text:
Sozzi's Retail Roundup: Starbucks Still Needs To Adjust To Customer Demand
On Wednesday, Brian Sozzi, CEO and Chief Equities Strategist at Belus Capital Advisors dropped by on February 5 to Benzinga's PreMarket show to discuss retailers.
Everyone who loves a cup of coffee has at some point likely visited a Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) locations. Sozzi recognizes that Starbucks has grown tremendously over the years, but the company has hit a rough patch recently.
“The Starbucks was a tough call, it was our 2013 top call everything seemed to go right,” Sozzi told Benzinga. “On January 13th, we downgraded to Hold, and still have a Hold rating with price target of $73.”
“Watching the stores, you are seeing longer lines, I have seen people leaving the line because the line is too big. The menu has just enlarged to the point where they need to improve the process behind the counter.”
While some may acknowledge that long lines are a sign of a strong pent up demand for Starbucks products, there is tremendous pressure from Wall Street for Starbucks to sell massive amounts of coffee each and every quarter.
“We talked to the company late last week, I still didn't get the sense that they get the problem. Given the fact they don't get it, I need to see how that plays out in the current quarter results and how much they are having to discount to get customers back in the stores.”
Sozzi referenced a slowing of traffic at Starbucks that was seen in mid-December. As a result, Starbucks had to increase its promotional activity around the holiday shopping season. “You are just not used to Starbucks promoting anything,” said Sozzi.
He said that his Hold rating was the result of more than two months of “investigative research” on the ground. Sozzi needs to see mall traffic improving, or signs that company is improving its process behind the counter before he can re-instate a Buy rating.
— Brian Sozzi (@BrianSozzi) February 4, 2014
Latest Ratings for SBUX
|Apr 2017||Stifel Nicolaus||Upgrades||Hold||Buy|
|Mar 2017||Telsey Advisory Group||Initiates Coverage On||Outperform|
© 2017 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.


text:
PROVIDENCE — Benny's is gone — again.
A Rhode Island businessman who wanted to revive the defunct retail brand as a gourmet supermarket says he's looking for a new name after the owners of the once well-known Rhode Island chain of stores threatened legal action.
"We weren't trying to hurt Benny's or misrepresent ourselves. We were trying to uphold an iconic name," said Christopher Menta, who earlier in the week announced plans to open Benny's Fresh Market on Route 138 in Richmond. "No good deed goes unpunished."
The owners of the original Benny's, which plugged itself as "Your Favorite Store," didn't see the attempt to latch onto their well-known brand as benign.
On Friday morning, two days after Benny's Fresh Market announced that it had "legally obtained the rights" to the Benny's name and red-and-white cursive logo, a spokesman for the original company told the press they had written Menta a cease-and-desist letter for "brand infringement of the highest order."
"To be clear, permission for use was never granted by Benny’s. In fact, it was never even requested from Benny’s," Benny's spokesman Dante Bellini wrote in a statement Friday. "Simply put, this is brand infringement of the highest order ... Benny’s maintains ownership of the mark, which has not been transferred or licensed."
Bellini said the cease-and-desist letter was sent to Menta and the company's registered agent on Wednesday. He noted that in addition to public relations, Benny's owners are represented by "several local law firms."
"Benny’s intends to take all action needed to enforce its federal trademark protections and common-law rights to its intellectual property," he wrote.
Asked what was going on, Menta on Friday said he had applied for and been granted a trademark for the Benny's brand by the Rhode Island trademark office.
Only later did he and his attorney learn that the original owners had an active federal trademark, not a state one, for the Benny's name.
"I am a big enough person to say we missed that they have a federal trademark and we will find a new name," Menta said.
"They sold bikes and tires; I sell steaks and tomatoes," he said. "We were just trying to pay homage to Benny's. I am tired of seeing iconic names going away."
Menta said his plan had been to open multiple "Benny's Fresh Market" stores in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, possibly in former Benny's locations to fight the large chain supermarkets dominating the grocery business. He's spent 38 years in the food wholesale business and would have considered buying the Benny's name before the trademark blowup, he said.
After 93 years selling Rhode Islanders tires, leaf bags, and in later years a pinch of nostalgia, the Bromberg family in 2017 closed all 31 Benny's stores across the region. The real estate was mostly sold to developer the Carpionato Group, while the Brombergs held on to the name, logo and trademark.
Co-owner Arnold Bromberg told the Journal in 2017 the family was not ruling out the possibility of selling the brand to a new owner for a reboot somewhere down the line.
That looked like it may have happened on Wednesday, when Benny's Fresh Market posted on Facebook that it would be opening a grocery store in Richmond in the near future.
The state trademark office issued a trademark for Benny's Fresh Market, Nicole Legace, spokeswoman for Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea confirmed Friday.
But she said on further review it shouldn't have, based on Benny's long use of the name, and is now rescinding the trademark.
"Unfortunately, our staff failed to acknowledge that a similar mark was previously used in Rhode Island and could cause confusion for consumers," Legace wrote in an email. "Upon further review, our office has determined that this trademark should not have been granted due to its false connection to Benny’s."
Despite the trademark tempest, Menta said after choosing a new name, he still hopes to open next month.
The new market will offer "the freshest produce, USDA fresh meats, egg/dairy products, seafood, gourmet foods & much more all at affordable prices!" according to the Benny's Fresh Market Facebook post Wednesday.
By Friday afternoon, the Facebook page showed stock photos of strawberries and carrots where the old Benny's logo had been.

domain: news


text:
Tip Ontology Tokens, ONT And ONG, On Telegram By Using Sesameseed’s Seedit Trading Bot
Ontology announced on Monday that users can now tip the blockchain’s native tokens, ONT and ONG, on Telegram, using the famous crypto trading bot Seedit. The announcement came via a tweet, which also included a link to Sesameseed’s blog on medium.com, explaining the partnership in detail.
You can now tip $ONT and $ONG on Telegram using @GoSeedit! Read more: https://t.co/eiVLRv9Crq.
— Ontology #BUIDL4Web3 (@OntologyNetwork) May 6, 2019
Seedit is multi-platform payment system created by Sesameseed on the Tron Blockchain Network. It allows users to send and receive digital tokens on the platforms which the users already transact on. Crypto payments are fast growing in popularity across the globe, as traditional business giants jumping on to the scene too.
Technology behemoth IBM launched a global payments platform earlier this year, called World Wire, based on the Stellar platform, which initially started operations in 72 countries, and with 42 currencies. Also, global payments leader, VISA announced a couple of months ago that it will be integrating blockchain tech with its global operations in order to facilitate crypto payments.
In its blog on Ontology Network on medium.com, Sesameseed stated,
In association with Rovak, Sesameseed is pleased to announce that Ontology tokens (ONT and ONG) can now be tipped on Telegram using Seedit. The bot will automatically generate an Ontology wallet for new and existing users. Currently, the airdrop and trade functions are only available for TRON tokens.
The addition of Tipping feature for the Sesameseed community is expected to bring new members who have never before used a tipping bot. To make things even more attractive, Sesameseed has relaxed its entire fees for the time being, for tipping TRX, ONT or ONG tokens. However, Seedit will be free initially, charges levied by the native blockchain, like TRON and Ontology, will be applicable.
TRON and Ontology are two of the most active blockchains working towards global expansion. While TRX is among the widely adopted cryptocurrencies, ONT and ONG are catching up fairly quickly. Since the launch of its mainnet in June 2018, Ontology has entered in partnership with various platforms, expanding its adoption.
It partnered with ParityGames, a blockchain-based VR game in February this year. The partnership includes integration with gaming marketplace Skrskins, which has over 500,000 users.


