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Reliance Annual General Meeting 2021 is set to happen on June 24. At the virtual event, Jio is expected to launch Jio 5G phone, low-cost JioBook (Laptop), Jio 5G services.
Reliance Jio Annual General Meeting 2021 is set to take place on June 24 at 2PM (IST). The event will be streamed live and to watch it you can head over to the company’s YouTube or social media.
Jio and Google are developing a 5G smartphone together. This phone was announced at AGM last year. At this year’s AGM, the company is expected to launch the Jio 5G phone. The upcoming Jio 5G phone is tipped to be priced around Rs 2500. The upcoming Jio 5G phone is said to run on Google’s Android Go software.
According to rumours, Jio will unveil a low-cost laptop alongside the Phone at this year’s AGM. JioBook is a possible name for the Jio laptop. According to internet rumours, the device will operate on a custom Android version and include features such as a Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 processor, a 1366×768 resolution, 2GB of RAM, and 32GB of internal storage. Their computers should come in two versions. The highest-end model of the incoming JioBook is expected to include 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage.
Reliance jio previously revealed that Jio 5G service will roll out by mid-2021, which is rightly at the time when the AGM will be held. The company has said to have created a complete 5G solution from scratch, Jio has reportedly used 100 percent home-grown technologies and solutions to develop the 5G service. It is likely that Jio 5G services will be announced at this year. The company is also likely to announce the roll out timelines.
The introduction of their phone, which was built by Jio and Google, is slated to take place later this month at the AGM event, but the release date could be pushed back. This means you’ll have to wait until Diwali to get your hands on a low-cost 5G phone. According to internet rumours, the Reliance Jio 5G phone will be available for purchase in October of this year. Jio is yet to reveal any specifics.


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IMPACTS on Australia’s cattle shipping trade from the Coronavirus outbreak in China and other parts of Asia have been minimal to date, according to exporters, with current shipments on the water and those contracted to be delivered expected to continue as scheduled.
However, exporters and producers supplying the market are keeping an understandably close eye on unfolding developments as the virus, and the quarantine response to control its spread, keeps masses indoors and inhibits normal consumer spending.
China bought 160,000 cattle from Australia in 2019, ranking it as Australia’s third largest export market for cattle.
That volume comprised 145,000 beef breeders and dairy heifers and 18,517 slaughter weight cattle, sourced from the Australia’s Bluetongue Virus transmission-free zone covering (the light yellow shaded area of the map).
LiveCorp chair Troy Setter said his conversations with exporters indicated the trade has been operating without significant interruptions so far, but added that trade members are continuing to work closely with the Australian and Chinese Governments to closely monitor the situation.
Austrex/AgTrade CEO Justin Slaughter said in his company’s experience the impact on livestock exports has been minimal, ranging from business as usual to some short delays.
“Ensuring the health and safety of people and animals is, of course, our primary consideration at this time.”
“We are working closely with our partners worldwide to manage risk and keep supply lines open, while also ensuring we have strong contingency plans in place.”
Traditionally, January to March is a quieter period of trade due to the Northern Hemisphere winter, he said.
Latest live export data shows there was no shipment of Australian cattle to China in January, the first time in five years that has happened.
However some exporters have described that as a ‘calendarization anomaly’, and say demand from the market remains strong, with several shipments of cattle currently being prepared for China in Australia and New Zealand for the next two months.
Andy Ingle from Southern Australian International Livestock Services (formerly Landmark International) said current shipments on the water and those already contracted are expected to continue unabated.
He said the Australian Government has put some processes in place which apply contingencies around shipments to deal with potential delays at ports if that becomes an issue.
Mr Ingle said people in China were starting to trickle back to work in the past week after the extended Chinese new year period.
Looking forward he said there is an undercurrent of uncertainty in the trade at the moment, based on the falls that have occurred in consumption across a wide range of agricultural products in China.
“Two weeks ago, prior to the Chinese new year, there were a lot of things on the cusp of getting done, but certainly as people have come back to work this week there is a feeling of uncertainty.
“I think we will see with live cattle, and probably in the processed meat sector as well, some potential for disruption over a three to six month period whilst this uncertainty is still there, and whilst this consumption of these sort of products is obviously down so much at the moment.”
“That is likely across a range of agricultural commodities, and I think there is potential for disruption with some buyers for new contracts until there is some certainty around what the future holds.”
Primary issues for the trade at present are around the restrictions on movement of people.
The Chinese Government sends its own vets and cattle selectors to Australia to inspect cattle in quarantine before they are shipped, and it is not known if the existing travel ban from China to Australia will interrupt that process.
Other reported impacts include the time it is taking to return stock men and women to Australia after unloading in China due to quarantine issues. As they are unable to disembark from the vessel in China they have to return home via the same vessel, delaying their return by the two weeks or so required to sail back to Australia.

domain: news


text: On the Media Monitors weekly radio ad chart, Burger King jumped all the way up to the fourth spot by airing 31,202 commercials on radio stations across the country. The restaurant chain wasn’t even in the top 100 on the chart last week. Staples moved up from number 13 to number three with 31,678 spots. GEICO was back on top with over 52,500 commercials, followed by JC Penney at 37,360. Coming in at number five was Walgreen’s, which dropped from number four, airing 29,841 commercials last week.


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The banana industry is one of the main economic drivers for the Davao Region. The area has vast and rich lands suitable for growing export-quality bananas. The province of Davao del Norte is even dubbed as the “Banana Capital of the Philippines”.
Though this big-scale banana industry continues to be major economic player for Davao region, threats continue to emerge this year from the various competitors our banana industry faces in the global market.
Philippine Banana Growers Association (PBGEA) executive director Stephen Antig said increasing export sales revenue are still recorded, however production costs are still high, negatively offsetting the increased revenues. Antig said costs on the rising oil prices must be accounted for, and the recent increase on the region’s minimum wage to P56 can affect the cost of production.
Data from the Department of Agriculture Davao Region showed the country’s banana industry had a 56 percent increase in export amounting to a value of $1.13 million. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the increase is attributed to the expansion of banana plantations and less weather disturbances.
PSA reports bananas ranked fourth with $140.91 million and a 2.5 percent share to the total export receipts in June 2018.
According to sunstar.com.ph¸ Antig also said issues on tariffs continue to affect the international banana trade. In previous reports, PBGEA continue to push for bilateral talks with Korea to lower the tariff to zero. This developed after the international trade of bananas in Asia became more competitive with the entry of Central American players that are enjoying zero tariffs.


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ICAL International – Lognet Best Partner Award 2015
It is with great pleasure to announce that ICAL has won the Lognet Best Partner award for 2015. The Lognet Global Network consists of 353 Logistic companies worldwide with 626 offices throughout 105 countries. This year, company directors Mark Coleman and Andrew Grima attended the annual conference in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The Lognet World Network enables ICAL to connect to Lognet members globally and expand our service offerings in order to provide our customers comprehensive and competitive logistic solutions in all markets around the world.
Each year, the Lognet member companies nominate a company they believe has offered the best service and support throughout the year. In recent years ICAL’s services have been recognised, achieving 3rd and 2nd place and this year out of the 353 companies, ICAL had the honour of being awarded 1st place. The award recognizes ICAL’s services in forwarding, customs clearance, transport and accounts.
Customs Duty Rate Changes – Australian – Japan Economic Partnership Agreement.
Australia has committed to reduce the rate of customs duty on certain Japanese originating goods. As of April 1st the rate of customs duties on certain goods will be reduced. For more information regarding the duty reduction, please contact our office and our staff will be more than happy to assist with any queries.
Papua New Guinea’s Kina Shortage
Papua New Guinea financials are weakened; in an attempt to maintain the falling exchange rate of the Papua New Guinea kina, the Bank of PNG has been restricting the access to foreign currency. This has lead to a backlog of PNG businesses unable to obtain foreign currency in order to pay Australian exporters. It is advised exporters to PNG be mindful in their dealings in order to avoid being affected.
India-Australia Free Trade Agreement
India and Australia are facing difficulties in concluding years of complex negotiations regarding a Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The Indian market offers great potential for Australian importers and exporters, already the world’s third largest economy, growing by over 7% annually. India has taken over Australia to be the world’s seventh largest agricultural exporter. In previous Indian Free Trade agreements agricultural products tended to be excluded but Australia’s push to have them included in a deal would be a major achievement. As negotiations enter their final stages, other sectors such as engineering, health, education and construction are considered to be of focus in the agreement. Whilst Australia continues to make announcements of extended deadlines for the finalisation; India has announced trade negotiations will be delayed until the conclusion of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) of which both countries are a part. Given there are RCEP negotiations to be held in April and June this year, it is unlikely that a FTA would be signed by mid-2016 as estimated; realistically it will be towards the end of 2016.


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InfoSpace will be providing SMS content for T-Mobile customers in the UK. The subject matter covered by the service will include news, the latest in sports as well as many other services that can be tailored for each customer.
Customers can set up the services by logging onto T-Mobile’s website and filling out details to receive the relevant data services.
The service is open to all users regardless of handsets. InfoSpace can provide a varied level of service depending on customer requirements and the company believes it can provide the fastest, cheapest service.
T-Mobile, previously branded One2One, set up the service to drive new customer subscriptions to the network. The company hopes to provide new attractive packages to coincide with the new name.


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Pooches dogged by a big cat trend hitting Queensland
- From: The Sunday Mail (Qld)
- April 21, 2013
MOVE over pink poodle, there's a new top dog in town - and he looks like a cat. Pet dogs are being dyed with tiger stripes in the latest grooming trend to hit Queensland. Special non-toxic dye is painted on the coat and can last for up to three months.
The tiger dog trend is said to be popular with men who don't mind being seen with their new jungle animals.
"Men would rather be seen with a dog looking like a tiger than a princess," said Kelie Nash, owner of Totally Clips in Bundaberg, who charges $50 for the service.
Traditionally, it's been the fluffy white pooches such as poodles that have been pampered with pink and purple dyes at grooming salons.
But fashion has evolved to include canines of all breeds.
Another popular request is to shave dog bodies, leaving a mane around the head, to resemble a lion. White pooches are also dyed with black circles around the eyes to imitate pandas.
Thomas Jansson, 24, said there was no shame in dogs such as his Belgian shepherd Ari looking like big cats.
In fact, they thrived on the extra attention they received.
"They love the extra pats they get when they're down at the beach and if I go down to the esplanade at Bargara, a lot of people stop and talk."


