing, investment, management, and operations and maintenance services through its Concessions segment. Join our online community on X, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram @AeconGroupInc.

    For further information: 

    Adam Borgatti
    SVP, Corporate Development and Investor Relations
    416-297-2600
    ir@aecon.com

    Nicole Court
    Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Communications
    416-297-2600
    corpaffairs@aecon.com

    Continue Reading

  • Guelph Civic Museum renovations are underway

    Guelph Civic Museum renovations are underway

    Guelph, Ont., January 8, 2026 – Guelph Civic Museum is beginning renovations on Jan. 12. These renovations are expected to finish in the summer.

    This work will include:

    • Redesigned reception area and exhibition spaces, including the Families Gallery and third-floor City Gallery
    • Repaired flooring in public spaces
    • New accessibility features
    • Upgraded humidification system

    These renovations won’t result in any building-wide closures. The gift shop will remain open for business and there will still be exhibitions to explore and events to experience through the renovation period.

    These renovations will help to expand the presentation of Guelph’s stories, increase accessibility, and support inclusive, educational experiences for diverse audiences. The work will protect the City’s collection of artifacts and will support sustainability and efficiencies in the overall space. Additionally, the humidification system upgrades will provide better environmental conditions to protect and preserve Museum artifacts. This work will also aim to challenge Guelph’s founding narrative and reflect on the rich Indigenous history on the land we now call Guelph.

    Resources

    For more information

    Tammy Adkin, Manager, Museums and Culture
    Culture and Recreation
    City of Guelph
    519-836-1221 extension 2775
    [email protected]

    Continue Reading

  • Lane Restrictions and Moving Lane Closures on Interstate 81 | Department of Transportation

    Lane Restrictions and Moving Lane Closures on Interstate 81 | Department of Transportation

    Dunmore, PA – There will be lane restrictions and moving lane closures at 15-minute intervals on Interstate 81 northbound and southbound between Exit 180 (Moosic) and Exit 186 (Dunmore/Drinker Street) on Friday, January 9, 2026, from 8 AM to 3 PM for sign structure inspection.

    When encountering a work zone, please drive the posted speed limit, turn on your headlights, pay close attention to signs and flaggers, and avoid all distractions. In high-traffic locations, motorists are encouraged to use both lanes of travel to the merge point and take turns merging into the open lane.

    Motorists can check conditions on major roadways by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras. 511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional X alerts.

    Find PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects at www.pa.gov/DOTprojects. Subscribe to PennDOT news and find transportation results in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne, and Wyoming counties at www.penndot.pa.gov/District4.

    Information about infrastructure in District 4, including completed work and significant projects, is available at www.penndot.pa.gov/D4Results. Find PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects at www.projects.penndot.gov.

    Find PennDOT news on X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

    # # #


    Continue Reading

  • Global Growth to Slow in 2026 as Trump’s Tariffs Bite, UN Says – Bloomberg.com

    1. Global Growth to Slow in 2026 as Trump’s Tariffs Bite, UN Says  Bloomberg.com
    2. Global economy shows signs of steady but subdued growth  Global Issues.org
    3. World Economic Situation and Prospects 2026 |  UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
    4. UN report forecasts global economic output to grow 2.7 pct in 2026  China Daily – Global Edition
    5. Global economy shows resilience, but trade tensions and fiscal strains cloud outlook, UN warns  Welcome to the United Nations

    Continue Reading

  • PECO Utility Improvement to Close Ridge Avenue in Philadelphia | Department of Transportation

    PECO Utility Improvement to Close Ridge Avenue in Philadelphia | Department of Transportation

    Philadelphia, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced today that PECO Energy will be performing utility construction on a section of Ridge Avenue in Philadelphia, beginning Monday, January 26.

    Weather permitting, motorists are advised of the following travel restriction:

    Local access will be maintained at all times. Motorists are advised to allow extra time when traveling near the work area or along the detour route because backups and delays will occur.

    PECO Energy will complete this project under a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit.

    Motorists can check conditions on major roadways by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,200 traffic cameras. 511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional X alerts. 

