text:
Amid a week of seemingly apocalyptic market corrections, American business stalwart 7-Eleven is facing the beginnings of a perfect storm. Australian investigative journalists have uncovered a culture of wage cheating and false reporting that have been described as “little different from slave labor.” Apart from the joint investigation by Fairfax Media and Four Corners, 7-Eleven is facing the much more serious problem of being subjected to an inquiry by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). Comments made to the ABC by former ACCC commissioner Alan Fels are not going to be encouraging for the retail giant.
“My impression, my strong impression, is that the only way a franchisee can make a go of it in most cases is by underpaying workers, by illegal behaviour.”
The Australian Financial Review reports that 7-Eleven is now in “panic mode.” In a drastic and seemingly desperate move, 7-Eleven’s head office has initiated a nationwide buyout, offering to buy back any business from franchisees who are either unhappy with the model or unable to sustain it. The effects of this could be enormous. There are close to 700 7-Elevens in Australia, some of them priced at up to $1.7 million dollars, which means that the buyback could potentially represent a hit of hundreds of millions of dollars. The scandal means that current 7-Eleven franchisees, most of whom are struggling to break even in spite of widespread and flagrant labor fraud, will be operating under the microscope, further adding to their woes. This makes mass uptake of the proffered buyout much more likely. And, as with any market, a significant dump of franchises on the market is going to de-value those franchises, with obvious ripple effects for 7-Eleven America.
The allegations of labor fraud were broken by a joint investigation launched by Fairfax Media and Australian Four Corners. During this, they were able to gain access to a 7-Eleven “insider”, who spilled details of wage and labor fraud on a breathtaking scale. According the insider, some stores were reporting payroll figures so low that the only possible scenario in which they could be true would be one in which franchisees were working “a million hours a week.”
When Fairfax and Four Corners informed 7-Eleven of their investigation, head office reacted spectacularly, first attempting to place all blame on the franchisees and then announcing a comprehensive internal inquiry to be chaired by an “eminent Australian.” The attempt to blame the franchisees, many of who would rate as small business owners, caused widespread outrage. This toxification of their relationship with 7-Eleven’s HQ makes the possibility of a mass buyout much more likely. And as if two external and one internal investigation weren’t enough, Levitt-Robinson Solicitors, a significant Australian law firm, is preparing a class action against both 7-Eleven Australia and 7-Eleven America.
With serious questions being asked about the degree to which 7-Eleven’s head office management were complicit in wage fraud and false reporting, and the possibility of hundreds of millions of dollars being haemorrhaged in the buyout and even more in future lawsuits, 7-Eleven is looking like a distinctly shaky investment at the moment. While Australia might seem remote, it has some of the fiercest wage and labor protection laws in the world, and a history of hitting companies that flout them very, very hard indeed.
[Picture via Getty Images]


text:
[Abstract] this move is a major measure of industrial and commercial regulatory authorities to combat online fakes, innovative regulatory approach.
Tencent Francisco September 23rd news, Tencent of science and technology today that will soon introduce a series of electronic business platform for third party merchants strict regulatory measures, which is the most innovative: business regulators will between the electronic business platform set up specifically for the third party business qualifications and credit management system, for infringement of intellectual property rights and the manufacture and sale of counterfeit and shoddy products and bad business responsibility, will risk warning on all platforms, the major electricity supplier platform strict access to its.
the above idea of this new regulation based on Beijing city Industrial and Commercial Bureau within the jurisdiction of the Jingdong, including jumei.com, Amazon, Gome online and other commercial enterprises issued the first "administrative proposal", Albert Peng Ying in Beijing International Trade Co., Ltd. Beijing GUANCHEN Hengye Trade Co. Ltd. and its legal representative of a public warning and the recommendations of electronic business platform strict examination and supervision of the qualification. According to the survey, the two companies had been suspected of selling infringing trademark rights in a number of online trading platform.
"administrative proposal" also announced the "Yingpeng Albert", "crown jewel sunny" executive information, namely: Beijing Yingpeng Albert international trade Limited Corporation Gao Peng (ID number 130602198110230917), the Qu Naili (ID number 370602196409140743); Beijing GUANCHEN Hengye Trade Co. Ltd. Corporation Liu Lingju (ID number 130602195510190922), the Zhu Ying (ID number 511025198006034864).
for industrial and commercial administration of Beijing, the major electricity supplier platform quickly made a positive response. Jumei.com senior vice president Liu Huipu said in an interview with reporters: for Beijing industry and Commerce announced the illegal enterprises and related responsible person, jumei.com of the trading platform of the banned for life.
Liu Huipu also said: business regulators of this innovative regulatory measures, its greatest significance is that it will break the appliance business platform of third party business supervision of "information island" situation, to avoid a bad business on a platform of crime is taken and then fled to another platform the crime. Jumei.com from now on, will be timely informed of the information platform found illegal businesses to the business supervision department of the first time, other platforms will also be released on the business regulatory departments found illegal businesses that banned for life.
according to sources, the business sector for the first third party merchants business platform released risk warning, business regulatory authorities to combat cyber fakes, major initiatives and innovative regulatory approach, its purpose is to establish a set of specific network trading platform third party merchants online supervision system in the near future, core the idea of this system is "government leading, platform to participate in social governance.

domain: news


text:
CAN THO – Vietnam exported seafood worth an estimated US$8 billion from January to November 2021, increasing 3.7% compared with the same period last year.
Data of the General Department of Customs showed that in November alone, the country exported seafood worth US$875 billion, soaring 18% year-on-year.
According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), Vietnam expects to export seafood worth US$8.4 billion this year. To meet this target, the country needs to export seafood worth some US$400 million in December.
VASEP said this goal is achievable thanks to the high demand for seafood from the import markets in the year-end peak season. Besides, seafood exports have recovered strongly after the Government relaxed anti-pandemic measures.
Most of the key seafood products of Vietnam enjoyed strong growth in November. Exports of shrimp reached nearly US$350 million, increasing 11% compared to the same period last year, while exports of tra fish, tuna, and squid and octopus rose 23%, 48% and 37% year-on-year to US$178 million, US$76 million and US$69 million, respectively.


text:
Lordstown Motors Corp has agreed in principle to sell a substantial stake in the company to Foxconn.
As per Bloomberg, the agreement will see Foxconn invest as much as $170 million through a purchase of preferred stock and 18.3 per cent of common shares.
As part of the agreement, Foxconn will receive two board seats.
The agreement will require review and approval by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States.
If the deal is approved, Foxconn can own up to 19.9 per cent of the common voting stock.
Per the agreement, Foxconn has a two-year standstill on buying new shares in the open market and agreed not to buy more stock without Lordstown’s approval.
If Foxconn wanted to buy more stock or take over the company, Foxconn would need to reopen negotiations with Lordstown.
This is the second major investment by Foxconn in Lordstown.
Last year, the Taiwanese company bought Lordstown‘s Ohio plant.
Lordstown Chairman Dan Ninivaggi said this in an interview with Bloomberg:
It’s strengthening the strategic partnership with Foxconn. It’s another step in that direction. It also provides us capital for our jointly developed EV program.
Lordstown has been having a tough year, with its stock down 39 per cent this year.
So the potential for new capital has investors and the company excited.
With the announcement of the potential deal, Lordstown stock jumped up as much as 29 per cent.


text:
Advanced NFT marketplace aggregator launched by OpenSea
The launch of OpenSea Pro is the result of OpenSea's acquisition of NFT aggregator Gem in April 2022.
NFT marketplace OpenSea has unveiled OpenSea Pro, its new non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace aggregator aimed at serving the needs of professional users. OpenSea's acquisition of NFT aggregator Gem in April 2022 enabled it to develop and refine Gem's platform to create the new OpenSea Pro.
Allow us to reintroduce ourselves— OpenSea Pro (@openseapro) April 4, 2023
Starting today, Gem V2, the best-in-class NFT aggregator, is now OpenSea Pro!
OpenSea Pro will still be run by the same Gem team you know & love, but with unified brands we are able to offer users MUCH more
Let's dive in pic.twitter.com/pyt6QnjW7b
According to the announcement, OpenSea Pro seeks to offer a new level of optionality, selection, and control for professional collectors. The platform plans to offer a suite of improved features that allows collectors to discover the best deals and insights across 170 marketplaces and access sophisticated tools that meet their need for automation.
In addition, OpenSea Pro has introduced an “advanced orders” feature that allows users to "sweep across the deepest liquidity of any NFT marketplace aggregator," giving users more control over their purchases. OpenSea Pro is also mobile-compatible and optimized for mobile devices, allowing users to browse, sweep, and list from their phones.
The platform shared that users can list on OpenSea with 0% fees through OpenSea Pro for a promotional period, which has no additional fees. To express gratitude to Gem's early adopters, the Gem team is providing a special "thank you" in the form of a Gemesis NFT drop to coincide with the launch of OpenSea Pro. Eligible users who purchased an NFT on Gem before March 31, 2023 can claim a free Gemesis NFT until May 4, 2023.
Security team creates dashboard to detect potential NFT hacks in OpenSea
In 2022, OpenSea acquired Gem for an undisclosed amount to improve the experience of its more seasoned “pro” users. Gem enabled traders to purchase NFTs across various collections and multiple marketplaces in a single transaction, lowering gas fees.
1/ Exciting news!— OpenSea (@opensea) April 25, 2022
To invest in the "pro" community and continue improving the OpenSea experience, we’re excited to share that we’ve acquired @gemxyz !
Read more in the official announcement blog, and below https://t.co/IBn38f2d3U
In February, OpenSea implemented a strategy to win back its NFT user base, which had been lost to rival NFT marketplace Blur. Blur had surpassed OpenSea in daily Ether (ETH) trading volume as users sought a trading platform that favored their NFT investments. To counter this, OpenSea implemented a 0% fee policy to attract users back to its platform.
Subscribe and never miss the trending coins!