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Genesis-Vizeum wins Suzuki Canada account
Re-win is actually more like it, as Genesis was the carco's media AOR about a decade ago.
Following a year-end agency search that saw Suzuki Canada choose John St. as its new creative agency, the company announced yesterday that Genesis-Vizeum has been selected as its media AOR.
Genesis had the account from 1994 to 1997, resigning on a conflict-of-interest basis when it acquired Volkswagen Canada as a client. More recently, Suzuki’s media AOR was PHD Canada.
‘We couldn’t be more delighted to be once again part of the Suzuki family,’ says Bruce Claassen, CEO of Genesis-Vizeum and chairman of Aegis Media Canada. ‘It’s a competitive arena, but one that rewards innovative, creative media solutions, and I think our ideas on this front helped secure this relationship.’
Suzuki Canada plans to take advantage of the Aegis Group’s broad footprint in Quebec and Western Canada in addition to Toronto, and to capitalize on its 50-person ‘Digital Center of Excellence,’ as well as its various media specialties – from geo-marketing to sponsorship marketing – as plans evolve and unfold, says the company’s national manager, advertising and public relations, Mike Kurnik.
Suzuki Canada spent over $15 million on measured media in the past year, according to Nielsen Spending reports.


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With the Mobile World Congress well under way, Google SVP Andy Rubin recently took stock of how the Android community has developed in the months since last years MWC. In a piece on the Google Mobile blog, he lauded the developers and manufactures that have helped develop the most successful mobile ecosystem world-wide, which can now claim over 850,000 new activations a day and one of the largest app pools out there. But what is fuelling Android's seller success? With economies the world-over stagnating at best, how is it that Android can continue its field march through world-wide markets, when it is faced with such stiff competition from Apple's iPhone?
In 2011, the Android ecosystem enjoyed a 250% growth rate and it might just be the world-wide economic troubles that are driving Android smartphones to the top.
The Good News: People Love Their Androids
“Each and every day, we are humbled by the trajectory of Android and our partners. „Mr. Rubin started his State Of The “Android” Union and its easy to see why. A year ago this time Google was celebrating welcoming their 150,000th app into the Android Market; in 2012 it's 450,000. 300 Million customers world-wide are using one of 800 unique Android models and each month sees the introduction of new smartphones and tablet PCs that push the boundaries of possible. With headlines like that, its no wonder that is excited what the future will bring.
While sales of Android devices in the US and Europe are still strong, it's curious to see how luxury devices like Android smartphones can still be successful in hard economic times. In his blog piece, Mr. Rubin credits the Android ecosystem with the continued success of the brand and he's right. The flexibility of Android's open ecosystem have given the community the diversity needed to thrive in a floundering economy.
Android: Diversity For the Win!
Of course, based on pure number of units shipped, the iPhone is still the best selling smartphone in the world but Android is the dominate ecosystem with more Android devices being shipped daily then iOS devices. In a piece on the Wall Street Journal's Tech Blog, Anton Troianovski argues that one of the only factors allowing the iPhone to maintain its grip on the number one spot in terms of sales is cell providers willingness to subsidise the costly iPhones. Basically, it brakes down like this: the cheapest iPhone available on the international market is the three year old iPhone 3Gs with comes in at an unsubsidised price of around $530– for many a hefty price for three year old technology. In comparison, an introductory Android smartphone can retail, unsubsidised, for as little as $106; an attractive option for those looking to test the waters with a low-end smartphone.
According to Mr. Troianovski, Apple has been able to maintain their very successfully business model by convincing cell phone providers to take deep cuts to their profits– iPhone subsidies are up to 40% more then comparable Android phones with some providers having to pay up to $400 to Apple for every unit solid– in order to ship the popular smartphones. In rich counties like the US and UK, where subsidies allow for highend iPhone and Android handsets to retail for around the same price, this helps Apple stay competitive. But on the international market, where customers are either not able, or willing to shell out $200-$300 for a contract phone up front, the iPhone is in trouble.
(Source: WSJ Click For Pop-up)
One of the real advantages of the Android ecosystem in the shear diversity of devices. With over 800 different handsets on the market in every price class, it is much easier for customers to find a smartphone with the right balance of hardware and price for them. If we take Europe as an example, where are flood of low and midrange handsets are driving Android growth, the iPhone is struggling to compete. In 2011, iPhone sales in Portugal and Greece were only 5% and 9% respectively. This was largely due to customers reluctance to pay the hefty upfront price of the new iPhone 4s.
A Sign Of Things To Come
Android's continued success in Europe, it seems, is due in large part to the openness of Android hardware development. With so many big name manufactures competing for the same pool of customers by slashing prices, it's easy to see how customers would be attracted to Android's high-end technology at affordable prices. Given the state of the world economy, it seems Google's approach is in many respects a much more sustainable model then Apple's. And one that is poised to continue through out 2012.
While the economic forecast in the US is improving, some authorities are predicting that the EU will slip into a slight recession during 2012/2013. If Mr. Troianovski views on the motor behind Android's success are accurate, then the continued stagnation of the world economy will further drive customers to consider buying an Android device. Ironically, the continued success of developing countries like India and China will also potentially drive customers to the Android ecosystem. While both countries are beginning to develop a moneyed middle class, the iPhone's high-cost is keeping away many potential customers. Case in point: 2011 saw China overtake the US as the première destination for smartphones with Nokia, Samsung and HTC rounding out the top 3 manufacturers.
So what does this all mean? Mr. Rubin closed his blog by saying Google was just getting started at the Mobile World Congress, but if the trends of 2011 are any indication, the success of the last years was only Android getting warmed up. I , for one, can't wait to see what next years MWC will bring.


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In response to the news (which was already known to many) that the EU was to charge UK visitors €7 to enter the Schengen zone Conor Burns (MP Bournemouth West) tweeted on the 3rd August
‘We must absolutely not impose the same on EU visitors to the UK‘.
Mr Burns seems to be unaware that the UK Government proposed legislation in May to introduce a new Electronic Travel Authorisation system to mirror that already in force in the USA and also planned by the EU. Although the Home Secretary declined to clarify how much visitors would be charged, it seems unlikely that it will be cost free.
Apart from this oversight from Mr Burns it is also strange that he is concerned about the extra bureaucracy and cost for EU citizens visiting the UK, but has been silent about the additional bureaucracy and cost imposed on UK business wishing to trade with the EU. For instance, HMRC estimates that there will be an additional administrative burden of £7.5 billion per year to business for completing customs declarations for all EU trade in goods movements.
Additionally, products for the GB market will have to conform to a new product standard, UKCA (UK Conformity Assessed), to deliver compliant products in GB. Firms wishing to sell products within the EU will still need to use the CE mark. This duplication of effort and monitoring of potentially differing regulatory systems will inevitably impact the efficiency and cost base of businesses.
Also those businesses using, making, selling or importing chemicals in the UK will need to ensure compliance with UK REACH chemical regulations, as well as EU REACH, if they export to the EU. Obviously this will be another administrative and financial burden to business.
Mr Burns declares himself to be a patriot and an advocate of free trade. Whilst I don’t doubt that this is sincere, it seems peculiar that he should object to bureaucracy and costs for EU citizens but not have, so far, made any comment on the ramifications to UK business, and potentially jobs, that will be impacted by barriers to trade and imposed entirely by the UK Government. It seems perverse that Conservative MPs who constantly bemoan the imposition of red tape have acquiesced to this situation.


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Farming organisations from across the UK have urged the government to stand up for farmers during its negotiations.
As trade talks with Australia and New Zealand make progress, 19 farming bodies have insisted on UK’s high farming standards to be kept.
The UK groups asked for protections to tackle climate change, “irreversible” industry damage and to prevent negative precedents which could reflect in future trade deals.
They also called on the government to ensure trade deals are “genuinely reciprocal” in terms of national benefits.
National Farmers’ Union (NFU) president Minette Batters highlighted the importance of government safeguards towards food standards – whilst supporting the liberalisation of trade.
She said: “We know that if we’re to open up the opportunities of new markets overseas for UK farmers, we will have to offer greater access to our own markets in return.
“However, this trade-off needs to be balanced, and we need to make sure concessions to our hugely valuable home market are not given away lightly.
“There is a very real risk that, if we get it wrong, UK farming will suffer irreversible damage rather than flourish in the way we all desire, to the detriment of our environment, our food security and our rural communities.”
“The plain truth is this: removing tariffs for vast, unmanageable volumes of Australian beef or New Zealand lamb – or, God forbid, allowing zero tariffs on all their produce – could spell the end.” [2/4]— National Farmers' Union (@NFUtweets) May 16, 2021
“Global leader” in animal rights
Batters said the deals should showcase UK’s position as a “global leader” in animal rights, environmental standards and climate action.
She said: “The British government faces a choice. It must recognise that opening up zero tariff trade on all imports of products such as beef and lamb means British farming, working to its current high standards, will struggle to compete.
“Does Government lower standards here, which it says it won’t and a million people who signed our petition don’t want to see, or will it watch family farms go out of business when they are unable to compete?
“At a time when government has placed huge importance on its aim of levelling up, this would fundamentally undermine any ambition to narrow the rural-urban divide or to ensure all parts of the UK are included in the government’s desire to build back in the months ahead.”
Batters urged negotiators to be mindful of the impact of all free trade agreements which will be finalised within the next few weeks.
She said the deals will set the scene for wider market access to the UK.
“The government must assess how the impact of these concessions combined across multiple trading partners will impact on domestic producers and the rural economy,” she said.
She added: “As negotiations come down to the wire, we urge the government to work closely with the UK Farming Roundtable on these issues and engage with stakeholders to inform their approach to negotiations.”