    Find PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects at www.pa.gov/DOTprojects. Subscribe to PennDOT news and find transportation results in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties at www.penndot.pa.gov/District6.

    Find PennDOT news on X, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. 

    MEDIA CONTACT: Helen Reinbrecht, hreinbrech@pa.gov

    # # #


    Continue Reading

  • Route 222 Line Painting | Department of Transportation

    Route 222 Line Painting | Department of Transportation

    Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced today that line painting is scheduled for this coming Sunday (Jan. 11) on Route 222 from Mohler Church Road to Col. Howard Boulevard in Lancaster County.

    Weather permitting, this work will be performed from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM Sunday, January 11. This will be a mobile operation that will require alternating lane closures in each direction of Route 222. Lane closures will be a maximum length of two miles.

    Motorists should be alert and watch for slow-moving construction vehicles.

    This work is part of a pavement preservation project on Route 222 from Mohler Church Road to Col. Howard Boulevard.

    Work includes bituminous resurfacing, full width milling, base repair, concrete patching, guide rail updates, line painting, and sign updates on Route 222 and constructing a new entrance to the northbound Route 222 weigh station between the Lancaster County line and the Adamstown/Knauers Exit in Brecknock Township, Berks County.

    New Enterprise Stone and Lime Co., Inc., of New Enterprise, PA, is the contractor on this $7,662,625 project. All work is expected to be completed by February 2, 2026.

    Motorists can check conditions on major roadways by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,200 traffic cameras. 511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional X alerts.

    Find PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects at www.pa.gov/DOTprojects. Subscribe to PennDOT news and find transportation results in Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry and York counties at www.pa.gov/DOTdistrict8. 

    Find PennDOT news on X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

    MEDIA CONTACT: Dave Thompson 717-418-5018, dmthompson@pa.gov

    ###


    Continue Reading

  • OpenAI launches ChatGPT Health to review your medical records

    OpenAI launches ChatGPT Health to review your medical records

    Liv McMahonTechnology reporter

    Getty Images A man wearing dark clothes typing on a smartphone.Getty Images

    OpenAI has launched a new ChatGPT feature in the US which can analyse people’s medical records to give them better answers, but campaigners warn it raises privacy concerns.

    The firm wants people to share their medical records along with data from apps like MyFitnessPal, which will be analysed to give personalised advice.

    OpenAI said conversations in ChatGPT Health would be stored separately to other chats and would not be used to train its AI tools – as well as clarifying it was not intended to be used for “diagnosis or treatment”.

    Andrew Crawford, of US non-profit the Center for Democracy and Technology, said it was “crucial” to maintain “airtight” safeguards around users’ health information.

    It is unclear if or when the feature may be introduced in the UK.

    “New AI health tools offer the promise of empowering patients and promoting better health outcomes, but health data is some of the most sensitive information people can share and it must be protected,” Crawford said.

    He said AI firms were “leaning hard” into finding ways to bring more personalisation to their services to boost value.

    “Especially as OpenAI moves to explore advertising as a business model, it’s crucial that separation between this sort of health data and memories that ChatGPT captures from other conversations is airtight,” he said.

    According to OpenAI, more than 230 million people ask its chatbot questions about their health and wellbeing every week.

    In a blog post, it said ChatGPT Health had “enhanced privacy to protect sensitive data”.

    Users can share data from apps like Apple Health, Peloton and MyFitnessPal, as well as provide medical records, which can be used to give more relevant responses to their health queries.

    OpenAI said its health feature was designed to “support, not replace, medical care”.

    ‘Watershed moment’

    Generative AI chatbots and tools can be prone to generating false or misleading information, often stating this in a very matter-of-fact, convincing way.

    But Max Sinclair, chief executive and founder of AI marketing platform Azoma, said OpenAI was positioning its chatbot as a “trusted medical adviser”.

    He described the launch of ChatGPT Health as a “watershed moment” and one that could “reshape both patient care and retail” – influencing not just how people access medical information but also what they may buy to treat their problems.

    Sinclair said the tech could amount to a “game-changer” for OpenAI amid increased competition from rival AI chatbots, particularly Google’s Gemini.

