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EPA Proposes Reopening Dangerous Loophole That Would Keep Dirty Trucks on the Road
WASHINGTON (Nov. 9, 2017) – The Environmental Protection Agency today proposed repealing modern emissions standards for freight trucks that combine an old engine with a new frame. The Obama administration closed the loophole when it updated clean air safeguards for medium- and heavy-duty trucks in 2016.
The following is a statement from Luke Tonachel, director of NRDC’s Clean Vehicles and Fuels Project:
Reopening this loophole is an unconscionable move that could cause the premature deaths of 1,600 Americans from just one year of dirty truck sales. Instead of letting these dirty trucks keep spewing up to 40 times more pollution than modern big rigs, the EPA should protect the air we all breathe from this dangerous threat.”
The EPA tightened emissions standards for smog-forming nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions and fine particulate matter (PM) pollution that heavy-duty freight trucks must meet in 2010. But a loophole has let manufacturers of big rigs assembled from dirty, old engines and new frames keep using pre-2010 engines that don’t comply with the latest clean-air protections. EPA estimates these engines typically emit 20 to 40 times more pollution than the modern, cleaner engines that major truck manufacturers now make.
This harmful loophole has caused sales of trucks with old, dirty engines to skyrocket from a few hundred a year to as many as 10,000 annually, because they cost about 25 percent less than new trucks. Extra pollution from one year of 10,000 dirtier truck sales could lead to 1,600 premature deaths. Yearly sales represent just five percent of all freight trucks manufactured annually but are responsible for one-third the total NOx and PM pollution from all new heavy trucks, according to EPA.
The Obama administration closed the loophole with broad support from major truck manufacturers and dealers when it updated emissions standards for all freight trucks in 2016. New trucks should meet modern emissions standards in January 2018.
Manufacturers that use old truck engines lobbied EPA to reconsider the rule in July. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt even met personally with officials from the company that assembles most of these dirty trucks. Now Administrator Pruitt wants to put Americans’ health at risk and give these companies an unfair competitive advantage by reopening the dirty truck loophole.
he Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.


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For the more dedicated and efficient shopper, Extrabux is both a godsend and a necessity. For those of us a little slower on the uptake, a few clicks discover that Extrabux is an immensely popular online shopping portal (launched by a couple of twenty-something guys in San Diego) that offers coupons and cash rebates per transaction at an impressive array of retailers.
To leave a literal mark on Earth Day 2012, Extrabux has vowed to plant a tree for every purchase made on the site this weekend. Kicking off yesterday, Thursday, April 19 and running through Sunday the 22nd (which just so happens to be Earth Day), the site teamed with American Forests to help bring the initiative to life. Their goal is to plan “a whole forest.”
They also use the occasion to emphasize the 2008 Carnegie Mellon study which found that shopping online is a whole 35 percent greener than the traditional method of going to a physical store.
Mr. T in DC/Flickr
Target is more than just one of America’s largest retailers. As far back as when the Minnesota-based company was known as Dayton-Hudson, the retailer has made a point to celebrate Earth Day. Back in the early ‘70s, stores handed out little trees to shoppers to mark the day. In 1992, celebrities like Leonard Nimoy, Bobby Kennedy Jr. and Olivia Newton-John took part in a Los Angeles “Earth Walk” with Target team members.
This year, Target stores will commemorate Earth Day by handing out 1.5 million reusable (and very stylish) shopping bags. Target will also continue to provide customers with a 5-cent discount for every reusable bag per transaction.
"Earth Day is the perfect time to remind guests that a small change can make a big difference in reducing waste, saving money and driving sustainable choices in their community," said Shawn Gensch, Target’s senior vice president of marketing in a press release. "At Target, we are pleased to do our part by making these choices easier for our guests."
Gold confetti sprays into the air at Universal Studios Hollywood.
In commemoration of Earth Day 2012, Goodwill Southern California is teaming with NBC4 and Universal Studios Hollywood on a two-day drive they’re hoping will set a new record for the most items donated in 24 hours.
Universal Studios Hollywood is where donors can take new and/or “gently used’ items, including e-waste, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. this Saturday and Sunday, April 21 — 22. They can’t use furniture, mattresses, paper or plastic, so be forewarned.
"In celebration of Earth Day, Goodwill wants to raise awareness of the environmental impact donations have on the planet,” said Doug Barr, president and CEO of Goodwill Southern California in a press release. “Donating helps to keep millions of pounds of usable goods from ending up in landfills, and helps to save resources through re-use as opposed to new product manufacturing. We can then sell those items in order to provide valuable employment services to people in need.”
It was announced this week that popular online coupon site Groupon has joined forces with the nonprofit Surfrider Foundation to raise money for water quality testing at local California beaches.
The campaign, which runs this week through Earth Day (Sunday, April 22), is soliciting $7 pledges through Groupon Grassroots, the recently launched philanthropic arm of the company. For each $7 donation, the Surfrider Foundation will be able to pay for one water quality test. Citing National Resources Defense Council statistics on the pledge site, there were more than 24,000 beach closings and advisories in the United States in 2010. To date, more that 120 donations have been made to the initiative,
“We are excited to employ the collective action model of Groupon Grassroots to raise support for the Surfrider Foundation’s water quality monitoring,” said Alexis Henry, Surfrider Foundation’s communications manager in a press release. “We look forward to creating new awareness for the Surfrider Foundation as one of the local organizations in Los Angeles to be featured on Groupon Grassroots.”
As Earth Day 2012 rapidly approaches, the proliferation of people, places and things turning up the green is almost overwhelming. Throughout the week, we’ll be wading though the myriad of eco-friendly actions to mark the arrival of Sunday, April 22.
For major beverage retail chain BevMo!, this Earth Day marks the start of a new cork-recycling program at all 115 of their locations throughout California and Arizona. And for the literal kicker: through a partnership with ReCORK and shoe manufacturer SOLE’s sponsorship, the recycled cork will be converted into a line of flip-flops.
"As something that's renewable, biodegradable and recyclable, natural cork is a fitting symbol with which to recognize Earth Day," said Alan Johnson, BevMo!'s chief executive officer in a press release. "We are excited about our partnership with ReCORK and pleased to make a contribution to the environment by providing our customers with an easy way to recycle their corks and thereby give used corks a second life."

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Once again, reports on “Chumlee dead over marijuana overdose” are making its rounds on the web. The Pawn Star personality has been the subject of such rumors for years. Fortunately, it has been proven that the latest “Chumlee dead” report is just one of those celebrity death hoaxes.
Austin “Chumlee” Russell has been a household name since he first appeared on the History show, Pawn Stars, in 2009. He is just one of the stars of the show but perhaps the most popular of all. Chumlee was thought to be dead by some fans even though he has been very active on social media.
Why is Chumlee Always a Victim of Death Hoax?
The first time Chumlee became a death hoax victim was in 2013. He allegedly passed away due to marijuana overdose and was found by his friend and Pawn Stars co-star Corey “Big Hoss” Harrison. The death hoax was believed to stem from the fact that in that same year, Chumlee was noticeably thinner. The TV personality lost 75 pounds by working out at a gym six days a week and improving his diet and lifestyle.
The following year, another Chumlee dead report surfaced on eBuzzd. This time, he allegedly died of heart attack. Chumlee himself debunked the death hoax. His boss at Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, Rick Harrison, also assured fans that the actor was fine. He added that his employee lost more than 100 pounds and was in “the best health of his life.” The website which posted the report later retracted it.
Earlier this year, news about Chumlee dead again began circulating on the internet. His fans got worried especially since he was inactive on social media at the time and his fans were not used to it. Fortunately, all of these death hoaxes are not true and Chumlee is very much alive. In fact, he ventured into a new business. See photos below.
Chumlee’s Business Ventures
Last month, the Pawn Stars celebrity opened a candy store along with his brother at Pawn Plaza in downtown Las Vegas. The store is open from noon to 5 PM on Wednesdays through Sundays. Chumlee also established his own company that sells novelty items such as t-shirts that he designed himself. However, he sold half of his company to Rick Harrison for $155,000 in 2010.
The employee of the world-famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop is depicted not only as the comic relief in Pawn Stars. He is also an expert when it comes to basketball shoes, particularly Air Jordan sneakers. Chumlee is also known to be the go-to guy when it comes to pinball machines and gas-powered toy cars.
ALSO READ: ‘Pawn Stars’ Star Chumlee’s Confess About Surprise Arrest, Yossi Dina Says He Cannot Carry His Legacy
Buy some candies for @somahe80 at Chumlee's candies shop. Thanks @chumlee_ for the photo pic.twitter.com/i6E8sXKBGm
— Gérôme (@G72T1) July 3, 2017
@chumlee_ so stoked! Awesome meeting you pic.twitter.com/MXLqRQl0uR
— quevevevevedo (@ShortyTheMemer) July 1, 2017


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Amazon to bid for La Liga rights
July 2, 2018
From David Del Valle in Madrid
After acquiring a package of 20 football matches from the England Premier League, industry observers have predicted that Amazon will turn its attention to the Spanish market and seek to acquire minority lots of La Liga football TV rights over the next three seasons.
La Liga has four lots of football TV rights for sale after granting majority of the rights to Telefónica. The packages include one football match every week from the first Division, twelve on a exclusive basis from the second division and 90 seconds highlights of every match to be streamed online.
La Liga hopes to get €120 million for these rights, which be added to €980 million paid by Telefónica and €160 million already paid by Mediapro.