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Kaseya’s chief executive assured his partners that the Datto brand was “going nowhere” after the company’s $ 6.2 billion acquisition.
“Change the fears of all of us,” Fred Vocola said in an interview with CRN. “But we want to give more choice, more opportunities, more integration, more resources: that’s what we do every time we buy someone.”
Miami-based software giant MSP acquired Datto in April, and the deal is expected to close in the second half of 2022.
Vokola said he could not go into the details of the acquisition and acknowledged that the lack of information could cause fear, doubt and uncertainty to creep in.
“This is normal,” said Vokola, who added that the plan was to “embrace Datto’s culture” instead of changing the brand.
“The Datto brand is not going anywhere,” he said.
“We’ve made 12 acquisitions in the last seven years, and each time we’ve followed a book that allows us to preserve the culture and bring the good things of this company into us.”
More investment for partners
He added that Kaseya plans to make the Datto brand “better” and tried to reassure his partners of the move.
“Every single technology you work with will have increased investment. We do not stop products, we do not impose migrations, we do not change, we will not impose changes in business models.
“We will not force a change in trading conditions, we will not force a change in the products you use.
“We do not change the name, the culture, we will not take away all the support. We will keep what makes Datto great. Everything you like about Datto, we will do our best to keep it. “
He also explained that the deal will give partners more opportunities and that leadership should not change.
Voccola added: “We want to make it better. We want to give more choice, more options, more integration, more resources, this is what we do every time we buy someone, and this book should not change.
“The most important thing in this business is our SME customers. We are trying to make the experience better.”
He also said the deal would lead to a “huge influx” of new people who would bring in new ideas.
“I think our growth rate will increase because Datto has great products and every Datto customer will now be part of IT Complete.
“They will see the benefits of deep integration and the huge financial benefits of buying technology from Kaseya. SMEs will be able to buy more technology because they spend less on technology they receive from Kaseya.
“Technicians will be much more efficient, SMEs will have less supplier fatigue. That means they will want to work with Kaseya more.”


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Dealership acquisitions continue to soar, positioning 2014 to be one of the most active years for buy-sells in more than a decade, say advisers who track transactions.
Through July, private acquisition announcements in Automotive News more than doubled to 70 transactions from 32 in the year-earlier period, the midyear Haig Partners Blue Sky Report released last week said. Private deals counted by The Banks Report, an online news service that tracks buy-sells, jumped to 133 from 74, the Haig Partners report said.
"Dealership values are at the highest level ever, and the pace of acquisitions is accelerating," Alan Haig, president of Haig Partners, a dealership buy-sell advisory firm in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., said in the report.
During the first six months of the year, the total number of buy-sell deals jumped 75 percent to 95 transactions from 54, according to the Kerrigan Quarterly Blue Sky Report, which cited its own research and The Banks Report.
"At this pace, 2014 will likely result in at least 200 buy-sells," Erin Kerrigan, managing director of Kerrigan Advisors in Irvine, Calif., said in her report.
U.S. acquisitions by the public retailers continue to increase. Several such acquisitions are expected to close in the third quarter, including Lithia Motors Inc.'s purchase of the 27-store DCH Auto Group Ltd., which was announced in June.
Looking at just the public retailers, the most active year in the last decade was 2004, when they collectively spent $1.05 billion on acquisitions in the United States, according to Haig Partners.
The Haig and Kerrigan reports give different totals for acquisition spending by publicly traded dealership groups through the first half.
Haig said public groups, in their quarterly SEC filings, reported spending $306 million on U.S. acquisitions in the first half, up from $186 million in the year-earlier period.
Citing those filings, Haig also said public groups spent just $18 million on overseas acquisitions in the first half vs. $187 million a year earlier.
The Kerrigan report said the publics spent $266 million on U.S. acquisitions in the first half, up from $155 million for the year-earlier period. Kerrigan also uses the numbers filed in the retailers' quarterly reports but adjusts them to remove inventory costs.


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Sir Richard Sykes, the former chairman of GlaxoSmithKline and currently rector of Imperial College, is returning to the pharmaceutical industry with the part-time chairmanship of an ambitious new drug marketing business.
He is investing in Medeus Pharma, a private equity backed company, which said yesterday it had completed the acquisition of a 150-strong European salesforce from Elan, the distressed Irish drug maker.
Medeus, which is supported by Apax Partners, paid $120m (£64m) for the staff and about a dozen Elan drugs. Sir Richard will chair board meetings but will spend less than one day a week with Medeus.
He said the company has plans to grow through acquiring the rights to sell niche products in territories outside the US. "Apax has brought together a very experienced senior management team with an already successful sales and marketing infrastructure. As an independent business, Medeus will be able to offer biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies outstanding access to the European market."
The chief executive of Medeus is Bryan Morton, previously senior vice-president of the European operations of Bristol-Myers Squibb, a US giant. Steven Harris, the ex-finance director of PowderJect, the UK vaccines group taken over by a US company last year, is chief financial officer.
The company's main products include treatments for breast cancer, lymphoma and fungal infections, and total sales were $80m (£42m) last year. It is in advanced talks on at least two more licensing deals, and will receive milestone payments and royalties on any products as it takes them through regulatory registration and on to the market.
The architect of the two mega-mergers which turned Glaxo into GSK, Sir Richard retired as the group's chairman in 2002. Later that year, as rector of Imperial he was frustrated in a dramatic bid to merge the university with its rival, University College London. The project was universally condemned by staff and former students.Reuse content


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Crisis is paying off for administrators
Demand for administrators and recovery experts is so high in London that average pay is rocketing.
With dozens of companies going bust in the capital every day, corporate undertakers are in huge demand and firms needing to bulk up their teams are being forced to offer pay rises of 10 per cent or more in order to lure good staff from rivals.
Recruitment firms say a typical partner/director of an insolvency practice could expect to be on a salary of about £100,000 while senior managers should getting between £60,000 and £80,000.
The London office of Leonard Curtis has hired six new senior executives in the past three months to cope with a huge workload which has included Sofa Workshop, Mark One and toyshops chain Ja Magson.
No time to rest: Work is booming for administrators with the demise of companies such as Sofashop
Director Neil Bennett said: 'We're all working long hours and people
know their worth more than ever. Good staff are getting increasingly
hard to find.'
'We have been recruiting a big pool of good staff to cope with what we are all expecting will be a very busy couple of years.'
His office has swelled to 30 as the rush of work intensified.
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The historic visit by President Obama to Cuba has major ramifications not just for Cubans, but for American businesses as well.
For years, scores of U.S.-based companies have stated a deep desire to do business in Cuba, but have so far been unable to. That could finally be about to change.
At long last, relations between the U.S. and Cuba seem to be thawing. If Cuba finally pursues a more democratic system and liberalizes its economy, the following three stocks should benefit from restored U.S.-Cuba relations.
Royal Caribbean Cruises (NYSE: RCL)
In a March 21 research note, Nomura analyst Harry Curtis wrote that Royal Caribbean, along with others in the cruise line industry, could receive approval for Cuban voyages in a matter of days. If the Cuban government agrees, cruises to Cuba could commence as early as the back half of 2016.
According to Curtis, only relatively small vessels will initially be able to sail to Cuba, due to the physical limitations of the port of Havana. Still, that wouldn’t be a problem for Royal Caribbean, which could dedicate one of its Celebrity vessels to the cause.
The move would fit seamlessly with Royal Caribbean’s existing operations. It racked up more than $1 billion in profit last year – which set a company record – thanks in large part to booming demand in the Caribbean.
Adding Cuba to the possible list of Caribbean destinations would likely boost that segment even further.
American Airlines (NASDAQ: AAL)
In an age when airlines are scrambling to find any new revenue stream they can, opening up flights to Cuba would be an instant tailwind for major airlines like American.
Despite the undeniable benefit of low oil prices – one of the biggest cost components for carriers like American – the stock hasn’t performed well. Shares have lost 21% of their value over the past year.
Investors continue to be bearish on the stock, even though American Airlines racked up 50% profit growth in 2015. It earned $6.3 billion in net profit last year, which set a record for the company. But investors still don’t seem convinced, likely due to worries over whether the collapse in oil prices will be short-lived.
As a result, the U.S. loosening the embargo on Cuba could provide a much-needed boost to American Airlines’ bottom line.
Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO)
Coca-Cola is one of the most universally recognized and most valuable brands in the world. But Cuba is actually one of only two countries in the world where Coca-Cola isn’t allowed to market its products to consumers. North Korea is the other.
While Coca-Cola products are available in Cuba, being allowed to market them is an important distinction. Marketing is one of the strongest ways in which consumer products companies like Coca-Cola establish their brand legacy and connection with consumers.
And Coca-Cola has seen its sales flat-line in recent years, particularly in developed economies like North America. Having the ability to market itself in Cuba would allow the company to more effectively reach millions of potential new customers.
Coca-Cola management referred to 2015 as a year of transition. It is easy to see why the company thinks that way. In 2015, its total revenue and operating profits declined by 4% and 10%, respectively. In response, the company is hoping to expand in new markets to grow sales. A stronger presence in Cuba could only help in that regard.
Warren Buffett’s Big Secret
Warren Buffett didn’t become the world’s richest investor by accident. He did it by investing in a certain kind of stock. Few realize what separates this kind of stock from 99% of equities. But once you do, you’ll never invest the same way again. Discover Buffett’s big secret right here.


