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China’s ‘golden week’ loses some of its shine as consumers show reluctance to spend amid US trade war
- Retail and catering sales rose 8.5 per cent, decelerating from a 2018 growth rate of 9.5 per cent, marking the slowest growth since the comparison was published in 2001
- Number of tourists who stayed in China during the seven-day holiday rose 7.8 per cent from a year ago to 782 million, but the growth rate was the lowest in a decade
China’s National Day holiday during the first week of October, dubbed “golden week” for merchants, lost some of its shine this year as consumers became more cautious with their retail and tourism spending amid rising economic uncertainties.
China started the golden week system in 2000 with the purpose of boosting consumer spending, and the National Day retailing performance has often been widely used as a yardstick for Chinese consumer confidence and purchasing power.
The overall softness in tourism and retail sales, a sign of weak consumer sentiment, could pose a challenge for Beijing, which is counting on strong consumer spending to bolster growth amid headwinds from the trade war with the United States, without significantly worsening its domestic debt situation.
However, an economic slowdown at home, as well as the impact of continuing unrest in Hong Kong – which until this year has been a prime destination for mainland shoppers – have combined to dampen consumer spending.
According to data from China’s migration administration bureau, the number of mainland tourists crossing the border into Hong Kong in the first six days of golden week plunged 15.1 per cent from the same period a year ago, due in part to the reduced flow between Shenzhen and Hong Kong.
The number of people who went through the Luohu, or Lo Wu, border check point between China and Hong Kong dropped 47.8 per cent in the firs six days of October compared to a year earlier, with the number of people transiting through Shenzhen Bay fell 31.2 per cent, while the Futian checkpoint dropped 37.7 per cent, the bureau’s data showed.
China’s Ministry of Tourism and Culture said the number of tourists who stayed within China during the seven-day holiday rose 7.8 per cent from a year ago to 782 million, but the growth rate was the lowest in a decade, while 7 million travelled overseas.
“Compared to previous years when Chinese tourists conducted frenzied shopping abroad during the holidays, Chinese tourists this year preferred relaxation – Chinese tourists no longer scrambled for toilet seat covers, cold medicines or rice steamers,” the ministry said.
Separately, home sales continued to fall during the National Day holiday, particularly in the largest, tier-one cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, according to Centaline Property Agency.
The number of property sales in the capital city of Beijing dropped nearly 30 per cent from the same period a year earlier to 64 between October 1 and 6, including 29 new properties.
At the same time, while Chinese consumers spent less on shopping, box office revenues surged to a new high during the week as the country’s three patriotic films My People, My Country as well as Th e Captain and The Climbers – drew over 100 million viewers into cinemas, according to Maoyan, a China box office tracking website. Revenue for the first three days alone was more than the entire seven-day holiday in 2018, when total ticket sales were down 22.2 per cent from 2017.
The slowdown in consumer spending growth is expected to contribute to a slowdown in overall growth, with a growing number of economists predicting that Chinese gross domestic product will slow to below 6 per cent next year, dropping below the government’s 6 to 6.5 per cent 2019 growth target.
Bank of America Merrill Lynch economists wrote a research note to clients this week that China’s economic growth rate may have slowed further to 6.0 per cent in the third quarter, the bottom of the government’s target range, from 6.2 per cent in the second quarter.
China’s third quarter growth figure is due to be released on October 18.


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Steve Aoki Stars in Hilarious Infomercial
The fun-loving Aoki sports the classic infomercial wardrobe of a tucked-in polo shirt and khaki pants with female sidekick "Cindy" in the spots, with the pair humorously showing off the many ways Liquipel can save cellphones, tablets, laptops and other devices dry from "90 percent of all liquid damage scenarios."
There's an onscreen prompt throughout the clip reminding viewers that Liquipel is indeed a real product line, as the spot's comedic tone heavy with innuendos and double entendres could lead one to believe it's just a comedy sketch.
"I've had too much expensive equipment damaged by sprayed champagne and spilled water," Aoki said in a press release about his deal with Liquipel. "Getting my equipment, smartphone and headphones treated by Liquipel has been one of the smartest moves I've ever made. I'm equally excited to be working with them to help spread the word about this amazing technology."
The partnership is more than just a simple endorsement, but a partnership to "cross-promote each other's brands and lines of business." Read more and watch the clip here.
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domain: news


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On April 29, the MOEA and the AIT co-organized an industrial forum on U.S.-Taiwan Cooperation on Global Semiconductor Supply Chain Resilience.
Participants in the forum exchanged their views on how the complementary strengths of Taiwan and the U.S. could be harnessed in fortifying the resilience of the global semiconductor supply chain. This forum was the first activity organized for semiconductors after Taiwan and the U.S. established the Technology Trade and Investment Cooperation (TTIC) Framework at the end of last year.
Minister Wang said in her opening remarks that Taiwan has high-caliber talent, premium technology, and favourable regulatory environment in semiconductors, as well as sound protection for intellectual property. The complete industrial supply chain also attracts U.S. semiconductor companies such as Micron and Applied Materials to invest in Taiwan. Microsoft and Intel also plan to set up R&D centers in Taiwan.
Taiwan hopes to become the advanced semiconductor manufacturing center in the world and make the semiconductor ecosystem more complete. To that end, it relies on the expansion of cooperation between Taiwan and global partners. The strengthening of such an ecosystem can also fully support the needs of semiconductors in various countries around the world and form closer global cooperation.
AIT Director Sandra Oudkirk said in her opening remarks that the design, fabrication, and packaging of semiconductors that takes place in Taiwan have increased in importance. She also indicated that only by building resilient supply chains will be able to foster broad-based growth.


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Discount retailer Poundworld is expected to appoint administrators, putting 5,100 jobs at risk.
Talks with a potential buyer R Capital have collapsed meaning that the chain felt it had no other option but to put the company into administration.
Poundworld, which has 355 stores, and serves two million customers a week, also trades under the Bargain Buys brand name.
Deloitte is expected to be appointed to oversee the administration.
It will be hoping to sell the business as a going concern.
Poundworld has been losing money for the past two years. Losses for the financial year 2016-17 were £17.1m, up from £5.4m the year before.
It’s the latest High Street retailer to run into trouble.
Just last week, department store chain House of Fraser said it would close 31 of its 59 shops, citing the need to adapt to “fundamental change” in the retail industry.
A combination of falling consumer confidence, rising overheads, the weaker pound and the growth of online shopping have made it tough for traditional retailers.
Electronics chain Maplin and toy chain Toys ‘R’ Us both collapsed into administration earlier this year.
Other High Street chains such as Mothercare and Carpetright have been forced to close stores in order to survive.
Restaurant chains such as Italian chain Carluccio’s, pizza restaurant Prezzo and burger chain Byron have also had to close stores as they battle a triple-whammy of falling trade, higher costs and increased competition.
‘Too many mouths’
Independent retail analyst Richard Hyman said Poundworld was simply not managing its business well enough. “The clue’s in the name: These days having a fixed price in the title is a disadvantage but it is not a killing disadvantage.
“Importing products is not peculiar to Poundworld but others have been getting round this by getting manufacturers to put in a few less biscuits in the pack, for example.
“The bigger picture is there are too many retailers with too many stores for the market to feed.”
Poundworld, which has its headquarters in West Yorkshire, was formed in 2004, but it says it can trace its origins “back to 1974 and a market stall in Wakefield, West Yorkshire”.
In 2014 Poundland’s founder Chris Edwards took a central part in a BBC documentary about the intense competition between the company and its rivals Poundstretcher and Poundland.
Investment company TPG, which bought a majority stake in Poundworld in 2015, also controls the restaurant chain Prezzo whose landlords and creditors agreed a restructuring last month.
A formal administration announcement will be made at 10am when the court opens.


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PepsiCo's Frito Wow! took top honors for the most successful CPG product debut of the past decade, according to a new Information Resources Inc. (IRI) report. With the taste of traditional Lay's, Ruffles and Doritos but with less fat and up to half the calories, first year sales were $347.2 million. Vanilla Coke, with $292.1 million in sales, and Pepsi One with $225.3 million, followed in popularity.
These products are among the less than 3 percent of new products that exceed $50 million in year-one sales, according to IRI. Fewer than eight in 10 pass the $7.5 million mark. Since they require less investment and shorter lead times, brand extensions are more common than new brand introductions. The drawback to extensions is an average 13 percent less in year-one sales across food and beverage categories.
About one in 10 successful new products are also new brands, like Dunkin' Donuts coffee, which made its CPG debut in 2008, and Iams pet food in 2001.


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With Saturday headliners, GOJIRA and Sunday headliners, NIGHTWISH already announced for next year’s event, 2018 is shaping up to be another stellar year for BLOODSTOCK.
The first wave of Serpents Lair VIP tickets (priced at £290) go on sale at 9am this Monday 4th September, for those who want their VIP spot guaranteed. A second wave, including Deluxe VIP packages (Luxpads, Bellepads, Podpads, etc) and a limited amount of VIP upgrades will then become available on 16th December at 9am. Don’t delay this year if you want to join us in the VIP Serpents Lair, as they’re sure to sell out even faster as people make sure they don’t miss out after experiencing VIP for the first time in 2017.
Standard weekend tickets are currently available at ‘early bird’ prices (just £125 for four days of metal fun) and are moving very quickly, so grab yours now at the ticket store if you want to save £20! In order to keep up with inflation and extra costs in 2018, standard weekend tickets with camping will increase from last year’s £139 to £145 once the ‘early bird’ allocation is gone. The limited allocation of VIP upgrades (for those who’ve bought early bird tickets) will cost £145.
Meanwhile, remind yourself of this year’s festival by watching this exclusive live footage of Friday night headliners, AMON AMARTH performing ‘Guardians of Asgaard’ over at BLOODSTOCK’s official YouTube channel.
BLOODSTOCK Director & band booker, Vicky Hungerford comments, “We’ve been blown away by yet another incredible year in 2017!! Our first sold out festival, great weather, stunning performances from bands across all stages and the atmosphere this year had to be the best yet! We love and appreciate the BLOODSTOCK faithful, both old and new and they’ve certainly shown us what the metal community is all about. We’ve hit the ground running for 2018 with two perfect headliners already announced and one more to follow shortly… exciting times are ahead.”