text:
By Daniela Sternitzky-Di Napoli
Texas' favorite ice cream is making its way back to New Mexico, after it was pulled in 2015 after the Listeria outbreak.
Blue Bell announced in a press release Wednesday that the company would be re-opening it's distribution facility in Albuquerque on March 12, 2018.
NAILED IT: Texas man writes hilarious review of new Blue Bell ice cream flavor
"It has always been our goal to return to the Albuquerque area," said Wayne Hugo, vice president of sales and marketing for Blue Bell said in the release. "Blue Bell has been available in parts of southeastern New Mexico since 2016. And now, with the addition of Albuquerque and its surrounding area, we are able to offer our products to even more stores across the state. We can't thank our customers enough for their patience."
You’re in luck, Louisiana!
Some of the cities that can expect to be served by the ice cream company include Albuqueque, Belen, Bernalillo, Grants, Los Lunas, Milan, Placitas, Rio Rancho, Santa Fe and Socorro.
The company also announced that we can expect more expansions for 2018 to be announced later on.
Take a look through the gallery above to see some of Blue Bell's most popular flovors ranked.
To read this article in one of Houston's most-spoken languages, click on the button below.
Daniela Sternitzky-Di Napoli is a digital producer at Chron.com. You can read more of her stories here and follow her on twitter at @Dani_DiNapoli.
Digital Producer, Chron.com / Houston Chronicle
© 2017 Hearst Newspapers, LLC.


text:
The 1810 Company has handed over the first Fiat 500s to Simply Kitchens, as part of a national campaign to increase brand awareness.
The Flintshire-based sink and tap supplier has started the ‘Fiat 500’ promotion as a national campaign to continue establishing the 1810 brand across the country.
A total of 50 cars will be given away to strategically located showrooms of their displaying dealers in order to drive awareness of 1810 sinks and taps.
Simply Kitchens’ managing director, Nathan Hooper said: “The new partnership scheme was ideal for us as we have several designers and feel the broad range of 1810 sinks and taps is ideal for our kitchens and our clients.
The 1810 Company managing director, Gareth Williams said: “We want to support our loyal dealers with clear actions.
“By going the extra mile and giving them something tangible we are consolidating our partnership and at the same time increasing awareness of the 1810 brand in the market place.
“We can’t think of a better way to show our mutual commitment than giving our retailers a car.”


text:
German prosecutors named the investment platforms involved in the alleged scam as Trade Capital, Fibonetix, Nobel Trade, Forbslab and Huludox.
“The OCG [organised crime group] asked victims to make an initial payment of EUR 250 to 300 to invest in financial instruments such as binary options, cryptocurrencies and foreign currencies,” said Eurojust. “Following these payments, investors were approached via fake call centres or Messenger services, often speaking German to gain more trust.
“By pretending they had made considerable initial profits and showing false online simulations, customers were lured into making bigger investments.
”Subsequently, significant amounts of money were lost, with funds transferred into various bank accounts and via credit card payments.
“In reality, no investments took place. Via a complex money laundering network covering many European countries, the investments were transferred to participants in the fraud scheme. The companies at the end of this chain were under the control of the OCG members, withdrawing the funds for themselves.
“Last year, the operation concerned complaints of over a thousand German speaking investors.”
Prosecutors suspect there are many more victims of the alleged fraud with some of those who handed over money thinking they lost funds in a risky investment, not a scam.
Eurojust did not cite Remini Consulting. Its name emerged in documents filed by Ukrainian prosecutors.


text:
Growing countries are actually driving list crypto adoption, as well as Ukraine is leading the way, according to a new article by blockchain analytics strong Chainalysis.
Ukraine, Russia and Venezuela are actually the top 3 countries for cryptocurrency adoption, Chainalysis said in its Global Cryptocurrency Adoption Index, printed Tuesday as a component of the firm’s future report on worldwide trends in crypto consumption.
The China and U.S. remain supplying the biggest transaction volumes, but putting aside the largest whale crypto slots, Ukrainians, Russians and Venezuelans are actually probably the most energetic list users of digital currencies, according to Chainalysis‘ ranking. They are adopted by China, Kenya as well as the U.S.
Chainalysis measured crypto adoption by using on-chain cryptocurrency great collected by a nation, on chain value transferred, number of on-chain cryptocurrency deposits as well as peer-to-peer exchange trade volume. The details was weighted by the buying power parity per selection and capita of internet users in each united states.
The list of winners is likely to look shocking, but only at first glance, said Kim Grauer, mind of research at Chainalysis. For instance, Russia has a the historical past of using e-payment assistance, Grauer described. People are used to digital payments, thus the move to cryptocurrencies may be a bit even more seamless.
Ukraine, for the portion of its, has an extremely tech native public she put in, and each of those countries also have an extremely industrious startup environment. There’s also a lot more cybercrime recreation in Eastern Europe than in other regions, which could possibly contribute to the stressful crypto market.
As CoinDesk previously claimed, Ukraine is a hotbed for cryptocurrency adoption, with a tech-savvy public as well as crypto-curious government that is currently working on coming laws for the industry in cooperation with the neighborhood blockchain group.
The patterns for crypto usage may differ from united states to nation. Russia and Ukraine are definitely working with crypto to send out cash for cross border transactions and business-to-business, staying away from cumbersome banking polices. In Venezuela, people apply crypto far more for savings and peer-to-peer trading.
Individuals in Venezuela don’t usually have any interest to go to cryptocurrencies as it is fascinating or perhaps a great thing to do, but as they’re searching for a healthy tool of worth, Grauer claimed. She added that there’s also an effective remittance market in between Venezuela and Argentina.
In Russia, Ukraine and Venezuela, crypto adoption is actually led more money by list investors, while in China as well as the U.S., the crypto whales are the largest motorists of progression, Grauer said.
Taking a look at the share of the transfers greater than $100,000, we recognized that over the previous year the share of the overall activity in North America that’s high quality were increasing, she said.
Ukraine’s crypto game Out of the three nations, Ukraine might be by far the most surprising leader as the country mainly flies under the radar of the global crypto group. Located in Eastern Europe and with a public of 42 million, the nation has both equally an unstable economy and tech savvy citizens, which apparently is a great formula for crypto employ.
Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation stated there are numerous factors for the global acceptance of crypto with Ukrainians: a major blockchain designer local community and tech savvy population on the whole, difficult laws for export and also the absence and import transactions of the stock market in the united states. All of this is helping folks to try out digital assets, the Ministry said in a blog post.
Michael Chobanyan, founding father of Ukraine’s very first crypto exchange, Kuna, stated small businesses, that are consuming crypto to circumnavigate overseas currency regulations, may be turning around up to five dolars million worth of crypto each week, in accordance with a loose estimation. They mainly pay for imports coming from Turkey and use tether (USDT) in ninety % of transactions, he put in.
List drive There’s a lot of list crypto investors in Ukraine, also, Chobanyan believes. Kuna considers about $800,000 worth of list crypto trades each day, he mentioned. And this is simply a portion of general list volume, due to the popularity of switches like Exmo and Binance , as well as numerous bucks with the counter dealerships in the nation.


text:
I am not revealing anything outrageous by saying that the internet has changed the way companies market products, but it needs to be harnessed and taken on board by cosmetics firms, as advertising rules have changed and consumers are searching for much more product and brand information before making a beauty purchase.
Research from Diagonal Reports shows that for consumers the internet is now primary, particularly regarding reach, as it is used by most consumers and is the place to go for beauty news, information, and opinion.
“Quite literally, the consumer now sees the beauty world through screens — and for young consumers the screen is the online,” lead analyst Jacqueline Clarke tells CosmeticsDesign-Europe.com.
Beauty marketing transformed
Clarke explains that the internet has changed the role of beauty marketers in almost every way.
“[It’s] clichéd but true. There is no end to the changes. The internet changes marketing in terms of reach, of timing, control of the message, even which brands companies would define as their competitors, price comparisons, geographies...” she says.
Beauty marketing has been transformed because advertising claims have less influence with beauty buyers, according to Diagonal, and this has changed the situation from the one that marketers and advertisers had become accustomed – so they must respond.
It used to be relatively easy for beauty brands to reach and influence consumers through the top beauty magazines or TV channels. However, the internet has taken the power away from the select few and now made the people the media, meaning that they can still reach the consumer but influencing them has become more compex.
“Reach is the easy bit. Influencing the buying decision is harder,” continues Clarke. “A big change we see is that in legacy marketing it was the brands that TOLD consumers their brand story, but online the consumer IS the story.”
“Online marketing practices need to be in sync with consumers’ online behaviour. Beauty consumers don't go online to look at beauty marketing. Consumers' online mode is information. They want to know what's out there, what's new, where is it sold, what's the price, the best offers?”
Big changes, take note
When it comes to buying products, hair and skin care consumers, being able to relate to brands and products, word of mouth, and proof are the most important things.
In what is a seismic change in beauty marketing, today's buyers must receive proof of product efficacy, and how it can transform appearance. The most meaningful examples of this are the 'before' and 'after' photographs of real women.
Nowadays consumers are also put off by unrealistic images, with most not trusting photoshopped pictures as the level of perfection is unattainable.
There is also more trust put into consumers’ opinions of products rather than what is told to them by brands.
“Consumers can regard the online as a global archive of the opinions and the experiences of other consumers,” adds Clarke.
“Those opinions are more valued than marketing because they are not paid for. Consumers most dislike paid for marketing that masquerades as honest brokers.”