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Tradedoubler triggered the start of this September’s employee changes by rubber stamping Matthias Stadelmeyer’s position as president and CEO.
The company also announced the exit of chief technical officer Magnus Nyström, while Neil Ranatunga, who left the firm in January, is now a mobile strategy consultant at Asia Pacific Digital.
Affiliate Window has seen a number of departures too as Michelle Barros joined Etsy as digital marketing coordinator, Daniel Fernandes took on account director duties at Nanigans and Diane Shaw ventured to an account director position at RetailMeNot.
Fellow affiliate network Webgains had a management reshuffle of its own involving Stephen Kerin, who became group managing director – a role previously held by Robert Glasgow – while Derek Grant is now group sales director and Ben Cole is chief development officer.
IProspect has filled two newly created roles in head of programmatic and strategy partner with Wayne Blodwell and Gareth Owen respectively.
Media agency MEC has grown its staff count too, with the employment of Andreas Nicolaides as operations director and Katie Reed as campaign strategist in the company’s organic performance division.
Former Mindshare man Howard Titley is “excited” to be joining media network Carat as strategy partner where he will report directly to the company’s chief strategy officer Sanjay Nazerali.
Found has secured the services of Kirsty Hulse, who becomes the agency’s head of SEO after working on search strategies during her time at DigitasLBi for global brands such as Danone and Arcadia Group.
Spain-headquartered Affilired has appointed cultural communication and journalism graduate Irene Otero to communications and marketing executive where she will drive business in the company’s critical European markets.
Long-time Neo@Ogilvy servant Stephanie Small has moved on to pastures new in a switch from agency to technology platform. Small is Cake’s new client services director after spending six years at Neo.
Redmond’s loss is Chango’s gain as ex-Microsoft vice president of US sales Keith Lorizio takes the chief revenue officer reins at the programmatic advertising firm where he will perform tasks such as identifying new opportunities and expanding the sales team.
With Gavin Wilson stepping up to MD of northern and southern Europe at Sociomantic, there was a UK sales void that the programmatic advertising company has moved to fill with new commercial director Jonathan Setty and director of partnerships Guy Beresiner of Criteo fame.
Two other ad platforms that have strengthened their management are Questback with the appointment of Christelle Fraysse as group director of marketing and ad pepper media UK with new MD Vin Bhardwaj.
Wrapping things up, Sean Mahon is Equator’s new affiliate manager, Skimlinks has a new head of publisher development in Tom Allin and Katy Armitage switches retailers from M&S to Anthropologie Europe as digital marketing manager.
Are you looking for a new job or hiring?
Would you like to advertise your performance marketing vacancies to PerformanceIN’s captive and knowledgeable audience? For more information about the opportunities we can provide, please contact a new hire of our own, media sales manager Freddie MacDonald. For the latest performance marketing jobs take a look at PerformanceIN Jobs.
If you or a colleague are switching companies soon, drop an email including details of the switch to web and content marketing executive Mark Jones to feature in next month’s edition of Movers & Shakers.


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The first in a series by CGTN's Think Tank, an online course was presented on April 10 in partnership with Fudan University's International School of Finance. Taking a crack at China's economic response amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the first course provided analysis of China's short-term microeconomic response to the pandemic from January 2020 onward.
The course began with a PowerPoint presentation by Qian Jun, professor of finance and executive dean of the Fanhai International School of Finance (FISF) at Fudan University, who, looking back to 2019, plotted the trajectory of the East Asian country's economy leading up to its recent recovery in March, following the onset of measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 in China from January to March 2020.
From looking at imports and exports that had been rising steadily in late 2019 with a slowdown in the beginning of 2020, the presentation moved on to growth rates coming into the new year and the Chinese government's attempt to stimulate the economy amid the pandemic.
Key measures considered by Qian were focused on the People's Bank of China, which raised the country's reserve ratio requirement to increase interest in order for banks to both lend more and send more money out of the country.
For the most part though, Qian's presentation focused on the movement of people, which he says was a key indicator of economic stimulus in the country.
Examples included the amount of new cars parked outside the Shanghai Tesla plant in March 2020, and the hurdles SMEs have to face amid the pandemic – such as the inability of employees to go to work, and lack of demand from consumers – saying that, in the short term, the success of such enterprises is important to economic recovery.
Other aspects of recovery noted by Qian included the progress of China's digital economy – from online education to employees working online from home, and even online expos, renting and housing services rendered with VR and via social media platforms.
Following Qian's lecture, the course was opened up to a Q&A session with three experts: Anthony Chan, chief economist at JPMorgan Chase in New York; Iain Begg, professorial research fellow at the London School of Economics' European Institute in London; and Lim Tai Wei, research fellow at the National University of Singapore.
Starting the discussion was a question posed by Chan, who queried Qian regarding how China's short-term economic recovery would be affected by an impending global economic recession forecast by the IMF.
In response, Qian highlighted the overall situation in the Asian region, saying that the economies in many of those countries hadn't been shut down, which would hopefully lead to trade flow in the region and the world.
If there were any direct challenge to Qian, it came from Begg's question about manufacturing, and its role in the Chinese economy. As one of three points mentioned by Begg, manufacturing wasn't as important a measure of economic stimulus in Western countries as it was in China.
Curious as to why this was so, Qian answered that it was due to the fact that manufacturing was so prevalent in the Chinese economy that it was therefore an integral indicator of economic growth and resurgence in the country.
Begg went on to highlight examples of microeconomic management that could be utilized and were being utilized to combat economic stagnation during the pandemic.
Ten years ago, Germany tried a scheme called Kuzarbeit, or short-time work, in which workers were put on shorter terms of work and shorter hours at work rather than being fired. The program was very successful in maintaining employability going forward. He noted that the French were trying the method as well.
The Q&A session was followed by a brief online question session, with one question coming to the forefront. A viewer on Facebook asked if economic recovery could be balanced with saving lives in the time of the coronavirus.
Qian's answer was that while restricting human movement was the only way to contain the virus, with online options – tested with educational outlets and remote working – a viable option.
By Vincent R. Vinci
(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at email@example.com.)


text: White Mountaineering has finally began to release items from it's Autumn/Winter 2010 Collection. The relatively new Japanese brand from Yosuke Aizawa has been making waves within the industry over the past few months, most recently when the brand previewed it's Spring/Summer 2011 Collection in Tokyo. The Autumn/Winter 2010 Collection offers a balance of both classic and innovative pieces such as the Oxford Standard Shirt and the Gore-Tex Luggage Jacket. Other pieces include a Stadium Coat, Primaloft Ranger Vest, and Windowpane Check Work Shirt. Pick up the new White Mountaineering Collection at Firmament or their online store The-Glade.


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Aerosoles could be the next big footwear brand up for sale, according to a Reuters report.
After Michael Kors announced its plans to purchase luxury footwear brand Jimmy Choo last week, the potential sale of Aerosoles adds to the growing list of brands suffering from a difficult retail period.
Aerosoles, bought by Palladin Consumer Retail Partners in 2014, is reportedly exploring options to restructure debt or sell the company, according to the Reuters report.
The comfort-driven footwear brand launched a revamped campaign and design direction to target Millennial consumers earlier this year. However, the company struggles to accommodate its changing consumer and their tastes, hiring investment bank Piper Jaffray Companies and financial advisory consultant Berkeley Research Group to help carry out a strategic review, according to Reuters.
The report comes during a difficult time for retailers in the U.S., showing that Aerosoles has fallen victim to the difficult market, struggling to keep up with competitors. Aerosoles has about 80 stores in the U.S. and more than 300 world-wide, positioning itself as a leader among women’s performance brands.


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The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Pharmacist(Mrs.) Folukemi Aladenola has charged operators of pharmacies and patient medicine stores in Ondo State to be supportive of government policies and programmes geared towards delivering qualitative health care services to the people of the state.
Aladenola gave the charge in an interview shortly after a sitting of the disciplinary panel of the Ondo State Task Force on Fake and Counterfeit Drugs where it tried and sanctioned erring drugs sellers found culpable during its recent enforcement exercise to pharmaceutical stores and medicine stores in the state.
During the three week-long exercise, the task force which is a unit under the Department of Pharmaceutical Services in the Ministry of Health sealed over fifty premises including five pharmaceutical stores and forty-five patient medicine stores in the areas covered.
The Permanent Secretary implored them to always stay on the side of the law stressing that through that, there businesses will continue unhindered.
Aladenola said the task force will continue to perform its responsibility of ridding the state of fake and counterfeit drugs towards achieving overall qualitative health care delivery of the REDEEMED Agenda of the Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu -led administration.
She noted that the sanctions given the erring drugs sellers were not punitive, but corrective measures that were intended to ensure compliance with the rules and regulations guiding the sale of drugs in Ondo State.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria(PSN), Ondo State Chapter, Pharmacist Eniola Akindeko said most of the findings of the task force during its three week-long enforcement exercise bother on non-compliance in the areas of certification, sale of controlled drugs, unhygienic environment for drugs storage and premise location distance regulations.
Akindeko added that the panel gave the erring drugs sellers sanctions that were minimal while some of them were asked to obtain court affidavits to the effect that they will not continue with the sharp practices they were found engaging in.
"To that extent, we believe that we have significantly educated them on their responsibilities and on what the law expects them to do. So going forward, we believe that in the areas where we have operated and in the other areas where we are yet to cover, because we believe that the signals must have gone out, there will be very significant improvements in the activities and operations of these people ", he said.
The PSN Chairman assured that the task force will sustain the enforcement exercise towards ridding the state of fake and counterfeit drugs.
The Director of Pharmaceutical Services in the Ministry of Health, Pharmacist Gbenga Lasekan affirmed that the task force will continue to clamp down on erring pharmaceutical stores and patient medicine stores that are not complying with the rules and regulations guiding the sale of drugs in Ondo State.
Lasekan who was represented at the disciplinary panel's sitting by the Deputy Director of Pharmaceutical Services, Pharmacist Olafusi Omotiba said during its operations, the task force found out that several drugs sellers in the state engage in sharp practices that are illegal adding that the task force will sustain its operations towards ensuring qualitative health care delivery in Ondo State.
The Director averred that the enforcement exercise is not only regulatory, but to ascertain the quality of drugs purchased by the people of the state through testing of drugs with the tru-scan machine. Lasekan said majority of the drugs tested passed the tru scan test.
The Ondo State Task Force on Fake and Counterfeit Drugs consists of officials of the Ministry of Health, Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria(PSN), National Agency For Food And Drugs Administration and Control(NAFDAC),National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Nigerian Police Force(NPF).