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London – The activewear giant is shifting the spotlight towards its shopfloor staff in a bid to stimulate footfall across its bricks-and-mortar retail spaces. Through its Ask Our Athletes campaign, Nike focuses on the talent and expertise of seven Nike employees from across the brand’s London branches. Shown through a series of short films, each staff member showcases the ways they bring their athletic experiences into their work.
Here, Nike is promoting its workforce's expertise to inspire physical shopping after a period of digital-only transactions. ‘Nike stores aren’t staffed by your average retail worker, they’re staffed by athletes – people who love sport and love the brand, and have extensive knowledge of both,’ says Matt Lever, chief creative officer from BMB, the agency behind the campaign. ‘We wanted to showcase how their passion influences and informs the experience for every customer.’
At a time when the future of bricks-and-mortar retail remains uncertain, the decision to highlight employee expertise is likely to encourage more customers to re-embrace in-person shopping. For more, we examine why retail staff are the new influencers, in particular for fashion, food and luxury brands.
Retailers should elevate the voices of their local teams to boost customer loyalty. Consider ways you can use your talent through both physical and digital brand touchpoints such as live-streaming or social media content from the shop floor
This climate crisis campaign uses war-time language
Zero Hour! by Among Equals
Zero Hour! by Among Equals
UK – Non-profit branding and advertising agency Among Equals is aiming to broaden support for the UK’s Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill (CEE Bill), through a campaign inspired by 1940s propaganda. The Zero Hour! campaign eschews conventional environmental design cues to instead use graphics and phrases that work across the political spectrum.
Among Equals worked with a cross-party alliance to identify themes that would best engage audiences. ‘It doesn’t matter if you’re hard left or hard right, people like British nature,’ explains Emily Jeffrey-Barrett, co-founder of Among Equals. ‘The second theme is World War II – a huge moment of challenge on one hand, but on the other a time for nostalgic national pride, particularly for the centre and the right.’
By referencing such emotionally stirring themes, the campaign recognises the need to appeal to groups with contrasting ideologies and backgrounds. Elsewhere, we’ve been tracking how designers are applying techniques from dynamic fonts to haptic materials as a way of addressing the climate crisis.
Brands and advertisers hoping to reach diverse audiences around environmental topics must remain inclusive of multiple mindsets. Be aware that people respond to different emotional cues and calls to action
SpaceX and GEC power intergalactic advertising
Global – Amid growing interest in space travel, Elon Musk’s aerospace firm SpaceX is partnering with Canadian technology start-up Geometric Energy Corporation (GEC) to launch a digital billboard into orbit. Planned for 2022, the CubeSat advertising satellite will feature a screen on one side, along with a 'selfie stick' that will capture live-stream footage of adverts with Earth in the background.
Anyone can purchase advertising space, available in the form of tokens that can be bought using cryptocurrencies. ‘There might be companies which want to depict their logo… or it might end up being a bit more personal and artistic,’ says Samuel Reid, CEO and co-founder of GEC. ‘I’m trying to achieve something that can democratise access to space and allow for decentralised participation.’ Through this approach, the companies are opening this unconventional method of advertising to a broader range of brands and individuals.
While questions around commodifying space mean orbital advertising remains a controversial topic, these unexpected advertising opportunities have been in discussion for some years. For more, read our interview with StartRocket.
With advertisers already fighting for our attention, in the future brands will need to create a statement to stand out from competitors. Reflect on how your brand might take up space in extreme locations on earth – and beyond
Stat: Indians turn to snacks for emotional comfort
Make Them Crazy by Future Farm and Soko explores a humorous take on meat and wellness
According to research by Mintel, Indian consumers are seeking emotional comfort through snacking moments – a behaviour that has become particularly prominent throughout the pandemic as a way to de-stress and relax.
The study reveals that a majority of Indian consumers snack to relieve boredom (77%) and stress (76%). Since the start of the country’s first lockdown, nearly two in five consumers (39%) say they have increased their snack consumption.
According to Mintel, with nine in 10 Indians saying they have suffered some form of stress during the pandemic, some 38% are showing interest in food with added functional benefits to ease stress. Rushikesh Aravkar, associate director of food and drink at Mintel, says: ‘Brands can appeal to consumers by highlighting emotional wellbeing through notions of comfort, nostalgia and familiarity by way of marketing and brand communications.’
While the healthy snacking market continues to thrive, Mintel's findings show there is growing demand for mood-boosting foods or those that support holistic wellbeing – an idea we examine in Total Tastes.
From ingredients to packaging, brands can cater to people’s emotional needs by positioning snacking moments as a time for pause or rest. Advertising can also get creative, by tuning into the nostalgia of many comfort foods


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In the latest episode we discuss how the latest WASDE report offers an uptick in the ag machinery sales outlook, CEMA’s latest Business Barometer reading and what it says about the state of the industry, the Federal Aviation Administration’s new ruling on UAVs and finally the results of the Agri Media Council’s 2016 Media Channel Study.
On The Record is brought to you by DLL.
DLL offers manufacturers and dealers over six decades of committed experience in providing financial solutions within the agribusiness sector. DLL’s expertise in inventory and retail financing allows for programs specifically designed to grow your business. DLL’s efficient processing and customer support enhance and compliment the products offered to vendors, dealers and customers. DLL’s goal is to provide you and your business with an advantage in a competitive marketplace.
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I’m managing editor Kim Schmidt, welcome to On The Record. Here’s a look at what’s currently impacting the ag equipment industry.
WASDE Offers ‘Uptick’ for Ag Machinery Sales Outlook
In the current ag economy, even a neutral or flat projection for crop receipts can be viewed as a positive. While no one is quite sure how big an impact the recent rise in crop prices will have on farm equipment sales, for the moment, things don’t appear to be getting any worse.
If nothing else, the June 10 World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report from USDA has improved sentiments among equipment dealers. Responding to the Ag Equipment Intelligence’s most recent Dealer Sentiments survey, one dealer remarked, “April brought increased quoting activity and interest from customers … It seems like customers are keeping their options open and adopting a wait and see approach with capital spending.”
USDA raised the 2016-17 season price range for corn to $3.20-$3.80 vs. $3.05-$3.65 in the previous month. The soybean price range also increased from $8.35-$9.85 per bushel to $8.75-$10.25.
AFN: $40.24 +0.91
Closing Stocks as of 06/23/16 (Compared to Close on 06/09/16)
Analysts covering the industry were also slightly more upbeat about industry prospects. In a note to investors, BB&T analyst C. Schon Williams said, with the cash receipts forecast now flattening out, they are now more neutral on agricultural machinery demand. Cash receipts are forecast to be down 1.1% year-over-year, which is an improvement vs. their May estimate of –2.9%.
Is Recovery Coming?
If the recent increase in commodity prices is sustainable, it has the potential to meaningfully improve the farm equipment industry outlook in the near term, says Igor Maryasis, analyst with Avondale Partners.
He said in a note earlier this week, with corn and soybean prices at their current levels and grain exports running above expectations so far this year, U.S. farmers just might be able to sell their stored crop from last year in addition to this year’s harvest.
Maryasis points out when farmers generate profits, they tend to buy equipment to help minimize their tax burden, and with the changes to Section 179 allowing farmers to deduct $500,000 in equipment expenditures, there’s certainly incentive to make machinery purchases again.
FAA Finalizes Flight Plan for Small Drones
With the agricultural industry in somewhat of a holding pattern for broad use of unmanned aerial vehicles, the Federal Aviation Administration this week finalized its much-anticipated rule for commercial use of small unmanned drones.
The new regulations are set to take effect in late August and provide more detailed, and in some cases, less restrictive requirements for flying UAVs.
One of the biggest changes is that commercial operators will no longer need a pilot’s license and instead be required to pass an aeronautics test every 2 years for a certificate. However, people or companies offering drone-for-hire services will need to pass a written test administered by the Transportation Security Administration.
While smaller drone models have become popular options for scouting crops or grain bins, the new FAA rules will allow for commercial use of UAVS weighing up to 55 pounds, which will have to be flown in daylight hours at elevations of 400 feet or lower.
Privacy and data collection policies are elements that dealers and companies offering drone-based services will still need to consider, according to attorney Jamie Nafziger, chair of the cybersecurity, privacy and social media practice group at Minneapolis-based Dorsey & Whitney.
But she also anticipates that the new FAA rule will clear the air for increased use of UAVs as valuable tools in agriculture.
While some dealers have had success selling UAV systems and related services, other have scaled back on promoting the systems during the down ag market. Once the regulations take effect, it will be interesting to see if dealers alter their approach.
European Ag Equipment Market in ‘Deep Recession’
The global downturn in ag machinery sales has stabilized, but expectations for sales recovery remain low for the next 6 months. That’s according to the June release of the CEMA Business Barometer, a monthly survey of the ag machinery industry in Europe. The biannual business barometer survey on global market trends is produced by Agrievolution Alliance.
The survey’s overall business climate index for June is –40, 11 points worse than a year ago and the lowest since October 2014. This is down significantly from the almost neutral –4 reading at the start of 2016. Michael Shlisky, an analyst with Seaport Global Securities, describes the June reading as being at “deep recession” levels.
On a global scale, overall projections have improved over previous studies, but many U.S. and Western Europe manufacturers indicated lower optimism compared to 2015.
While France had a slightly positive outlook this month, CEMA notes sales conditions have been deteriorating in France for the last 4 months and could indicate France is “about to crash,” according to Shlisky.
Looking at projections for equipment sales over the next 6 months, East Asia leads the way, followed by Africa. On the contrary, markets in North and Latin America share a less optimistic projection with turnover decreases for the majority of respondents.
Additionally, a large percentage of Japanese, Russian and Turkish respondents credited government programs with providing positive demand for ag machinery in their countries, which helps explain why each of those markets did not experience a drop in volume over the past 6 months.
Overall, industry participants noted current conditions are bearish, Shlisky says. Only 12% of survey respondents considered their current condition as “good” or “very good”, while 58% expressed unfavorable sentiments.
CEMA reports the general mood of farmers toward the ag machinery industry remains largely negative due to low commodity prices, and as a result, low profitability.
Dealers Influence Buying Decisions
The Agri Media Council recently released its data from the 2016 Media Channel Study. The research analyzed the different platforms that farmers and ranchers use to gather information for buying decisions. The survey results show agricultural dealers and retailers still have a big influence on farmers’ purchasing decisions.
Of the 2,409-survey respondents, 63% of respondents say they rely most on ag dealers and retailers to validate and inform them for purchasing decisions. And 43% of respondents rely on the agricultural dealers and retailers when they have to make the final decision about purchasing a product or service.
While survey respondents predicted that most media platforms will change in the next 3-4 years, traditional media sources and in-person information sources still play a large role in the decision-making process for purchasing products and services.
Implement & Tractor Archives
In 1917, General Motors purchased Samson Tractor Co. and then Janesville Machine Co., of Janesville Wis., the following year with the idea of entering the farm equipment market to compete with Ford Motor Co. and its highly successful Fordson Model F tractor. The company’s expectations were high and rested on the Samson Model M tractor, which outperformed the Fordson in test results. However, the Fordson was priced lower and GM was unable to make a profit on the Samson Model M. The farm equipment division was closed in 1923 as a result.
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Samsung is expected to release a 5-inch foldable smartphone by Q1 2017. Moreover, the device when opened will be converted into a 7-inch tablet.
According to reports coming in, a prototype of foldable display is finished with development and the company is hoping to mass-produce the device starting from second half of this year.
To be manufactured by integrating latest technologies that are essential to build foldable smartphone, the device can bend a screen in half by using OLED display. Moreover, you will be able to use the device like a wallet.
Responding to questions from reporters, Lee Chang-hoon, Director, Samsung Display revealed that development of foldable OLED is taking place according to our plan. We are planning on mass-production and release of this product by discussing with our partners, adds Lee.
Accordingto analysts, mass-production of foldable smartphones cannot be started so easily because Samsung has to complete some unfinished work before the end of 2016.
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The Central Government under the leadership.