text:
Jefferies Group reaffirmed their neutral rating on shares of Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) in a research report released on Monday. The firm currently has a $39.00 target price on the biopharmaceutical company’s stock.
Several other research analysts have also recently issued reports on the company. JPMorgan Chase set a $42.00 price target on Pfizer and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 8th. DZ Bank reissued a sell rating on shares of Pfizer in a research note on Thursday, May 3rd. Morningstar set a $43.50 price target on Pfizer and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 2nd. BMO Capital Markets decreased their price target on Pfizer from $43.00 to $42.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, May 2nd. Finally, ValuEngine cut Pfizer from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 2nd. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have assigned a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. The stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $40.08.
Shares of Pfizer opened at $35.71 on Monday, according to Marketbeat. The firm has a market cap of $212.46 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.48, a P/E/G ratio of 1.77 and a beta of 0.89. The company has a quick ratio of 0.98, a current ratio of 1.27 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45. Pfizer has a 12 month low of $35.64 and a 12 month high of $35.80.
Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, May 1st. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.77 EPS for the quarter, topping the Zacks’ consensus estimate of $0.74 by $0.03. Pfizer had a return on equity of 25.29% and a net margin of 41.29%. The firm had revenue of $12.91 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $13.14 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.69 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 1.0% on a year-over-year basis. equities analysts forecast that Pfizer will post 2.95 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 11th will be issued a $0.34 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, May 10th. This represents a $1.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.81%. Pfizer’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 51.32%.
In other news, Director W Don Cornwell sold 1,758 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $36.79, for a total transaction of $64,676.82. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 1,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $36,790. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, insider Kirsten Lund-Jurgensen sold 9,510 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, February 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $37.19, for a total value of $353,676.90. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 36,959 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,374,505.21. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 380,349 shares of company stock valued at $13,829,340. Insiders own 0.06% of the company’s stock.
Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Security Asset Management lifted its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 6.1% during the fourth quarter. Security Asset Management now owns 22,827 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $827,000 after purchasing an additional 1,317 shares during the last quarter. Waldron LP raised its position in Pfizer by 6.0% during the fourth quarter. Waldron LP now owns 23,785 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $861,000 after buying an additional 1,341 shares during the period. Community Financial Services Group LLC raised its position in Pfizer by 0.6% during the fourth quarter. Community Financial Services Group LLC now owns 216,884 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $7,856,000 after buying an additional 1,375 shares during the period. TCI Wealth Advisors Inc. raised its position in Pfizer by 2.0% during the fourth quarter. TCI Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 71,284 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $2,582,000 after buying an additional 1,375 shares during the period. Finally, Banced Corp raised its position in Pfizer by 5.4% during the fourth quarter. Banced Corp now owns 26,667 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $965,000 after buying an additional 1,376 shares during the period. 71.65% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Pfizer Inc discovers, develops, manufactures, and sells healthcare products worldwide. It operates in two segments, Pfizer Innovative Health (IH) and Pfizer Essential Health (EH). The IH segment focuses on the development and commercialization of medicines and vaccines, and consumer healthcare products in various therapeutic areas, including internal medicine, vaccines, oncology, inflammation and immunology, and rare diseases, as well as consumer healthcare, such as over-the-counter brands comprising dietary supplements, pain management, gastrointestinal, and respiratory and personal care.
Receive News & Ratings for Pfizer Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pfizer and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.


text:
China sees fewer tourists in Q1
Xinhua, April 12, 2013
China saw tourism numbers drop year on year in the first quarter, whereas more Chinese went abroad, the China National Tourism Administration said Friday.
Inbound tourists hit 31.6 million in the first quarter, down 2 percent from the same period last year, but outbound tourists topped 22.6 million in the first quarter, up 16 percent year on year.
China's tourism revenue totalled about 835 billion yuan (133.6 billion U.S. dollars) in the first quarter, up 15.8 percent year on year.
The domestic tourism industry handled about 1 billion Chinese travels in the first quarter, up 14 percent year on year. Revenue expanded 18 percent year on year to 763 billion yuan, according to the administration.
Nevertheless, tourism sectors took in 11.4 billion U.S. dollars in foreign currencies, down 3 percent year on year.
Recommended China Guide:
About Our Company
China Travel Resources
What Our Customers Say
Thank you for your follow-up email. I must commend your team as well as our guide and driver for their excellent service and job done.
My young son felt at home with her, and she went out of her way to take care of him and entertain him during the trip. She was also very knowledgeab...
Read more testimonials...


text:
The new Jaguar XJ will be a pure electric car but it will retain all the characteristics of the current XJ – beautiful design, opulent luxury, and intelligent performance.
We had earlier reported that the Jagaur XJ flagship sedan will be discontinued soon and that the replacement of it will be a fully electric car. Now Jaguar Land Rover has confirmed that the next-gen Jaguar XJ flagship sedan will be a pure electric vehicle (EV). This announcement comes on the last day when the production of the current XJ ends at the factory. The new Jaguar XJ will be built at its Castle Bromwich plant in the UK.
The new electric XJ will be the first model that will be produced at this facility but in the future, JLR has plans to produce an entire range of electric vehicles at this facility. Currently, the electrified versions of JLR models which includes the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport plug-in hybrids, are built at its Solihull plant. On the other hand, the Jaguar i-Pace is built by contract manufacturer Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria.
Jaguar Land Rover has said that the new electric XJ will retain all the characteristic features that was so synonymous with the current XJ, i.e, a beautiful design, intelligent performance and the much revered luxury. As a matter of fact, it will be built by the same “expert team of designers and product development specialists responsible for delivering” the I-Pace.
JLR chief executive, Ralf Speth, said, “The future of mobility is electric and, as a visionary British company, we are committed to making our next generation of zero-emission vehicles in the UK.” When inquired about the scale of the investment of such a project, Speth commented, “When you get into new architectures like we have, you’re into the billions, spread over years to come.”
However, JLR has rightfully highlighted the concern that while they would offering their customers greater choices with an expansion of their electric car line-up, whether the customers will really buy them remains a big question. Speth commented, “Convenience and affordability are the two key enablers to drive the uptake of electric vehicles to the levels that we all need. Charging should be as easy as re-fuelling a conventional vehicle.”
Here in India, Jaguar Land Rover has already confirmed that they would soon be offering electrified vehicles, including hybrids in the country from as soon as end-2019. The first would be all electric i-Pace that is expected to hit our shores in early 2020 and soon enough we can also expect the Jaguar electric XJ to hit our shores as well.