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- Even though many shopping malls are currently suffering, some are doing surprisingly well.
- The most valuable malls in America are worth well over $2 billion each, according to a CNBC report on data from Boenning & Scattergood.
- The most successful malls often include features like pop-up shops, luxury outlets, and experiential stores.
Despite the retail apocalypse claiming stores across the country, some of the most successful malls in the US are bringing in more than $1,000 per square foot in sales.
According to research by the boutique firm Boenning & Scattergood, which was reported by CNBC, the 20 most valuable malls in America bring in around $21 billion in retail sales each year. These malls, owned by the likes of Simon Property Group and Westfield, have few vacancies. In addition to traditional stores, many of the most valuable malls include food halls with local eateries, pop-up shops, and grocers, plus experiences like movie screenings or concerts.
See inside the most valuable malls in America:
10. Roosevelt Field Mall: Located in Garden City, New York, this mall has over 250 stores, including an entire luxury wing, a food court that includes vegetarian and kosher options, and a mini golf course in the basement. It’s valued at $2.41 billion.
This is what the luxury wing looks like.
9. Westfield Garden State Plaza: The Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus, New Jersey, is worth $2.71 billion. It has more than 300 shops, including a luxury wing with stores like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Tiffany & Co., and Burberry.
8. King of Prussia Mall: The King of Prussia mall in Pennsylvania recently underwent an expansion, and it now has over 400 stores. The new wing has floor-to-ceiling windows, lounges, and concierge-like guest services. It’s valued at $2.77 billion.
Here is another look at the gorgeous interior of the King of Prussia mall.
7. Forum Shops at Caesars: Located in Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, the Forum Shops has an aquarium, talking statues, and countless luxury shops and restaurants. Its estimated value is $2.79 billion.
Here's another look at the interior.
6. Tysons Corner Center: The McLean, Virginia mall is worth $2.92 billion, surrounded by luxury hotels and apartments, and features panoramic views of Washington, DC, from the top.
The center hosts events in its courtyard, including a summer concert series.
5. Fashion Show: Located on the Las Vegas Strip, this mall has 250 stores, 25 dining choices, and eight department stores. It's worth $3.06 billion.
It also has live runway shows on weekends.
4. Woodbury Common Premium Outlets: The outlets are worth $3.2 billion, featuring luxury stores at discounted prices and its own trolly system that runs throughout the commons.
3. Oakbrook Center: This multi-level outdoor shopping center is located outside Chicago and worth $3.5 billion.
2. Sawgrass Mills: Sawgrass Mills in Sunrise, Florida, is one of the largest outlet malls in the US and is worth over $4 billion. It has more than 350 stores and remains a massive tourist attraction.
Here's a look at the inside.
1. Ala Moana Center: The Ala Moana Center in Honolulu, Hawaii, is the largest open-air shopping center in the world, and it's worth nearly $6 billion.
The mall has luxury stores, koi ponds, a VR roller coaster, and countless other attractions.


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BMW CEO Harald Krüger has brought forth a strategy paper for the BMW brand.
2017 BMW i3
The paper, referred to as Strategy Number One Next, lays out some of BMW's goals through 2025. Among those goals is a target of selling 500,000 plug-in vehicles annually by 2025.
As Autocar details:
"The Strategy Number One Next paper tabled by Krüger targets up to 500,000 electric car sales annually by 2025, and some 20% of total volumes. That’s more than an 18-fold increase on its electric car sales in 2015. Sales boss Ian Robertson has revealed that total i and i Performance sales have now reached 100,000 units in three years and it plans to sell that number again in 2017 alone due to the increasing popularity of the technology."
In order to hit that lofty target, BMW will introduce several new electric vehicles, including a BEV Mini Cooper and a BEV BMW X3. Quoting Krüger:
“Now we are going to complete the second phase of our electrification strategy with plug-in models in our traditional line-up and other pure-electric drivelines for the Mini and the X3."
We've also learned a few more details on the electric Mini. Krüger says it will be called the Cooper E and that it will launch in 2019 with range similar to the next-generation i3 that will be available around that same time.
The electric X3 is expected to launch in 2020 with range in the neighborhood of 500 km (NEDC).
Beyond that, BMW will launch iNext in 2021. iNext is expected to become the i5 when it goes into production. BMW says that this vehicle will be a BEV similar in size to the BMW 5 Series. Autocar posted some other speculative details on the i5:
"BMW intends to provide the i5 with the choice of battery capacities to allow buyers to tailor the range to their intended usage. The base model is set to offer a range in the region of 550km (342 miles) — some 250km (155 miles) more than that offered by the recently updated i3."
"However, a more expensive variant with a higher-cell-density battery could offer up to 650km (404 miles) between charges, according to one senior BMW official with knowledge of the Strategy Number One Next plans."
After i5 comes i6, a BEV SUV slated for production in 2021.
On the plug-in hybrid front, BMW will launch a 5 Series PHEV in 2017, followed by a PHEV version of the X7 SUV in 2018.
It's clear to us that BMW is pushing to be the world leader in the plug-in segment and with plans detailed above, we do think BMW will achieve this goal.


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- Daily Zen
Google health closed down in 2011. It was something that could have fixed the corrupt and broken health industry across the US. Google Health was a personal health information centralization service introduced way back in 2008 and was one of the best products out there in the market. Nevertheless, this time Google has come up with an even better and centralized platform that will be able to integrate with the wearable available out there now that wearable technology and health related apps are gaining a strong foothold in the market.
On Wednesday, Google announced ‘Google Fit’ platform to help users of its Android mobile software pull together health and fitness related data on smartwatches and other mobile devices.
Fit performs similar to the recently introduced services from Apple and Samsung. The tracking and analysis of health related data is expected to be an enormous driver for smartwatches and other sensor-laden gadgets that will be released later this year.
While Samsung unveiled the ‘Sami’ platform a month ago, and Apple as of late announced the ‘Healthkit’ at WWDC, Google has now making its move to remain ahead of its rivals. Tidbits around Fit had begun rising recently. Earlier reports had revealed it ‘would allow a wearable device that measures data like steps or heart rate to interface with Google’s cloud-based services, and become part of the Google Fit ecosystem.’
The latest health and fitness related platform from Google is a direct aim at Apple’s Healthkit that is designed to gather and examine health related data. The Healthkit application can gather data from other 3rd party applications which later can be examined by healthcare professional, depending obviously on the amount of access users provide for this app. Apple collaborated with the incredibly well-known Mayo Clinic to get the entire project working. With the Healthkit users will be able to keep a tab on important health related metrics consistently, and over longer period.
Google has partnered with a number of brands including LG, RunKeeper, RunTastic, Adidas, Basis, Nike and Motorola.
Google didn’t go much further into detailing on the usage scenario of the API. Nonetheless it mentioned integration of wearable one of the core points, such as Nike’s Fuel System which was named during the Conference.
According to a Google, the Fit platform Preview SDK will be available in just a few weeks.