text:
Thursday 3rd October 2019
|Text too small?|
The uptake of electric vehicles is on the rise as pure EVs broke into the top three passenger/SUV models registered for the first time last month, Motor Industry Association figures show.
September saw 14,525 new vehicles registered, a rise of 4.4 percent from the year before. There were 500 sales of pure electric vehicles during the month and a further 105 sales of plug-in hybrid vehicles, the MIA said.
The Tesla Model 3 led the charge, with 379 sold in the month. The car sells for around $75,900 to $102,900 depending on the specs. In comparison, a new Nissan Leaf, the country's most common EV, sells for $59,990.
So far this year, 1,406 new pure EVs have been registered compared to 768 in the prior year. At the end of August, there were 16,031 electric and hybrid light vehicle registrations according to data from the Ministry of Transport. That is up from 9,762 in August 2018 and 4,596 in August 2017.
While the number of EVs is increasing, New Zealand's economic slowdown may curb that growth. Total new vehicle registrations recovered slightly in September but they were down about 4 percent in the January-to-September period, compared with the first nine months of the prior year, the MIA data showed.
New Zealand's vehicle market has been cooling after hitting record levels for the past five years. The market had been buoyed by high migration levels, low interest rates and the strong New Zealand dollar. While interest rates remain low, a near 7 percent drop in the kiwi dollar against the US dollar since the beginning of the year has increased the cost of imports and migration numbers have also flattened.
Not-for-profit Drive Electric says New Zealand would have to triple average sales of 485 EVs a month to reach the government’s goal of having 64,000 on the road by 2021, something that is looking increasingly unlikely.
The push to EVs is a key plank in the government’s plan to tackle climate change, with transport making up 19 percent of the country's emissions. Among other things, its Low Emission’s Vehicles Contestable Fund provides up to $7 million a year to co-fund projects with private and public sector partners.
In total, $20.9 million of government funding has been provided for 120 projects and that has been matched by $40.7 million applicant funding.
A key focus has been to develop a nationwide electric vehicle charging network.
ChargetNet NZ, for example, now owns and operates 170 stations across the country according to its website and another 35 are under construction. Other companies such as Meridian Energy are in the process of expanding the EV charging network and has received government co-funding to install stations in Franz Josef Glacier, Aoraki Mount Cook Village, Te Anau, and Christchurch. KiwiRail is putting chargers on its ferries and Kiwi Property is installing them in shopping malls like Sylvia Park.
The government also recently announced a plan to introduce price incentives to encourage EV uptake, including a vehicle purchase feebate scheme to effectively reduce the price of electric vehicles.
NOTE: please be advised to read full articles from Business Desk Website, you will have to pay a subscription fee on their website.
No comments yet
NZ dollar consolidates weekly gain of more than a US cent
NZ dollar holds gains on improved dairy, bank capital outlook
MARKET CLOSE: NZ shares gain; banks rally on Reserve Bank capital decision
NZ dollar rises; bank capital rules less harsh than expected
RBNZ relaxes capital requirements, allows preference shares, extends phase-in
NZ dollar extends gain amid mixed US data, possible trade progress
MARKET CLOSE: NZ shares dip on eve of major regulatory decisions
NZ dollar sees off global headwinds, holds above 65 US cents
NZ dollar holds above 65 US cents; dairy auction prices mixed
Dairy index falls on weaker butter, milk fat demand


text:
One in 10 loan that is payday shuts down, leaving desperate customers with fewer options.
FOR IMMEDIATE LAUNCH
OTTAWA, ON вЂ“ OntarioвЂ™s payday loan users are most likely worse off today than ahead of the province capped pay day loan interest prices and permitted cities to restrict and manage the area of loan providers. An innovative new Cardus report, The Changing Face of Payday Lending in Canada, discovers that because the rate caps had greenlight cash online been introduced in January 2018, one in 10 payday financing shops in Ontario have actually shut down вЂ“ them all little, separate outlets. Several towns and cities also have limited how many pay day loan outlets permitted within their jurisdiction, including Toronto, Ottawa, Kingston, and Kitchener. In most instances, cash advance stores would be restricted to one per ward, that will keep big loan providers with little to no local monopolies when you look at the short-term, small-dollar loan market. Meanwhile, credit unions have actuallynвЂ™t stepped up to give better, lower expense alternatives to payday advances, inspite of the shutdown of many payday lenders.
вЂњOntario customers are in possession of less neighbourhood alternatives for crisis loans than before,вЂќ says report writer Brian Dijkema. вЂњWe understand from polling Cardus has been doing utilizing the Angus Reid Institute that 33 percent of Canadians say theyвЂ™re so socially separated, theyвЂ™re perhaps perhaps not certain theyвЂ™d have you to definitely turn to in the event of a economic crisis.


text:
Technology may soon eliminate one of life's little annoyances: looking for a parking space. That's the vision of French auto parts maker Valeo, which demonstrated Park4U—automated valet parking—at an intelligent-vehicle conference in Detroit yesterday, the AP reports. The system kicks into action when the driver gets to a parking deck—it pinpoints an open space, then fires up ultrasonic sound-wave sensors, 360-degree cameras, and a laser scanner to drive itself at 3mph to the space, then back itself in safely. All of this can be put into action with just a thumb and a smartphone; a driver can even watch the process on his phone. "The car is able to do a much better parking maneuver than we as humans," says a Valeo project manager.
Park4U's benefits are already being touted: less congestion, more efficient parking, and, of course, driver happiness. (The car even returns itself to you when you're ready to leave.) But a fully automated system is a decade away, and there are many obstacles in Valeo's way, one expert tells the AP. Driverless cars are allowed on roads in only nine states—and just for testing. There are also the pesky matters of cybersecurity, government regulations, and liability to iron out. And the auto industry is shoving elbows with cellphone giants for the bandwidth space required for vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication. Experts remain hopeful, however: "Driving around looking for a space is not dead yet. But it will be," one says. (Read more vehicle stories.)


text:
: After Air India
, the government now wants the Railways
to lower transaction charge for online reservations and is also urging banks to cut charges as it seeks to reduce the usage of cash and promote use of plastic money.
Reducing the use of cash has been identified as a key priority of the government as it seeks to put curbs on black money. Several steps have already been initiated, which were expected to be in place during the coming weeks.
Recent steps taken by a Prime Minister-appointed Task Force on promotion of payments through cards and digital means have already prompted government departments to bear the transaction cost
, commonly known as merchant discount rate (MDR
). As part of the plan, Air India
has decided to scrap the transaction cost on tickets booked through its websites using cards. Others such as state-run telecom company BSNL have also followed.
In the months ahead, the National Highways Authority of India
will offer some a cash back facility for those using a Tag that will help them drive through toll plazas smoothly and help reduce congestion.
The Railways is resisting the change as the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC
) rakes in nearly Rs 600 crore from card transactions. Sources told TOI that the finance ministry is in talks with the Railways and has ur ged it to reduce the cost for rail travellers, especially when the online channel brings down the cost of operation and the pressure at reservation counters."The establishment cost comes down significantly as people use cards," said an official, who did not wish to be identified. Nearly 14 lakh tickets are booked daily on the IRCTC website.
Even petrol pumps pass on the MDR on several credit and debit card-based transactions. The government is also keeping an eye on this practice.
Sources said, banks are being asked to do away with charges levied on electronic transfer of funds at least for a few transactions every month. The government is arguing that three free withdrawals must be allowed from ATMs every month and a similar number of free transactions should be allowed for those using the National Electronic Funds Transfer.


text:
A malware software has been detected by experts which is spreading it’s virus in computers and claiming for Bitcoin Cash to allow users to use their files. According to a report from Bleeping computers, this ransomware software has been discovered by security professionals from MalwareHunter.
This infection generates an encrypted file but ways to unlock the file is not made available. Once the computer is compromised there is no distinct ways to open your files. Moreover, even if you do pay the asked ransom, there’s very little possibility of saving back your files. Users have been asked to not make any payment and contact cyber security cell instead.
Once the computer is attacked, the extensions gets transformed into .THANATOS and a note called README.txt emerges everytime the user tries to log in which asks for $200 in virtual money.
It is the first cyber scam to ask for Bitcoin Cash payment along with Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Cryptocurrencies are on a rapid state of acceptance for a mode of payment for online Blackmails. According to reports by CCN, about 34 malware schemes have been detected in just two years which was worth $25 million. Most attackers were making use of Bitcoin Cash to recover their sources.
Bitcoin Cash has been used many a times to disguise money sources and this cyber crime needs attention from global platforms to come to an informed solution. A detailed guideline has been provided by Bleeping Computers to save one’s data and how some of the best anti-virus software could be used to let your computer not become a sacrifice to another such destruction.
With this, keep backing up your data, update your operating system and keep multiple passwords. You shall do fine but again, this will not reduce the possibilities of virus attacks down to zero, it shall just reduce the chances of another possible attack.


text:
Feb 12 (Reuters) - Restaurant Brands International Inc’s profit more than tripled in the fourth quarter as more diners visited Burger King.
Canada-based Restaurant Brands, which also owns Tim Hortons, said on Monday net profit attributable to shareholders rose to $395 million or $1.59 per share in the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, from $118.4 million or 50 cents per share a year earlier.
Revenue climbed 11 percent to $1.23 billion. (Reporting by Anirban Paul in Bengaluru; Editing by Sai Sachin Ravikumar)
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.