text:
Eric Dinsdale reads 1,000 books before kindergarten!
REINBECK – Eric Dinsdale, a young member of the Reinbeck Public Library, and his family recently completed the monumental task of reading 1000 books before kindergarten.
Eric said his favorite spot to read is on the couch and his favorite book to read is “Balloons, Balloons, Balloons” by Dee Lillegard.
Also, his favorite food is noodles, he added, and his favorite color is blue.
Eric’s parents offered some advice for future challengers: “This challenge is definitely possible! We have been surprised by his use of new vocabulary. Both mom and dad read and it can be an average of five books a day. We did learn that it doesn’t have to be 1000 different books but that our rereading his favorite books counts too.”


text:
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Ferrari is going to use Goodyear's run-flat performance tires on its new 196-m.p.h. F430 model, the tiremaker announced at the Paris Motor Show. The tire, the Goodyear Eagle F1 GSD3, is part of the company's product line that should sell a total of 1.4 million run-flat tires in 2004.
Have breaking news sent to your inbox. Subscribe to MarketWatch's free Bulletin emails. Sign up here.


text:
American fitness and media firm, Peloton Interactive, Inc. has laid off 2,800 of its employees and offered them a free twelve-month subscription of its fitness services as part of employee’s severance.
John Foley, Co-founder of Peloton, announced the layoffs in a press release where he also revealed about stepping down from the position of CEO.
Mr. Foley said that after having re-evaluated the costs across the firm’s entire structure to ensure that it is appropriately organized for the post-COVID scenario, the company made this difficult decision of reducing its workforce by 20%, that is 2,800 globally.
Mr. Foley, now executive chair, added that impacted employees will receive a significant cash severance allotment, an extension to their health coverage for a limited duration, career services, and a one-year membership of the firm’s live-streamed exercise classes.
Peloton recorded skyrocketing sales at the peak of the pandemic as gyms were closed due to lockdowns causing fitness enthusiasts to become trapped at home. However, as restrictions eased, the firm’s profits took a huge toll, with the company’s stock plunging by 80% in January last year.
Acknowledging these challenges, Mr. Foley said that while the firm did its best in meeting the unprecedented demand by growing its product portfolio as well as the size of its teams, its post-COVID demand has changed and its previous investments no longer aligns with how it wants to operate the business in future.
Peloton, therefore, also scrapped its plan for building a factory in Ohio, USA, which otherwise would have been its first plant in the country.
Mr. Foley said that the firm decided on cutting down its Peloton Output Park (POP) plan in terms of its manufacturing operations.
Barry McCarthy, who served as the CFO for Netflix and Spotify, has been appointed as the new CEO of Peloton.
Foley said that McCarthy’s appointment was the result of a months-long plan that he had been working on with Peloton’s Board of Directors, and that he looks forwards to working with him as the leader of the firm’s next chapter.


text:
Our deep-seated farming heritage has been combined with leading edge dairy processing technology over the years, with a focus on adding value through innovation.
We endeavor to be one of the most competitive companies in the dairy industry, with an emphasis on efficiency in operations and development of new products. Continued customer trust is the driving force and our strength.
I would like to reaffirm our commitment to providing high quality dairy products to our customers and to people everywhere, and to putting safety above everything else we do.
Ananda dairy, a leading brand of dairy and dairy products supplier has inaugurated four company-owned outlets in Lucknow
Ananda Dairy has added a new feather in its cap. It has opened 200 stores in Delhi/NCR on Saturday, 2nd June
14 May 2018: Sanskar Farmhouse, Ananda Dairy has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with State Bank of India, New Delhi f


text:
Hamburg has finally pulled out of the container slump.
22 Mar 2016
Deutsche Bahn’s troubled domestic freight business played a key role in pushing Germany’s state-owned rail company into the red for the first time in twelve years.
24 Feb 2016
The construction of a second container terminal at Wilhelmshaven has been backed by a feasibility study of the growth potential of Germany’s only deep-sea port.
22 Feb 2016
Deutsche Post DHL has vigorously denied reports it is mulling the sale of its freight forwarding unit.
10 Feb 2016
The rough Asia-Europe trade market and tit-for-tat sanctions between Russia and the West had a devastating impact on the Port of Hamburg’s throughput in 2015 by causing it to lose its status as the second-busiest port in Europe.
09 Feb 2016
A dozen tugboats pulled a mega-ship out of the mud of the Elbe River so that it could call at the Port of Hamburg, illustrating the pressure such gargantuan ships place on ports and rescue crews.
04 Feb 2016
China Shipping Container Lines’ mega-ship Indian Ocean has run aground in the Elbe river roughly 19 miles from the Port of Hamburg, according to the German newspaper Die Welt.
26 Jan 2016
Eurogate’s container volume shrank by 2 percent in 2015 as lower Italian traffic offset increased shipments at its domestic German terminals.
16 Dec 2015
Deutsche Bahn is expected to unveil plans today to trim underperforming rail freight operations as part of a restructuring to restore profitability as it faces its first net loss in over a decade this year.
13 Dec 2015
Cargo volumes at Germany’s new deep-sea container terminal in Wilhelmshaven gained traction this year after a very slow start that forced it to put its workforce on a short-time labor scheme.
01 Dec 2015
As it gets closer to a $1.35 billion acquisition by DSV, logistics company UTi Worldwide opens new multimodal facilities in Southeast Asia to speed freight to Europe and the U.S.