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But electric vehicles – which Bloomberg New Energy Finance sees making up 55 per cent of all new car sales globally by 2040, and being cheaper to make than internal combustion engine cars by 2030 – still have a number of major hurdles to negotiate.
And, as we know all too well here in Australia, some countries face a tougher task that others, where universal barriers like cost, infrastructure, and consumer lag are being exacerbated by lack of supporting policy incentives, and the push-back from powerful vested interests.
But according to a new study published in Nature Journal this week, there’s another “largely unexplored” and fairly significant barrier to EV uptake – and it’s happening at the point of sale.
A team of researchers from Aarhus University in Denmark visited 82 car dealerships across Scandinavia posing as potential shoppers, and found that sales personnel were dismissive of electric vehicles, misinformed consumers about them, and encouraged the purchase of petrol and diesel vehicles instead.
In some cases, they found, EVs were omitted from sales pitches entirely, despite the fact that the vast majority of all major global auto makers now offer multiple electric vehicle options, with some, like Volvo, committing to switch their entire fleet to electric or hybrid electric starting next year.
“(Gerardo) Zarazua de Rubens and colleagues’ study provides much-needed insight into this area through an extensive mystery shopping exercise that spans 15 cities in five Nordic countries,” the report says.
“By quantifying their experiences as potential customers and recording key quotations from sales personnel, …(they) demonstrate that sales interactions are unlikely to result in EV purchase because sales personnel are dismissive of EVs, provide incorrect information and strongly orient customers to other options.”
The team also interviewed 30 different industry experts, who corroborated the study’s findings, describing EVs as both harder to sell and less incentivised, in that they were expected to produce lower profits for the dealerships.
That’s because electric vehicles – with significantly fewer moving parts – require far less servicing than fossil fuelled ICE cars.
“While an added benefit of EV technology for the user is a substantial reduction in routine maintenance and repairs, this also represents a further disincentive for the dealer to promote EV technology because they rely heavily on income from repairs and maintenance as part of their revenue model,” the report says.
On top of this, the study found, sales personnel do not receive adequate training on electric vehicles that would support effective sales strategies.
This means that consumers who are not already well informed about or interested in electric vehicles, and who might see one for the first time at a car dealership, are unlikely to have experiences that encourage them to purchase one.
This is certainly supported by anecdotal evidence in Australia, where even if car dealers were enthusiastic about EVs (they are not) there just aren’t the cars there to sell.
As recently as March this year, there were only five pure electric vehicles available for purchase by Australian consumers, three of which fall into the luxury vehicle segment in terms of cost.
But perhaps the clearest message from the Danish study’s findings is that it is not just the global oil industry, and established car manufacturers, who stand to lose out from the global shift to EVs – and who therefore might be actively resisting it.
We can now add to that list another major industry group whose business case is being threatened by EVs: car dealers.
This particular lobby group’s muscle has been most obviously flexed in the US, where local EV maker Tesla has been legally prohibited from setting up dealerships in a number of states, due to an easily exploited quirk of that country’s franchise laws.
It’s also worth noting that if these are the results being returned in Scandinavian countries – the study is based on 126 sales interactions in car dealerships across Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden – then the situation is likely to be far worse in countries like Australia.
Because, of course, car dealers are not operating in a vacuum. The study found that the pitch on the sales floor was highly influenced by signals from both industry and policy – neither of which are what you would call progressive in Australia.
“EV adoption in places like China, Norway and the United States (where half of all EV sales are in California) are driven by policies that strongly encourage EV adoption,” the Nature journal report says.
In Norway, for example, the cost of purchasing an EV is subsidised, and EV drivers have access to bus lanes and enjoy free parking.
This kind of policy has seen the Scandinavian country, which also happens to be a major oil producer, become the closest in the world, in relative terms, to bringing EVs to the mainstream, the study says.
By the end of 2016, 5 per cent of all registered passenger cars in Norway were plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs), and one-quarter of sales of new vehicles are PEVs.
Australia, meanwhile, has zero federal government incentives driving EV uptake and instead relies on the varied efforts of the states and territories.
Last year we witnessed that even the prospect of introducing nation-wide vehicle emissions standards – basic policy practice in most of the rest of the world – had the local Conservative media dubbing it as a “carbon tax on cars.”
As Greens Senator Janet Rice put it earlier this year, “We’ve got a (government) that is beholden to vested interests and old technologies; people who just want the status quo to continue.
“Energy minister Josh Frydenberg has just recently been talking really big on EVs, but his party is saying that they are going to make up 15 per cent of new vehicle sales by 2030, which is just pathetic.”
And if this is the status quo at the policy level, it’s unlikely there’s any sort of EV revolution happening on the salesroom floor.
So what can be done to change this?
The study concludes that industry and policy incentives are necessary to create the right market conditions to encourage sales personnel to promote electric vehicles to consumers, rather than dismiss them.
In particular, policy and business strategies that addressed these barriers at the point of sale were needed to accelerate EV adoption.
“There is clear evidence that EV policies can have a substantial impact on the adoption of EVs,” the report says.
“The study by Zarazua de Rubens et al. indicates that we need to turn our attention to developing ‘pull’ policies for dealerships to stay on track for large-scale adoption of EV technology.”


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Amazon’s Luxury Stores Kick Off Beauty Launch With Dr. Barbara Sturm Skincare Line
Amazon is making room for a slew of high-end beauty brands in its luxury store concept in Europe, and they will launch with the popular skincare brand Dr. Barbara Sturm.
Over fifty products from German science brand Dr. Barbara Sturm Molecular Cosmetics are available on the platform for customers in the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain – and a list of other top beauty brands range will follow in the years to come. month.
This is just the next exciting offering from the luxury stores, which launched in the US in September 2020 to cater to their more affluent clientele. They then expanded their services to Europe in June 2022, offering designer brands such as Elie Saab, Christopher Kane and Peter Dundas.
Commenting on their latest beauty offering, Ruth Diaz, Vice President of Amazon Fashion Europe, said, “We are thrilled to launch beauty into Amazon’s luxury stores in Europe with such a prominent brand, and we have look forward to telling the story of Dr. Barbara Sturm. and to make these luxury products available to our customers. Our combined passion for customers and innovation makes this a natural and exciting partnership.”
Respected esthetician, Dr Barbara Sturm happily added, “As a physician, the cornerstone of my job is to always be of service to my patients, and an important part of that is making sure my products are easily accessible and seamlessly delivered to their door.As the first beauty brand to launch in Amazon’s luxury stores in Europe, and as a pioneer in anti-inflammatory skincare, I have the opportunity unique to share my philosophy and skincare education initiative with millions of people around the world, as well as to make the STURMGLOW TM accessible to everyone.”
Customers can shop best-selling items from Dr. Sturm’s line, launched in 2014, such as Hyaluronic Serum, Darker Skin Tones Enzyme Cleanser, Luminous Drops and the famous Face Cream.


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Over the past few months, Boston University has clearly been making a sincere effort to be more “green.” The most noticeable change happened at the GSU: the start of the semester brought four–count ’em– four bins in which to sort GSU waste, complete with student workers in visors to direct confused diners where to put their compost, trash, recycling and dishes.
The sustainability efforts have spread to more than just the GSU, however. Many “retail” dining establishments on campus have switched from the former cardboard and plastic products to compostable and recyclable products, and even Late Nite has switched to using these compostable products to help decrease waste.
The changes are great, but how big of an improvement are they? The annual college sustainability report card was released this month, and a review of the BU campus’ initiatives proved that progress is being made. In 2007, BU was given the embarrassing and horrifyingly low grade of a ‘D’. However, over the last three years, steady improvements have been made to bring it up. In 2008, BU was given a ‘C’, a ‘B-’ in 2009, and this year, a ‘B’. Clearly a ‘B’ is much better than the lowly ‘D’ we got just three shorts years ago and progress is being made, so what is going on to help make BU a more eco-friendly and sustainable environment?
I spoke to the sustainability coordinator for dining services at BU, Sabrina Harper, to get the behind-the-scenes scoop. Harper said that right now the initiative is focusing on waste diversion, education, and community outreach. She is working on reducing food waste through pre-consumer compost and moving toward more energy efficient practices at all the dining halls, not just the GSU. So far, the results have been promising. Ms. Harper estimated that there has been a two-thirds reduction in the amount of trash generated at the GSU alone. But what happens to all of the compost that’s been generated on campus? Ms. Harper told me it’s being taken to local composting sites in Hamilton and Marlborough, MA. At these sites, the compostable materials are turned into mulch which is being used locally, including at the Victory Gardens at Fenway.
In addition to working with composting, BU has made a strong push to use locally produced products, such as dairy, fruits and vegetables. The milk used in the dining halls comes from Hood and other dairy products come from Stonyfield and other local farms. Foods like apples, tomatoes, mushrooms, bread, and butter are also locally produced and grown. This is reflected in the ‘Food and Recycling’ category on the sustainability report card, in which BU received an ‘A’ for increased use of locally grown foods and introducing composting to our dining facilities.
Other sustainable practices to be implemented in the coming year include a decrease in water and energy in the dining halls and increased composting in new locations around campus. The Law school and Olecito will introduce composting, and on campus catering hopes to have zero waste in the near future. I was also surprised to learn that leftover food from the GSU is donated each week to local kitchens. And the oil generated from Raising Cane’s is all recycled to create biodiesel, so you can feel better about eating those chicken fingers.
So what else can you do to help increase sustainability on campus? Recycle paper and plastic in the appropriate bins located in many buildings around campus, including the dorms. Bring a reusable mug and water bottle with you; instead of buying a bottle or using a cardboard cup, bring your own. You can even save $.25 when you bring your mug to select places on campus. Try to take only what you’re going to eat when you’re in the dining hall. For more tips, check out BU Sustainability’s website and look for updates about new initiatives coming soon.


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Cooling Chinese market hits Hyundai Doosan Infracore
22 October 2021
Hyundai Doosan Infracore has released its third quarter financial results, revealing that while sales grew, its operating profit plummeted by 47%.
The company attributed this fall in its earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) to slowing demand in China and rising cost pressures, although the company did say that it expected this to be the low point, and for this figure to gradually recover.
Construction equipment sales in China fell by 61% in the third quarter of the year. The company said that this was due to the, “slowing down in new construction projects as the Chinese government is strengthening environmental regulations and safety diagnosis.”
On a more positive note, sales were up in South Korea and emerging markets by 54% and in North America and Europe by 34%.
Overall, sales increased 6% year on year with construction equipment sales increasing just 1%. Engine sales were up 25%.
The South Korean OEM, which was acquired by Hyundai Heavy Industries Group earlier this year, said that its financial structure had deteriorated due to the artificial nature of the spin-off merger but that this would be remedied by the upcoming capital reduction. Net debt for the company is KRW 1.5 trillion (US$1.2 billion).