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Town and city centres which have revamped historic buildings, such as market halls, and emphasised the heritage of the local area have succeed in driving footfall and attracting retailers, according to anew report.
The findings are a shot across the bow for local authorities, who have been accused of not doing enough to attract shoppers to the high street.
English Heritage has found a series of towns and cities across the UK where local authorities that have invested in modernising ageing buildings and embracing the character of a town are boosting retailers and businesses.
For example, it pointed to Rotherham in Yorkshire, where footfall has risen 6pc after public funds were used to repair historic buildings, and Brixton, where businesses have been offered peppercorn rents and a cut in business rates to occupy Brixton Market.
In Bolton, Greater Manchester, the listed market hall has been remodelled to provide new space to retailers.
Baroness Andrews, chair of English Heritage, said: "The challenges are not to be underestimated, but English Heritage believes that local authorities that have made the historic environment central to their retail offer can go a long way to creating an attractive and viable high street.
"At a time when people are increasingly looking for more to their shopping trips, these success stories show how investing in historic buildings and careful and imaginative use of street patterns in our historic towns and cities, creates successful destinations places which attract people because they make shopping a much more pleasant and enjoyable experience."
The report by English Heritage, which was in conjunction with Allies and Morrison Urban Practitioners, Strutt & Parker and the Historic Towns Forum, stressed the need for local authorities to focus on town planning, architectural excellence and long-term investment.
Brian Raggett, partner at property agent Strutt and Parker, said: "The creation of opportunities that marry the historic features of towns and cities and deliver regeneration are more likely to occur in locations where local authorities help to promote deliverable solutions in attractive retail environments.
"New developments need to be more imaginative in the way in which existing buildings, including listed properties, are altered and schemes are likely to become smaller in size, around 200,000 to 300,000 sq ft.
"A greater level of change to the layout of a town's historic fabric may potentially need to be to embraced, following careful consideration and justification, to help secure the benefits of new investment."


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In a room full of avowed capitalists, policies that sound to some like socialism are bound not to go over well.Delivering Alpharead more
At least in terms of monetary policy, Pence says should be taking after other regions who keep their benchmark interest rates near zero.Delivering Alpharead more
AT&T isn't focused on selling or divesting DirecTV, despite pressure from stakeholder Elliott Management, sources tell CNBC.Technologyread more
The measure to keep the government running through Nov. 21 now heads to the Senate, where McConnell has signaled he will back a temporary spending plan.Politicsread more
Amazon's purchase comes as part of its plan to convert its delivery fleet to 100% renewable energy by 2030. The e-commerce retailer already runs 40% of its fleet on renewable...Autosread more
As part of the plan, Amazon has agreed to purchase 100,000 electric delivery vans from vehicle manufacturer Rivian.Technologyread more
Apple's iOS 13.1 will be released on Sept. 24, six days earlier than previously announced.Technologyread more
Hedge fund titan Leon Cooperman said he's concerned about a shift to the left in the political landscape, which could harm the economy and the stock market.Delivering Alpharead more
The plan will allow Medicare to negotiate lower prices on as many as 250 drugs and apply those discounts to private health plans.Health and Scienceread more
The move could bring a welcome salve to farmers caught in the crosshairs of the trade war if it results in a reopening of the market.Politicsread more
The pilot program will deliver food and beverage, over-the-counter medications and other items within minutes, the company said. Prescription deliveries will not be available.Health and Scienceread more
U.S. cable channel HBO said on Monday that hackers had stolen upcoming programming, and Entertainment Weekly reported that the theft included a script for an unaired episode of the hit fantasy show "Game of Thrones."
HBO, a unit of Time-Warner, declined to comment on the specific programming stolen in the hack.
"As most of you have probably heard by now, there has been a cyber incident directed at the company which has resulted in some stolen proprietary information, including some of our programming," HBO Chairman Richard Plepler wrote in a message to employees, which the company shared with reporters.
The company declined to comment on reports that unbroadcast episodes and scripts were among the data hacked, citing an "ongoing investigation" by unspecified law enforcement officials.
Entertainment Weekly reported that hackers stole 1.5 terabytes of data and had already posted online unbroadcast episodes of "Ballers" and "Room 104," along with "a script or treatment" for next week's episode of "Game of Thrones."
Reuters also received an e-mail on Sunday from a person claiming to have stolen HBO data, including "Game of Thrones."
The show is now in its seventh season and due to wrap up next year.


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28th July 2016 – The Vemedia Group announced today that its majority shareholder IK Investment Partners has reached an agreement to sell the Vemedia Group to an entity ultimately owned by Charterhouse Capital Partners LLP and which also owns La Coopération Pharmaceutique, a leading French OTC drug manufacturer and distributor. The Parties have agreed not to disclose the financial terms of the transaction.
The combination of Vemedia and Cooper will create a European market leader in the OTC drugs sector. The two businesses are highly complementary, and will be well positioned to lead the further consolidation of the European OTC drugs industry.
Vemedia, the market leader of OTC drugs in the Netherlands, has been owned by the IK 2007 Fund since December 2012. With IK’s support, the Group has invested heavily behind key brands Valdispert (calming & sleeping) and Excilor (medicated foot care). Additionally, Vemedia entered the French market, expanded its export business, and completed six add-on acquisitions, of which Oenobiol and Stardea (both completed during 2016) are the most notable.
“During IK’s ownership, Vemedia has shown an impressive growth, both organic and through add-on acquisitions, doubling its sales and substantially expanding its product offering. It has been pleasure working with Yvan Vindevogel, Chairman of Vemedia, Rob and his team, and we are confident that Vemedia will continue its growth trajectory together with Charterhouse and Cooper,” said Remko Hilhorst, Partner at IK Investment Partners and advisor to the IK 2007 Fund.
“We see a good cultural and commercial fit between Cooper and Vemedia. The two businesses are highly complementary, with Cooper having a strong footprint in France, and Vemedia across the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Hong Kong. Together we will leverage our strong market position to pursue industry consolidation opportunities,” said Francis Doblin, CEO of Cooper.
“Recent organic initiatives and acquisitions have shown that Vemedia is a platform for growth and consolidation in the European OTC drugs market, providing a strong rationale for the acquisition. Over the coming months we will work with both management teams to integrate the businesses and identify further consolidation opportunities,” said Charterhouse.
“Thanks to the support from IK and the hard work of our employees, Vemedia has expanded significantly at the same time as improving the underlying performance of the business during the last four years. We are pleased with the opportunity to cooperate with Cooper under Charterhouse’s ownership, which will enable our continued growth and international expansion,” said Rob Drenth, CEO of Vemedia.
The completion of the transaction, subject to customary approvals, is foreseen on 30 September 2016.