text:
LA Times recently featured the plethora of cruelty-free food options at Southern California’s Coachella festival. The yearly arts and music event takes place in Palm Springs, CA, drawing a crowd of more than 200,000 last year. “Coachella dining is essentially a weekend-long Treat Yo Self Day––and even more so for meat-avoiders,” writes LA Times’ August Brown. This year’s vegan fare featured offerings such as curried tofu, and a black beans and rice bowl with plantains from The Jamaican Ital stand; spicy vegan burgers from Green Truck’s veggie burger menu; and whiskey and ginger-infused cocktails from a bar in the Rose Garden.
Subscribe now to the world’s #1


text:
Digital distribution may be a growing part of Take-Two’s business, but company head Strauss Zelnick doesn’t think the days of shiny boxes on store shelves are over just yet.
Zelnick told Bloomberg (via Gamasutra) that digital accounts for less than 15 percent of Take-Two’s revenue, and the sheer size of game files means packaged goods will be around for some time to come.
While he said online distribution could comprise up to 40 percent of the company’s business in three years, Zelnick is also counting on Take-Two’s overall business growing and helping keep shop-fronts alive.
The distributor of franchises like Grand Theft Auto, BioShock and Mafia can’t be said to be averse to new avenues - it's been a supporter of OnLive’s cloud-based product, and recently released a iPad version of GTA: Chinatown Wars on Apple’s App Store.
Expect more Take-Two products to head this way. Zelnick made a point of noting Gartner’s predictions for the growth of tablet computing - the analyst expects 200 million of them to sell in 2014.


text:
Why are tech elites giving away all of their money?
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation publishes content on corporate citizenship and related issues. Find and access current and archived items in our database.
For more than a year, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation has been exploring the idea that data-driven innovation can be a force for good.
Dale Nirvani Pfeifer is the CEO and founder of GoodWorld, a startup company that offers a platform for charities to collect donations through social media.
Using Big Data, companies can help those affected by two major earthquakes by analyzing current and future needs.
Visitors entering the lobby of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce during the holiday season immediately see a pair of small decorated trees. We call them the Giving Trees, because employees select ornaments with gift suggestions for local children in need.
As the summer winds down, staff at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation are getting ready for a busy month of events and new research.


text:
May 3, 2019 3:42:41 am
PepsiCo India, the Indian subsidiary of the US food and beverage giant, on Thursday said that it will withdraw its lawsuits against nine potato farmers of Gujarat who had been issued legal notices seeking damages for “illegally” growing and selling a potato variety registered by the company exclusively for its popular Lay’s potato chips.
A statement issued by PepsiCo India’s spokesperson stated: “PepsiCo from the very start had offered an amicable settlement to farmers. After discussions with the (Gujarat) government, the company has agreed to withdraw cases against farmers. We are relying on the said discussions to find a long term and an amicable resolution of all issues around seed protection.”
“PepsiCo has been in India for the last 30 years. Over the years, the company has developed a best in class collaborative potato farming program which has benefited thousands of farmers across the country. The programme which included several market awareness initiatives has resulted in farmers getting access to higher yields, enhanced quality, training in best-in-class practices and better prices, all leading to improved livelihoods. To safeguard the larger interest of farmers, PepsiCo India was compelled to take judicial recourse to protect its registered variety,” it added.
The announcement comes a day after the BJP government in the state began negotiations with the American MNC for resolving the issue following growing chorus of farm rights activists and Opposition Congress.
Best of Express Premium
Meanwhile, a group of 192 farmers’ rights activists and NGOs termed the PepsiCo’s announcement to withdraw the cases as a major victory, “provided it is unconditional”. They also demanded that the affected farmers be compensated by PepsiCo India.
🗞 Subscribe Now: Get Express Premium to access our in-depth reporting, explainers and opinions 🗞
- The Indian Express website has been rated GREEN for its credibility and trustworthiness by Newsguard, a global service that rates news sources for their journalistic standards.


text:
Techrules, the new automotive research and development company based in Beijing, has started the process of identifying potential locations to establish its European production base. Techrules made a successful international debut at the 86th Geneva International Motor Show presenting its revolutionary turbine-recharging electric vehicle (TREV) technology in China’s first supercar concept.
Techrules has appointed a small team to identify specific locations in Europe where it can establish a production facility for its supercar. The team is looking at existing sites that are currently or will soon become vacant, and also at possible sites where it could develop an all-new site from the ground up.
The company’s strong in-house engineering team is focused on finalising the development and manufacturing processes of the production version of its TREV micro turbine hybrid range extender technology. Meanwhile, it will continue to progress vehicle engineering and styling programmes for the AT96 and GT96 variants of its supercar with specialist partners in the UK and Italy.
Techrules plans to launch China’s first supercar – featuring its TREV technology – into the global market in the next two-to-three years. It then plans to begin production of higher volume city cars a few years later. It is currently exploring options for production facilities in Europe, as well as continuing negotiations with new development partners.
Techrules is dedicated to the innovation of new energy technologies to advance the environmental and dynamic performance of EVs as well as the convenience to the user.
Its Turbine-Recharging Electric Vehicle (TREV) system is an all-new patent-protected series hybrid powertrain technology comprising a turbine-generator. TREV combines extensive experience of aviation and electric vehicle technologies with several proprietary technical innovations to deliver unprecedented levels of efficiency and performance, and ultra-low environmental impact.
TREV is a range extender system that uses a micro-turbine to generate electricity that charges a battery pack. The battery powers the motors that drive the wheels. Newly developed battery management technologies enable superior charging efficiency. The high efficiency of the TREV range extender results in a requirement for fewer batteries, saving weight and space.
Techrules showcased its ground breaking technology at the 2016 Geneva International Motor Show in a plug-in hybrid range extender TREV concept that represents the first step towards production of China’s first supercar. A development prototype started testing in February 2016 at the world-famous Silverstone race circuit in the UK.
Producing peak power of 768 kW (1,030 bhp / 1,044 PS), initial projections indicate blistering performance (0 - 100 km/h in 2.5 seconds; 350 km/h restricted top speed) and a huge range (over 2,000 km). Under plug-in operation, it achieves fuel consumption of just 0.18 l/100 km (1,569 mpg).