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British pound hits 2-year low while the market looks to Fed Chair testimony
Peter Compton " | July 9, 2019
The US dollar continues its bullish move since last Friday’s employment report surprise. Markets now await Fed Chair Powell’s testimony before congress tomorrow and Thursday. The British pound lost ground on a poor retail sales indicator and increased probability of a hard Brexit.
July 9, 2019
EUR/USD 1.1207 GBP/USD 1.2469 USD/CAD 1.3124 AUD/USD 0.6934 USD/JPY 108.80 USD/CNH 6.8956 USD/ILS 3.5660 USD/MXN 18.8865 USD/CHF 0.9930 USD/INR 68.5488
The dollar is stronger again today as markets anticipate the Fed will refrain from a series of rate cuts following a better than expected jobs report last Friday. The US economy continues to be one of the strongest in the world while US Treasury bonds have some of the highest yields in the developed world. Both factors lead to demand for US dollars.GBP
The pound sank to its lowest levels vs. the US dollar since April 2017 on economic and Brexit concerns. An industry retail sales indicator showed negative growth for June increasing speculation the UK economy shrank in the second quarter. There is a plan to require parliament to be in session for a specific time frame thereby ensuring that the next PM cannot suspend Parliament to push through a no-deal Brexit.EUR
The euro lost ground to the US dollar for a third consecutive day despite Italian retail sales coming in stronger than expected. ECB committee member Benoit Coeure said in remarks broadcast yesterday that loose policy is needed now “more than ever” and interest-rate cuts and quantitative easing are both on the table; nothing has yet been confirmed.CAD
The loonie is weaker today despite a slightly higher oil price. The Bank of Canada meets tomorrow and markets are not expecting any change to monetary policy.ASIA/PACIFIC
The Japanese yen hit the weakest levels in 5 weeks vs. the US dollar before rebounding some this morning. The markets liked the yen’s safe-haven status when trade talks between the US and China were not going well. There is now hope in the markets that a trade settlement is possible thereby weakening the yen.
The Aussie dollar is lower this morning as commodity prices opened weaker.


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SHANGHAI — On summer holidays, Chinese are increasingly jumping into their cars and engaging in what was once considered a quintessential American pastime — the road trip. And that's great news for U.S. automaker General Motors, which has ridden the booming Chinese auto market to recover from bankruptcy and now sees mostly a long open highway to bigger profits ahead.
With a mix of high-end Buicks, minivans and low-end Chevrolets, GM has emerged as one of the top sellers of passenger cars in the world's largest automobile market, surpassing Toyota this year and second only to Volkswagen.
In what was seen as a turning point for the company, GM last year sold more cars in China than in the United States, and the gap is expected to widen as an increasing number of Chinese grow rich enough to purchase their first car.
By contrast, Ford and Chrysler are relatively late coming to the China market, and their brands don't even fall in the top 10 for sales.
And despite the Chinese government's efforts to slow the economic growth rate to calm inflation, and even though some cities, like Beijing, are putting new restrictions on private car registrations to ease congestion, GM's top official here isn't worried about a slowdown in sales anytime soon.
"Simple economics say it will" continue, said Kevin E. Wale, president and managing director of GM China Group. China's economy "is growing between 8 and 10 percent," he said in an interview at the company's sprawling campus in Shanghai's industrial zone. "We don't see that trend here changing in the next 10 years or so."


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The report, The Global Market for Intense Sweeteners, states that although the US has a large market for sugar confectionery, sugar-free sweets account for a very limited share of that market, but consumption of sugar-free chewing gum is growing.
The report notes that sugar-free varieties account for 82 per cent of the US chewing gum market by value, equivalent to sales worth almost $3.38bn in 2009.
The Leatherhead market analysts claim the drop in demand for sugar-free sweets in the US market has been due to consumer concern over the safety and artificial nature of many intense sweeteners.
Recent consumer research indicates that up to 45 per cent of US adults are seeking to reduce consumption levels of sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose and saccharin, mainly as a result of those concerns.
Although all the sweeteners used in the US and the EU have been approved and are deemed safe by the food safety authorities, internet forums, newspaper reports and some scientific literature continue to garner suspicion.
After saccharin, aspartame is the second most used artificial sweetener in the world, with the sweetener being the subject of cancer claims and counter-claims.
But a study last year from Italian researchers, which included over 3,000 participants and which was published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, supported the safety profile of these sweeteners, including aspartame.
Sugar-free in Europe
The Leatherhead team note though that the sugar-free sweets market is well established in Spain and France, where they found that the sector accounts for over a third of overall volume sales of sugar confectionery in both instances.
“Within the Spanish market, the penetration of the sugar-free sector is highest for medicated sweets, although sugar-free toffees have also been appearing.
In France, meanwhile, sugar-free varieties account for up to 70 per cent of the pocket confectionery sector, which is largely made up of products geared towards children and teenagers,” report the analysts.
And sugar-free varieties account for more than a quarter of overall market value in Italy, they added, with penetration highest in the boiled sweets category.
“Much of this is due to the success of the Dietorelle brand, which also competes in sectors such as toffees and caramels, and features aspartame and acesulfame K as ingredients,” said the authors.
In contrast, the penetration of sugar-free sweets is much lower in the UK and Germany.
The sugar-free sector accounts for just 11 per cent of sales in the UK market by volume, compared with 10 per cent in Germany. “However, sugar-free products are more evident in sectors such as mints and medicated confectionery in both instances, driven by brand activity from the likes of Wrigley,” said the analysts.
According to the Leatherhead data, natural sweeteners may account for up to a quarter of the global intense sweeteners market by the middle of the next decade.
The analysts claim that stevia-derived sweeteners are driving the move away from additives and ingredients that are perceived as artificial, and it already accounts for 14 per cent of the intense sweeteners market, up from just one per cent in 2007.
“Stevia represents one of the most dynamic sectors within the global intense sweeteners market by far, with sales having risen dramatically since the middle of the last decade as a result of increasing uptake within the US food and drinks industry,” the report said.
An opinion released this month by the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) concluded that steviol glycosides are not carcinogenic or genotoxic, a finding in line with other similar bodies across the world.
Leatherhead said that, as a result of this conclusion, the EU is widely expected to approve the use of stevia in food manufacture at some point, probably during the early stages of 2011.


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Armas and Shilpa Enter into a Sales and Distribution Agreement to Bring High quality oncology products to U.S. Market
MANALAPAN, N.J. and KARNATAKA, India, Oct. 8, 2018
MANALAPAN, N.J. and KARNATAKA, India, Oct. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Armas Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Armas), a NJ based pharmaceutical marketing & distribution corporation, and Shilpa Medicare Limited (Shilpa), an India based pharmaceutical company, have announced today, a distribution partnership agreement. This agreement will encompass various generic oncology injectables and orals within the U.S. market. The first product, an oncology injectable, to be introduced in late October 2018, has an approximate market size of $116 million annually. Armas expects to launch additional oncology products through the 1st quarter of 2019, with a market size totaling more than $430 million annually.
"We are extremely pleased to have an opportunity to partner with Shilpa Medicare Limited, to provide to the US market quality oncology products. Our highly skilled team also looks forward to identifying products for development, utilizing alternative dosage forms, and delivery methods to improve the patient experience.", says John Niemi, President & CEO of Armas.
"We are very excited about this partnership. The combination of Armas' deep customer experience and Shilpa's vertical integration, high quality development and manufacturing capabilities are well suited to launch our portfolio of products approved and under FDA review while providing affordable medicines to patients.", says Adam Levitt, CEO of Shilpa North America.
About Armas Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Armas Pharmaceuticals is a generic pharmaceutical company delivering an ever-growing portfolio of high-quality products that provide convenience, affordability and consistency. Through the development of strong partnerships and industry relationships, Armas maintains this pipeline of products with customer and patient satisfaction in mind. Headquartered in Manalapan, New Jersey, Armas Pharmaceuticals is always open to new partnership opportunities and ways to offer our customers the best products at affordable prices. For more information, please visit ArmasPharmaceuticals.com.
About Shilpa Medicare Limited
Shilpa Medicare Limited has its formulation manufacturing facility at Pharma SEZ, Jadcherla, Telangana State, India. It has a state of art manufacturing facility with capability of manufacturing various dosage forms like tablets, capsules & injections according to global regulatory standards. The facility has GMP clearance from Global regulatory authorities viz. US FDA, EU GMP, Brazil-ANVISA, DIGEMID-Peru, WHO GMP etc. The management of the facility is committed to continued compliance with Global GMP requirements. Shilpa Medicare Limited has filed registration dossiers with US FDA, EU Authorities, Latam, GCC, CIS, African countries. The firm also engaged in contract manufacturing. The facility has started commercial supply of the products to different regions of the world – USA, Europe, ROW markets. For more information, please visit vbshilpa.com.
SOURCE Armas Pharmaceuticals