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Ice Rocket is off.ubSub maybe closing its doors but Mark Cuban is remaining in the RSS aggregation space now that the sale of Cuban backed
If Cuban gets back into RSS aggregation, this can only be good. He’s a champion in fighting spam blogs (he labeled ‘splogs’), that create a heck of a lot of static in monitoring keyword/key phrase monitoring via RSS feeds. Plus he’s a bright business guy. Though having sold the company once may be a telling sign that it’s not something he wants to pour money into.


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Less new companies
The number of registered new companies is falling.
In the past seven months of 2021, 210,000 companies were created. Compared to last year, this justifies the claim that the number of registered new economic activities is falling. At the same time, there is an increase in the number of liquidated and suspended enterprises. These data contradict the trends observed in the first few months of this year.
When looking for the reasons for this, experts point to the uncertainty of the economic situation, which prompts entrepreneurs to be very cautious.
It is worth noting that the construction sector is among the industries in which the number of established and suspended companies is growing at the same time. On the other hand, decisions on liquidation are most often made among entrepreneurs operating in the retail sector.


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A bill that would ban greyhound racing in Colorado is on its way to the governor’s desk.
Revenue generated by the industry had been dwindling for several years leading up to 2008, when Colorado’s last remaining greyhound racing track ceased …
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Revenue generated by the industry had been dwindling for several years leading up to 2008, when Colorado’s last remaining greyhound racing track ceased operations.
House Bill 1146 would ban greyhound racing from starting up again in the state, but would continue to allow for simulcast wagering at off-track betting facilities.
The bill, which is sponsored by Rep. K.C. Becker, D-Boulder, passed the Senate on Feb. 21, following a 20-15 vote.
It had previously passed the House.
A House committee on Feb. 20 gave unanimous approval to a bill that would create a statewide hit-and-run alert system.
House Bill 1191 would set up a program to alert the public when a serious hit-and-run accident occurs.
The bill, which is sponsored by Rep. Kathleen Conti, R-Littleton, is an extension of the Medina Alert that is currently being used in Denver. The alert system is named after Jose Medina, a 21-year-old parking valet who was killed by a hit-and-run driver on Denver’s Capitol Hill three years ago.
The Senate this week passed a bill that would expand current law that prohibits the sale of nicotine to minors.
It’s already illegal for stores to sell tobacco products to persons under the age of 18. Senate Bill 18 would expand the prohibition to include modern smoke products, such as electronic cigarettes.
The bill, which is being sponsored by Democratic Sens. Jeanne Nicholson of Black Hawk and Matt Jones of Louisville, passed the Senate on Feb. 24, following a 20-15 vote. The bill now heads to the House.
Two bills aimed at tightening retail marijuana laws have passed the House with unanimous support.
Rep. Daniel Kagan, D-Cherry Hills Village, is sponsoring the pieces of legislation which he believes makes the state’s marijuana code easier to enforce and regulates it the same as alcohol.
House Bill 1129 would give local jurisdictions the ability to submit fingerprints of those applying for retail marijuana establishment licenses to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation for criminal history inquires.
House Bill 1122 increases the penalty of selling marijuana to a minor a class 1 misdemeanor and it allows a retail establishment to seize a fake ID and alert law enforcement.
Both bills cleared the House last week with unanimous support.
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Visa networks across Europe crashed on Friday causing chaos for people trying to pay for things by card.
Thousands of attempted transactions were declined by the provider , leaving many people unable to pay for goods and services for hours.
But hundreds of customers have now checked their bank statements to find that they have in fact been charged for transactions which had been declined.
Angry customers have since taken to social media to complain to various businesses, banks and Visa themselves after allegedly being charged twice for card payments during the meltdown, Wales Online reports.
On Twitter, one user messaged Lloyds Bank saying: “I made a purchase at Sainsbury’s yesterday in the middle of the visa problems and it said not authorised when using contactless but worked using a pin, though I was charged twice. Will I get automatically refunded for this?”
Beth Cowell also reported the same issue and messaged restaurant chain Chiquito after being charged twice for her meal.
She wrote: “I was paying in your restaurant yesterday when all the visa problems started.
“I’ve just looked at my bank account and I’ve been charged twice. What should I do?”
Another, Ollie Bedborough claims to have been double charged when booking a hotel room through Booking.com .
“Booked a hotel yesterday and the first attempt was declined via Apple Pay,” he said.
“I assume because of the Visa issues, but the second attempt worked.
“However, I have checked and been charged twice! What do I need to do?”
A Visa spokesman said: “Our goal is to ensure all Visa cards work reliably 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
“We fell well short of this goal today and we apologise to all of our partners and, most especially, to Visa cardholders.”
The payment system was said to be operating at “close to normal levels” by 10.30pm on Friday, but Visa Europe posted a statement on its website in the early hours of Saturday to say the problems had been resolved.
It said: “ Visa Europe’s payment system is now operating at full capacity , and Visa account holders can now use Visa for any of their purchases and at ATMs, as they normally would.”
Visa have been asked to comment further on claims customers have been charged twice for transactions.


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INDIGENOUS FOOD FOR THOUGHT: TRADITIONAL AGRICULTURE WORKSHOP WITH BLACK DUCK FOODS
Words by Rosie Goslett-King, Women Rangers Environmental Network (WREN) Coordinator at WWF-Australia
In November 2022, Black Duck Foods held the first of many workshops for Indigenous people wishing to exchange skills and knowledge on traditional food practices and techniques. Ben (WWF-Au’s Indigenous Fire Coordinator) and I were thrilled to visit the farm since we first began supporting their work in 2021 through their successful application to the Regenerate Australia challenge. We were also stoked to meet the deadlyand learn about the big successes and barriers they have faced in managing their Country.
The 4 day mob-only workshop covered a variety of skills, tools, resources, and techniques both modern and ancient. From the endangered Murnong (Yam) to the high-tech bespoke grain processing equipment, Uncle Bruce Pascoe and the Yumburra Farm team have an absolute wealth of knowledge.
We all hope this knowledge will see the sustainable, endangered, healthy and climate friendly foods of our people reintroduced to everyone’s diet and culture. As a Yuin woman, I was especially excited to try and take home Murnong for the first time, a women’s plant my ancestors have been propagating for centuries and believe me, it tastes as refined as it sounds!
Growing native plants for food has a huge positive flow-on effect for biodiversity benefits, healthier waterways, socioeconomic gains, Indigenous Cultural pride and strength and a healthy landscape and diet for all people of Australia. Not to mention, Themeda Triandra (Kangaroo grass) bread is absolutely delicious!
A key aim of Black Duck Foods is to ensure Indigenous people’s place in the selling of Indigenous foods, making sure Indigenous Cultural Intellectual Property (ICIP) is acknowledged and that mob have secure access to healthy foods once again. Today Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are harvesting many native foods. That said, some other native species have been copyrighted by foreign investors who make great profits through this reductive system. It is crucial to Black Duck Foods that Indigenous people get a stake in this market as well as holding rights in the business and profits of their produce as they continue to be commodified and sold internationally.
I am so proud to witness and celebrate the achievements of Black Duck Foods both now and into the future. They are truly shining a light on the importance of traditional food knowledge, and its role in Australia’s agricultural story moving forward.


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Of course the cupertino company apple has not yet presented its flagships in 2022 but the network already has the first information about what awaits us in 2023 and now i will tell you about everything in more detail greetings to everyone my name is assoznan and before we start let’s discuss the news apple is expected to have a true punch hold display.
iPhone next year when samsung will help attack the rest of the face id kit underneath the led display of the iphone 15 reports their lack in order to do this apple is reportedly resorting to samsung under panel camera technologies that made a cameo on the eternal screen of the galaxy’s at fault 3. there’s at fault 4 this year will still use the same technology.
But for that fault 5 samsung is allegedly developing a new under display camera technology in partnership with the canadians from oti lumionix their new solution results when an organic acid patterning material is part and deposited with a fine metal mask and then their node is deposited with an open metal mask to avoid the cpm thus the magnesium silver alloy node material can cover a place without cpmd position.
Letting light through for a camera sensor underneath to take a picture all the while the display pattern looks uninterrupted unless you subject it to extreme close-up scrutiny this new under panel camera technology will reportedly be used first on the galaxy’s at fault five next summer and then to hide the face id module that will still be visible in iphone 14 spill shaped cutout underneath the display that would leave only the front facing selfie camera visible.
At the front of the iphone 15 or in other words in 2024 apple will be inventing the punch hole display phone that has been a staple of android handset makers for a while now apple will reportedly apply the new single punch hole front design only on the iphone 15 pro models too lg is also reportedly working on a similar under panel camera solution and aims to heat 40 light transparency by 2024.
At which point it may become a viable contender for the iphone 15 pro display supply so do you plan to upgrade to the new iphone this year and if so which model do you find the most interesting your answers as always you can leave in a comment section below i will definitely read every scene and i will answer the most interesting comments.


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Building a Successful Smart Home StrategySmart homes are no longer a technology of the future. They’re here today, enabled by a wide variety of devices and services that consumers are embracing in growing numbers.
As more consumers adopt smart home devices, CSPs need to rethink their business model with the smart home user in mind. Smart home technologies depend on fast and reliable connectivity, and if CSPs can satisfy these new demands, they can transform their current businesses, defend their market position in the face of new competition, and remain vital into the future.
Report Snap Shot
ABI Research forecasts that by 2026, the global smart home market will reach $317 billion, up from $85 billion in 2020.