    The company said it would initially make Health available to a “small group of early users” and has opened a waitlist for those seeking access.

    As well as being unavailable in the UK, it has also not been launched in Switzerland and the European Economic Area, where tech firms must meet strict rules about processing and protecting user data.

    But in the US, Crawford said the launch meant some firms not bound by privacy protections “will be collecting, sharing, and using peoples’ health data”.

    “Since it’s up to each company to set the rules for how health data is collected, used, shared, and stored, inadequate data protections and policies can put sensitive health information in real danger,” he said.

    A green promotional banner with black squares and rectangles forming pixels, moving in from the right. The text says: “Tech Decoded: The world’s biggest tech news in your inbox every Monday.”

    Continue Reading

  • What matters to today’s consumer 2026

    What matters to today’s consumer 2026

    How AI is transforming value perception.

    Consumer decision-making is entering a new era. AI-driven tools, sharper expectations of fairness and transparency, and the need for meaningful human interaction are reshaping what shoppers consider acceptable, valuable, and worth paying for. Price alone no longer defines value – quality, trust, and emotional connection matter more than ever.

    What matters to today’s consumer 2026, the latest report from the Capgemini Research Institute, explores how AI, personalization, and emotion are influencing consumer choices, and what brands must do to deliver experiences that feel transparent, adaptive, and human. Key findings, based on a survey of 12,000 consumers across 12 countries, include:

    • Fairness and quality define value: Transparent pricing, consistent policies, and clear communication now sit alongside quality as top value drivers. 74% of consumers would switch brands for lower regular prices. Health benefits, clean ingredients, and durability guide decisions, while bundles and warranties strengthen perceived value.
    • Careful spending meets intentional indulgence: Consumers are trading down in some categories while retaining spending in others, especially where reliability matters. Impulse restraint is easing, signaling a modest rebound of “intentional indulgence” alongside persistent deal-seeking. Seven in ten (71%) consumers opt for treats and small indulgences to cope with financial stress.
    • AI is becoming the consumer’s trusted guide: One-quarter (25%) of consumers have already used Gen AI shopping tools in 2025, while a further 31% plan to use them in the future. Yet control and transparency remain critical: 76% want clear rules for when an AI assistant acts, and 71% are concerned about how Gen AI tools use their data.
    • Human touch still drives loyalty: Technology reduces stress for 65% of shoppers, but human support is essential for complex purchases. Preference for in-person assistance has surged: 74% value it during in-store service, and 66% during purchase decisions.

    What matters to today’s consumer 2026 is essential for CMOs, digital and e-commerce heads, loyalty and consumer insights leads, product executives, and category managers, offering practical guidance for strategy, pricing, and technology teams seeking to meet evolving consumer expectations by:

    • Accelerating growth with intelligent engagement: Position digital assistants as full engagement channels, pilot anticipatory commerce models with safeguards, and design promotions that are aligned with shopper behavior.
    • Optimizing operations with seamless AI: Deploy AI that enhances clarity and consistency, strengthens pricing logic, and reinforces customer experience.
    • Leading with purpose through resilient transformation: Make sustainability central, ensure responsible AI use, and redefine loyalty as a two-way relationship blending financial and emotional returns.

    To discover how empowered consumers are redefining value, and how brands can respond by building transparency, trust, and emotional engagement in the age of AI-enabled shopping, download the report today.

    Continue Reading

  • Federal court orders Arizona roofing contractor to pay wages, damages to 61 workers denied overtime wages – U.S. Department of Labor (.gov)

    1. Federal court orders Arizona roofing contractor to pay wages, damages to 61 workers denied overtime wages  U.S. Department of Labor (.gov)
    2. New Settlement: Overtime Violations Prompt $320K Payout in California  HRMorning
    3. Escondido drywall company ordered to pay $790k for labor violations  fox5sandiego.com
    4. Escondido Contractor Ordered to Pay $770,000 for Wage Violations After Labor Department Investigation  Hoodline
    5. Escondido construction contractor ordered to pay $770K in penalties for not properly paying 580 workers  10News.com

    Continue Reading