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The U.S. new car market has had the bottom drop out, as was widely expected as the coronavirus pandemic spread across the U.S. in March, but the outlook going forward is far more bleak than was forecast as recently as a week ago.
April sales are now expected to be off by 80%, according to J.D. Power, the research firm previously forecasting a still significant 50% drop in demand this month. With much of the country still in lockdown for April and, with no clear end in sight for the pandemic, the question is when things will begin turning around.
At this point, even if the shelter-in-place orders start to be lifted in May, the impact on the automotive market is likely to stretch on, said Power’s chief data officer, Thomas King. During a Wednesday afternoon briefing, King said, “We anticipate demand for vehicles in the second half of the year will be depressed by 10 to 30% so demand will not be restored to pre-virus levels until at least next year.”
Power has been able to track the collapse of the U.S. market in real time using its PIN network which draws sales data directly from thousands of U.S. dealers. It has not been a pretty picture, demand plunging, one regional market after another, over the past four weeks. There will be 39 states with various lockdown levels as of April 2 when Florida becomes the latest to enact strict quarantine rules.
Detroit, which had actually been running slightly ahead of sales forecasts early in the month saw demand drop by nearly 100% over the last week, noted Tyson Jominy, who oversees the PIN network. Other cities hard hit by COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus, have had similar sales slumps, notably places like New York and San Francisco.
There were a few cities still in positive territory as March drew to a close, according to Power data, but Tampa is now expected to see a sharp dip as Florida residents are ordered to shelter in place.
Compounding matters, dealers in five states have been told to halt all sales while there are at least some sales restrictions in 25 states.
“There is some light” in a few markets, said Jominy, in part reflecting creativity by dealers who are turning to online sales and contactless deliveries.
If there is any real bright spot, that can be found in the pickup truck segment where demand has remained strong. A traditional truck market, Dallas is “showing the greatest resilience,” added Jominy, primarily due to strong pickup sales. Automakers, he noted, have helped prop up demand for products like the Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado by amping up incentives.
Givebacks on pickups have surged to a record $7,200 average, but givebacks, on the whole, ended the month at an average $4,800, “the highest we’ve ever seen, Jominy pointed out.
The comparatively strong pickup market has helped Detroit’s Big Three automakers, Power data revealing they collectively captured 51% of what’s left of the U.S. market last week, up from 40% at the end of February.
Luxury vehicles, meanwhile, suffered the sharpest decline, in part because many customers lease, rather than buy high-line products. They’re extending leases for now, but they could rush back to market in large numbers later this year.
If any product segment is likely to be hit especially hard it will be pure battery-electric vehicles, warned King. As the industry recovers, he said, he expects manufacturers will focus on their highest-profit models, rather than traditional money-losers like EVs. That could prove especially problematic as 2020 was expected to bring the debut of a wave of new, long-range models, such as the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Volkswagen ID.4.
The path of the coronavirus has proven especially hard to predict. At the moment, federal officials are hoping that the pandemic will peak by mid-April, but there are some concerns a second wave could strike next autumn, as has happened with past disease outbreaks. The number of Americans expected to come down with COVID-19 could run over 200 million, with anywhere from 100,000 to 240,000 or more deaths.
Predicting what the pandemic will mean for the economy and, in particular, the auto industry, is proving equally difficult, Jominy and King agreed. As a result, Power is offering a range of forecasts for the year ahead. Where most analysts had expected 2020 to bring a modest decline, to somewhere around 16.8 million vehicles, Power now believes that the final figure will fall anywhere between 12.1 million to 14.8 million. That’s better than what was seen during the depths of the Great Recession but still a massive downturn likely to strain the financial resources of even the strongest manufacturers.
“That will be extremely damaging to all industry constituents,” including automakers and auto parts suppliers, dealers and investors, and pretty much anyone else linked to the car business, warned King.


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North American based robotics companies saw orders jump 40% in units in the first half of 2010, according to figures released by the Robotic Industries Association (RIA).
A total of 6,316 robots valued at $411.4 million were ordered by North American companies through June 2010, a rise of 40% in units and 48% in dollars over the same period in 2009. When orders to companies outside of North America are included, the increases are even larger, up 54% in units and 62% in dollars.
“In North America, the biggest gains came in orders by non-automotive companies, where units rose 51%,” said RIA President Jeffrey A. Burnstein. “This is a very positive sign for our industry as it continues to expand into a wide-range of industries such as semiconductor, electronics & photonics, food & beverage, plastics & rubber, consumer goods, and life sciences. Each of these market segments posted substantial gains in the first half of 2010, while automotive orders also grew 30%.”
to Daily News


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They were removed from the game last September.
Donkey and Diddy are now joined by two new members of the Kong Family in Mario Kart Tour.
Play with nearby friends or racers around the world later this month.
Nintendo has sued an unlicensed Mario Kart company for infringing on its IP.
The beta test begins today at 12.30 PM and will go on until 11.30 AM on December 27.
The simple touch controls were locked between either standard steering or drifting that could only be chosen before a race starts, until now.
A multiplayer beta is finally coming to Mario Kart Tour, but with a Gold Pass restriction.
Everybody's favourite Kart game comes to mobile!
Opinion: For a company constantly changing the game, the problem might instead be that Nintendo isn’t trying to revolutionize mobile gaming at all.
One-handed Mario Kart, but at a cost.
Nintendo have already rolled out a subscription service for Mario Kart Tour, since it's release today.
Mario Kart Tour will race on to iOS and Android devices on September 25, 2019!
Beta testers for Mario Kart Tour in Japan have uploaded screenshots, gameplay, and other details on the upcoming mobile Nintendo game.
Nintendo is now accepting applications for the closed beta test of Mario Kart Tour on Android devices ahead of its release this Summer.
The Mario Kart game which was planned for release early this year has been pushed back.


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Talk about turning a negative into a positive — a company called Graviky Labs has figured out a way to make its own ink out of air pollution.
The company collects pollutants using a device that attaches to the tailpipe of a car. It then removes the heavy metals and carcinogens, which leaves simple pigments that can be turned into inks or paints. According to Graviky Labs, 45 minutes of pollution can make about 30 mililiters of ink.
Given the high levels of air pollution in some cities around the globe, this innovation could represent multiple wins for the business and, of course, for the environment. Finding new ways to use pollutants and other harmful materials is a great way of keeping the air and surroundings a bit cleaner.
And this isn’t the first business to find a new use for air pollution either. Last year, an artist unveiled a smog tower in Beijing that turns air pollution into jewelry.
Turning Pollution Into Products Is Green and Profitable
So if these businesses can serve as an example for other entrepreneurs who then find their own ways to recycle pollutants into useful items, it could lead to even more positive progress for the environment.
More in: Videos
This means that pollution is not waste if used the right way. This is amazing. You can turn something bad into something beautiful. Amazing.


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By Mason Mohon | @mohonofficial
Binance, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange services, has been suspended by Japanese regulators.
According to RT, the Japanese Financial Services Agency issued a formal warning to Binance on Friday. The Agency stated that Binance was violating Japanese fund-settlement rules, but were unclear as to whether or not it would be a criminal charge.
According to Alexa rankings, Japan accounts for about 9% of Binance’s visitors.
“No need to worry. Some negative news often turn out to be positive in the long term. Chinese have a proverb for this. New (often better) opportunities always emerge during times of change.” – Changpeng Zhao, Binance’s chief executive.
It seems that Binance has found its new opportunity. According to Bloomberg, the organization will now be seeking a fresh start in the Mediterranean. They have yet to provide a timeframe, but Zhao said “We are very confident we can announce a banking partnership there soon…Malta is very progressive when it comes to crypto and fintech.”
The crackdowns on cryptocurrency in China, Japan, and India have made Hong-Kong a difficult base for Binance.
Binance hopes to soon start a “fiat-to-crypto exchange” on the European island nation. This would allow people to exchange fiat currencies, such as the Dollar or Euro, for cryptocurrencies on Binance’s platform.
Currently, buying cryptocurrency with fiat is mostly limited to the cryptocurrencies that are on the Coinbase platform, which include Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, and Ethereum. Opening fiat to crypto on Binance would allow users to buy many more kinds of cryptocurrencies.
Their other future plans include the creation of a decentralized exchange, but technology development for it has been slow.


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After 22 European municipalities demanded that the EU regularize the activity of tourist rental platforms, the company encouraged the proposal to modify the Electronic Commerce Directive on the inclusion of a new body so that companies, governments and cities benefit.
The implementation of this project would provide both policy makers and web support with the necessary guidance to support the development of sound and effective regulation.
Airbnb Senior Vice President of Global Policy, Chris Lehane, said:
"This historic agreement will help ensure that cities have the information they need to regulate home sharing effectively."
Different European cities have revealed themselves against vacation rental platforms, especially the city of Barcelona, when in 2017, Ada Colau, current mayor of Barcelona, approved the Special Urban Tourism Accommodation Plan in order to land Airbnb. Consequently, in 2019, the company had to remove 1,000 home listings in Barcelona from its platform.
With this new move and alliance between holiday rental platforms, changes are expected that benefit both cities and startups.


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Today, a published report from the technology news site Benzinga suggested that Blackberry is going to be acquired by Lenovo, which is expected to make an offer by the end of this week. The news led to a 6 percent surge in Blackberry's stock price. The source said that Lenovo could start by offering $15 per share, but that a deal will probably be made around $18 per share.
Almost two years ago, in January 2013, Lenovo's CEO Wong Wai Ming said that Blackberry was one of the companies it was considering buying. Early this year, Lenovo announced plans for its acquisition of Motorola, so many thought that Lenovo was done buying companies for a while. However, Lenovo seems to want to enter the western enterprise market, and one way to do that faster is to buy Blackberry.
Blackberry is not nearly as powerful as it once was in the smartphone market, but there are still over 91 million BBM users, and the company's brand is recognized in the enterprise as a smartphone brand for professionals.
Blackberry's CEO, John Chen, has also tried to focus more on services and the enterprise market lately, which means Lenovo doesn't have to start from scratch in terms of enterprise product and service development.
"Lenovo is serious about becoming a worldwide player," Bob O'Donnell, chief analyst at TECHnalysis Research told CBC News in an interview. "People want an answer to iOS or Android and there is BlackBerry with BB10."
BB10 is indeed a solid operating system, but it never had any chance against Android, iOS, or even Windows Phone and Microsoft's billion dollar investments. Lenovo has the money to push the platform harder, if not in the consumer market (where the company will probably focus more on Motorola), then in the enterprise market where it has a stronger name.
Lenovo also bought IBM's low-end x86 server business this year for $2.3 billion, another sign that the company is looking for new growth businesses. Lenovo is already the number-one PC manufacturer, but although PCs are still a cash cow for the company, it's not a big growth market anymore, so the growth needs to come from elsewhere.
The smartphone market is already quite large, but it has the potential to be several times larger as more people either buy a new smartphone for the first time or upgrade from an older one. With Motorola and Blackberry, Lenovo could gain two smartphone companies that have potential for growth, even if they are currently under-performing. That potential, combined with Lenovo's billions of dollars that it could invest in product development and marketing, could help Lenovo become a stronger global mobile company.
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Now the only downside for me personally, it's only available for purchase unlocked at the moment, and is rumored that it wont be available for contract on my carrier until January/February. It if was available at this time I would most likely choose it over the Note 4 just so I could try something different.
All in all, what I'm trying to say is for a phone that's geared more towards a corporate environment, it's caught my attention, and I really like that they try to think outside of the box.