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Sep 11, 2008
Mktg - Coming soon guilt-free chocolates
Your favourite chocolate may soon help you work, rest, play and even cut the calories, as the makers giving the delicious bar undergo a healthy makeover. The confectionery giant is set to remove artificial colours, flavourings and preservatives from Mars, Twix, Milky Way and Snickers bars. Chocolate experts insist the alterations will not change the taste but will improve the waistline. The move is part of Mars’ Raising The Bar campaign that aims to improve the health of its customers. After undergoing the makeover, funsize versions of Mars will contain fewer than 100 calories and nutritional information will be clearly displayed on products. “We’re constantly looking for ways to make the products better for the consumer,” The Daily Star quoted a company spokesman, as saying. “However, we’re still a treat food and should be seen as a small bit of pleasure in your day,” the rep added.


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Even with the dwindling demand in Greece and southern Europe and despite the economic data implying a cautious outlook in the U.S., BMW remains optimistic. This is because its new models are raising sales growth in emerging markets to as high as 70%.
In an interview, BMW Marketing Director Ian Robertson said that the markets in China, Brazil, South Korea and Turkey are having a sales growth of at least 60% while Europe is "a tale of north and south."
In London, Robertson said that BMW is anticipating much success as its markets are getting stronger; however, it sees “some potential risk."
He said that he believes some economies will face more difficulties. A few days ago, BMW's automotive division raised its profit and sales forecasts, explaining that the demand in the second quarter is expected to go up in the upcoming months.
BMW expects to sell 1.6 million vehicles in 2011, with earnings before interest and taxes surpassing 10% of revenue. He said that the U.S. auto market is far from its condition in 2007 when it peaked with sales of about 17 million units. He expects sales to reach 12.5 million to 13 million units from a low of about 10 million.
He said that there are several U.S. economic indicators that make BMW become “more cautious.” He explained that the unemployment rate isn’t improving and the housing market has yet to recover.
The U.S. sales of the BMW Group have risen by 18% this year through June, with its BMW brand reporting a 13% sales increase while the Mini brand is up 42%. This year, the overall U.S. car and light truck market has grown by around 13%.


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5 Powerful HR & Recruiting Tech Trends in 2016
DECEMBER 18, 2015
SalesForce, the CRM giant has partnered with several HR technology companies including TalentObjects and JobScience. The market is booming. I predict unemployment numbers will dip below 5% for the first time in Q1 of 2016. We’re experiencing a strong holiday retail season which points to a positive economic outlook for 2016.


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Just in time for the metrosexual revolution: The Men’s Grooming Lounge, a three-year-old barbershop/men’s spa in Washington, is trying to make the most of the gift-giving season by launching a print catalog this month.
The 24-page catalog, which features 150 grooming products for men, mailed to 7,500 customers and requesters earlier this month. Cofounder Michael Gilman claims that it’s the only catalog in the U.S. devoted exclusively to such merchandise. Products include the $12 Jack Black All-Over Wash, the $14 King of Shaves Kinexium Facial Moisturizer, and the $39 Molton Brown Eye Rescue. The average price point is $25; the average order size, $100.
Gilman helped start the business following an uncomfortable visit to a salon for a manicure before his wedding. “There was no place guys could feel comfortable and get all the products and services,” he emphasizes. “There was nothing targeted toward guys.”
Men’s Grooming Lounge, which has been featured in magazines such as “Playboy,” “GQ,” and “People,” has not yet invested in advertising for the new catalog. In the first quarter of 2004, though, it will begin prospecting, with a goal of growing the mailing list to 20,000 by the end of the year. The company also plans to open a second spa, in the Washington suburbs. Gilman says the company would like to open two stores a year beginning in 2005.


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While most people are focusing on battles between technology companies or between entertainment companies, a more important skirmish is shaping up between Walt Disney, the leading entertainment company, and Google, the biggest Internet search firm.
Investors who only focus on Europe might be missing out on gains in shares of American companies, he said.
Cramer makes the call on viewers' favorite stocks.
The primary question: are providers inappropriately limiting competition from online video services like Netflix and Hulu by capping the amount of data/videos subscribers can stream every month?
Emotional sell-offs related to the fears of any country's exit or other euro zone related issues are tremendous buying opportunities for high quality multinational U.S. stocks — they are extremely cheap, their businesses are growing and the entirety of the euro zone, generally speaking, makes up less than 20 percent of U.S. exports.
"Facebook is just not a big gaming platform compared to mobile," says Doug Creutz, Cowen & Company analyst, discussing why shares of Zynga are down sharply.
We've compiled a list of the games you can expect to be in demand this coming holiday season. Click through to see the hottest games.
Take a look at some of Thursday’s morning movers:
Zynga will participate in E3 for the first time. But instead of using the media-saturated event to showcase its titles, Zynga's there with another goal in mind: capturing the eye of some of the industry's best talent.
Disney is rolling out nutrition rules. Dennis Berman, The Wall Street Journal, and Mark DiMassimo, DIGO founder & CEO, discuss.
Take a look at some of Tuesday's midday movers:
The Walt Disney said it will become the first major media company to ban junk food ads onits TV channels, radio stations and websites intended for children.
Here's our Fast Money Final Trade. Our gang gives you tomorrow's best trades, right now!
Disney CEO Bob Iger finally appointed a new chairman of Walt Disney studios-- Alan Horn, who was President and COO of Warner Brothers Entertainment. Horn replaces Rich Ross, who left on April 20th in the wake of the John Carter bomb.
If you’re somewhat optimistic, if you think the tape will hold, the Fast pros say the following stocks belong on your radar.
In the past five months, 18 Dow components announced dividend increases, including companies such as Chevron, JPMorgan and IBM.
Fantasy is a movie genre that requires huge budgets but sometimes it's worth the investment. Which are the highest grossing fantasy movies of all time? Find out!
Sponsoring niche sports costs less, but can stıll pack a marketing punch.
These days there are no dress-for-success rules, other than being put-together from head to toe, no detail spared. Here are the CEOs who have it down pat.
Take a look at some of Monday’s morning movers:


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Report: EU Proposal Would Limit All Cars to 70 MPH for "Safety" Reasons
September 3, 2013 7:06 PM
comment(s) - last by
(Source: Wallpaper Den)
Bye bye autobahn
Europe has been known as the birthplace of some of the world's fastest cars with luxury-minded speed-demons from Italian brands like Volkswagen AG's (
) Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A., German brands like Daimler AG's (
) Mercedes-Benz, or the UK's Bentley Motor Group Ltd. (also a Volkswagen property). Indeed, perhaps no highway system is as famous as Germany's autobahns, where there is no
enforced speed limit
But all of that could soon be changing.
The European Union's
Mobility and Transport Departmen
t -- a branch of the EU's market regulatory body, the European Commission (EC) -- is preparing an extreme proposal to counter auto fatalities in the region. UK newspaper
the office of Patrick McLoughlin, the UK's Transport Secretary as warning of the controversial proposal.
The EU is looking to pull the plug on drivers travelling over 70 mph. [Image Source: Porsche]
Reportedly the EC approached Mr. McLoughlin with a pending proposal that sought to use an Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA) scheme to prevent any new vehicles sold in the EU
from going over 70 miles per hour
. The EC officials argued that the proposal was necessary to curb the over 30,000 drivers who die each year on Europe's streets.
But Mr. McLoughlin blasted the proposal; with a "government source" close his office commenting:
This has Big Brother written all over it and is exactly the sort of thing that gets people's backs up about Brussels. The Commission wanted [Mr. McLoughin's] views ahead of plans to publish the proposals this autumn. He made it very clear what those views were.
An EC spokesperson confirmed that talks about new speed regulation are pending, remarking:
There is a currently consultation focusing on speed-limiting technology already fitted to HGVs and buses. Taking account of the results, the Commission will publish in the autumn a document by its technical experts which will no doubt refer to ISA among many other things
the more basic free market and cost issues
, another problem with the proposal arguably is the fact the EU member states vary greatly in traffic fatalities. Out of Britain's thirty eight million motorists, there are only 1,754 fatalities in 2012 -- a 0.0046 percent death rate. By contrast Germany's forty-five million motorists in 2012 got in 3,657 fatalities -- a 0.0081 percent death rate (almost twice as high).
This controversy may be laid to rest -- or further ignited -- when
self-driving (autonomous or semi-autonomous) cars
hit the market.
, Inc. (
and Nissan Motor Comp.
, Ltd. (
) are among the companies working to bring self-driving car technology to the market.
This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
RE: scary proposal.
9/4/2013 9:02:11 AM
I don't know how it is in other europian countries but here in holland it's allowed by law to break the speed limit for a short time only in case you have to overtake another car.
Say the limit is 120 km/h, and another car is going 110 km/h, then you basically *have* to speed up to about 130 km/h to pass that car in a timely and safely manner. The law recognises this and it's allowed.
In fact large trucks can only go 80 km/h and aren't allowed to pass eachother on the highway just for this fact. When they do it takes such a long time for them to pass eachother there's a real risk of "Ghost traffic", where you end up in a traffic jam and at the end speed up out of it again without ever having passed a accident or road construction or whatever. Becuase of the ripple effect of 2 trucks going 80 km/h blocking the passenger cars going 120 km/h.
For reference, 70 mp/h is about 112 km/h, while the passenger car speed limit here is 120 km/h on most highways while being 130 km/h and 80 km/h on a few select ones. So there's no way these regulations will fly because there's too much variation in local laws.
This is just the brussels gravy train trying to look usefull. The plan will get shot down and once again they'll have spent about half a year working and staffing another plan that'd never work in the first place. Did you know that just this year, with "austerity" gripping the continent, brussels asked for a 8% increase in budget?
RE: scary proposal.
9/4/2013 12:00:26 PM
80km/h? I would go stark raving mad! I thought California was bad with their 90km/h in a zone where autos go 118km/h.
And no passing? Yeah that makes me cry. Today I have 10,000 pounds of cargo and ahead of me is a good half dozen mountain climbs. Getting stuck behind a truck going 35km/h where I can easily get 100km/h up the same... insane!
did you know my truck model gets the same fuel economy at 100km/h as it does 112km/h? That is because the way the gearing works in the CAT Engine I have. It gets more efficient at higher speeds.
RE: scary proposal.
9/7/2013 11:18:02 AM
Well take into consideration the Netherlands is about as flat as a country gets. No mountains. Also the no overtaking rule for trucks is only in effect in certain locations on the highway and only during certain hours. Add to that the fact that we don't have the monster trucks like the US has... It's not too bad really :). Also looking at the Netherlands from west to east it's about 130-140km across, so traffic permitting you won't spend more than 2 hours driving from the port of Rotterdam to Germany.
RE: scary proposal.
9/5/2013 11:32:47 AM
If large trucks are limited to 80 km/h, the best solution to avoid accidents is to limit everyone to 80 km/h. You've solved the overtaking speed-differential problem, improved the fuel efficiency of all road vehicles generally therefore reducing pollution, and reduced the risk of accidents.
Anyone who is in a hurry to get somewhere else can always catch the train (or plane for international journeys).
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The Department of Homeland Security and the FBI are concerned in the investigation. The hack poses a serious danger of identification theft and fraud for the victims and is considered one of the largest in US historical past. The hackers were able to acquire entry to names, addresses, dates of start, Social Security numbers, and driver’s license numbers.
The recent announcement of a support bundle from the UK government for the Semiconductor business has received a mixed reception. Prime Minister Sunak announced this transfer as part of a ten year plan to make the country a expertise superpower. Mr Modi appreciated GE for its long run commitment of producing in India and called for GE’s larger expertise collaborations in India through the interplay with Lawrence Culp Jr. He wants GE to play a a lot bigger position in India. The Prime Minister invited Applied Materials to contribute in the development of course of know-how and advanced packaging capabilities in India. The potential of collaboration between Applied Materials and educational institutions in India to create skilled workforce was lined in the talks.
The company has launched improved translation choices. Users can now translate specific sections of a website into different languages. The Federal Cartel Office warned the parent firm of the search engine that it meant to ban some anticompetitive practices.
The later the tech group is introduced in, the more difficult it will be to develop actually progressive expertise options and combine them successfully. Health care is an older trade with a well worn model of doing the same things again and again. Critics say that nonprofits dominate large segments of the health care industry. The business’s integration of tech solutions is hampered by the reality that third parties like the federal government and private insurers make the funds. Businesses that purchased software program from Microsoft for their own information centers face restrictions and surcharges once they migrate those licenses to Microsoft’s top cloud opponents.
Mobile networks help drive social and financial inclusion in the country. The robust digital infrastructure being established in India will help the nation bridge the digital divide, create jobs, drive entrepreneurship and enhance the economic system, based on the Head of Ericsson India. It will automate processes to the purpose that suppliers can engage with their sufferers on a deeper stage and increase a human connection that makes them feel valued.
600 Folks Will Be Employed To Set Up A Tech Centre
The aim of the campus is to drive innovation and remodel the financial companies business. The DIFC Innovation Hub hopes to attract $300 million in investments and 3000 job alternatives within the subsequent five years. British corporations like OakNorth, Tide and the London Stock Exchange at the second are included within the financial ecosystem in Hyderabad. He mentioned that there are software program companies centered on banking and monetary services within the metropolis. There was a bug within the Privacy Dashboard that caused the messaging app to entry the device’s microphone, and now it has been mounted.
The new course of of creating know-how is having a massive impact on people’s lives. Signify Health, a technology and companies firm, was acquired by CVS Health on March 29 to handle gaps in affected person care, deliver caregivers into patients’ properties and handle social determinants of health. Microsoft and Oracle did not reply to requests for remark.
The assist package would allow this industry to develop and enhance the national financial system, which would keep at the front of the innovative technology business. It is believed that the UK produces a small quantity of the worldwide supply of semiconductors. There is a large amount of scope for future development, as the country has an Quick foster £11 billion share of an business that’s price almost half a billion dollars. Semiconductors are chips that are used in a lot of totally different products. The battle is on for the UK to save lots of its Semiconductor industry because of the massive demand for these items all over the world.
As civilians, all of us agree that the health care system is not consumer pleasant. When you show up every day, our work can actually inspire you. We are beginning to gravitate towards health care because we’re realizing how advanced and attention-grabbing the issues are. It’s gratifying to work on one thing that is never before been done. There is an opportunity for technology to have an effect. We are partaking people in a complete new method now that issues are different.
The Battle To Save The UK’s Semiconductor Business Issues
According to a report by ZDNet, the HR professionals are turning to Artificial Intelligence for help since some conversations may be troublesome. The chips are utilized in a wide range of devices that safe communications and knowledge. HiSilicon is a subsidiary of Huawei, which has been banned by the US and different nations for posing a nationwide safety threat. Although it was created to compete with other online providers, the product never gained a lot reputation amongst customers.
The Analysts Have Been Quoted As Saying That The Launch Window For The Iphone Se 4 Is Unlikely
It was thought that a rebranded model of an existing foldable cellphone just like the Oppo Find N2 could be released by OnePlus. The device has a singular design based on the leak from OnLeaks. In order to create a thriving group of Artificial Intelligence pushed initiatives within the area, the ‘Dubai AI & Web three.zero Campus’ aims to attract international innovators, startups and industry leaders. The largest cluster of Artificial Intelligence and tech firms in the Middle East and North Africa will be positioned at the DIFC premises.


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One of the most important changes will be the automatic protection against ad tracking.
Mozilla has announced some hard steps to ensure user privacy on its Firefox browser. In its latest blog, the company said that over the next few months it will be rolling out certain key features which will give users more control over their data and also improve the web performance.
One of the most important changes will be the automatic protection against ad tracking. In Firefox 65 version, the company plans to strip cookies and block storage access from third-party tracking content.
In addition to this, future versions of Firefox will also cut down on harmful data collection or cryptomining practices by websites. With Firefox 63 version, the company will also block slow-loading trackers by default to help improve overall web performance.


text:
Things are looking up for the character business in Korea, according to an article in the English Chosun.
Industry size. The sales volume of the character industry in Korea totaled W4.288 trillion in 2005, with Korean characters claiming a 41 percent share of the market, up 6 percentage points from three years before.
Trade Surplus. According to data on character-related products, the export volume of W163.6 billion surpassed the import volume of W123.4 billion in 2005. This is a turnaround from the previous year. 2004 figures suggest exports were W134.2 billion and imports W148 billion.
The successful overseas debut of Pucca was the fruit of a multinational collaboration. Korea’s Vooz Character Systems developed and marketed Pucca, the U.K.’s Jetix put up the funds, Canada’s Studio B produced the animation, and an American writer took care of the story. Korea’s advanced information technology did its part in the development of the character.
Taiwan Government has approved a set of plans to promote the development of Taiwan’s digital content industry, according to an article in Digitimes.
Focusing on computer animation and games software, the plans aim to increase the industry’s annual production value from NT$341.2 billion (US$10.34 billion) in 2006 to NT$600 billion in 2011.
The National Development Fund under the Executive Yuan will appropriate NT$20 billion for a five-year budget to encourage R&D in computer animation and games software by investing in private projects, especially joint ventures (JV) with international partners, the Executive Yuan indicated. Once such R&D projects pass examination by the government, the fund will commit investment before the projects kick off, an important measure to facilitate R&D on a long-term basis, the Executive Yuan pointed out.
Growing the industry 1.75 times its original size in five years is an ambitious numerical goal to achieve. Encouraging R&D is a positive step, but notably the government intends to invest in projects rather than offering tax offsets (which has both merits and demerits). What the government panel defines as “R&D” is also unclear; is it the development of a game or animated work, or does it refer to development of tools, middleware, and engines for games developers and artists to use?
In addition, there will be a five-year subsidy budget of NT$4.12 billion, including: NT$1.36 billion to subsidize Taiwan-based production of about 60 animation films as well as games software in an attempt to cultivate Taiwan’s R&D capabilities; NT$330 million to subsidize the broadcast of Taiwan produced animated video by terrestrial and cable TV companies, bringing the proportion of animation broadcast in Taiwan that was produced locally from 0.33% in 2006 to 10% in 2011; and finally, the promotion of more than 10 animated films and games characterized by vivid Taiwan imagery in the international market.
These animation subsidies appears to clearly emphasise the production of local content, taking on almost an import-substitution-like policy goal. Whether subsidised productions that presumably display imagery easily identifiable as Taiwanese can be successfully sold in the international market is also questionable.
Asahi.com article indicates that the sale of digital content in Japan in 2006 was worth 2.77 trillion yen, up 8.3 percent from the previous year.
Figures come from Digital Content Industry Association of Japan. Online sales (PC and mobile) were worth 900 million or 32 percent of total sales.