text:
In a letter to the Senate subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights, Washington-based lobbyist Consumer Federation of America claims “this year the cost to consumers of e-book price fixing will likely exceed $200 million and the abuse will grow dramatically.” How did the CFA calculate that number?
Mark Cooper, the CFA’s director of research and author of the letter, told me:
The number is a rock bottom estimate based on the assumption that 100 million e-books increased in cost by an average of $2. For 2012, we may hit almost 300 million e-books. One could also argue that the price fixing increased prices as much as $4 per book ($9.99 > $12,99 or $14.99.
But the five publishers named in the Department of Justice’s investigation offer fewer than 50,000 e-books combined. Penguin has 15,000 e-books available. Simon & Schuster has over 11,000. HarperCollins has around 10,000. Hachette has about 5,000.
We can’t say how many e-books each publisher has sold, but BookStats estimates that 114 million e-books were sold between 2008 and 2010.
The CFA’s calculation assumes that five publishers combined will sell 100 million copies of 50,000 or fewer titles in 2012 and that each of those books increased by at least $2 under agency pricing. In fact, while agency pricing increased the price of some bestselling e-books, Digital Book World showed recently that the average price of a bestselling Kindle book fell between 2010 and 2011.
Assuming Amazon is the only e-bookstore
Agency pricing advocates — including me — have argued that the model allows for a more competitive e-book marketplace because the largest e-book retailer, Amazon, can’t undercut smaller retailers — Barnes & Noble, Kobo — on price. The CFA doesn’t tackle this argument, but assumes publishers’ primary concern is saving brick-and-mortar stores that sell physical books.
“In the digital age there is a much more efficient way to browsers to examine many more books of many more authors,” Cooper writes. “They can use Internet browsers to search for books in cyberspace.”
To prove that Amazon practices predatory pricing, Cooper writes:
a plausible case would have to be made that there is a pricing strategy to recover any losses in a time frame that makes predation profitable. The behavior of the e-book product space does not suggest that this is likely. Prior to the price fixing scheme, anticompetitive tactics, like demanding exclusive deals or most favor nation clauses were not prevalent. Economies of scale and clever marketing are not suspect practices. Digital markets frequently manifest winner-take-most outcomes.
“Antitrust authorities must move swiftly to protect nascent competition,” Cooper concludes. Amazon is hardly a nascent company, but smaller e-book retailers — the true “nascent competition” in the space — lose any protection that agency pricing offered if the model falls.
Full letter below.


text:
The Federal Reserve is moving closer toward its ultimate goal of the right level of inflation and an ongoing economic revival. The central bank announced that it has reached an important milestone in its battle to combat rising costs, but stressed that interest rates should be maintained at a high level to ensure that inflation continues to remain in check. The last time it met, members of the Federal Reserve voted to keep the benchmark interest rate for overnight rates close to zero, however it also signaled its intention to continue raising rates over time. For 2023, inflation forecasts were also revised by the Fed, which projects the figure to be 2.2%. That means that consumers will be able to see the cost of borrowing remain at an affordable level in the near future.
1. What do the Federal Reserve’s policy on interest rates? regarding interest rates?
The Federal Reserve, the United States central bank is in charge of establishing the nation’s monetary policies. This Federal Reserve establishes a goal for the federal funds rate (the interest rate banks use to lend extra reserves to other banks, in accordance with its monetary policy. The federal funds rate is an essential determinant in short-term interest rates and influences a number of other rates of interest, including those applicable to Treasury bills as well as corporate bonds, mortgages, and consumer loans. The Federal Reserve appears to be taking an accommodative approach on interest rates , in light of recent reports of a less rate hike, with a quarter point jump.
2. What is the Fed’s forecast that rates will remain high for the foreseeable future?
In response to the news of the US Federal Reserve’s decision in raising interest rates by one quarter of a point, the issue is how long the Fed is expecting rates to remain elevated. The Federal Reserve doesn’t set a timeframe for rates to increase at a later date, instead it takes a different approach to evaluate the economic situation and markets. The Fed’s decisions depend on various variables, including the present state of the economy as well as projected expansion in the economy, inflation expectations as well as the state of the financial markets. The Fed is expected to keep checking these parameters and adjust rates as needed. Overall, the Federal Reserve’s objective is to maintain rates down and help support the economy, all while maintaining a relatively low rate of inflation.
3. What is the current economic demand affecting the Federal Reserve’s decisions regarding the rate of interest?
The current demand of the US economy has an effect on the Federal Reserve’s decision of raising rates of interest by a quarter of a point. It is clear that the Federal Reserve has taken a step to decrease the threat that inflation could be a problem, even with a positive economic performance. Since increased borrowing and spending may lead to higher rates of inflation, this Federal Reserve will raise interest rates to try to control the rising rate of inflation. By increasing interest rates, the Federal Reserve is hoping to slow growth in the economy and help keep the rate of inflation in check. Additionally, an increase in interest rates can help consolidate the US dollar, which would increase foreign investment in the US economy.
4. What is the new social media application developed by the founders and founders of Instagram?
The report of the Federal Reserve’s release of a rate hike that is an increase of a quarter point is indeed noteworthy. It is likely that this action is a direct outcome of economic growth and stability and also the very low rate of unemployment. The Fed is reaffirming its commitment to keeping an economically healthy as well as vibrant and vibrant society and keeping inflation low and stable. It can also be perceived as a sign of Fed the confidence it has in its capability as well as its current strategy to moderate the economy. In a similar vein the company’s creators Instagram have recently announced the release of their new app for social media, which caused some controversy within the tech industry.
5. How does the app differ in comparison to Instagram?
It is vital to know the implications of this announcement by the United States Federal Reserve that it has announced a lower rate hike of one-quarter of a percentage point. This decision shows that Federal Reserve recognizes the economic environment and is taking a moderater approach to longer-term rates. The Federal Reserve’s decision to make this move can be seen as an indication of its being conscious of the long-term as well as the short-term implications of its action in order to avoid any financial chaos. This rate hike is distinct from that of the rate hikes on Instagram by the fact that it’s used to influence the money supply in the economy.
In the final analysis, the US Federal Reserve’s decision to increase interest rates , as well as Powell’s speech triggered an uproar on Wall Street. Initial stock losses were temporary and then the market recovered. traders reacted enthusiastically to Powell’s declaration of possible rates increases. It is important to stay current with the latest market developments for a better understanding of the market and making informed decisions concerning investments.