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Enclosed is the latest edition of your New Zealand Labour Letter. 2015 marks 20 years of AIL in New Zealand and we look forward to continuing to serve the labour community. The online publication of the New Zealand Labour Letter is provided as a service to Labour by AIL of New Zealand Ltd.
April 2015, Vol. 6 No. 4
National Labour News
Unite Union negotiated a new pact with Restaurant Brands that ends zero hour contracts by July. Unite has 2000 members at the chain which includes KFC, Pizza Hut, Carl's Jr and Starbucks stores. "This is a gigantic step forward for workers in the fast food industry," said Unite National Director Mike Treen. According to the union, the proposal promises staff at least 80 per cent of the average hours will be guaranteed using a three month rolling average of hours worked up to a maximum of 32 hours a week. The union said McDonald's, Burger King and Wendy's are still refusing to move meaningfully on the issue. "It is time for New Zealanders to tell these profitable multi-national chains that they need to stop taking advantage of their often young and vulnerable workers and put an end to a labour practice that the people of New Zealand have made clear they find unacceptable," he said. Union members approved an industrial and public campaign to pressure these companies into ending zero hour contracts. Unite also will join the international day of action by fast food workers on April 15.
NZ Council of Trade Unions April 1 presented a petition on the steps of Parliament with more than 1000 signatures which called on the Government to ban the importation of asbestos and develop a comprehensive plan for the removal of all existing asbestos in New Zealand. The petition was accepted by Labour leader Andrew Little and will go to a select committee which will study it and decide what should be done. "Asbestos is the biggest workplace killer in New Zealand. It kills at least 170 workers annually, more than twice as many workers as accidental deaths at work. The number of people dying from asbestos related diseases (lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis) is increasing and the Government projections are that it will peak at 300 deaths annually, higher than the road toll," said CTU Secretary, Sam Huggard. He said New Zealand was "out of step" with other developed countries which have banned all products that contain asbestos.
It seems some companies are surrendering on zero hours without a shot being fired. We had a discussion this morning at the Unite office about extending Unite's organising drive into other fast food joints like Hell's Pizza, Burger Fuel and Domino's. This afternooon we got the news that Hell's Pizza were going to stop using zero hour contracts. This is their statement.
Hell has no time for zero-hour contracts
The recent focus on zero-hour employment contracts has lead Hell to review and revise its policy regarding the practice. From today, employees of all 65 Hell Pizza franchises are guaranteed fixed weekly hours, which will be reflected in new employment contracts by June 1 2015.
Hell general manager Ben Cumming says: “Zero-hour contracts have been an industry norm for quite some time. Hell strives to be a desirable and well-regarded employer; we believe all of our franchisees have acted in good faith in regards to employees’ hours of work. As such, we don’t foresee the change having any material effect on our operations or staff.”
Dear Maccas, Burger King and Wendy's,
I urge you to end zero hours contracts which are a form of worker exploitation and are not a good buisness practice for companies wanting to succeed and grow.
As Pope Francis has often pointed out, such exploitation of workers is against God.
It's time to be honest and provide secure hours for your workers.
Not knowing what hours you will be working or how much will be in your pay packet from week to week is no way to live. People I know are genuinely shocked when they learn how your workers can have their hours and pay slashed from week to week simply because their manager decides so.
This causes so much unecessary stress on working families. Workers on zero hours cannot even get bank loans to buy houses or cars because they have zero hours.
You expect them to turn up to work when you want but don't have the decency to make sure they have enough paid hours each week to feed their families and pay their bills. These sorts of jobs have no place in a modern society.
You run profitable retail businesses with set hours. There is simply no good reason why you can't offer all your workers a guarantee of hours.
I understand that workers at KFC, Pizza Hutt, Carls Jr. and Starbucks will have guaranteed hours from July this year. If Restaurant Brands can do it then why can't you?
You all claim to be good, caring corporate citizens of New Zealand. It's time to prove it.
Rev Chris Sullivan
Unite has now successfully negotiated for all workers at Restaurant Brands (KFC, Pizza Hutt, Starbucks and Carls Jr.) to have guaranteed hours from July this year.
However, McDonalds, Burger King and Wendy's have failed to get serious about the issue. Their proposals so far would only guarantee some hours for a tiny fraction of their workforce. They need to get the message that treating their workers like this in the 21st century is unacceptable.
Restaurant Brands delegates meeeting in 2013 had secure hours high on their agenda.
Media Release April 8, 2015
Restaurant Brands which owns the KFC, Pizza Hut, Carl's Jr and Starbucks chains has committed to end zero hour contracts by July this year in a new collective agreement negotiated with Unite Union.
NZ workers to join US fast food workers (above) in taking action on April 15.
Fast food workers in New Zealand will be joining an international day of action on April 15 to support an end to the super-exploitation of these vulnerable workers. In the US the cry is $15 and a union. In New Zealand we are demanding “End Zero Hour Contracts Now”.
Negotiations between Unite and all the fast food companies have reached a critical stage. The fight for a better deal has begun at Wendy's with action at a number of stores across the country. Votes to authorise strike action are being held at McDonald's and Burger King. Negotiations are continuing more productively with Restaurant Brands (KFC, Pizza Hut, Carl's Jr and Starbucks).
Ending zero-hour contracts in 2015
Unite was told by workers that 2015 was the year to end zero-hour contracts. That message was relayed to the companies at the end of negotiations two years ago. We talked about it in blog after blog. We had meetings with the companies over the past two years to remind them to be ready. We met with them again at the end of 2015 and held a fast food workers conference in early December to underline the point.
However, only Restaurant Brands has made even a modest effort to engage meaningfully on the issue. The other companies appear to be just stringing us along until the collective agreements expired on March 31.Read more
College students crippled by educational debt and part-time university faculty are joining fast food workers in their latest action on April 15
If Douglas Hunter succeeds with his plans on April 15, the public’s attention this year may be diverted from grumbling about taxes to demanding higher wages for millions of low-income service workers—including many who earn so little at their jobs that they need public subsidies for a minimal standard of living.
Hunter, 53, is a leader nationally and in Chicago of the Fight for $15, an ambitious campaign that New York City fast food workers launched two-and-a-half years ago. But other cities picked up the call, then other occupations, from retail workers and childcare providers to adjunct professors. It has caught the imagination of the public as well and notched some notable victories, such as a $15 minimum wage in Seattle and Seatac in Washington state, as well as in San Francisco.
“We can’t wait. Jewel isn’t waiting. People’s Gas isn’t waiting,” he says, referencing a Chicago grocery chain and natural gas utility, respectively. “We need higher wages to support our families. Many people thought we were crazy two years ago when we walked off our jobs in New York and demanded $15 an hour. They don’t think we’re crazy now.”Read more
By Michael Taft - Irish Left Review
This Thursday, April 2nd, workers in Dunnes Stores throughout the country are coming out on a one-day strike. In essence, the dispute boils down to two urgent issues.
The first is zero/low hour contracts. Such contracts require employees to be available for work but do not guarantee hours of work. Therefore, workers cannot be assured of their income from one week to the next. And because hours and shifts change, workers cannot plan childcare, eldercare, family time or leisure.
The Dunnes Stores Workers are seeking what is called ‘banded hours’. This means people are rostered in such a manner that they are guaranteed a minimum and maximum number of working hours and, so, income.
McDonald's is finally giving some of its workers a raise.
The fast-food giant on Wednesday announced plans to give employees a 10-percent pay bump and some extra benefits.
The raise will affect about 90,000 workers at a small fraction of McDonald’s stores. Employees at franchises, which make up the majority of the burger chain's locations, won't be affected.
The increase will lift the average hourly wage at McDonald’s to $9.90, and to more than $10 by the end of next year. The rate currently sits at $9.01, according to the Wall Street Journal.
While the fast-food movement may not be close to persuading McDonald’s to adopt a $15 minimum wage, even the campaign’s critics acknowledge it has achieved some of its goals by prompting a national debate about low-wage work and nudging various cities and states to raise their minimum wage.
By Steven Greenhouse
The New York Times
ATLANTA - On a recent Friday, Kwanza Brooks, a $7.25-an-hour McDonald's worker, climbed into a 14-person van to take a four-hour ride from Charlotte, N.C., to Atlanta.
As she and other workers headed south, Ms. Brooks, a short, fiery woman, swapped stories with her companions about unsafe conditions and unfair managers. Upon arriving, they joined more than 400 other people - including home care aides, Walmart workers, child care workers and adjunct professors - at the Ebenezer Baptist Church, where the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had been a pastor.
The gathering on March 21 was in part a strategy session to plan for the fast-food movement's next big wave of protests, which is now scheduled for April 15. But the meeting was also seeking to be something far more ambitious. Through some strategic alchemy, the organizers hoped the gathering would turn the fast-food workers' fight for a $15 hourly wage into a broad national movement of all low-wage workers that combined the spirit of Depression-era labor organizing with the uplifting power of Dr. King's civil rights campaign.