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SAP's UK and Ireland managing director, Tim Noble, failed to dispel increasing unrest among the firm's UK user base at the SAP User Conference 2012 in Manchester last week, with many customers leaving...
Microsoft 365 will add new cloud-based features to Office 365 Personal and Home subscribers
Testers have to be destroyers, argues Mark Wilson. But too often testers aren't trying too hard to bust the software. Rather, they are trying to show it working
A method should lead a project to the desired result without significant variation, with much of the thinking already been done for you, writes Mark Wilson
At least one of the patent cases between Apple and VirnetX now appears to be over
KKR-owned BMC Software to create mainframe giant with acquisition of Thoma Bravo-owned Compuware


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Snapchat may have rejected a $4 billion offer from Google
We really should have expected this story to pop up eventually, because anything Facebook can do, Google can pay even more because the company is insanely rich. Maybe that's not the exact phrasing of that saying. Anyway, we recently heard that Facebook had offered Snapchat $3 billion in cash to purchase the company, and that Snapchat had rejected that as well as another possible deal from a Chinese company worth $4 billion.
We also heard that CEO and co-founder Evan Spiegel has no plans to sell the company for at least a year, because he believes that there is still growth potential both in the service and in the valuation it will receive from interested bidders. Apparently, that is why Spiegel rejected all offers including a rumored one from Google that was reportedly worth $4 billion.
The unconfirmed story goes that around the same time as the Facebook offer was on the table, Spiegel approached Google for "strategic investment" in Snapchat. But, Google didn't want to strategically invest, it wanted to purchase the company outright. Google had planned to keep the app as a standalone product if the purchase had gone through, although there would always be potential for integration, just as it has done with Waze.
Time will have to tell if Spiegel is making the right move, but given that Snapchat's valuation has gone from about $800 million in June to around $4 billion today, it sounds like he's making the right choice.


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Gizmos to ease your working day
Martini media are changing the way we do business. Four professionals tell Stewart Mitchell how mobile gadgets save effort
::NOBREAK::"Don’t leave home without it" is no longer a credit-card slogan, but a fact of life for professionals on the move who rely on digital gizmos. Mobile gadgets designed for the world of geek enter- tainment are finding a home in the briefcases and glove compartments of busy executives. They simplify the way we do business and offer ways of working that were previously impossible.
From the smart phone to MP3 players and personal organisers, we grow ever more reliant on information sent and received through high-tech kit that can communicate anywhere at any time. Research by the analysts IDC indicates that global sales of handheld computing devices, including smart phones, are set to grow by 70% this year, confirming the arrival of the era of “Martini mobility”.
Four professionals explain how the latest wizardry has brought tangible change to their working lives.
Challenge: Shazia Nizam, 31, director


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El Paso is one of the best foodie destinations in Texas.
Especially if you have a hankering for legit Mexican food.
However, this all changed when the pandemic hit and restaurants were forced to close their doors indefinitely. So let's take a look at how the industry is recovering from these challenging times and what measures you can take to ensure your fav restaurant recovers too!
Restaurant-related searches in El Paso were up 87% year over year in March 2021 and up 67% compared to January 2020. The most popular local searches were for Chinese restaurants, followed by Mexican and fast-food joints. Among the chains, McDonald's had the most local searches, followed by Subway, Wingstop, and Whataburger.
Also of particular note, El Paso's newly booming restaurant industry has resulted in a severe labor shortage.
Staff shortages are problematic in El Paso, as in many parts of the country, restaurants are picking up as they return to 100% capacity. There is no simple answer, though a much better problem than lockdowns and lack of customers.
Although still not out of the woods, the restaurant industry finally sees the light at the end of a long tunnel.
Although many restaurants are still closed, with some shuttering for good, March 2021 Google data shows record demand from patrons ready to eat out.
Over 133 million Google searches were made in March 2021, according to Google Adwords data for restaurants near me and related terms such as breakfast places near me, Chinese restaurants near me, Taco Bell near me, etc.
Mexican restaurants had the most searches, but no surprise given El Paso's vast array of Mexican food options.
After Mexican food, the top searches were Chinese food and seafood. Right behind was McDonald's, Wingstop and the Texas classic, Whataburger.
Chefspencil.com looked at and evaluated the sheer number of restaurant related searches in the top 50 U.S. cities. The goal was to see who had the highest (and lowest), demand during the pandemic times.
They compared restaurant-related searches from March 2021 to January 2020 (the last standard-length month before the pandemic started).
While not quite number one, El Paso came in in 4th on the list. Customers have flocked to restaurants in El Paso after Texas reopened in early March.
Of course, folks in El Paso would have guessed these results without Google, being that we love our food!
El Paso has some fantastic eateries with plenty of options for anyone, from budget-conscious foodies to food connoisseurs. El Paso residents can't wait for the restaurant scene to get back on its feet yet again, and we're willing to bet you can't either.
While we will do a more in-depth review, here are the top three places searched for in far west Texas.
2000 Texas Ave
Serving a delectable array of traditional Mexican cuisine, Café Mayapn has a particular emphasis on Indigenous fare.
Established in 2001, Café Mayapán makes traditional Mexican and serves as a job and food employment training center. They have undertaken a unique course of study not found in other Mexican restaurants; the food they serve is fresh, based on respect for their heritage, and prepared with care for themselves and customers.
The food here is the real deal with Asadero quesadillas, grilled cactus with mushrooms, and others, to name a few.
3622 E Missouri Ave.
The L&J Cafe is a uniquely flavorful link between El Paso's past and present. Originally known as "Tony's Place," the restaurant opened on the outskirts of El Paso in 1927
One of El Paso's oldest family-run establishments and well-known cafés, L&J's, serves some very tantalizing Mexican food such as green chile enchiladas and fajitas and tacos. The restaurant is located right across from the historic Concordia Cemetery, which provides a fantastic view as you dine on your favorite meal.
Order the combination plate if you want to try a little bit of everything—it comes with crispy tacos, flautas, refried beans, Spanish rice, and enchiladas. Of course, it's best to start with the queso (made from scratch!), spiked with roasted chile strips and a giant frosted marg!
1365 George Dieter Dr.
A classic. Short and simple.
Chico's Tacos has been a Texas institution since the day it opened its doors in 1963. They honored their 50th year with a special ceremony from the state legislature and heavily featured publications across town (and even nationally). Their signature dish—flour tortillas dipped in tomato salsa then covered in cheese—is popular among locals.
They're delightfully greasy, but they absolutely hit the spot, every time.
Now all you have to do is get here!


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In celebration of entrepreneurship, the doors opened at WalterMart City of San Fernando, Pampanga, for the grand opening of Manyali Tamu – a trade fair exclusively featuring the products and services of 15 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) mentored through the Kapatid Mentor Me (KMME) program by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
The opening ceremony, held on November 14, 2023, marked a significant moment for these 15 graduates of the KMME program, who now stand as exhibitors showcasing the fruits of their mentorship journey. Their diverse array of offerings is on display for the public to explore and appreciate from November 14 to November 16. The event commenced with a brief yet impactful program, setting the tone for a dynamic trade fair experience. Ms. Develyn Johnson, the Building Admin Officer of WalterMart City of San Fernando, Pampanga, delivered an inspiring message, acknowledging the resilience and dedication of the MSMEs. Her words echoed through the venue, resonating with the entrepreneurs, and instilling a sense of pride in their accomplishments. While, Ms. Elenita Ordonio, the Provincial Director of DTI Pampanga, graced the occasion with her presence, emphasizing the vital role mentorship plays in the success of small businesses. Her insightful remarks provided a backdrop for the mentees to showcase not only their products but also the knowledge and skills acquired through the KMME program. Adding a touch of musical brilliance to the event, “Not November” took the stage as the guest performer, contributing to the festive atmosphere and celebrating the achievements of the mentees.
Manyali Tamu stands as a testament to the impact of mentorship on small businesses, as these 15 MSMEs proudly display their growth and innovation. The trade fair is not just an exhibition; it's a journey through the entrepreneurial landscape sculpted by mentorship and perseverance. As the trade fair unfolds until November 16, 2023, the organizers invite the community and support local. Manyali Tamu is not just an event; it's a showcase of triumph, knowledge, and the vibrant future of local entrepreneurship in the province of Pampanga.