text:
Automotive supplier Bosch has agreed to pay a 90 million euros ($100.21 million) fine for lapses in supervisory duties which enabled carmakers to engage in emissions cheating involving rigged diesel engines, German prosecutors in the city of Stuttgart said on Thursday. This follows much more costly settlements by its customer Volkswagen AG.
Bosch is being fined for “negligent breach of supervision duties,” the prosecutor’s office in Stuttgart said. The company supplied about 17 million engine-control devices to German and international automakers since 2008 that partly included illegal software functions, according to the statement.
The unlisted German car-parts giant supplied engine-control systems to VW that were used in the engines at the heart of the diesel-emissions scandal that shattered the world’s largest automaker in September 2015. It’s also involved in ongoing probes into diesel technology at manufacturers including Fiat Chrysler NV and General Motors Co.
VW Porsche Unit Settles German Diesel Probe for $599 Million
VW has now ended all probes by German prosecutors against its units over the sale of rigged cars. It last year settled with Braunschweig investigators for 1 billion euros and Audi followed by paying 800 million euros to Munich prosecutors. The overall impact of the diesel crisis has now reached 30 billion euros at Volkswagen.
The initiative to install illicit software in engines was apparently taken by employees from automakers, but investigations into the roles of individual Bosch employees are ongoing, the prosecutor’s office said.
Bosch confirmed the settlement and said 2 million euros of the fine are for the alleged regulatory offense and 88 million euros for the disgorgement of economic benefits.
Bosch said, “With the issue of the notice of fine, the investigations conducted by the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Stuttgart against Bosch as a supplier of engine control units for diesel engines has been completed.”
“Bosch will continue to expand its compliance organization continuously in order to minimize the risk of violations of applicable law occurring at the company,” the company said.
Volkswagen used Bosch software elements to help the carmaker mask illegal pollution in diesel-engined vehicles. Engine management software was used to measure the steering wheel angle to gauge whether the car was on a test bench.
Volkswagen has borne the brunt of penalties and fines for emissions cheating since carmakers, rather than suppliers are responsible for certifying that cars meet clean air rules.


text:
Stay on Top of Enterprise Technology Trends
Get updates impacting your industry from our GigaOm Research Community
Well, that was fast. Neil Young’s Pono startup, which wants to build a high-resolution digital music player by the same name, shot past its $800,000 funding goal on day one of its Kickstarter campaign. Pono launched a Kickstarter campaign to finance the production of its player Tuesday morning, and at 10pm, it already had raised more than $925,000. This also means that the discounted $200 Pono players are all gone, but backers can still secure a player for $300, which is $100 less than what Pono wants to sell the device for this fall.


text:
Steve Jobs to debut iCloud and Mac OS Lion
Apple CEO Steve Jobs will address the company’s annual conference on June 6 to show off iCloud, a service that lets users store content online, as well as Mac OS Lion, a software update that runs the iPad, iPhone and Mac laptops and desktops. While Jobs is away on medical leave, he just couldn’t stay away from Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC).
Google and Amazon have already unveiled their cloud music system, so it’ll be interesting to see what differentiates Apple’s version from its competitors. We’re thinking the iCloud system will allow Apple to compete with Google’s Android software in the smartphone market. Analysts believe iTunes may also go through changes once iCloud is released.
See top stories in the WDM Content Network:
News sites are saying Apple has reached agreements with three major record labels to let users of the new music service to access song libraries from their phones via the Internet. An extension into the music label industry could also lead to a music subscription service as part of the iCloud.
Analysts also believe that Apple will announce updates to iOS 5, the new version of the mobile operating system that powers the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. We’ll keep you posted on any updates in that department coming up to the WWDC date.
Traditionally, Apple introduces the next iOS early in the year, with an introduction of a new iPhone in June or July. Considering an iOS-specific event for 2011 has yet to be announced, industry professionals believe Apple won’t sell an iPhone 5 until this fall.
How changing your company's software code can prevent bias
Two-third of tech professionals believe organizations aren’t doing enough to address racial inequality. After all, many companies will just hire a DEI consultant, have a few training sessions and call it a day.
Wanting to take a unique yet impactful approach to DEI, Deltek, the leading global provider of software and solutions for project-based businesses, took a look at and removed all exclusive terminology in their software code. By removing terms such as ‘master’ and ‘blacklist’ from company coding, Deltek is working to ensure that diversity and inclusion are woven into every aspect of their organization.
Business Chief North America talks to Lisa Roberts, Senior Director of HR and Leader of Diversity & Inclusion at Deltek to find out more.
Why should businesses today care about removing company bias within their software code?
We know that words can have a profound impact on people and leave a lasting impression. Many of the words that have been used in a technology environment were created many years ago, and today those words can be harmful to our customers and employees. Businesses should use words that will leave a positive impact and help create a more inclusive culture in their organization
What impact can exclusive terms have on employees?
Exclusive terms can have a significant impact on employees. It starts with the words we use in our job postings to describe the responsibilities in the position and of course, we also see this in our software code and other areas of the business. Exclusive terminology can be hurtful, and even make employees feel unwelcome. That can impact a person’s desire to join the team, stay at a company, or ultimately decide to leave. All of these critical actions impact the bottom line to the organization.
Please explain how Deltek has removed bias terminology from its software code
Deltek’s engineering team has removed biased terminology from our products, as well as from our documentation. The terms we focused on first that were easy to identify include blacklist, whitelist, and master/slave relationships in data architecture. We have also made some progress in removing gendered language, such as changing he and she to they in some documentation, as well as heteronormative language. We see this most commonly in pick lists that ask to identify someone as your husband or wife. The work is not done, but we are proud of how far we’ve come with this exercise!
What steps is Deltek taking to ensure biased terminology doesn’t end up in its code in the future?
What we are doing at Deltek, and what other organizations can do, is to put accountability on employees to recognize when this is happening – if you see something, say something! We also listen to feedback our customers give us and have heard their feedback on this topic. Those are both very reactive things of course, but we are also proactive. We have created guidance that identifies words that are more inclusive and also just good practice for communicating in a way that includes and respects others.
What advice would you give to other HR leaders who are looking to enhance DEI efforts within company technology?
My simple advice is to start with what makes sense to your organization and culture. Doing nothing is worse than doing something. And one of the best places to start is by acknowledging this is not just an HR initiative. Every employee owns the success of D&I efforts, and employees want to help the organization be better. For example, removing bias terminology was an action initiated by our Engineering and Product Strategy teams at Deltek, not HR. You can solicit the voices of employees by asking for feedback in engagement surveys, focus groups, and town halls. We hear great recommendations from employees and take those opportunities to improve.


text:
It’s been some years now that Copenhagen has been recognized as the world’s most sustainable tourism destinations. As part of its aim to ensure the city’s position as a frontrunner in this field, Wonderful Copenhagen, the official tourism organization working to promote and develop both business and leisure tourism in the capital region of Denmark, has appointed a Project Manager for sustainable tourism development to help shape the sustainable direction of the organisation and the destination.
In the newly created role, Project Manager Mikkel Sander will be responsible for developing and launching Wonderful Copenhagen’s new sustainability strategy for 2018-2021, which will be closely aligned with the UN’s sustainable development goals (SDGs). The new sustainability strategy will be launched later in the year.
Copenhagen has made significant investments in sustainable city solutions, attracting worldwide attention when it announced its ambition to become the first carbon neutral capital by 2025. Copenhagen’s meeting industry also takes sustainability seriously with almost 70 % of the city’s hotel rooms being eco certified while many suppliers in the city’s meeting industry have adopted green and sustainable initiatives.