text:
D-Tech International USA is excited to tell you about its new home, in the heart of Cape May County’s new innovation hub for tech businesses.
Since opening its US headquarters in the area business has been booming for D-Tech, which has enjoyed a 100% expansion since 2016. So, when the company was offered the opportunity to become an economic development partner of Cape May County, they were delighted to accept.
In 2019, developers broke ground on the project labelled by Cape May County Freeholder Will Morey as, “the start of a reimagining of Cape May County’s economic future.” Fast forward to June 2020 and D-Tech has just completed its move into a 7,000-square-foot purpose-built manufacturing facility.
Made in the USA
This increase in D-Tech’s manufacturing capacity was one of the driving factors behind the move. D-Tech had already transferred all manufacturing of PCBs from China to Cape May County, and moving to the new facility will enable the company to start manufacturing its holdIT self-service pickup locker solution in the region.
Speaking about the move, Marvin Crisp, Founder and CEO of D-Tech International USA, said:
“By bringing even more of our product manufacturing to the USA, and to Cape May County specifically, not only will our customers be assured of quality products built in-house by our American employees, D-Tech is able to make a significant investment in the local area, creating new jobs for Cape May County residents, from service positions to manufacturing opportunities.
“D-Tech has expanded 100% since 2016, and therefore to meet the increased demand for our products, we will be employing from the local community.”
Committed to Cape May County
Beachgoers and birdwatchers alike flock from states near and far to enjoy the golden sandy beaches, warm weather and incredible wildlife Cape May County has to offer. Alongside a tremendous variety of migrating birds, some lucky visitors even manage to glimpse wild dolphins, which are spotted frequently from the shore.
However, while the beautiful region is popular with tourists during the summer months, the decision was made that the county should create more economic opportunities outside of tourism. This goal was stated by Will Morey at the groundbreaking in 2019, “We need to find new ways to diversify and create jobs that attract top talent, which will enable our young folks to find great opportunities within the county.”
Today, the first step on that journey is complete as the project has its first residents. D-Tech is joined at the Cape May Tech Village by Cellular Tracking Technologies, a leader in wildlife telemetry and IoT solutions.
D-Tech has been delivering high performance technology solutions for public spaces for almost 20 years. Having built its initial success in the library sector, D-Tech has continually seen an increase in cross-sector demand for its range of technologies, which include self-service solutions, privacy-protecting people counting and now even app technology.
To find out more about D-Tech USA’s range of products and services, contact us today on (609) 435-5846 or visit d-techinternational.com/us


text:
The sheer chutzpah of the MPAA never ceases to amaze. On Monday, they issued a press release: “Southern Cal. High Tech Task Force Stamps Out Illegal DVD/CD Replicating Plant in Los Angeles” [pdf] in which they crow:
Los Angeles –The Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. (MPAA) and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in coordination with the Southern California High Tech Task Force have closed New Century Media in the City of Industry, California. The investigation and seizure of $30 million in illegal stampers and DVDs was a result of findings from another raid at a replicating plant nearby where illegal DVDs produced at New Century Media were recovered. The plant was closed for illegal business on June 15 but no arrests have been made.
Isn’t that interesting? They seized $30m in booty, shut down the plant, yet made no arrests?
Turns out the MPAA isn’t telling the whole story, at least as Jennifer Yu, co-founder/owner (along with her husband) of New Century Media tells it. According to Yu, her company is a legit business which:
- has been operating since 1989, reproducing thousands of titles per year, and
- was permitted to resume production immediately by the High Tech Task Force, and
- only experienced the seizure of $10,540 in discs, duplicated for a public company, plus $15,000 in equipment — roughly 0.058% of their annual production.
So how do we reconcile a $30m seizure with $25,540? Is this Enron-style accounting? Well, yes, after a fashion: according to an LAT follow-up, “the MPAA in its new statement did not retract the $30-million figure but explained that it came up with the number by estimating the value of the DVDs seized during the raid as well as the value of DVDs that could be produced using the equipment.” [emphasis added]
Got that? They made it up. It’s not wholesale value, it’s not market value, it’s potential value: basically, pure crap. It’s the logical equivalent of police shutting down an ammunition factory and claiming they saved 200,000 lives.
Sadly, this sort of spin is par for the course.


text:
Sony is paying $764 million (60 billion yen) to buy up the remaining 42 percent of shares in broadband Internet company So-Net in an effort to make it a wholly-owned subsidiary.
Filings by the two companies on Thursday (PDF) announced the offer. Sony and its finance arm together own 58 percent of So-Net, but over 100,000 shares are outstanding. After Sony, several Japanese and international banks are listed as the major shareholders of So-net. For instance, a Japan Trustee Services Bank trust account has a 4.39 percent stake.
Sony’s tender offer will run from August 10 until September 20 at $7229 (567,500 yen) a share.
So-Net, which has 1,468 employees, was founded in 1995. It had sales of $1.19 billion in its most-recent fiscal year, which ended in March 2012.
“[Sony] believes that, if [So-net] delists its shares and becomes a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, such simplification of the capital relationships will benefit the Company in its effort to strengthen its core areas and allocate resources to growth areas, which will ultimately lead to realizing more value,” the filing read.
Media entertainment, such as music, pictures and games, and mobile products were cited as key opportunities for Sony’s network business. “Network services have become essential to [Sony] in leveraging its strengths with respect to the hardware and content owned by the Company,” the company said.
Other reasons for the deal include Sony’s plans to use So-net to “advance the pursuit of cloud services and interactive entertainment experiences in Japan and Asia.” The company also hopes to combine to create and grow “new network services.” In addition, the two companies will cooperate “from the initial stage of development of products and services” to improve mobile devices and networking equipment.
The filing notes that So-net will be able bring in new customers with the help of Sony’s “sales network and user base.” The company’s resources are also expected to reduce costs across the whole Sony group.
Sony describes the offer as part of its new management team’s plan to “revitalize” its electronics business. Kazuo Hirai, formerly head of Sony’s Consumer Products business, took over as president and CEO in April.
Earlier this year, Sony completed a buyout of Ericsson’s share of their joint venture handset business and renamed the company Sony Mobile Communications.
Image via Flickr / switchstyle


text:
Vice Media Group has announced that it will cancel its well-known TV show, “Vice News Tonight,” as part of a larger reorganization that will lead to job cuts throughout the company’s global news business.
The decision to make cuts was made in response to the current market conditions and the realities of the news and media industry, according to a memo sent to employees by co-CEOs Bruce Dixon and Hozefa Lokhandwala. However, the exact number of job cuts was not specified.
This restructuring comes after years of financial struggles and top executives leaving the company. Additionally, the media company has been exploring a potential sale.
VMG’s decision to downsize is similar to that of other media and technology companies that have faced similar challenges in recent months, including a difficult economy and a weak advertising market.
Last week, BuzzFeed announced that it would be closing its news division, which was known for its unconventional and inquisitive reporting. Despite the division’s success, it ultimately failed to overcome the challenges of its digital-first business model.
The impact of Vice Media Group’s decision to cancel its popular TV program, “Vice News Tonight,” and downsize its global news division is likely to be felt both within the company and the wider media industry.
The job cuts and restructuring are expected to result in a significant loss of talent and expertise, which could impact the quality of the company’s journalism and its ability to produce innovative content. It may also lead to a decline in the reach and influence of the company’s news brand, which has built a strong reputation for investigative journalism and in-depth reporting.
Vice Media Struggles with Financial Woes
The move is also indicative of the broader challenges facing the media industry as a whole. Many traditional media companies are struggling to adapt to the rise of digital platforms and the changing preferences of audiences.
The shift to digital has disrupted traditional business models and forced companies to find new ways to generate revenue. This has led to increased competition, particularly from newer digital media outlets that have been able to capture younger audiences with their more nimble and innovative approaches.
The current economic climate, characterized by weak advertising markets and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, has only exacerbated these challenges.
Many media companies have been forced to make difficult decisions in order to survive, including layoffs, restructurings, and divestitures. This has led to a significant amount of consolidation in the industry, with larger companies acquiring smaller ones or merging with competitors to increase scale and efficiency.
In the case of Vice Media Group, the decision to downsize and potentially sell the company may be seen as a necessary step to ensure its long-term viability.
The company has struggled with financial difficulties for several years, and its leadership has been in flux, with a number of high-profile departures in recent years. Selling the company to a larger media organization could help it to achieve greater scale and reach, while also providing access to new resources and expertise.
However, there is also the risk that downsizing and selling the company could damage its unique culture and voice. Vice Media Group has built a reputation for being unconventional and edgy, and this has been a key part of its success.
Any changes that dilute this identity or erode its editorial independence could lead to a decline in audience engagement and a loss of credibility.
Vice Media is a global digital media and broadcasting company that was founded in 1994 as a print magazine. Since then, it has expanded into a multimedia company that produces content across a variety of platforms, including television, film, music, and digital media.
The company has built a reputation for its edgy and unconventional approach to news and entertainment, and its coverage often focuses on topics that are typically underrepresented in mainstream media.


text:
WESTON, Wis. -- According to tripadvisor.com, the best burger in Wisconsin can be ordered at Brews Brothers Pub, located in Weston, Wisconsin -- near Wausau.
The pub offers 12 different burgers, toppings ranging from bacon, eggs, and cheese, to coleslaw and cajun lime sauce. Another positive about these burgers is the price. The most expensive burger on the menu is the Brews Brothers Best, priced at $6.69.
Reviews on tripadvisor.com reveal that 54% of customers felt the food was "excellent." 35% said the food was "very good," and only 1% said it was "terrible."
For the full menu at Brews Brothers Pub, click here.


text:
freedom of expression
APC calls on the Human Rights Council to treat freedom of expression online as a human rights issue.
As part of APC’s Connect your rights! Internet Rights are Human Rights campaign, APC is co-hosted a side-event at the Human Rights Council’s seventeenth session in Geneva on 3 June.
Amid mounting protests over fuel and food prices, the Ugandan government called on ISPs to block access to Facebook and Twitter.
Mark Zuckerberg’s latest trip to China appears to have borne fruit. You know — that unidentifiable spiky fruit you just bought at the Chinese grocery store and now you’re not sure which part you’re supposed to eat.
In March 2011, the Indian government blocked Savita Bhabhi, an immensely popular soft-core web comic, sparking popular outcry.
A poster promoting a new book called "Access Controlled" was removed by the IGF's organisers who claimed a sentence in the poster violated UN policy. The sentence in question reads "The first generation of Internet controls consisted largely of building firewalls at key Internet gateways; China's famous "Great Firewall of China" is one of the first national Internet filtering systems."