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The Union Budget 2019-20 is not even a week away. Modi 2.0 is all set to present its full-year budget for FY20. This year’s budget would be presented by the newly appointed, country’s first full-time women finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on July 5.
What do the Associations expect from Modi 2.0?
Unfortunately, India’s Union Budget for the fiscal year 2018-19 failed to address the new world order. India’s electronics industry expected a lot of things from the Union Budget. But, in return, they received no hope from the government. This time, again at the Budget edge, Associations are looking a new way out and are expecting their opinions and ideas to be fulfilled by Modi Government. Let’s have a look at what the Associations say:
- The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM)
The not for profit apex national body – Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) has shared the proposal to the Government, for GST reduction on vehicles.
Commenting on the same, Rajan Wadhera, President, SIAM, said, “The automotive industry is currently facing a daunting challenge of a deep slowdown that urgently needs some form of stimulus from Government to supplement the efforts being made by the industry in reversing the industry fortunes towards positive performance. Even in the past the Government has offered stimulus to propel growth and it has reversed the growth in the positive direction. In addition to the reduced demand today, new safety and emission norms that would come into play in the next few months would further drive up the cost of vehicles, leading to further pressure on demand. A reduction in the GST rates would go a long way in maintaining the price competitiveness of the industry and boosting the consumer demand.”
“Industry is looking up to Government to provide urgent support to overcome this trying period and is equivocal in seeking this support from Government in the forthcoming Union Budget,” added Wadhera.
Key Recommendations from SIAM:
– GST rate on all categories of vehicles should be brought down to 18% from current 28%.
– A fleet modernization programme should be introduced to get the polluting, unsafe and old vehicles off the road.
– Corporate tax rate for all companies should be brought down to 25%, as was indicated by the Finance Minister in his speech.
– Weighted deduction for R&D activities should be reinstated at 200% till such time the corporate tax rates are reduced to 25%.
ELCINA, the Electronic Industries Association of India, expects from the Government to allocate suitable budgetary provisions for electronics sector to incentivize Value Addition.
Dr. Ashish Saurikhia, Coordinator (Policy and Research), ELCINA said, “The Electronics sector has been in focus for the last decade and is widely recognized as one of the driving forces for a vibrant and modern society. ESDM (Electronic Systems Design and Manufacturing) is commonly referred to as a ‘meta resource’ which cuts across sectors and drives efficiency, affordability, sustainability, delivery of services and inclusive growth. While new and creative policies have been formulated to promote electronics manufacturing since the 1960’s, it is only around 2009-10 that a focused and comprehensive effort was undertaken to address the challenges faced by this sector. ESDM sector has continued sluggish progress vis-à-vis the growth in domestic demand and global expansion of electronics manufacturing and advances in technology resulting in an uncompetitive industry plagued with disabilities and a market dominated by imported goods.”
“Make in India can be a reality only if the investor is reasonably assured of profitability and MSME’s are given due support to flourish. At present this is not the case and it is much safer and easier to import or follow the SKD or at best CKD assembly model. Government in this budget should come up with policies to incentivize Value Addition in the sector. ELCINA recommends that a suitable budgetary provisions should be allocated for electronics sector especially for components and assemblies,” added Dr. Saurikhia.
Talking upon the MSME’s benefits, Dr. Saurikhia said, “It is recommended that VAMS should be announced in line with MSIPS for high value addition segments such as Components, PCBs & ATMP by providing direct investment subsidy. This is recommended through Interest Subsidy on Term Loans and Working Capital Credit, Direct Tax benefits through lower corporate tax rate and subsidies for Employment generation and Skill Development. MSME’s must have a specific mention in this Budget as they are not getting benefits under current MSME Act definition which defines a very low Investment Limit of only upto Rs 10 Cr for Medium Scale enterprises.”
Key Recommendations from ELCINA:
– Incentives Linked to Value Addition: VAMS (Value Added Manufacturing Scheme) to replace MSIPS encouraging Components, PCB and ATMP of Semiconductors:
– Promotion of domestic manufacturing of ITA items:
- Deemed export status for the manufacture of ITA-1 items
- Disincentivise imports of PCB Assemblies (PCBA’s) by imposing BCD (or increasing BCD to 15%) on non-ITA-1 PCBA’s.
- In case of ITA-1 PCBA’s where BCD cannot be imposed, credit of IGST on imports should be disallowed.- Inputs regarding EMC Scheme.- Promotion of Manufacturing of Passive, Electro mechanical and Interconnection components (PEMIEC Component Group).
– Electronic Component Manufacturing Fund.
– Promotion of PCB manufacturing in the country.
– Specific Inputs on Taxes & Procedures.
In order to impact the policy and legislative environment and foster balanced economic, industrial and social development. ASSOCHAM, the representative organ has proposed the Pre-budget memorandum to the Government, which states that tax exemption limit should be increased
The basic exemption limit for an individual income tax payee should be raised to Rs 5 lakh from Rs 2.50 lakh at present, in the backdrop of the inflationary impact over the years, the ASSOCHAM has proposed in its pre-Budget memorandum to the Government.
“Considering the inflation over the years, tax exemption limit should be increased from Rs. 250,000 to Rs. 500,000,” the chamber’s memorandum to the Finance Ministry stated.
The chamber also suggested that “to bring in the necessary parity amongst salaried and non-salaried tax payers, it is desirable that standard deduction be reinstated in the statute. Approximately 20% of the gross salary subject to a maximum limit of, say, Rs.1,00,000 could be considered for the purpose of standard deduction.”
The pre-Budget memorandum also said “tax exemption for LTC or allowance is currently restricted to the value incurred for travel and it does not include expenses on accommodation or meals. ”In case of travel, significant costs would be incurred on accommodation and food and hence, the exemption should cover these as well.”
Key Recommendations from ASSOCHAM:
– Request for clarity on applicable duty rates on import of electrically-operated vehicles (EV)
– Change in BCD rate
- Telecom Equipment Manufacturers Association of India (TEMA)
The Telecom Equipment Manufacturers Association of India, in its new pre-budget proposal, expects for high import duties on telecom and electronics equipment.
Commenting on the new pre-budget memorandum proposed to Government, N.K. Goyal, Chairman, TEMA said, “The Government is giving high focus for Make in India in telecom and electronics. It is a well-known fact that import of telecom and electronics is going to be much more than all. The Government has already announced number of initiatives for CMA and Make in India. We are looking for:
– Higher import duties on import of telecom and electronics equipment, which is at the rate of 10% at present, we have asked Government to increase it to 100%, to incentivise Make in India.
– Stronger implementation of PMA MII.
– For a policy from the Government for 5G and 6G, Government should allow only Make in India Products.”
- Indian Electrical and Electronics Manufacturers’ Association (IEEMA)
The apex association of manufacturers of electrical, industrial electronics and allied equipment in India, IEEMA expects from the Ministry to announce a series of measures to further accelerate the growth of electrical equipment industry and the power sector as a whole. The industry is facing slowdown in few product segments, due to lack of demand and increasing imports that has touched approx. USD 10.24 billion in 2018-19.
Harish Agarwal, President, IEEMA said, “It is high time for the Government to increase
the competiveness of the domestic electrical equipment industry by reducing the cost of
manufacturing through favourable tax structure; quality infrastructure; availability and
controlling the landed cost of necessary imported raw materials & components. High cost of finance is another area of concern, especially for the SME segment, with limited funding options, given its appetite for working capital.”
He further recommended, “There should be zero Basic Customs Duty on imports of CRGO
Steel and Amorphous Alloy Ribbon, till the time these are produced indigenously. Since
neither of these materials are manufactured in India now there is no one to be protected in
the form of Basic customs Duty”.
Sunil Misra, Director General, IEEMA opined, “We also recommend for abolition of MAT
and reduction in corporate and personal income tax as these steps would help in increasing
consumption and in turn promote economic growth. Quick refund mechanism for all
embedded taxes and duties in entire value chain under GST is another key to promote
sustainable growth of the industry. Finished electrical equipment (largely under Chapter 84
and 85) attract basic customs duty, ranging from 7.5% to 10%, while the same product are
also imported at a concessional basic customs duty of 5%, under the Project Imports, bringing in disadvantage and lack of level playing field for the domestic industry. Domestic
industry needs to be given equivalent benefits to compete this concessions.”


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Geoff Manne on the EC’s antitrust powers
Townhall – ICLE President Geoffrey Manne was cited by Townhall in a piece about antitrust legislation recently introduced in the U.S. Senate. You can read the full piece here.
If these reform efforts succeed, lawmakers will have created a powerful antitrust regime that outlaws pro-competitive, beneficial conduct but is insulated from scrutiny. Just like the European Commission, which holds significant discretionary power and, according to legal expert Geoffrey Manne, “enjoys remarkable — even implausible — success in defending its decisions.”


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Virgil Abloh, an influential fashion designer and founder of Off-White fashion house has died at age 41.
LVMH, the corporation, which owns Louis Vuitton, announced the shocking news, attributing his cause of death to cancer.
“LVMH, Louis Vuitton and Off White are devastated to announce the passing of Virgil Abloh, on Sunday, November 28th, of cancer, which he had been battling privately for several years,” the statement reads.
A lengthier tribute describes the late fashion designer as a “genius” and “visionary” while paying homage to his character.
The statement offers condolences to his wife, Shannon Sundberg, and their two children.
In addition to launching the famous Off-White fashion house in Milan, Abloh was also the artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear collection.
Virgil Abloh’s cause of death was from a rare form of cancer
The late fashion designer’s Instagram page, which has 6.5 million followers, released a statement about his death, giving insight into his private cancer battle in the lengthy statement.
“For over two years, Virgil valiantly battled a rare, aggressive form of cancer, cardiac angiosarcoma. He chose to endure his battle privately since his diagnosis in 2019, undergoing numerous challenging treatments, all while helming several significant institutions that span fashion, art, and culture.”
According to Cancer Research UK, cardiac angiosarcoma or angiosarcoma of the heart is a rare form of soft tissue sarcoma.
It is so rare that a common cause has not been found, but this form of cancer has been linked to past radiotherapy treatment.
Tributes pour in for Virgil Abloh
Many fans expressed shock as Virgil died at just 41 years of age. Many collaborators and supporters paid tribute to him on social media.
A fan thanked the late artist for his iconic album covers.
“rest in peace to Virgil Abloh. thank you for giving us these iconic album covers,” he wrote.
Streaming company Tidal praised Virgil for his great work with the following tribute:
“Our hearts are broken over the monumental loss of the creative genius, visionary, and icon — Virgil Abloh. Rest in Power, Virgil.”
Virgil Abloh was also known for his collaborations and friendship with Kanye West. They met in the same internship at Fendi in 2009.
Virgil’s big break came when he gained critical acclaim and recognition for designing the cover art for Kanye and Jay-Z’s collaborative album Watch the Throne. He earned a Grammy nomination for Best Recording Package for the 2011 album.
The statement on his Instagram account reveals that the influential fashion designer is survived by: “his loving wife Shannon Abloh, his children Lowe Abloh and Grey Abloh, his sister Edwina Abloh, his parents Nee and Eunice Abloh, and numerous dear friends and colleagues..”
Virgin Abloh was 41 years old.More: Virgil Abloh