text:
Huawei is planning to release more devices that use HarmonyOS next year. And will enter the global market But there are still no plans to change to use their own mobile phones, tablets and computers to use this developed OS. Huawei states that there will not be a smartphone with a Harmony operating system in the year. this Including next year too
The company plans to launch external devices such as smartwatch (although Huawei smartwatch is currently using LiteOS). Huawei is planning to build smart speakers and VR devices that will run on Harmony operating system including Smart TV as well and will launch in Europe as well as Honor Vision
While the plan is to develop HarmonyOS into a full operating system for Huawei smartphones At this time, the Android operating system is still being used. Only need to find an application to replace Google Mobile Services. Huawei currently has to rely on extensions to be able to use technology and services from companies in the United States.


text:
In a “Wall Street Journal” article from last summer, Netscape founder and venture capitalist Marc Andreessen explained why software is eating the world. It’s the transformation of every business into a software company. Amazon knocked out Borders. Netflix took out Blockbuster. Pandora and iTunes dominate the music industry. Zynga is booming while Electronics Arts and Nintendo decline.
It is this same view of the world that drove Microsoft’s release last month of Visual Studio 2012, capping a year in which the company updated its platforms and tools to an unprecedented degree in its history. Among the releases: Windows 8, Windows Phone 8, Windows Server 2012, Office 365, Windows Azure, Visual Studio 2012, and version 4.5 of the .NET Framework. The goal is to enable businesses to build software in an agile way that advances the goals of the business.
“We used to live in a world where software companies were only seen in the high-tech industry. Today, every business on the planet is a software company,” said Soma Somasegar, corporate vice president of the Developer Division at Microsoft.
There are several trends driving this, he said. First is the explosion of devices, or the notion of “BYOD” (bring your own device, for the uninitiated). In his article, Andreessen said he expects the number of people who own smartphones to reach 5 billion—BILLION—in the next 10 years, giving them, he wrote, “instant access to the full power of the Internet, every moment of every day.”
Somasegar noted that a seamless, always-on, connected experience needs to be provided for these consumers. Meanwhile, business customers need to have flexibility, agility and choices to solve business problems as soon as they arise, and to take advantage of ever-changing market opportunities to best serve their customers and attract new ones. One aspect that poses a challenge is the volume of data being generated in the world. Somasegar said businesses are asking, “How can I get my hands around it, get deep insight and turn that into a business advantage?”
Because of this, he said, there’s never been a better time to be a developer, because the opportunities are, in his words, huge. “Look at app stores. They give developers the opportunity to build something valuable, with reach, and the potential to have impact and monetize effectively is phenomenal,” he said.
Visual Studio 2012, he said, was designed to help developers build applications using modern development approaches in the modern application life cycle—the world of continuous services that are being built, tested, deployed and monitored all the time.
Among the value propositions of the development environment are easier navigation through tasks with a very user-friendly interface. “Developers spend a good amount of time inside the IDE,” said Somasegar. “For me, my home and my office are the places I want to be most comfortable. From a developer’s perspective, their development environment is their home. We want them to have as comfortable and productive an experience as possible.”
With lower barriers of entry to running services on cloud systems allowing companies of any size to reach the huge market that all these devices represent, Andreessen said “the dream of every cyber-visionary of the early 1990s [is] finally delivered.”
There is one caveat: There is not enough talent to fuel this new software revolution, as people lack the requisite skills to leverage this new infrastructure.
But that, of course, makes this a great time to be a developer.
David Rubinstein is editor-in-chief of SD Times.


text:
Roblox's (RBLX 2.43%) user growth and engagement soared at the pandemic's onset. The company is one of the pioneers of the metaverse, where people can interact virtually with each other and the environment. It benefited from the trend of increasing demand for at-home entertainment.
That said, most economies are well on their way to reopening schools, slowly bringing employees back to offices, and removing business restrictions. As a result, folks are eager to get out of their homes and experience forms of entertainment they missed out on for roughly two years. Those forces are now working against Roblox as its key metrics are deteriorating.
Players are depositing less money on Roblox
In its most recent quarter, which ended on June 30, Roblox's revenue increased by 30% to $591 million. That marked the fifth consecutive quarter of Roblox's revenue growth decelerating. It peaked at a whopping 140% in the first quarter of 2021 before falling to 30% in the second quarter of 2022. The figure could have more room to fall before the headwinds from economic reopening are fully reflected in Roblox's results.
Roblox is free to join and use for the most part. It makes money by selling an in-game currency called Robux. This currency is required for premium experiences inside the app. When a player purchases Robux, it's accounted for as bookings. Roblox recognizes those bookings as revenue over the following two years. For instance, if a player deposited $25 to buy Robux, Roblox would calculate it as revenue of $1 over 25 months. For Roblox, its revenue is arguably a lagging indicator, while its bookings inform future revenue trends.
That's partly why I note that revenue growth could fall further. Bookings fell 3% year over year in Q1 and 4% in Q2. Moreover, the average bookings per daily active user have fallen for four consecutive quarters. Players are depositing less money on Roblox. Unless it can turn this trend around soon, revenue growth could continue decelerating.
No reason to sell Roblox stock
Still, the turnaround should not come as a surprise. The boom from the pandemic was inevitably going to reverse. Impressively, Roblox continues adding new players. Daily active users reached 58.5 million in July, 26% higher than the year before. Eventually, the headwinds from the economic reopening will end, and Roblox can return to a normalized growth rate.
Finally, the uncertainty about how far its losses will go is arguably priced into its stock. Roblox is trading near its lowest price-to-sales ratio in the previous few years. So while its risks are elevated in the near term, it's no reason to sell Roblox stock.


text:
Tank" star and entrepreneur Lori Greiner has partnered with AMG/Parade for the launch of a new lifestyle publication: Inspire by Lori Greiner.
Set to hit newsstands in March 2019, Inspire by Lori Greiner will retail for $4.99 and have an initial print run of 150,000. The magazine will feature 100 pages of advice and insight across areas such as style, shopping, investing, work/life balance and health and beauty.
A special “pull-and-save” edition of the magazine will be sold with Parade quarterly, which reaches an audience of 45 million readers, to drive readers to the new title. The pull-and-save edition will offer eight pages of exclusive content from Inspire by Lori Greiner, including product reviews and ideas for authentic living through connection.
The first mini issue will appear in the March 10, 2019 issue of Parade.
A quarterly sub-channel supporting the new publication will appear on Parade.com.
Lisa Delaney, AMG/Parade senior vice president-Chief Content Officer, will lead the editorial team, while Nicole Schembeck will become the magazine’s vice president and creative director.
Announcing the new publication, Tracey Altman, AMG/Parade executive vice president of new ventures and business development, noted the 2017 issue of Parade that featured Greiner on its cover was one of the top 10 most popular of the year. She called Greiner and AMG/Parade "a symbiotic match."
Separately, home-brewing beer magazine Zymurgy revamped in coordination with its 40thanniversary.
The redesigned magazine features several new columns and features, including a guest column called “Ferment on This,” a department called “Ask the AHA,” and a spread for beginners featuring advice, a carbonation chart, commonly used acronyms and more.
The magazine also expanded its "Style Spotlight" department and renamed it "Beer School."
Zymurgy launched as a 12-page stapled pamphlet in 1978 by American Homebrewers Association founder Charlie Papazian.