text:
YouTube broke new ground in May with the launch of its paid channel subscriptions, a new feature that will dramatically change the video content platform. Paid channel subscriptions create a new revenue stream for the Google-owned website while also creating income opportunities for video creators.
The company revealed earlier this year that paid channel subscriptions were in development, but a timetable wasn’t provided at the time. The appearance of two lines of Android programming code tipped off industry observers to the new feature just days before the company made a formal announcement.
Paid channel subscriptions will bring the platform one step closer to cable television and online entities such as Hulu and Netflix. By charging subscriptions for content, the company now has an infrastructure that could support original shows, movies and even entire television channels finding their way to the online video platform.
A Strong Challenge to Cable TV
Television is already well aware of how its viewers are gravitating toward alternative media. Instead of simply watching a show as it airs live, consumers can use their DVRs to record for later viewing or, in many cases, find the show online. Consumers now watch TV on computers, tablets and smartphones, and in transit just as easily as from the comfort of their couch.
As these alternatives create a more competitive market, some of the hallmarks of cable television could face a shortened shelf life. Channel bundling — which only allows consumers to purchase channels in large packages rather than one-by-one — has been under fire for several years although it remains an industry standard.
YouTube may be a direct challenge to that business model. Its channel subscriptions will allow consumers to pay for exactly what they want, and for rates as low as $0.99 per month. This model could attract some lower-tier television channels that find YouTube more lucrative than being squeezed into a channel bundle without much of a financial return.
But paid subscriptions won’t just benefit cable channels and serial shows. Any stream of content could conceivably receive subscription revenue, adding yet another source of income to online video advertising. Packaging content into a cohesive channel also presents a great opportunity for branding.
Monetizing Heavy Mobile Integration
YouTube is already one of the most popular mobile apps on the market. While paid subscriptions are initially being released onto traditional computers, mobile is the long-term goal. The video platform is deeply integrated with Android devices, and that infrastructure only increases the value of making subscription-based programming available.
Because of the added revenue stream and the growing popularity of mobile viewing, video will become more lucrative for both content creators and mobile marketers. But unlike the past, the branding of each paid channel will be a much more important consideration — and a tool that, properly used, could further increase branding and consumer reach.
Mad Mobile is the leading provider of mobile-first solutions for the world's top companies and retailers.
Looking for a technology partner who can deliver amazing mobile solutions across multiple mobile interfaces?


text:
ATI losses shrink as revenues rise
Outlook not great, though
Graphics hardware market leader ATI yesterday saw its losses narrow despite declining sales over the last three months, but at least had record annual revenues to give it heart.
For the three months to 31 August, ATI's fourth quarter of fiscal 2000, the company's sales hit $290.2 million, down on the $304.7 million is reported for the same period last year but up on last quarter's $288.2 million. The decline resulted in a loss of $11.5 million (five cents a share), a bad showing when compared to the $32.5 million (15 cents a share) profit it made during Q4 1999, but a distinct improvement on last quarter's $23.1 million loss (ten cents a share).
However, factor in one-off charges and ATI's Q4 2000 loss balloons to $45.2 million (20 cents a share). This time last year, it posted net income of $16.8 million (eight cents a share).
For the full year, ATI experienced an 11.4 per cent jump in revenue, taking it to $1.37 billion. Income before adjustments hit $64.6 million (29 cents a share) - with all the one-offs counted, ATI lost $69.3 million (32 cents a share). For 1999, the pre-adjustment and post-adjustment income figures, both in the black, were $159.3 million and $107.2 million, respectively.
Despite the record revenues, there seems little positive news to counter ATI's losses. The company's chairman and CEO, K Y Ho, was could give little hard data on ATI's progress than a bland "we are encouraged by the rapid customer adoption of our new products".
One of those, at least, is Nintendo for whom ATI is manufacturing 3D graphics chips for the upcoming next-generation Game Cube console, better known by its codename, Dolphin. However, revenue from the deal isn't likely to kick in for some time - the platform isn't due to go on sale until mid to late 2001, so it's of little value to ATI's short-term business.
Ho also noted that ATI had "moved past the challenges of the third and fourth quarters", but we're not entirely convinced. There does appear to be a problem getting enough Radeon boards to market, particularly into the European arena. Apple, for one, has been advertising a Radeon-based board as an option on its US build-to-order Mac sales site for some time now, but there's no sign of its availability in the company's European sites.
Interestingly, ATI blamed the fourth quarter's decline in sales on falling market activity in Europe, which dragged down growing sales in other territories. Maybe if you shipped us some product, guys, that would help...
ATI also blamed "to aggressive pricing actions from newly-consolidated competitors" and its own move to push the Rage 128 Pro into the mainstream, which it has to if it's not to harm Radeon sales.
Gross margins for the quarter hit 23 per cent, up from 19.6 per cent last quarter but still lower than those of Q4 1999, the company admitted.
Moving forward, much will depend on the uptake of the Radeon product and sales to OEMs, ATI's mainstay. Radeon appears a good, solid part, but it's hard to see it taking appreciable business away from retail leader 3dfx or from Nvidia-based boards. And Nvidia appears to be making significant inroads into the OEM world, at ATI's expense. ATI will have a tough time slowing Nevada's momentum. ®


text:
Are you ready to bring more awareness to your brand? Consider becoming a sponsor for The AI Impact Tour. Learn more about the opportunities here.
That’s right, the company that first made a $44.6 billion, $31-a-share offer to Yahoo at the beginning of this year — only to have it and other slightly better offers spurned by Yahoo — may still have some interest in the Internet company. Well, at the right price, that is.
If you don’t believe me, just listen to Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer who said at the Gartner ITXpo today that a deal between the two companies would “make sense economically,” MarketWatch reports. Ballmer went on to say that he believes Yahoo probably still thinks its shares are worth as much as the $33-a-share Microsoft was willing to pay in order to get a deal done.
The only problem? Yahoo’s stock opened today at $11.82-a-share. Yes, just about one-third of Microsoft’s highest offer.
While some have claimed in recent weeks that Microsoft isn’t interested in Yahoo now no matter the price, today’s comments seem to be the first gesture that it will talk again at a significantly lower price. As I’ve maintained ever since the first deal dissolved several months ago, it just makes sense. Microsoft wants to rival Google in the Internet sphere, and while it can try paying users to use Live Search all it wants, the only real, meaningful way to get closer in a hurry is to buy Yahoo.
Yahoo, on the other hand, seemed to think it could go it alone (with an assist from Google in the form of a search advertising deal) when it rejected Microsoft’s bid. It’s becoming more apparent that it cannot. It’s stock was over $34-a-share at one point while the Microsoft talks were still on. When Microsoft first made the offer, Yahoo’s stock was in the $19-a-share range, now it has fallen far below that. Below its 5-year lows in fact — and its stock price is below its the level a decade ago. With rumors of massive layoffs coming, merger talks with AOL stalling and pressure from the government on the Google search advertising deal, what other options does it have?
Ballmer may have been personally annoyed by Yahoo’s rejection, but, as they say, this is business.
It won’t happen anytime soon, today was just Ballmer making a statement, maybe testing the waters, or maybe just messing with Yahoo’s stock (which, by the way, is now falling back to more normal levels). But without some major unknown deal happening (meaning not AOL), one day, Microsoft will own Yahoo.
[photo: flickr/iowa spirit walker]
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact. Discover our Briefings.


text:
Global Payments has confirmed that "some card brands" have removed it from their lists of PCI compliant processors over a data breach affecting up to 1.5 million people.
Following press speculation, the US processor confirmed in March that earlier that month it had discovered a breach affecting North American card holders. The firm says 'Track 2' data - including account numbers - was compromised but not names, addresses and social security numbers.
Visa quickly removed Global Payments from its list of approved service providers, telling it to revalidate as PCI DSS compliant. In an update, the firm has confirmed that other card associations have taken the same steps.
"They have requested we revalidate our PCI status, which we will do following the current investigation. We anticipate that we will be re-instated to those lists at the conclusion of the re-validation and any required remediation," says a statement.
However, the move does not stop Global Payments from processing transactions for the brands.
Meanwhile, Visa and MasterCard alerts to card-issuing banks reveal that the breach, although only discovered in March, dates back to at least last June, according to KrebsonSecurity, which initially broke the story.


text:
Big wigs in Washington are standing up for small brewers. Again.
The Brewers Association, a trade organization that represents the interests of small American breweries, announced its backing of a reintroduction of a bill that seeks to adjust tax rates that small brewers pay on each barrel of beer they produce.
H.R. 494, known as the Small Brewers Reinvestment and Expanding Workforce Act (Small BREW Act), was reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representatives Jim Gerlach (R-Pa.) and Richard E. Neal (D-Mass.).
“Under current federal law, brewers making less than 2 million barrels annually pay $7 per barrel on the first 60,000 barrels they brew, and $18 per barrel on every barrel thereafter,” according to a Feb. 7 Brewers Association press release. “The Small BREW Act would create a new rate structure that reflects the evolution of the craft brewing industry.” ”
The new three-tier structure reflects the growth of craft breweries, which achieved more than a 5 percent volume share of the beer consumed in America for the first time in 2011 and continue to experience sales increases,” explains Ed Sealover in a Denver Business Journal article. Read about the full bill here: “Small Brewer Federal Excise Tax Bill Reintroduced in Congress”


text:
Netflix will now allow its members to download selected TV shows and movies, and watch them on their iPhones and Android devices while being offline.
According to Variety, the following TV show and series are the part of this new feature for the time being.
- Orange Is the New Black
- House of Cards
- Stranger Things
- Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
- Master of None
- The Crown
- Breaking Bad
- The Office
- The Flash
- The 100
- Kung Fu Panda 3
"While many members enjoy watching Netflix at home, we've often heard they also want to continue their 'Stranger Things' binge while on airplanes and other places where internet is expensive or limited," said Eddy Wu, Netflix's director of product innovation.
Netflix has made this new download feature available to its worldwide members of any plans. Download can be done via wifi connection as well as mobile net data.
Variety also mentioned that downloading titles can be done only if users has iOS 8.0 or later or Android 4.4.2 or later along with the updated version of Netflix app.
For the first time, Netflix has been recently ranked as the top grossing iPhone app.
According to The Wrap, Netflix's Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos has recently announced that streaming provider is going to expand its services into reality TV show in 2017.
He said that as many as 20 unscripted series will be provided to the users in the upcoming year.
He believed that the unscripted television is a very interesting genre to exploit. Subscribers can choose a topic from the vast options that reality TV shows provide.
For example, if anyone feels like watching a show about hoarding, then there are at least three shows about hoarding to choose from. Netflix is expected to attract more subscribers through reality TV shows.