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SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- PeopleSoft shares lost ground Friday, falling short of climbing above rival Oracle's $19.50-a-share hostile bid price for the software company.
Pleasanton, Calif.-based PeopleSoft fell 5 cents to close at $19.30 Friday, a day after setting higher financial targets as it melds J.D. Edwards' operations into its human-resources software sales.
In a meeting Thursday with analysts in New York, Chief Executive Craig Conway said PeopleSoft
Conway set new sales and earnings goals, boosted merger-related cost-cutting expectations and said the company will buy back as much as $350 million of its stock by year's end.
"I don't think the Oracle bid is a current issue," Conway said. "It's a move that's been playing for a long time, and people have lost interest in it. I don't see it as a disruptive factor."
A few remaining customers that had delayed purchases of PeopleSoft products based on fears of an Oracle takeover have since completed their orders, Conway said.
While the threat posed by Oracle's offer hasn't disappeared, PeopleSoft's management can convince shareholders that they're better off under Conway's leadership if he continues to execute on the company's stated financial targets, said Sameer Bhasin, analyst with Okumus Capital in New York.
"If PeopleSoft's management comes through, it should justify a stock price higher than Oracle's cash offer, making it harder for Oracle to gain support for its hostile bid," Bhasin said.
According to PeopleSoft executives, the company plans to cut about 750 to 1,000 jobs, or about 7 percent of its work force, as a result of the J.D. Edwards deal, in an effort to save $10 million to $15 million a year. PeopleSoft executives said the reductions are "consistent" with cuts the company said it was likely to make in general and administrative and middle-management jobs when the merger was announced.
Strategic plans detailed
Conway also said PeopleSoft plans to market software, including what it acquired, under three separate product lines. It will sell PeopleSoft World software that runs on the IBM I-Series AS/400 servers, while midmarket software will be called PeopleSoft One and software targeted toward the largest customers will be called PeopleSoft Enterprise.
The company said the World product line will continue to be enhanced, providing few additional details. The midmarket software will mostly come from the J.D. Edwards lineup, adding supplier-relationship-management software from PeopleSoft. The Enterprise line will be mostly PeopleSoft software, adding manufacturing, distribution and real estate-management functions from J.D. Edwards.
Traditionally, PeopleSoft has specialized in human-resources, finance, accounting and sales software used by large customers in services industries. J.D. Edwards had specialized in software used by midmarket customers in asset-intensive industries such as manufacturing, construction and real estate.
PeopleSoft identified between $167 million and $207 million in annual cost cuts related to the acquisition, which includes savings from the job cuts. Initially, PeopleSoft had expected about $80 million, in merger savings but raised that amount several days later, after Oracle announced its hostile takeover bid.
Kevin Parker, PeopleSoft's chief financial officer, said that the initial cost-savings number PeopleSoft gave was "characteristically conservative," and that the estimates were revised higher because "that conservatism was being used against us."
PeopleSoft said it expects earnings, excluding charges, of 10 to 11 cents a share in the third quarter, based on sales in a range of $575 million to $590 million. Excluding the merger, analysts polled by Thomson First Call had been expecting earnings of 13 cents a share, on average, based on sales of $473.3 million.
PeopleSoft also said it expects 2003 earnings, before charges, of 52 to 55 cents a share, based on sales of $2.145 billion to $2.175 billion. Analysts polled by Thomson First Call had been expecting PeopleSoft on its own to earn 54 cents in 2003, based on sales of $1.935 billion.
In 2004, the company expects to earn 90 to 95 cents a share, excluding charges, based on sales of $2.8 billion to $2.9 billion. Analysts had been projecting PeopleSoft's 2004 earnings of 59 cents a share, on average, based on sales of $2.015 billion.
Merrill Lynch told clients it doesn't "see much risk in the 2003 numbers," but added "we believe the company has been overly optimistic in its 2004 outlook, which leaves possibility for downward revisions unless the company can execute flawlessly."
S.G. Cowen lifted its 2003 and 2004 estimates based on the J.D. Edwards deal, yet added that it raised the estimates "far less aggressively than management guidance" amid expectations PeopleSoft is too optimistic about customer spending in 2004.
The perspective from the J.D. Edwards sales force is less optimistic than the official company line about the merger, said Patrick Walravens, analyst with JMP Securities, in a note to clients. He said his J.D. Edwards sales contacts are not confident about making their September quotas, due to customers who want to gauge PeopleSoft's commitment to the J.D. Edwards product lines.
"J.D. Edwards salespeople tell use they are not seeing an upturn in demand out there an t that they haven't seen any change in market conditions in months," Walravens wrote.


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For a limited time only, those in the UK can save big on the purchase of a new Moto 360 smartwatch, Moto X, and Nexus 6 smartphone starting May 18th. Motorola has just announced a two day sale exclusive to those in the UK where you can purchase a brand new device at a ridiculous price. With many top flagships recently released, Motorola is hoping this two day promotion will help bolster sales.
The two day sale will apply only towards the Moto 360, Moto X, and Nexus 6, and you can expect to save big money with the following prices:
|Moto X – 16GB||£299|
|Moto X – 32GB||£399|
|Nexus 6 – 32GB||£449|
|Nexus 6 – 64GB||£519|
The two day event will secure you some of the top devices for a huge discount, and despite the fact they have been on the market for just over 6 months their still top of the line. Motorola could be making room for some of their upcoming product launches including rumors on the next Nexus smartphone, and the 2015 edition of the Moto X.


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2010 Olympic tickets on sale now
Published Friday, October 3, 2008 9:07AM PDT
A five-year-planning process is being put to the test today as tickets for the 2010 Olympic Games are finally on sale on the Vancouver 2010 website.
Roughly 1.6 million first phase tickets are up for grabs and requests, via paper or e-mail, will be accepted until November 7th.
Sales aren't first-come, first-served, but are taking place over a five-week period and mostly online.
The price of tickets ranges from $25 to more than $1,000, not including service and delivery charges. Half of all tickets will be priced at $100 or less.
Olympic Experience ticket packages are also available.
Olympic organizers are confident the mostly-online sales process will defeat scalpers while offering Olympic fans a fair shot at all of the premiere events.
Service fees to be added to the base price include access to public transit but the cost of a seat on a bus to Nordic events in Whistler, B.C., will be extra.
First phase for five weeks
The "first-phase" tickets will be offered until Nov. 7. But VANOC is advising the public to take their time, look at the schedule and consider which events they want to see.
"A request submitted on October 3 will be considered the same as a request submitted November 7," according to the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) website.
Olympic officials are hoping the application process will cut down on ticket scalping.
"The whole system has been built around fairness and accessibility," Caley Denton, VANOC vice-president of ticketing and consumer marketing, told CTV's Canada AM from Vancouver on Friday.
However, there's little VANOC will be able to do about a secondary ticket market. Unofficial ticket brokers have told CTV British Columbia they're planning on buying and selling Olympic tickets. One broker recommended that consumers make sure they deal with a reputable agency to avoid potential problems.
Denton noted that demand will be high for tickets in traditionally popular Canadian sports, but said most visitors to the Games will go for the overall experience.
"Canadians are really embracing the idea of having that Olympic experience, of course by going to hockey and figure skating ... but also seeing sports they don't see every day."
At the end of the five-week period, VANOC will tally up all the orders. If demand exceeds availibility for certain events, tickets will be awarded by a lottery system.
VANOC also said it will release tickets in phases during the sales period so those who don't get tickets in the first round can apply again.
To avoid empty seats in high-demand sections, the tickets will be awarded by lottery to hopeful buyers.
VANOC said 70 per cent of the 2010 tickets will be reserved for the public and 30 per cent for the "Olympic family" -- which includes National Olympic Committees, sponsors, media and broadcasters, and athletes and their families.
But for high-demand events, such as the hockey finals, the goal is to have at least 30 per cent of tickets available for the public. Hockey games account for 30 per cent of all ticket sales.
Organizers say the ticket ordering system at www.vancouver2010.com has been vigorously tested and will be able to withstand the expected pressure of hundreds of people logging in to buy.
The 2010 Winter Games will take place in Vancouver and Whistler, from Feb. 12 to Feb. 28. The Paralympic Games will follow from March 12 to 21.
Extra transportation during Games
B.C. Ferries announced Thursday it will put on extra sailings during the 2010 Olympics to handle the extra demand, including a 6 a.m. sailing from Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen and a return trip at midnight.
Ferries president David Hahn says the extra sailings will give customers confidence they can get to the events on time while being able to return home at the end of the day.
2010 Olympic ticket fees by the numbers
- $25: cost of round-trip ticket on spectator bus between Vancouver and Whistler, B.C., host of the Nordic events for the Games.
- $20: cost of having a ticket order of more than $100 delivered.
- $18: highest ticket surcharge. It includes access to public transit and administration fees.
- $12: cost of round-trip ticket on spectator bus between Vancouver and Cypress Mountain, home of snowboarding and freestyle skiing.
- $10: cost of having a ticket order of less than $100 delivered.
- $10: average ticket surcharge. Surcharges are being applied on a sliding scale depending on the cost of the ticket.
- $4: lowest fee being levied as a surcharge. All tickets $30 or less will be charged this fee.
- $775: most expensive ticket for the men's gold medal hockey game.
2010 Olympic ticket facts
- 1.6 million tickets will be available to the public.
- 50 per cent cost less than $100.
- The most expensive ticket is $1,100 for a seat at the opening ceremonies.
- The cheapest event ticket is $25 for preliminary rounds of cross-country skiing and biathlon.
- The most expensive ticket for the men's gold medal hockey game is $775.
- Tickets to the nightly victory ceremonies will be $22, but a third of them will be given away for free.
- Visa is the only payment card accepted
- Some cheques and money orders will be accepted
- Cash will not be accepted as payment for tickets during Phase 1
Visit vancouver2010.com or call the Vancouver 2010 ticket line at 1-800-TICKETS (1-800-842-5387) for more information.
With files from The Canadian Press


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... our country’s GDP is high - 100 trillion rubles (about $1.6 trn). Hundreds of billions in investments are within the margin of a few tenths of a percent. On the other hand, for some cities and regions, the effect caused by a growing demand due to the tourists’ arrival can be measured by dozens of percents. It’s impossible to compare the scale of Moscow and, for example, Saransk," he explained. Source: www.tass.comModified: 08.06.2018
Alpine skiing resorts in Russia’s Sochi accommodated around one million tourists in the 2017-18 season, which is roughly the same as the previous year, Sochi Mayor Anatoly Pakhomov said. According to the mayor, Sochi turned into a modern alpine resort thanks to the 2014 Olympics. The total length of ski trails of varying ...Modified: 18.05.2018
Sorted by relevance | Sort by date
For the first 11 months of 2018 Russia’s blue cheese import increased by 14% in terms of value and by 19% in terms of volume and amounted to $15.11 mln with a total weight ...
For the first 11 months of 2018 Russia’s sturgeon caviar import value exceeded its export by 114%.
Russia’s export of timber sleepers for railway or tramway exceeded its import by 144%.
About the models of business development in another country and professional secrets is told by a practicing expert on work in international markets Anna Trubetskaya


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A former Walmart manager in northern Illinois is in police custody months after reportedly walking out of the store with over $100,000 months ago, officials said.
Melissa Vanderwall — a 47-year-old former night manager for a Walmart store in Joliet, located about 45 miles southwest of Chicago — is accused of emptying $135,988 into a shopping bag and leaving the store on November 27. She turned herself into the Joliet Police Department on Monday for her alleged crimes, Chicago’s WGN9 reported.
The alleged theft was caught on surveillance footage, and resulted in a warrant being issued for Vanderwall’s arrest. Officials say the money came from cash recyclers that are typically used to restock cash registers.
Vanderwall reportedly ended her shift early after filling the shopping bag with cash, according to reports. She’s being charged with theft and burglary, and was jailed on a $100,000 bond on Tuesday, court records show.
According to Patch.com, local police were called to the scene the same day the crime took place, and an arrest warrant was issued just two days later.
“Detectives were actively investigating this case, and it was believed she had left the area,” Joliet police spokesman Dwayne English told Patch.
It’s unclear why Vanderwall chose to turn herself into police on Monday morning.
When asked about how much of the stolen money his department was able to recover, English didn’t go into details in effort to protect the “prosecutorial integrity of the case.”
We wish to inform readers that the beforementioned content is not our own, and neither do we claim it to be as such. All credit goes to https://www.businessinsider.com/ for producing the original content. They have our endorsement.