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Retailers Knock Down Walls Between In-Store and Digital
This is the first story of a series looking at how today’s retailers are fighting back against the Amazons of the world. It is brought to you by Sociomantic, a market leader in providing dynamic display ad campaigns powered by CRM data for eCommerce advertisers.
Imagine walking into Sephora and trying to remember that shade of Nars lipstick you bought a while ago but you just have no clue. So you pull out your smartphone and check the store’s app for your past and favorite purchases to find out.
Maybe you’re are in a hurry at Sears and want to skip the long line, so you whip out your smartphone and check yourself out.
Retailers have long been aware that their smartphone-addicted customers are bringing the devices into their stores. Now they’re are bringing more of their stores to our phones.
According to a study from Xtreme Labs, 58 percent of smartphone owners use mobile for store-related shopping and are 14 percent more likely than non-smartphone shoppers to decide to purchase in-store. Retailers have taken note.
“A good digital in-store experience has many of the same attributes of any good retail experience – it is personalized, helps you quickly navigate, and saves you money,” said Brian Monahan, vp of marketing at Walmart.
As Monahan sees it, in a competitive retail environment, digital gives retailers another opportunity to grab consumers’ attention.
Walmart’s mobile app uses location-based optimization that helps customers find their way around any Walmart store location they step into. Also, according to Monahan, Walmart is testing a new digital product called “Scan & Go,” which enables customers to use their mobile devices for self-checkout.
Sears’ own mobile app SHOPSears has features that make shopping at the stores easier, like e-coupons, mobile checkout and a curbside pickup service that lets users text their parking spot to have purchases brought to their cars.
“Customers have changed the way they shop,” said Imran Jooma, evp of marketing, online and financial services at Sears. “As retailers, we must change the way we sell.” According to Jooma, in 2012, Sears processed more than 1.5 million transactions and more than $550 million in sales in-store through its app alone.
Other retailers like Sephora, Target, Ikea, and Home Depot have mobile apps with similar features that help customers do things like better navigate store locations, get location-specific deals, check inventory and scan barcodes to see product reviews.
While digital may be a must for retailers, launching apps just for the sake of having them is a mistake, said John Jones, svp and ECD at R/GA.
Jones said that the most successful digital in-store experiences are often the simplest ones, like in-store digital signage or digital experiences that get the customers to actually touch products.
“Some retailers that shouldn’t be doing self-checkout are doing self-checkout,” said Jones. “A big mistake is not thinking about the products and where the customers fit in to the digital experience.” And that holds true whether it comes to lipstick or line-skipping.
TonyV3112 / Shutterstock.com
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You can expect the usual discounts on Amazon's Echo and Fire products.
We'll be sorting through everything once Prime Day hits to highlight the best PC gaming deals we can find.
Amazon is expanding its savings event for Prime members to 36 hours, six hours longer than past year.
Amazon's 2018 Prime Day is not just a multi-day affair, it's a multi-company and multi-media one.
First - and most importantly - make sure you're already a Prime member so you can access the deals in the first place. Part of that includes Amazon Prime, a paid subscription service that provides users with extra benefits, such discounts, deals and even streaming video.
The online retailer has been rolling out lightning deals in the build-up to Prime Day on Monday, July 16. This sneak peak will be available starting July 9 by tapping on the Prime Day banner in the app. Formula 1 must negotiate the freedom to launch its OTT service in each media-rights deal it agrees, as broadcasters who agree to the F1 TV launch in their territory lose some exclusivity. Amazon devices, such as the Amazon Fire Stick, Amazon Echo speakers and Kindle, other electronics, home and kitchen supplies, and grocery will see special offers as well.
Tropical Storm Chris is shown off the eastern coast of North and SC , U.S., in this satellite image July 9, 2018 at 16:12 UTC. It already is the season's third named tropical storm; something that on average doesn't occur until August 13.
You don't know [expletive]", Trump continues in the clip right before another message appears saying, " Sacha graduates. Trump took to both Twitter and YouTube to lambast Baron Cohen's antics, calling Baron Cohen's stunt "a disgrace".
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While on the statue, she lay by the bottom edge of the statue's robe, walked around and sat perched against the national monument. So far, it is unclear whether the woman who climbed the massive statue was involved in the protest, but many are assuming so.
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Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, almost died of exposure to Novichok left on the front doorstep of Sergei's home in March. But, they say, "it is important that the investigation is led by the evidence available and the facts alone".
Trump picks Kavanaugh for Supreme Court
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Majority of “Direct Traffic” Could Actually Come From Organic Search
According an experiment recently conducted by Chicago company Groupon, much of what websmasters believe to be direct traffic might actually be attributable to organic search. It’s well-known that a “direct” visit occurs when a user types a URL or uses a bookmark to access a site, rather than using a search engine.
However, browsers are notoriously bad at reporting direct traffic accurately. Other factors such as a user’s operating system, especially if it’s an older version of iOS, can also contribute to unclear or inaccurate data.
Groupon Actually De-Indexed Their Site
In a guest post written for Search Engine Land, Groupon’s Director of Product Management describes how the popular “deal-of-the-day” company actually de-indexed their site from Google for six hours. The SEO experiment was conducted under the suspicion that Google Analytics actually underreports organic search and classifies many of these visits as “direct” instead. If Groupon de-indexed their site, their organic search numbers should go to zero while the direct traffic should be unaffected, right?
Wrong – the Groupon team found that their direct traffic actually fell nearly 60 percent while their site was de-indexed. The pages that were measured involved “long” URLs such as www.groupon.com/local/san-francisco/restaurants. This is because Groupon’s pages with shorter URLs tend to actually receive a good amount of honest direct traffic.
The experiment also shed some light on how well different browsers report organic search. It was found that Chrome, Firefox and Safari incorrectly reported organic traffic as “direct” around 10 to 20 percent of the time. Internet Explorer was found to be very poor, however. Around 75 percent of the direct traffic reported by IE could actually be attributed to organic search through Google. It was also found that mobile browsers are generally less likely than desktop browsers to report direct traffic accurately. Aside from browsers, it’s thought that search traffic encryption also helps contribute to the confusion.
Even More Reason to Concentrate on Organic Search
With the majority of direct traffic actually being attributable to organic search, it might be time to re-evaluate some digital marketing strategies. This experiment might cause some slight shifts in the amount of time SEOs spend on garnering direct traffic. Of course direct visits are important, but organic search is still the number one way that users find websites.
In fact, Nathan Safran of SEO firm Conductor recently adjusted a previous study of 310 million website visits using Groupon’s new data. It was revealed that 64 percent of web visits now likely come from organic search. Before Groupon’s experiment, it was thought that organic search only accounted for 47 percent (though it was still the top method that people used to access websites). Before this experiment, 29 percent of visits could be attributed to direct traffic – now that figure is only 12 percent.
Groupon does not recommend de-indexing your site to conduct a similar experiment. At the very least, the results of the experiment could serve as a powerful argument against anyone who doubts the importance of SEO marketing.


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Why don’t we grow our own food?
Lack of support and too little investment in research mean it is hard for those who produce our fresh food to make a living
How much would you be willing to spend on a head of cabbage? In Dunnes and Tesco you can expect to pay about €1, while the discount supermarkets charge 49c. When Fergal Anderson and Emanuela Russo began growing fruit and vegetables on their 2.5-hectare farm in east Galway ten years ago, they charged €2 at local markets. “I don’t think it’s outrageous,” Anderson said. “They are unbelievably nice cabbages.”
Now Anderson’s market days are behind him as he sells his entire crop to Enda McEvoy, a Michelin-starred chef, and Sinead Meacle for their restaurants Loam and Ean in Galway city. “I got tired of having conversations at the market stall with people going, ‘I can get this in Lidl for 50c.’ It’s not the same


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Hero Motocorps Q4 results dive 13.9 per cent
Hero MotoCorp posted its Q4 results recently and as expected net profit has taken a big hit. The company posted a net profit of Rs 717.8 crore, which is down from Rs 833 crore, on a year-on-year basis. That's a 13.9 per cent decline.
The drop can be attributed to severe challenges that the company faced during this quarter. Demonetisation has taken a toll on the company's sales, and the company posted a 6 per cent drop in sales in this quarter alone.
The second challenge it faced is ban on BS-III compliant two-wheelers which hit the company hardest. The company was sitting on a stockpile of 2,50,000 units and had to offer heavy discounts to ensure the bikes were sold before the March 31, 2017 deadline. That took a major toll on revenue, amounting to Rs 193 crore.
The EBITDA too fell by 19.5 per cent, down to Rs 957.6 crore from Rs 1,189.1 crore, calculated on a year-on-year basis. Hero MotoCorp said that the impact on margins was a one-time incident owing to the above reasons. The results are not a surprise and in line with expectations.
That said, the company says that it is positive about the future and is investing heavily into its new product line-up. Plans are to invest Rs 2,500 crore until FY19.
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