text: The assets of the innovative custom-crush and micro-winery Crushpad were sold this week, but clients remain confused about the state of their purchases. Crushpad, the Sonoma, Calif.-based company that offered clients the opportunity to purchase wine and utilize the company's facilities and expertise on an ongoing basis until it was ready, has been rumored to be in trouble for some time. CORKZILLA has been following the state of Crushpad for some time due to its interesting business model (more interesting when it was located in San Francisco), but it appears the company was a victim of several factors that led to its undoing, including the volatile economy. The sale of assets has left many clients wondering about how to get their wine investments back, according to the report in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat. In the aftermath, the Bordeaux operations formerly owned by Crushpad, was said to be interested in stepping in to help Crushpad's U.S. clients, according to Decanter magazine.


text:
Q&A: Is free Windows 8 security software strong enough?
A. Windows 8 comes with the free Windows Defender built in. This is separate from any trial security software that the computer's manufacturer installed. Unfortunately, in many of this year's antivirus protection tests Defender doesn't come off too well.
Read more on USA TODAY


text:
In cooperation with Denuo, the Belgian federation of the waste and recycling industry, Carrefour launches the platform 'Mission Zero Waste', a participatory consultation to combat waste.
Anyone can participate
The aim of the platform is to actively involve citizens, consumers and stakeholders in the development of packaging solutions. They can suggest ideas to reduce waste, give their opinion on certain solutions and even vote on future packaging initiatives by Carrefour. This could involve both the elimination of packaging and making the packaging material more sustainable. Especially the packaging of fruit and vegetables, fresh products (bread, coffee cakes, etc.) and liquids pose a challenge.
At the moment, Belgium recycles about 84 per cent of its packaging waste. But Denuo wants to reach 100 per cent down the line. "We can only achieve this goal if both producers and consumers commit to less waste and more recyclability," says Stany Vaes, General Manager of Denuo. "This initiative challenges consumers to think with us about how we can reduce the mountain of packaging waste and how we can reuse the residual packaging after recycling."
In practice, the consultation will take place in three stages. On 9 February, the platform gets launched, and the public will have two months to submit ideas and vote for their favourite initiative. A jury will select the ten best (and most feasible) ideas. In the second phase, the public will be able to vote again, but this time only on the selected proposals.
The third stage is the implementation: the three ideas with the most votes will gradually be implemented in three stores: one in Brussels, one in Wallonia and one in Flanders. Initiatives that receive a positive evaluation can later be implemented on a larger scale.


text:
Cordelia Cruises announced a strategic partnership with SanKash, a travel SAAS platform that facilitates flexible payment choices to offer guests a “Sail Now and Pay Later” service.
Oneel Verma, COO at Cordelia Cruises said: “Cruising, despite being a fairly new travel option in India, has created a positive imprint in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry in the past one year. Cordelia Cruises has witnessed an encouraging response and continues to grow.
“However, it is still considered an aspiration for several from varied socio-economic backgrounds. Having associated with SanKash makes cruising significantly more accessible and approachable for all. Having to pay in six easy installments with no interest is a step closer to going on your dream vacation without having to worry about spending a large part of your savings. We are pleased to collaborate with SanKash to make cruising a viable option for many.”
According to a statement, Cordelia Cruises’ guests can now sail first and pay later with zero percent interest spread over a period of six months. No down payment is required which makes the entire travel experience much easier.
Akash Dahiya, co-founder of SanKash said: “We are delighted to partner with Cordelia Cruises, to introduce the concept of ‘Sail Now and Pay Later’ in India. Cruises are seeing a surge in demand of late and India is a major contributor to this growth, globally. Driven by the rise in demand and high disposable incomes, the market has the potential to grow by ten times over the next decade.”


text:
Whole Foods is set to open its new store in Detroit with a daylong celebration.
The festivities scheduled for Wednesday include performances by a bagpipe player, marching band and string quartet as well as remarks from U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, Mayor Dave Bing and others.
The Austin, Texas-based chain's newest store will help fill a grocery void in the area. Detroiters long have complained about not having enough places to buy fresh fruit, vegetables and produce.
It's located in the city's Midtown neighborhood.


text:
Apple tells investors its $14bn Irish tax bill won't change anything
Apple CEO Tim Cook may be furious about the EU's attempt to outlaw a ruse that Apple used to avoid tax payments, but the company has told investors that it won't have any near-term impact on its profits or even its tax rates.
Despite the hysterical letter that Apple CEO Tim Cook wrote to European Customers - which claimed the tax decision will have a "profound and harmful effect ... on investment and job creation in Europe" - Apple has told shareholders that the EC-imposed $14bn Irish tax bill won't make any difference to its financial results. Apple's statement to investors (PDF) says:
"We do not expect any near-term impact on our financial results nor a restatement of previous results from this decision."
"We do not currently expect this decision to have an impact on our tax rate going forward."
"Our cash balance will not change as a result of this decision, but we anticipate we will place some amount of cash in an escrow account."
Apple's statement also says: "Both Apple and Ireland plan to appeal the decision and we are confident that it will be overturned by the courts of the European Union." This will take several years.
Either way, Apple pays so little in overseas taxes that the extra €13 billion (plus interest) for 2003-2014 doesn't make any significant difference. As European Commissioner Margrethe Vestager pointed out, Apple only paid "an effective corporate tax rate of 1 percent on its European profits in 2003 down to 0.005 percent in 2014."
The cash is also insignificant relative to Apple's overseas cash mountain, which is somewhere over $200 billion.
So why is Apple so concerned?
The answer that the global tax regime is getting tougher and this is the thin end of the wedge.
European countries are fed up with companies that benefit from their expensive infrastructure - roads, schools, hospitals, police and other services - without paying reasonable sums for its maintenance. Indeed, the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) is working with more than 100 countries to stamp out tax avoidance on a global basis.
The OECD project is known as Beps, "for base erosion and profit shifting".
The Irish government is helping Apple to exploit a loophole. Apple avoids paying some taxes in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and India because sales are contractually (though not actually) made by Apple Sales International in Ireland. (See the EU graphic above.) The profits are therefore "earned" in Ireland.
However, these profits are not taxed in Ireland either.
The Irish Revenue's chairman, Niall Cody, told The Irish Times: "Under Irish law, non-resident companies are chargeable to Irish corporation tax only on the profits attributable to their Irish branches by reference to the facts and circumstances. The profits of non-resident companies that are not generated by their Irish branches - such as profits from technology, design and marketing that are generated outside Ireland - cannot be charged with Irish tax under Irish tax law."
Wait, isn't Apple Sales International based in Ireland?
Yes, but under the tax deal, some internal book-keeping diverts these profits to "head offices" where they avoid tax altogether. As the European Commission explains (my emphasis):
Under the agreed method, most profits were internally allocated away from Ireland to a "head office" within Apple Sales International. This "head office" was not based in any country and did not have any employees or own premises. Its activities consisted solely of occasional board meetings. Only a fraction of the profits of Apple Sales International were allocated to its Irish branch and subject to tax in Ireland. The remaining vast majority of profits were allocated to the "head office", where they remained untaxed.
Apple is right to be concerned. Apple, Google, Amazon, Starbucks and many other companies are now being targeted by the EC and European governments for tax strategies that are ultimately based on different definitions of words like "residence".
But far from having a "harmful effect on investment and job creation in Europe," as Cook claims, this should result in a more level playing field and more open competition.
To put it simply, the European view is that a multinational company operating shops in a country, and selling products to the residents of that country, should be paying their fair share of taxes on the profits made in that country. If they are not doing that, then morally and ethically they are cheating that country, regardless of whether it's technically legal or not.
The EU and the OECD are now trying to close loopholes and profit-transfer deals that make tax avoidance technically legal, and ultimately that's good for everybody.