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The first TV advert for the Samsung Galaxy Round has been unveiled – and it’s weird.
Created for Korean TV, the ad shows various items being gently caressed by a user’s thumb or index finger.
Items include an egg, a lemon, and everybody’s favourite – half an avocado.
Presumably the message behind the advert is if you’re the kind of person who likes to rub your thumbs all over your food in slow motion before you eat it, then this the phone for you.
Samsung says it is only making a limited number of Galaxy Round devices, so it’s unlikely that the smartphone will make its way to Europe or the US. However, the firm has promised that other curved phones will be released globally in the future.


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Facebook has a new meme-making app called Whale – but you can’t use it
We all love Facebook, where you can stay in touch with family members who post morally questionable statuses and people from high school who used to be mean to you. Now, in order to keep us hooked on our favourite platform, Facebook has released a meme-making app for everyone.
Well, not for everyone actually. The new app has only launched in Canada so far. If you try and find ‘Whale’ on the UK app-store at the moment it suggests a long list of whale simulator games.
Related: Best phone games 2019
According to The Information – who reported that the release of Whale had been kept very quiet – the new app offers users an easy way to mix images with text and special filters. Creators choose images from their backlog of selfies or from a stock photo selection, mix in some special effects, then share their finished meme through Facebook apps like messenger and Instagram.
The app has been developed by Facebook’s New Product Experimentation team, which was set up a few months ago to work on new apps for Facebook. The same team has been credited with previous app creations Bump and Aux. All three apps are oriented towards younger users.
The development of this new meme-creator also comes shortly after Instagram was accused of copying TikTok’s youth-friendly features.
Related: Best photo editing apps 2019
Don’t get your hopes too high for the arrival of Whale anytime soon though. Speaking with The Information, a Facebook spokesperson said that the apps spewing forth from NPE aren’t necessarily here to stay.
Instead, the team will be releasing creations and seeing what sticks – anything that doesn’t prove popular (or in their words ‘useful’) to Facebook users will probably have the plug pulled. So there’s a chance the Whale could be extinct before it even reaches UK shores.


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Though Apple has not yet released official numbers about the iPad 2's first weekend, sales appear to be brisk. The estimated ship time for the next-generation tablet is now at four to five weeks.
The wait time is the same for all versions of the iPad 2 - black, white, 3G, and Wi-Fi. Buyers are limited to two iPads per order.
When the iPad 2 first went on sale via Apple's Web site on Friday, the tablets had an estimated ship time of five to seven business days. Clicking through, however, Apple.com displayed wait times between two and three weeks.
Apple told The Loop that iPad 2 sales are "amazing" but declined to provide exact numbers. When the first iPad was released, Apple sold 300,000 tablets during the pre-sale period and during its first day in stores. Apple did not have a pre-sale for the iPad 2, but it was available at more third-party retail stores at launch, prompting analysts to predict that Cupertino might have sold up to 500,000 iPad 2s in its first weekend.
Those hoping to get their hands on the iPad 2 as soon as possible braved long lines Friday afternoon at Apple Stores and other retailers nationwide. Many shoppers reported that Apple and others quickly sold out, however. Some Apple stores are reportedly opening early today, but it will vary depending on which stores received shipments.
Update: This afternoon, Apple said it will delay the planned March 25 launch of the iPad 2 in Japan due to the earthquake and tsunamis.


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A data breach to Capital One servers in March exposed the personal information of nearly 106 million of the bank’s customers and applicants. The hack, which included US and Canadian customers of the banking and credit card company, comes a week after the settlement reached between Equifax and the Federal Trade Commission concerning a hack in 2017 that affected 147 million customers.
According to Capital One, the breach on March 22 and 23, 2019, resulted in the hacker gaining access to personal information related to credit card applications from 2005 to early 2019 for consumers, applicants and small businesses. Capital One detected the breach on July 19. Among the personal data exposed were names, addresses, dates of birth, credit scores, transaction data, Social Security numbers and linked bank account numbers.
About 140,000 Social Security numbers and 80,000 linked bank account numbers were exposed, Capital One said. And for Canadian credit card customers and applicants, approximately 1 million Social Insurance Numbers. Capital One said, however, that no credit card account numbers or login credentials were revealed in the hack.
In response, Capital One said it will notify customers and credit card applicants whose data was exposed in the breach, and the Department of Justice announced it had charged a Seattle engineer in the theft.
How to find out if your information was stolen
Capital One said it will contact by letter U.S. individuals whose Social Security numbers or linked bank account numbers were part of the hack. Affected individuals can probably expect to hear the week of August 5. At the moment, Capital One doesn’t have a website that lets you check for yourself, unlike with the tool Equifax released to see if you were part of its data breach.
Be on guard for emails and phone calls from scammers posing as Capital One or government representatives asking for credit card or account information, your Social Security number or other personal information.
What Capital One is doing about the hack
Capital One said it has fixed the exploit the hacker used to access the data and has worked with federal law enforcement on the breach. The banking company said it will reach out to customers who were part of the hack and will offer free credit monitoring and identity protection to those customers affected by the breach.
How to monitor your credit report for fraud
You don’t have to wait for Capital One to contact you: You can take several steps right now to watch for fraud.
Monitor your credit reports. You get one free credit report a year from the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. (Note that Equifax is recovering from its own data breach.) On your report, look for unusual or unfamiliar activity, such as the appearance of new accounts you didn’t open. And watch your credit card accounts and bank statements for unexpected charges and payments.
Sign up for a credit monitoring service. Pick a credit monitoring service that constantly monitors your credit report on major credit bureaus and alerts when it detects unusual activity. To help with the monitoring, you can set fraud alerts that notify you if someone is trying to use your identity to create credit.


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iBooks on jailbroken devices had been causing a lot of problem. The iPhone Dev-Team earlier released an update of RedSn0w to tackle most of the issues related to iBooks. Now, @planetbeing of iPhone Dev-Team has updated RedSn0w with yet another iBooks Fix. This update tackles the DRM-related problems in iBooks which caused iBooks to display 10 percent of the images incorrectly on jailbroken devices.
The problem occurred when iBooks detected jailbreak sometimes and resulted in displaying some images incorrectly on such a device. The utility that planetbeing created to tackle this problem is named ‘crazeles.’ It is somewhat similar to another utility that was created @comex as a ‘honeypot’ fix.
You can install this new version of RedSn0w right away by running it over existing jailbreak but de-selecting the Cydia; or alternatively, you can get it by installing the Corona package from Cydia.
RedSn0w 0.9.10b5 for Mac


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As a laid-off photojournalist, Jenna Isaacson knows the benefits of buying second hand, both in terms of the environment and impact on her wallet.
Looking to drive home that message, the Washington, D.C, resident has packed up an RV and is traveling the country, documenting her stops at resale and secondhand stores along the way.
She plans to turn the journey into a book, “All Thrifty States: A Visual Journey through America’s Collective Closets." Isaacson said it is a documentary project designed to encourage the secondhand lifestyle that promotes saving natural resources, energy and money by purchasing used goods.
[How to Run Your Own Secondhand Store ]
Specifically, she is photographing items that stand out regionally, with a goal of showcasing how items can differ greatly in various regions of the country.
"There is a really important message behind this," Isaacson told BusinessNewsDaily.
Whether it's the piles of shoes she found in Las Vegas or vintage housewares in Florida, she hopes the project shows off the exciting treasures to be found in resale shops across the country and helps minimize the negative stigmas attached to secondhand shopping.
"I am hoping people will see thrift stores as not just a place to take old things, but as a place to shop, too," Isaacson said. "You can find stuff that you would use everyday."Goodwill Industries " href="http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/1009-social-entrepreneur-business.html">
Goodwill Industries , the nation's resale industry leader, is sponsoring Isaacson's cross-country journey.
"We felt this was a tremendous promotional opportunity to raise awareness of donated goods," Goodwill spokeswoman Lauren Lawson-Zilai said.
Isaacson departed Phoenix in a fuel-efficient RV on June 18, with Goodwill signage prominently displayed, and will be making stops in Chicago; Denver; Detroit; Los Angeles; Minneapolis; New Orleans; Omaha, Neb.; and Seattle and Spokane, Wash., among others.
Having a visual journalist like Isaacson tell the story through her words and lens is what really attracted Goodwill to the project, Lawson-Zilai said.
"Jenna is a really great writer and photographer," she said. "She is able to bring attention to this in a unique way."
Isaacson's love affair with secondhand shopping began as a child, when her grandfather would take her to resale stores and let her pick out an item.
The joy she got from that experience turned her into a secondhand shopper for life.
"That has always stuck with me," Isaacson said. "I decided to combine the three things I love: photography, thrifting and traveling."
The trip has made for a fun fourth wedding anniversary for Isaacson and her husband, who joined her for part of the excursion.
At a stop in Utah, they picked out gifts for each other: a leather belt with his name on it for her husband Ed, and a Route 66 wall decoration for Isaacson.
"It is so much fun to jump in a store and see what the collection is," she said.
In addition to finding quality items at huge savings, Isaacson wants to raise awareness of the positive impact shopping at secondhand stores can have on the environment and local communities.
Isaacson said Goodwill diverts more than 2 billion pounds of goods from the landfills each year and uses eight out of every 10 dollars from the sales of those goods to provide job training for people facing the challenges of finding employment.
The current leg of Isaacson's trip is scheduled to wrap up Aug. 4 back in Phoenix. She is hoping to travel throughout the Northeast this fall. Her journey can be followed on her blog on the All Thrifty States website.