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Telecom giants, Airtel Uganda have launched a nationwide program named Franchise Partner Development Training aimed at giving various skills to the company franchise owners across the country.
Speaking about the program, the Airtel Uganda Chief Commercial Officer Amit Kapur said the program will help empower Ugandans to create jobs and subsequent sustainable livelihoods.
“Through this training, franchise partners will be equipped with business skill sets that will see them become efficient, improve their individual performance and hence become more profitable. This will replicate into a sustained value chain creating jobs for agents and Sim Selling Outlets.”
The Airtel Uganda Regional Business Manager, Christian Ongecu confirmed Airtel’s commitment towards offering partners the requisite support they require as they do business with the company.
“Through engagements like the Franchise Partner Development Program, we are reaffirming our position as a committed and dedicated business partner. Avenues such as these enable us to bring our services closer to the communities, and in turn increase our footprint across the country and beyond,” Ongecu said.
The training will cover topics including; personal money management, basic business skills and tax compliance among others.
According to officials from the telecom company, a hybrid of both theory and practical aspects will be handled and facilitators from within the company, the Uganda Revenue Authority and National Social Security Fund will help train franchise owners.
Joseph Musoke, the Business Manager for Airtel Uganda said the move will subsequently have a multiplier effect on other Ugandans.
“It will skill our franchise partners to get skills but ultimately the customer will benefit through enhanced services. After getting this knowledge, the same will be passed onto other members of the public,” Musoke said.


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After Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman blamed the use of Ola and Uber for the slowdown in the country's automobile sector, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday said that Mumbai’s BEST buses were facing loss due to such cab services.
Speaking to media, Uddhav Thackeray said, "Nirmala Sitharaman says that Ola and Uber caused the slowdown in the auto sector, however, in my opinion, Ola and Uber have caused major loss to the Mumbai BEST buses."
Nirmala Sitharaman's statement in a press conference on September 15 had created a huge stir across the country. She had said that millennials are one of the reasons behind the economic slowdown in the auto sector as they prefer taking Ola and Uber cabs.
"The automobile industry is now affected by BS6 and the mindsets of millennial, who now prefer to have Ola or Uber rather than committing to buying an automobile," ANI had quoted Nirmala Sitharaman as saying.
Nirmala Sitharaman said this while mentioning new measures to fight the economic slowdown and boost the automobile sector of the country.
The Mumbai BEST buses are currently facing major financial losses. The management is trying hard to bring in new ways to attract the crowd back.
Earlier, the authorities had slashed down the prices by almost 50 per cent.
On Monday, the management introduced new mini-buses in Mumbai, which are 20 seater with AC and non-AC facilities. These buses will run on shorter routes in congested areas.


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Participants discussed investment opportunities for Siberia development and a forest products sector reform
Ilim Group took part in the Baikal International Forum of Partners held on August 18-20, 2021 in Irkutsk. This year, the key topics of the forum included innovations and investments to ensure a comprehensive development of Siberia and a forest products sector reform.
At the forum, Alexander Lykhin, Vice-President, Asia, Head of the Beijing Representative Office of JSC Ilim Group, spoke about the outlook for partnership between Russian and Chinese businesses. With 25 years of operations in China celebrated this year, Ilim intends to further develop its business in the Chinese market. In particular, in 2022, Ilim will place in service the largest KLB Mill in Russia focused on exports to China.
In 2020, despite the pandemic, Ilim delivered a record high volume of 1.6 million tons to China. By 2025, Ilim intends to increase its export volumes up to 2.4 million tons.
According to Alexander Lykhin, there are certain prerequisites for Ilim to further expand its presence and increase its share in the Chinese market. China is building up its tissue and packaging paper capacities, thus driving a higher consumption of softwood pulp. The tissue as well as kraftliner and white paperboard segments of the Chinese market are expected to grow by 5% and 2% per year, respectively.
A universal logistics network is one of Ilim’s key competitive advantages allowing Ilim to successfully develop its business in China. Ilim’s production sites are located in the Irkutsk Oblast close to the northern Chinese border, which ensures fast and stable supplies. The Company delivers its products to North China through four border terminals and to coastal China through the Far East sea ports. Ilim is also actively ramping up its supplies to Central and Southwest China within the Belt and Road Initiative.
The participants of the Baikal International Forum of Partners also discussed the ban on export of unprocessed wood of certain species from Russia to be imposed from 2022. The forest products sector reform is aimed, inter alia, to promote value-added processing of wood in Russia.
Ilim Group products are consumed by more than 500 mills in 20 regions of China. In 2021, Ilim has started active operations in the market of Southwest China where it intends to become a key player. In December 2020, Ilim Group and its Chinese partner Xiamen C&D Corporation signed an agreement on export to Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan and Guangxi provinces, as well as to Chongqing municipality. In the coming four years, Ilim plans to deliver to Southwest China up to 300 thousand tons of pulp and 180 thousand tons of paperboard per year.
Moreover, Ilim Group continues to strengthen and expand its presence in Northeast China. In the end of 2020, Ilim became an exclusive supplier of bleached SW pulp for Liaoning Yusen Sanitary Products Co, Ltd. tissue plant, which is the largest plant in the region with an annual design capacity of 360 thousand tons of tissue.


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Modern citizen-consumers should actively support liberal democracies and question consumption practices that favour authoritarian states, Rod Nixon writes.
The truism that ‘democracy is good for business’, with its implication that the reverse also holds, is ailing. Xi Jinping is now China’s president-for-life, and the military junta of the successful automobile-producing nation of Thailand has recently foregone another opportunity to pass control to a genuinely democratic government.
From this year’s rankings from Freedom House and World Bank Ease of Doing Business, it can be seen that of the top 50 countries, only 31 are ‘Free’ – or truly democratic. A further 10 rate ‘partly free’ with the remaining nine rating ‘not free’.
China, Russia, and Thailand belong to this third category and combined, the three have a gross domestic product of $15.5 trillion. Notably, China is the world’s leading exporter of merchandise valued at $2.26 trillion in total.
It’s a perverse outcome, therefore, that free trade – which should promote liberalisation – is fostering the development of an authoritarian superpower.
The economic success of authoritarian states highlights the need for both a more critical approach to democratic transition and new drivers of change.
Looking at trade between authoritarian states and ‘Prosperous Liberal Democracies’ (PLDs) is a good place to start. I define PLDs as OECD member-states that have also been endorsed as ‘free’ by Freedom House.
While membership of the OECD requires observance of democratic principles, three countries – namely Turkey, Hungary, and Mexico – no longer seem to be meeting these criteria.
Data sourced from the World Trade Organisation clarifies the extent to which the world’s 33 PLDs source merchandise from authoritarian states. China is the leading source of merchandise imports for six PLDs – Australia, Chile, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, and the US. China and Russia are among the top two sources of merchandise imports for 27 of them. In total, PLD imports from authoritarian states for 2016-2017 were valued at $1.55 trillion.
Given the total PLD population of 1.07 billion people, this equates to a minimum average annual spending of US $1,456.96 per PLD resident on authoritarian state merchandise – excluding domestic profits, costs, and taxes. On average, a minimum of 13.47 per cent of imports into PLDs are sourced from authoritarian states.
It is also useful to examine merchandise trade from the other side.
PLDs consume around 40 to 50 per cent of total merchandise exports of featured authoritarian states. This suggests that authoritarian states would indeed be vulnerable to boycott action by PLD consumers, although exposure is likely to vary according to the state’s particular export profile.
Between China, Russia, Thailand, and Turkey, the first appears most exposed to an effective consumer boycott. Not only is China the world’s largest merchandise exporter at $2.26 trillion, but PLDs have recently consumed over half (50.15 per cent) its merchandise exports.
Some 93.7 per cent of these are manufactures, products that are commonly labelled, and therefore more easily distinguishable to consumers for the purpose of a boycott than for instance fuel or mining products.
With Freedom House now citing a global 13-year decline in political rights and civil liberties, one might expect new means of incentivising democratisation, rewarding states that uphold minimum human rights standards, and constraining the growth of resolutely authoritarian states.
But it’d be remiss to wait for leaders of liberal democracies to take the initiative, as their addiction to free trade and economic engagements with authoritarian states may already be too far gone. Although export-related, the Australian government’s recent approval of weapons sales to Saudi Arabia is a case in point.
In any case, democratic citizens are the ultimate custodians and beneficiaries of democracy. If there is to be a bright future for liberal democracy, it might be up to the billion PLD citizen-consumers to address the flow of resources to authoritarian states.
Whether we are concerned about such developments as, for example, a developing military alliance between China and Russia or the mass-internment of ethnic minorities – there could be merit in reflecting on our own consumption patterns.
Rightly, we may cringe at the transgressions of democracies, and seek means of improving them, but there remains a strong distinction between the world’s imperfect liberal democracies and authoritarian states.
Everywhere, people have benefited from progressive political, human rights, and environmental changes that owe their origins to the freedom of inquiry and expression that has flourished in liberal democracies. It may be time to ditch free trade and, instead, ‘buy democratically’.