text:
Russian expansion for Canon
Canon is to create a new locally-based management organisation in Russia. The company says that the move is a direct response to the demands of local customers and the sustained growth of Canon’s business in the region. In what is described as a phased approach, the new Russian management team will be up and running by 2009 and planned developments in the Russian market will include a major warehouse facility in Moscow. Canon Europe also says that it intends to make further investments in other markets in the region such as Ukraine and Kazakhstan.
Speaking in St Petersburg at a Canon customer exhibition, Rainer Fuehres, Head of Emerging Markets, Canon Europe, said: "Russia is rapidly becoming one of Canon’s most significant markets. "It is already our largest market in EMEA for digital cameras and office personal products, and our fourth largest market, by total business, across the
whole EMEA region. Our investment in the region is testament to our high ambitions for the future."
Web shop launched for resellers
US wholesaler United Stationers has released a new internet shopping tool for its reseller customers. SmartSearch enables the delivery of United’s product content for nearly 40,000 products to resellers’ web storefronts based on search and navigation requests by end consumers. United says that shoppers will be able to find what they are looking for on the resellers’ websites more effectively because of the powerful search engine within SmartSearch that takes full advantage of the product content. For example, consumers are able to do easier side-by-side comparisons, more easily search for ink and toner and other supplies and accessories, and see suggestions for alternative products. "This is another major step in our continued drive to enhance the end-consumer shopping experience, and to further enable resellers’ access to technological resources that keep them strongly competitive," said Laura Gale VP of Marketing for United. "Our content initiative has been underway for several years. Now with the advent of SmartSearch, resellers have a powerful way to deliver that content to their customers in a user-friendly fashion that will increase their web sales and improve customer service."
United is working with several technology providers who are building SmartSearch into their platforms, with the first providers expected to go live during the fourth quarter. Those resellers who don’t use a technology provider are asked to contact their United account manager directly.
Massive job cuts by HP
Hewlett-Packard (HP) will axe almost 25,000 jobs following its acquisition of IT services firm EDS. The cuts – most of which will involve EDS employees – form part of HP’s "restructuring programme" to integrate EDS which it bought for almost $14 billion. HP said that it will take three years to implement the programme which will lead to annual savings of $1.8 billion. Around half of the job losses are expected to affect US workers. The Palo Alto-based firm will take a $1.7 billion charge this year to fund the job cuts.
The acquisition of EDS by HP – which closed at the end of August – created the world’s second largest IT services and outsourcing vendor, after IBM. New stationery stores Indian wholesale supplier and retailer Om Daily Needs is to set up a new stationery store chain. According to a report in India’s Economic Times, Om Daily Needs plans to create 100 stores in and around the New Delhi area under the name Canvas Stationery Mart. Some of the stores will be standalone operating on a franchised basis, while thers will be store-in-store areas in the group’s existing supermarket chain Daily Needs.
Profit slump at Warehouse Stationery
New Zealand’s Warehouse Stationery has seen a dramatic fall in its 12-month operating profit. For the year ending 27 July, Warehouse Stationery saw operating profit fall by 46 percent to NZ$5.1 million ($3.3 million) as yearly total sales dropped by 6.6 percent to NZ$199 million.
"Although Warehouse Stationery benefited from improved availability during the fourth quarter in all channels, pressure on discretionary spending had a particularly marked impact on sales of high ticket categories such as computers and furniture," said Warehouse Group CEO Ian Morrice.
"Whilst the cost of doing business remains an ongoing area of focus, sales growth will be critical to operating margin improvement with emphasis on small business customers, people working from home and familyneeds." However, Morrice warned that uncertainty was likely to be a feature of the New Zealand economy for some
time and that he expected the retail environment to continue to be subdued over the next 12 months.
All change for Xerox management in North America
Xerox has reorganised its sales management structure in North America. Former President of Xerox North America Jim Firestone takes up the newly created post of President of Corporate Operations.
This wide-ranging role sees Firestone responsible for research, strategy, information management, human resources and ethics, marketing and communications, Fuji Xerox relations, and Xerox’s environmental sustainability initiatives. Xerox’s North American sales operations have been reorganised into two new divisions, Channels and Solutions. Leading the North American Channels group is Russell Peacock, formerly head of the Office group. The Channels group includes Xerox’s partnerships with agents, resellers, distributors and its subsidiary Global Imaging Systems. Peacock’s post at the Office group has been taken on by Rick Dastin.
The new Solutions group – which includes all direct sales and service in the US and Canada – is to be run by Doug Lord, who moves up from head of US sales. CEO Anne Mulcahy said that the changes would increase organisational support and strengthen global and major US account relationships.
Snub for buy-out offer
Metro-owned Media Markt has rejected an informal approach from DSG International to see whether the German retailer was interested in acquiring its beleaguered British rival according to a report in ft.com. DSGi, owner of Currys and PC World, met with Media Markt to see whether it would be interested in buying the group, according to sources close to both companies. They claim that talks between John Browett, who joined DSGi from Tesco in December last year, and his counterpart at Metro, Eckhard Cordes, a renowned dealmaker have broken down as the German company feels the sheer scale of the operation would be too difficult to assimilate.
However, according to Reuters.com, DSGi denies that the talks ever took place. "We are not in any discussions whatsoever with Metro," said a spokesman for DSGi. Metro and Media Markt have also declined to comment. DSGi has announced it will make a first-half loss and reported a 7 percent like-for-like sales decline across its different chains.
The Group is also under pressure from the imminent arrival in Europe of the US electronics chain Best Buy.
Following hot on the heels of DSGi’s disappointing results, Europe’s third largest electronics retailer Kesa says it expects its UK Comet business to make a half-yearly loss. In a trading statement to report its quarterly results to 31 July, Kesa said that like-for-like sales at Comet stores were down by almost 10 percent. "This quarter has, as anticipated, been very tough," said CEO Jean-Noel Labroue. "Trading conditions across all our markets deteriorated, particularly in the UK, and have not changed since the period end."
Software & training alliance
UK-based sales software provider sales-i has teamed up with US training and consulting firm Maximum Performance Group to develop its business in the North American market.
Maximum Performance Group is headed by Jeff Gardner, a well-known figure on the OP circuit and a regular contributor to OPI publications. "I have been searching for a sales intelligence system to offer to my clients for years and I’m glad to say I finally found the right solution: sales-i," said Gardner.
"I’ve reviewed the other sales intelligence products and they just don’t measure up. sales-i leaps over those products by bringing
a next generation sales intelligence system to US office product dealers."
Mergers and Acquisitions
Montreal-based imaging supplier Lazer Essentials has acquired the Canadian operations of compatible supplies manufacturer Barouh Eaton Canada. Barouh Eaton trades under the Ko-Rec-Type brand name and claims to be the biggest compatible imaging supplier in Canada."Ko-Rec-Type is the perfect complement to Lazer Essentials in its plans for growth and further enhancement of its marketing directive for serving a broader customer base across Canada," commented Jeff Birenbaum, President of Lazer Essentials.(Montreal, Canada)
Compatible imaging supplies company Katun has been acquired by private equity fund Monomoy Capital Partners. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Katun’s existing management team – including CEO Carlyle Singer – will remain in place. "This transaction begins a new chapter in Katun’s almost 30-year history," said Singer. "It allows Katun to leverage recent technical breakthroughs in complex colour and monochrome laser products by expanding its investment capabilities in product development." Katun also says that Monomoy will help the company achieve efficiencies in its operating and supply chain models. (Minneapolis,USA)
US retailer Target has acquired two Arizona office furniture companies though its Target Commercial Interiors subsidiary. Walsh Brothers and US Business Interiors have been purchased for an undisclosed sum, heralding Target Commercial Interiors’ move into the south-west market. The showrooms of the newly acquired business will be rebranded and will focus primarily on home offices, small offices and design services for business interiors. Target Commercial Interiors already operates in the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois and Washington. (Phoenix (AZ) USA)


text:
$25,000 lottery ticket sold in Parsippany
PARSIPPANY – A $25,000 lottery ticket was sold at a township store.
There were no Mega Millions game jackpot or second tier New Jersey prizewinners in Tuesday’s drawing but there were three third-tier prizewinning tickets sold that matched the four white balls and the Gold Mega Ball, according to Carole Hedinger, New Jersey Lottery executive director.
Each of those tickets is worth $5,000 but one of those tickets was purchased with the Megaplier option making it worth $25,000. That ticket was purchased at Baldwin News & Food Store, 138 Baldwin Rd., Parsippany in Morris County.
The other winning tickets were purchased at Krauszer’s Food Store in Glen Rock and a liquor store in Bayonne, according to a press release from the lottery office.
In addition, there were 43 players whose tickets matched the 4 white balls, making them worth $500. Two of those tickets were purchased with the Megaplier Option and are worth $2,500 each. Moreover, 107,715 other New Jersey players took home $201,255 in prizes ranging from $1 to $250, the release said.
The Mega Millions jackpot rolls to $159 million for the next drawing, which will be held Friday at 11 p.m.


text:
Owning your own home is one of the biggest dreams for everyone. In view of emotional connection and mental peace, this is one of the most important goals in life of most people. If you are also planning to turn this dream of yours into reality, then you may face disappointment. Building a house may become expensive in the coming days.
Prices will increase even after soft demand
According to an ET report, cement prices in the country will rise in the coming days. Can come. According to the report, even though there is a slowdown in the demand for cement due to the elections, cement prices may increase from this month. It is feared that cement companies may increase the prices of cement by an average of Rs 10 to 15 per bag this month.
Prices reduced for 5 consecutive months
Till now cement prices remain soft. It was going on and people were benefiting from it. Cement prices were falling for 5 consecutive months. Average cement prices in the March quarter were 5-6 percent lower than the December quarter. The maximum benefit was seen in the markets of Eastern and Southern India, because cement prices were cut the most in those two markets.
Prices did not increase in the March quarter
A rise in demand and prices of Ammun Cement is seen in the March quarter, but this time it did not happen. Demand picked up, but cement companies did not increase prices during the quarter. It is expected that in the three months from January to March, the demand for cement increased by 6 to 8 percent on an annual basis. However, this did not affect the price. Companies are now preparing to compensate for it.
Prices will increase the most here
According to the report, cement prices may increase the most in the South Indian market, where this month There may be an increase of Rs 30 to Rs 50 per bag. Similarly, there may be an increase of Rs 15-20 per bag in the market of Central India, Rs 10-15 in North India, Rs 20-25 in Western India and Rs 30 per bag in Eastern India. The weight of a bag of cement is 50 kg.


text:
Half-Life 2 release date announced
Vivendi have announced that Half-Life 2, developed by Valve Software, has gone gold with a planned retail street date of November 16, 2004. VU Games plans to ship versions of Half-Life 2 simultaneously in English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Traditional and Simplified Chinese, Korean, Thai and Japanese.
“Half-Life 2 has surpassed our expectations in every sense ñ its high-quality graphics, ground-breaking physics and immersive first-person shooter gameplay set a new standard for PC action games,” said Bruce Hack, CEO of VU Games. “Half-Life 2 will go down as one of the best-selling PC titles, and we are thrilled to deliver this ground-breaking title to the worldwide gaming community this fall.”
Keep an eye on the site for a review upon release.