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UAE tile market to grow 12% by 2020, driven by Expo2020 construction boom
Vibrant Ceramics Expo and Summit 2017 to hold hosted buyer’s programme to India’s second largest manufacturer of quality tiles
The UAE’s continued construction boom ahead of Expo 2020, has driven demand for ceramic tiles to increase by almost 70% and, with almost 40% of tiles imported from overseas, this poses huge opportunities for international manufacturers to win contracts on prestigious UAE projects.
As the largest exporter of tiles to the UAE, India is well positioned to build on its already strong business ties with the country and, between 14th – 19th November, buyers from the UAE will have the chance to visit the second largest manufacturer of tiles in the world at the Vibrant Ceramics Expo and Summit 2017.
An initiative of Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, the exhibition will be held in Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India with business leaders from the booming local ceramic industry welcoming a delegation of buyers from the UAE. The hosted programme will offer three nights’ accommodation, meals, local transportation and a helicopter tour of the factory for international delegates.
It is the latest in a series of trade partnerships between the two countries, which are expected to achieve trade exchanges worth $100 billion by 2020.
In January 2017, 14 strategic partnerships were signed for transport, energy, shipping and trade, between His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of UAE Armed Forces and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
This event is being organised in association with the Morbi Ceramics Associations. Spread over 50,000 square metres, it will host more than 250 exhibitors, 400+ brands and thousands of sizes and designs under one roof, with offerings to outshine the value of china and the style of Italy.
Gujarat happens to be world’s second largest tile manufacturing zone. The Indian ceramic Tile Industry is estimated to be of INR 24,000 crores, of which 40% has been organized and 60% has been unorganized.
Gujarat is leading the tile production industry by a significant margin, with the cumulative investment in Gujarat alone currently standing at 8000 crores.
In the UAE, demand for tiles is predicted to grow by 12% to 2020, driven by hotel and tourism projects, which currently amount to a pipeline valued at $8.1bn (AED30bn) to 2020, according to the 2015 Frost and Sullivan report, Tiles and Ceramics Market Assessing Growth Trends and New Opportunities in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
CEO of Vibrant Ceramics Expo and Summit 2017, Mr. Sandip Patel said: “The exhibition will show-case the latest technology, ceramic tiles, sanitary-ware and bath-fittings, while technology transfer, investment, joint ventures and networking will be key highlights at the conference. Vibrant Ceramics is one-of-a-kind initiative that aims to unify the key players in the ceramics industry. We hope to get great participation from UAE, as it is our first step towards a fruitful association with UAE”.
“Vibrant Ceramics 2017 shall be an international event that will successfully register its name in the key commercial milestones of the year”


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In due course of time, NFC equipped smartphones have highly gained popularity, thanks to the well-to-do technology providing quicker wireless exchange of information between the NFC enabled smartphones, smart accessories, smart payment terminals, and smart access points.
With CES and MWC 2013 drawing closer, there are widespread rumors about the new range of Galaxy series lineup by Samsung.
While, Galaxy S4 and Note 3 are the talk of the tech town, at the same time, latest SamMobile reports have emerged supporting the former model existence and entry or a new flagship variant as well.
The report states that GT-I9505 - most likely the LTE version of the Galaxy S4, is an Android device and not a Tizen based smartphone as speculated earlier. The product has been discovered in a firmware version for the Galaxy S3 Mini (GT-I8190N), right alongside a new device, which was unheard of until now, the GT-Q1000. Maybe, it could be a new line of smartphones for Samsung.
Galaxy S4 - What We Know So Far?
Galaxy S4, the successor of the world's hottest selling Galaxy S3 and the 2013 flagship smartphone of the South Korean tech giant has been circulating in rumors since quite some time.
When it comes to rumored specifications, Galaxy S4 with the model number GT-I9505, several reports claim that the handset will come with a flexible/bendable 5-inch 1080p display, 13MP rear camera, 1.9MP front camera, Android 4.2 Jelly Bean/Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie, 16GB/32GB/64GB/128GB internal storage, 2GB RAM, 4G LTE, 3,200 mAh battery and S-Pen support, which has been on phablets including Galaxy Note and Galaxy Note 2.
Mysterious GT-Q1000 Device
As of now, there is nothing known about the new Android device GT-Q1000 as the device has not been rumored before. Given Q and digit code 1000, analysts are assuming that Samsung could be secretly prepping to launch devices under a whole new lineup of Android handsets.


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The Rotary Club of Central Tortola and One Mart Superstore grand prizes of vehicles in two separate raffles to be drawn today, December 24.
The Rotary drawn is for an All-New 2022 Hyundai Tucson and will take place at Delta Petroleum at about 7 pm tonight, December 24.
The club’s vice-president, Mr. Gordon French, said club members and the wider community are excited about the final draw.
“The perfect Christmas gift of a spanking new 4-wheel drive SUV awaits a very deserving winner. We are pleased with the support from the community thus far for this our first annual car raffle which will allow us to undertake a number of important community projects in the new year in areas of education, health, and youth entrepreneurship,” Mr. French stated.
He expressed gratitude to those who have supported the club since its official charter in January of this year. He further stated that persons can continue to purchase tickets at $10 each right up to the time of the draw.
"For the first time, we launched an online portal to facilitate persons purchasing tickets during this COVID
-19 period which has been very successful. However, the portal is now closed and persons can only purchase physical tickets from members of the club who will be at all the major supermarkets throughout the day so you can get tickets while you complete your Christmas shopping," Mr. French stated.
The other draw will take place at One Mart, a supermarket owned by legislator Hon. Mark Vanterpool. That raffle is for two 2022 Hyundai i10 cars at 5 pm
One winner will be from Tortola and the other from the sister islands.
To qualify, shoppers would have to spend $50 or more for a chance to win the brand new car, which is also part of the company’s 35th anniversary.


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Smaato Mobile Platform Delivers 60% Overall Growth Q4 2017 Over Q4 2016
Smaato, a leading global real-time advertising platform for mobile publishers and app developers, has announced that the company delivered record advertising impressions in Q4 2017, posting a 60% increase over Q4 2016. The results were published in Smaato’s quarterly report, which offers key insights into the worldwide landscape based on in-depth analysis of the quarter’s ad impressions on the Smaato platform.
The report also notes that Smaato delivered 87% ad spending growth in the Americas and 61% growth in EMEA, the two regions with the highest increases. In 2017, the company also observed several massive growth factors that have changed mobile advertising significantly in the past few years. Namely, a significant growth from mobile video and in-app advertising.
In-App Advertising Accounted for 96% of Global Ad Spending
In-app advertising has taken over the mobile advertising market, growing from 80% of total ad spending on the Smaato platform in 2016 to 96% in 2017. In-app’s domination of mobile ad spending last year was a global phenomenon, with in-app holding at least an 87% share of ad spending in each of the top 20 mobile advertising markets worldwide. Compared to mobile web, in-app ads also boasted much higher eCPMs, more user engagement and increased advertiser demand in Q4 2017.
Mobile Video Advertising Increased by 14X
Video, which can offer higher engagement advertising to a more captive audience, took off in popularity in 2017. Across all of the top 10 mobile advertising markets, mobile video ad spending has increased by at least 6X over the past year, with in-stream pre-roll showing the highest increase in demand. In addition to a huge volume increase, Smaato also measured a mobile video eCPM increase of 70% from 2016 to 2017.
Smaato Reports a Fast Growing Asian Mobile Marketing Ecosystem
Nearly 80% of the world’s internet users now access the web via mobile phones — totaling more than 2.7 billion people regularly using apps and the mobile web worldwide. Smaato, a global platform, observed record growth across many regions around the world in 2017. Black Friday was the largest spending day of the year in the US, showing a spending increase of 32% over the average for Q4. Much of 2017’s growth occurred in Asia.
Recommended Read: How is The Location Data Landscape Shaping Up in 2018?
Smaato saw year-over-year ad request growth in Japan (+147%), South Korea (+105%) and Singapore (+96%), while China, the world’s largest mobile market, posted eCPMs averaging 191% higher than APAC overall. On China’s Singles’ Day, the world’s largest shopping holiday, mobile ad impressions on the Smaato platform spiked +20% higher than the two-week average from November 5-17.
Currently, Smaato provides a real-time mobile advertising platform, connecting 10,000+ advertisers — including 91 of the Top 100 Ad Age brands — with over 90,000 app developers and mobile web publishers. Smaato manages up to 19 billion mobile ad impressions daily and reaches over 1 billion unique mobile users monthly.
Recommended Read: Interview with Eric Keating, VP, Marketing, Zaius


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The global wearable medical device market size was valued at USD 10.3 billion in 2018.
The market is expected to surpass $29 billion by 2026, according to a report from Transparency Market Research (TMR), expanding at a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 17% over the next seven years.
A new study by Juniper Research has found that by 2023, wearables such as, health trackers and remote patient monitoring devices will become ‘must haves’ and spend $20 billion annually
The wearables market is set to triple in size in the next five years and become worth over $25 billion, according to industry analyst firm, CCS Insight. ... “Smartwatches will remain the main source of wearables revenue.” states Ben Wood, CCS Insight's Chief of Research.
The smart wearable market was valued at 216.18 million units in 2019 and is expected to reach 614.31 million units by 2025, at a CAGR of 19.1% over the forecast period 2020 - 2025
3.8 million U.S. children and teens utilized wearable devices in 2019. 25 million wearable device units were sold to children in China in 2019.
CCS Insight believes growing adoption of basic cellular-enabled watches, predominantly aimed at kids, is an important factor in the wearables market. The demand for these devices is especially strong in China and there are signs of interest in other regions, despite modest uptake so far, partly because of privacy concerns.
Resources and additional information links


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Useful is the new cool when it comes to marketing to millennials.
“Millennials are 2.5 times more likely to embrace new digital, social and mobile channels than their predecessors,” says Jeff Fromm, who specializes in trends and successful strategies for marketing to millennials.
Fromm, the Kansas-based co-author of Marketing to Millennials: Reach the Largest and Most Influential Generation of Consumers Ever, is speaking in Canada for the first time at a Wednesday afternoon event hosted by Institute of Communication Agencies.
Millennials (those born between 1977 and 1995) want more than just a traditional message from a brand, says Fromm. Therefore, brands need to embrace technology to provide a useful interaction with their products or services.
His research focuses on millennials in the U.S., where approximately 80 million of them live. But Fromm says that most of his findings can be applied across Western culture.
Although the generation encompasses people aged 19 to 37, Fromm, who is writing a book on millennials as new parents, says the differences between members of the cohort only become apparent when the “kids are having kids.
“Until they have kids, age doesn’t tend to be a big factor. When they have kids, we see more traditional behaviours come into play.”
But because millennials influence other generations as well, many of the tactics he promotes apply to customers of any age who may simply have the “millennial mindset,” says Fromm.
“Millennials are influencing culture and many people who are older have adopted the mindset.” Habits such as paying for coffee with a smartphone or using a social network to crowdsource restaurant options in a new city are things start with millennials, Fromm says.
“The reason that people are so interested in them as a generation is their influence beyond their own cohort.”
About the event:
What: Millennial Insights and Marketing Trends
Who: Jeff Fromm
Where: St. James Cathedral Centre
65 Church St., Toronto
When: Wednesday, 4 to 6 p.m.
Planning a tech-related event in Toronto? Tweet the details to @TorontoStarTech and we may feature it in our upcoming Tech Events calendar.


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Minnesota’s booming microbrew and beer industry deserves a toast.
The North Star State’s 48 craft breweries garnered a national ranking of 18th in the number of craft breweries per capita in 2012, according to the Brewers Association.
Another report that year by the Beer Institute shows the state’s microbrew and beer industry having more than a $3 million impact on the state’s economy. The number of breweries is expected to continue growing, thanks in part to the relatively new increase and interest in hops production across the state.
Hop To It
“Hops are the spice of beer. They add bitterness, flavor and aroma,” says Dr. Charlie Rohwer, research associate at the University of Minnesota.
Rohwer has been working with hops since 2010 and breeding them since 2012. He studies production practices and hops diseases with other researchers.
According to Rohwer, Minnesota’s expansion into hops production is due to shortages in other areas, a dramatic increase in craft brewing and interest in agricultural diversification.
Currently, the state only has about 30 acres in production, but Rohwer says Michigan is a great example of Minnesota’s potential, as they have a similar climate and will soon be the 10th largest growing region in the world.
“The impact on Minnesota’s craft breweries is hard to predict, but neighboring states with more developed hop industries can serve as an example,” he says.
Hops require long days to flower. Ideal soils are well-drained, deep and sandy. Planting takes place in late spring – late April to early May. Hops should be planted horizontally, bud side up, about 1 to 2 inches deep. Similar to tomatoes and green beans, hops are trained – stems wound around and lightly bound – along tall trellises as they grow, to maximize yield.
“The varieties that tend to grow best here have some ancestry from wild North American hops,” says Rohwer. “Cascade, Chinook and Nugget seem to grow well almost anywhere. ‘Noble’ hops from Europe tend to grow well in the hot summers of the Midwest.”
In Minneapolis, Day Block Brewing Company, which opened in January 2014, uses local ingredients whenever possible. Co-owner Jeff Hahn says they source their hops locally from Minnesota and Wisconsin, and hope to increase this as much as possible in future years.
“We appreciate our fellow local businesses that want to do what we do – create great products, employ locally and invest locally,” Hahn says.
Day Block displays its local pride by showcasing the hops and ingredients in each beer they brew. Their Hop Bursted Pale Ale shows off locally grown C hops – a collection of hops with citrus notes that begin with the letter C. They include Columbus, Cascade, Centennial and Crystal hops. Their Extraordinary Bitter brew is made with locally grown Willamette hops, representing an English heritage.
“Minnesotans have developed an ever-broadening beer palette. I think that, along with some legislative changes, have helped kick Minnesota into a more competitive landscape,” Hahn says. “Things are looking up. I think Minnesota will continue to get recognition nationwide as a craft brewing state worth visiting.”


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Michelin is not publishing guides for Los Angeles, Las Vegas or Austria this year amid the global economic downturn.
The company said there will not be 2010 guides for the two US cities, although the suspension is temporary, while the publication of the Austrian guide has been terminated.
The move represents a step back for the Michelin guide, published by the French tyre company, which has been expanding its portfolio of city guides across three continents in a bid to become the international benchmark by which restaurants are rated.
"It's true that due to the economic situation we will not publish 2010 guides for Los Angeles and Las Vegas but it's only a temporary decision," a spokeswoman for Michelin told Caterersearch.
"Regarding the Austrian guide, it will stop being published because the sales of this guide, since it was first launched five years ago, have never been good enough."
However, she added that Michelin will continue its international expansion.
"The Michelin guide will continue its international development in the months and years to come. For instance, we are launching a new guide covering the Japanese cities of] Kyoto and Osaka in October," she said.
The Michelin guide for Kyoto and Osaka is the second Japanese guide after the Tokyo guide was first launched two years ago.
By Kerstin Kühn
E-mail your comments to Kerstin Kühn here.
Looking for a new job? Find your next restaurant job here with Caterersearch.com jobs


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As we reported in an article in this space late last month, Nestlé, the largest fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) company in the world, plans to work with Cardia Bioplastics and that company's bioplastics to reduce the environmental impact of as-yet unidentified packaging. The scale of the agreement also is not being made public. Cardia recently announced plans to expand its production site in China.
It took a week but we finally caught up with the busy Anne Roulin, Nestlé's global director of packaging. In answer to questions from Plasticstoday.com, Roulin told us that her company is testing the materials in a range of applications but mainly in rigid plastics packaging. She would not offer further details on the scale of the agreement except to confirm that there is a signed one between the companies....


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A tiara for your migraine headaches
Find a Conversation
|Thu, 03-13-2014 - 11:01am|
The FDA has just approved a wearable headband to help migraine sufferers. "The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday approved the first device aimed at preventing migraines.The device, called Cefaly, is a headband-like device that runs on a battery and sits across the forehead and over the ears, the FDA said in a statement." READ MORE
Do you have migraines? Will you try this device?


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Cabinet Secretary today reviewed the prices, production, procurement and availability of pulses in a meeting with secretaries of Consumer Affairs, Agriculture, Commerce and other ministries.
The Centre today said action against hoarders and blackmarketeers has been stepped up and the state governments have seized over 5,800 tonnes of pulses in five states over the last few months.
This is basically aimed at boosting supply and bringing down prices of tur dal that have shot up to Rs 200 per kg.
The Cabinet Secretary today reviewed the prices, production, procurement and availability of pulses in a meeting with secretaries of Consumer Affairs, Agriculture, Commerce and other ministries.
The meeting also reviewed the action taken by state governments to prevent hoarding of pulses, besides discussing about progress of sale of imported pulses at subsidised rates in Delhi and other states.
“We had directed state governments to enforce the Essential Commodities Act more stringently. As a result, some state governments have carried out surprised inspections and seized large quantities of pulses,” Consumer Affairs Secretary C Vishwanath told PTI after the meeting.
According to the Consumer Affairs Ministry, over 5,800 tonnes of pulses have been seized in five states in the last few months.
Of the entire amount, 2,549 tonnes have been seized from Telangana, 2,295 tonnes from Madhya Pradesh, 600 tonnes from Andhra Pradesh, 360 tonnes from Karnataka and 10 quintals from Maharashtra, the ministry’s data showed.
“Raids are being carried out even today at places like Mysore and Gulbarga in Karnataka and also in Tamil Nadu. These measures have started showing results,” the official said.
Stating that the Centre is closely monitoring the steps being taken against hoarders by state governments, the official said, “All these measures are expected to improve supply of pulses and moderate prices.”
Besides de-hoarding measures, state governments have started withdrawing stock holding limit exemptions given to pulse importers, exporters, licensed food processors and large departmental retailers, following the central government’s direction.
Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu have already issued orders in this regard, another Consumer Affairs Ministry official said.
On sale of imported pulses, the Secretary said the Centre has fully operationalised sale of imported tur dal at a subsidised rate of Rs 120 per kg in nearly 500 outlets of Kendriya Bhandar and Mother Dairy’s Safal outlets in Delhi.
The Centre is keen to supply imported pulses to state governments and has sought their requirements. So far, only Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh have indicated their requirements of imported pulses.
“We have again written to other state governments to indicate their requirement of imported pulses for retail distribution in their states,” he said.
The state-owned MMTC has already imported 5,000 tonnes of tur and has floated revised tenders for import of 2,000 tonnes of chickpeas.
According to experts, arrival of fresh kharif crop of urad, tur and masoor dal from the next month would help ease pressure on prices.
As per government data, the prices of tur (arhar) dal are ruling as high as Rs 200 per kg in the retail market compared with Rs 85 per kg a year ago. Prices have risen sharply as output dropped by two million tonnes in the 2014-15 crop year on deficient monsoon and unseasonal rains.
The Centre has taken several steps to control skyrocketing prices, including creating 40,000 tonnes of buffer stocks and improving domestic supply through imports and imposition of stock limits on traders as well as departmental stores, licensed food processors, importers and exports.