text:
ARARAT the Armenian Brandy Won Just Drinks Excellence Awards -
ARARAT the Armenian Brandy Won Just Drinks Excellence Awards
International Influential Just Drinks Excellence Awards announced the winners’ list for 2023, in which ARARAT won two honorable awards.
Bu haber panorama kaynağından gelmektedir.
ARARAT Cherry from ARARAT Flavors range won prize in two nominations - "Innovations" and "Product Launches".
“With the ARARAT Flavor range, the company is taking Armenian brandy in a new direction, opening new opportunities to find new customers and embrace the growing mixology culture by introducing new flavor profiles to broaden its appeal,” is mentioned in the announcement of the awards.
By uniting the professionals of the field – including both researchers and connoisseurs – Just Drinks Excellence Awards receives thousands of applications from across the world each year.
It is worth mentioning that ARARAT Flavor range launched in 2019 and is currently producing several flavored drinks such as ARARAT Apricot, ARARAT Coffee, ARARAT Cherry, and the newly launched product ARARAT Honey.
ARARAT Flavor range was aimed at strengthening the brand’s position in the “Premium +” segment and involving new consumers. Produced in the previous years, ARARAT Apricot, ARARAT Coffee, and ARARAT Cherry have been holding the title of “N1 imported flavored brandy worldwide” with their consumption values for several years thanks to the dedicated and consistent work of Yerevan Brandy Company professionals and ARARAT team across the world. This research is done by IWSR – a leading international research company in the alcohol sector.
Haber metninde yer alan görüşler haber kaynağı (panorama) ve yazarına ait olup,
bolsohays.com sitesi haber hakkında herhangi bir görüş üstlenmemektedir.
Opinions expressed are those of the author(s)-(panorama). They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of bolsohays.com


text:
The offer was simple: buy a truckload of guns and keep the truck, too.
The owner runs the Armalite gun factory in the northwestern Illinois city of Geneseo.
He first made the offer last month.
A local television station posted the story about the sale on its web site, and the gun sale soon received attention from all over the world.
An Iowa man bought the truckload yesterday, and just as promised, he drove off in an old army truck.


text:
Electric car sales are off to a strong start in 2021, with more than 550 pure-electric cars finding a home in January and February.
According to VFACTS new car sales data, the year-to-date total of 558 sales is an increase of 105.1 per cent over the same point in 2020.
The sales growth is being driven in part by the arrival of new pure-electric cars to Australia.
MG has the highest electric sales numbers in Australia, finishing February with 268 reported sales of its ZS EV SUV – the nation’s cheapest electric vehicle, with a $43,990 drive-away price tag.
At the other end of the market, Porsche has welcomed its four-door Taycan. It has sold 64 to date in 2021, as its starts delivering cars to customers after a long wait for the car to touch down.
These sales figures are set to grow further throughout 2021 as manufacturers bring fresh electric models to Australian shores.
Mazda will also bring its MX-30 EV to showrooms in 2021.
At the luxury end of the market, Audi will bring the E-Tron GT, BMW has the iX3 SUV incoming, Lexus will introduce the UX300e, Volvo is set to introduce the XC40 Recharge, and Polestar will launch its Tesla Model 3-hassling Polestar 2.
Tesla does not report sales figures, but it’s understood the US startup was last year Australia’s best-selling electric car brand with around 5000 sales.
Despite a strong start to 2021, the Australia Electric Vehicle Council warns we’re at risk of falling further behind the rest of the world when it comes to electric cars.
The EV Council points to the fact 6900 electric cars sold in 2020, an increase of 2.7 per cent of 2019, still represented just 0.7 per cent of new car sales in Australia.
In Europe, electric market share jumped from 3.8 per cent in 2019 to 10.2 per cent in 2020. In the UK it went from 3.1 per cent in 2019 to 10.7 per cent in 2020, while three in four new cars sold in Norway was electric.
EV Council chief executive Behyad Jafari says Australians are ready for electric cars, but government inaction is holding them back.
“We have no targets, no significant incentives, no fuel efficiency standards – and in Victoria we even have a new tax on non-emitting vehicles,” Mr Jafari said.
“Our governments are apparently doing everything possible to ensure Australia is stalled with its hazards on while the rest of the world zooms into the horizon.”
Mr Jafari also said Victoria is discouraging people from buying electric vehicles by pushing its per-kilometre tax onto them.
The tax of 2.5 cents per kilometre for pure electric vehicles and 2.0 cents per kilometre for plug-in hybrid vehicles was announced by the Victorian Treasurer ahead of the 2020 state budget, and will come into force in July 2021.
An electric vehicle owner who travels 15,000km per year will be charged $375 on top of their annual registration fee, while plug-in hybrid owners will pay an extra $300 per year.
Although the estimated $30 million the tax will raise annually won’t be funnelled directly into electric vehicle infrastructure, the Treasurer said $45 million will be set aside in the budget to boost take-up of hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric vehicles.


text:
A total ban on TV advertising of food and drink to children has been ruled out by the telecoms regulator.
There is concern about children's diets
Ofcom said other measures, such as encouraging exercise, would be a better way to tackle child obesity than a total ban on TV ads.
But it will consider amending current rules after the publication of a White Paper on public health later this year.
It also wants to consider a Food Standards Agency report into the nutritional values of different foods.
Stephen Carter, Ofcom chief executive, said: "Childhood obesity is a public health concern which experts in nutrition, health and education, the government and the food industry are rightly addressing.
"Television advertising clearly has an influence and equally clearly there is a need for a tightening of specific rules. However, a total ban would be neither proportionate nor, in isolation, effective."
Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell asked Ofcom to look at the issue of food advertising directed at children last December.
However, she said in March this year she was "sceptical" about whether a ban would combat obesity.
The Ofcom research found that most parents:
- Do not support an outright ban on television advertising
- Support the need for better information about the nutritional
content of the products being advertised
- Would like advertisements directed at young children to be less
attractive, for example by avoiding the use of cartoon characters
- Support the use of targeted scheduling restrictions
The regulator commissioned more than 2,000 interviews with children, parents,
teachers and nutritionists to explore why children choose the food they do, how food promotion influences this, and the key messages children take from television.
It also asked an independent expert - Professor Sonia Livingstone of the
London School of Economics - to conduct a full review of relevant academic research.
The study found that television advertising has a modest direct effect on children's food consumption.
However, the significance of this is small when compared to other factors potentially linked to childhood obesity such as exercise, trends in family eating habits inside and outside the home, and school policy.
The research also found that 70% of children's viewing takes place outside of officially defined children's airtime.
Ofcom raised fears that a ban would remove the right to advertise products that could potentially have a positive impact on health
And it would undermine the likely investment in children's programming on commercial television, reducing choice and innovation for younger audiences.
The Ofcom decision disappointed the British Medical Association, which called for a complete ban on all food advertising aimed at children under 12 at its annual conference last month.
Dr Peter Maguire, of the BMA's Board of Science, said: "Ofcom's own research clearly states that TV advertising has an effect on children's eating habits, yet they refuse to recommend a ban.
"We are in the midst of an obesity epidemic and must use all the tools in our armoury to prevent the next generation of British children being the most obese in history.
"Obesity in children stores up a lifetime of poor health. These children are at greater risk of having high blood pressure, developing diabetes and heart problems.
"Surely the health of our children is more important than advertising revenues?"
In May, in their report on obesity, the Commons Health Committee also called for a voluntary withdrawal of TV advertising of junk food to children.
Martin Paterson, deputy director general of the Food and Drink Federation, said he would carefully study the review.
"We are clear that we need tight, workable advertising codes.
"We agree that a ban would be neither proportionate nor effective, and look forward to participating in the consultation."
Mary MacLeod, chief executive of the National Family and Parenting Institute, said it backed the rejection of a total ban.
Bur she said: "The number of television adverts that promote unhealthy foods to children show that targeted intervention is required.
"We strongly recommend that advertising to young children; and the advertising of junk foods, is banned. Our research shows this would have strong support from parents."


text:
Queensbury's Laser Mania to hold its first ScareFest on Halloween
Halloween will see the first Scarefest to take place at a laser tag arena in Queensbury.
Husband and wife team, John and Jemma Bates, own go karting business Hover Kart Mania which opened at Black Dyke Mills just before the first lockdown.
During the shutdown the pair worked on a new venture, Laser Mania, also in the mills.
“Tried to turn a negative into a positive and out of boredom made the laser tag area,” said John. “It’s been open for three months and since there’s no laser tag in Halifax we wanted to offer something different.”
With Halloween coming up, John said they were thinking of ways to expand the business.
He added: “We were looking to further the business and make it appeal to teenagers and adults. With it being Halloween it was a good time to launch Scarefest.”
There will be live actors at the event, with a theme resembling Call of Duty rather than the usual sci-fi themes of laser tag locations. It’s Call of Duty rather than sci-fi.
The first scarefest event will take place on Halloween at 5pm and it is hoped the event will continue to run on the last Friday of every month.
To book call 07877 674934.


text:
Food manfuacturers look to sustainability
Food and drink manufacturers are working to implement a set of standards that will develop sustainable and environmentally friendly practices in the food and drink industry.
Employers are currently consulting on a draft set of National Occupational Standards, which will define the knowledge and skills that all employees should have to make the food industry more sustainable.
Once implemented, the standards will be used to develop qualifications and training programmes aimed at boosting sustainable practices at every level of every food and drink business.
The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) held an event with Improve, the food and drink sector skills council, on Wednesday (21 Jan) to outline the standards. Host Patrick McDaniel, of specialist food and drink consultant RI training, explained how issues such as saving energy and reducing water use, waste and emissions, can all affect the sustainability of businesses themselves.
The way companies tackle sustainability issues can help determine whether a business is efficient and lean enough to survive in the long term, which is of particular importance in the current economic climate.
Angela Coleshill, FDF's director of HR, said: "Given that sustainability is about both improving the industry's environmental credentials and improving efficiency, these standards will have huge long-term economic benefits, which will in turn help to secure our future competitiveness. FDF is fully supportive of Improve's efforts to pull together best practice in this way and welcomes the opportunity for our members to contribute at an early stage."
27 October, 2016, 8:30
Next steps for tackling obesity: prevention, sugar consumption a
01 - 03 November, 2016
China Foodtech 2017
07 November, 2016
Butcher’s Shop of the Year
01 December, 2016, 8:30 - 13:30
Policy priorities for the UK food, drink and farming industry