text:
Tut currently develops encoding, processing, and distribution products aimed at the digital video marketplace (although they originally won a place in this writer’s heart with long-run Ethernet products back at the dawn of the 21st century). Tut’s technology supports MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 video, and increases the appeal of Motorola gear to (newly-deregulated!) telephone companies looking to enhance their service bundles with the addition of IP-based television and video offerings.
Motorola plans to roll Tut into its Connected Hoe unit, which also saw the additions of Netopia and Good Technology in the last month. Combined the new technology acquisitions will likely not only enhance Motorola’s IPTV technology portfolio, but also have benefits for the company’s mobile video technologies, as implemented in devices like the Motorola Q.
“This transaction brings together the telco-aware IPTV processing capabilities of Tut Systems with Motorola’s proven video delivery expertise,” said Dan Moloney, President, Motorola Connected Home Solutions, in a statement. “Together, our combined portfolio will provide service providers with next-generation solutions for delivering rich video experiences into the connected home— and out into the world.”
Tut will become a wholly-owned Motorola subsidiary; the transaction is expected to be completed during the first quarter of 2007.
- Abode Systems taps HelloTech for professional security system installations
- These are the best photography portfolio websites for showing off your work
- The best home security systems on the market in 2019
- Arlo expands smart home security lineup with slew of products at CES 2019
- Here are all the places that support Apple Pay


text:
Amazon.com may be planning to set up a marketplace for craftsmen, a questionnaire posted on the company's website suggests.
As PayPal prepares for its upcoming IPO as an independent eBay spinoff, it wants to make at least one thing clear: It's got mobile covered.
Amazon.com has expanded its Prime Now one-hour deliveries to include groceries, meals and baked goods from local stores in New York, in a move that will soon be extended to other cities.
The US financial consumer protection watchdog has ordered PayPal to cough up US$25 million in fines for deceptive practices around the company's credit service, which included signing up customers for the service without their consent.
Alibaba Group has been hit with a lawsuit from luxury brands that alleges that the Chinese e-commerce giant has been deliberately promoting the sale of counterfeit products.
Google will include a "buy" button in its search results on mobile devices in the coming weeks, said a report on Friday in the Wall Street Journal, a move that could give online shoppers an easier way to buy products on small screens.
After taking over the reins, Alibaba Group's new CEO has made global expansion a top priority for the Chinese e-commerce giant.
Japanese mobile carrier NTT DoCoMo has released a smartphone that can be unlocked with a mere glance.
The operator of a so-called revenge porn website has pleaded no contest to criminal charges, including extortion, in a California court.
If the waiter was rude, your hotel room dirty or the plumber sloppy, you should be able to say so online without fear of getting slapped with a lawsuit.
A California robotics startup is deploying a dual robot system to speed the delivery of goods purchased online.
Best Buy said its customers could start using Apple Pay from Monday to make purchases on its app through the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, thus appearing to break ranks with a group of leading U.S. merchants who are backing an alternative payment syste...
Google, Apple and Amazon.com spent record amounts in the first quarter attempting to influence U.S. politicians and policy.
Amazon might be on to the killer app for restocking toilet paper from the privacy of your home.
A year after China began tightening regulations around Bitcoin, the virtual currency is still thriving in the country, albeit on the fringes, according to its largest exchange.
Most Popular Reviews
- 1 Samsung Galaxy Note 7 review
- 2 Portable power: Venom Blackbook 13 Zero review
- 3 Alcatel Idol 4S review: King of the mid-range?
- 4 Witness a 241% Australian price hike: Dell Latitude 7370 review
- 5 Is this the best value phone on the market? Moto G4 Plus review
Join the PC World newsletter!
Latest News Articles
- HP's Elite Slice mini-PC stacks up features with snap-on modules
- The Dropbox data breach is a warning to update passwords
- Panasonic's new 4K camcorder does better in low light
- Lenovo adds Google Daydream products to its roadmap
- Lenovo will ditch hard keyboards in planned Chromebook and 2-in-1s
GGG Evaluation Team
First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.
For work use, Microsoft Word and Excel programs pre-installed on the device are adequate for preparing short documents.
The Fujitsu LifeBook UH574 allowed for great mobility without being obnoxiously heavy or clunky. Its twelve hours of battery life did not disappoint.
The screen was particularly good. It is bright and visible from most angles, however heat is an issue, particularly around the Windows button on the front, and on the back where the battery housing is located.
My first impression after unboxing the Q702 is that it is a nice looking unit. Styling is somewhat minimalist but very effective. The tablet part, once detached, has a nice weight, and no buttons or switches are located in awkward or intrusive positions.
- CCSenior Change Analyst, WealthNSW
- CCContract Analyst Programmer (IT Application/Web) 160825/AP/183Asia
- CCProject Manager - open source softwareACT
- CCTIM / TAM ArchitectACT
- CCBackfill Support Engineer (Renewable 12-month Contract)Asia
- CCContract Systems Analyst (Infrastructure/JAVA) 160901/SA/486Asia
- CCChange ManagerNSW
- CCSystem Analyst - NetIQNSW
- CCChange Manager/ Advisor- operational environmentNSW
- CCNetwork EngineerVIC
- CCCompliance Officer - ProcurementVIC
- CCSenior Business AnalystACT
- CCSoftware Engineer - Linux with NV1 clearanceVIC
- FTBiztalk DesignerNSW
- CCQuality AnalystNSW
- CCChange / Project ManagerVIC
- CCChange AnalystVIC
- FTWeb Analytics SpecialistNSW
- FTJr .Net DeveloperVIC
- CCSolution Architect - WMS/LogisticsVIC
- CCSoftware Delivery ManagerACT
- CCPMO AnalystNSW
- FTJava Tech Lead - Full StackNSW
- CCBusiness AnalystNSW
- FTIT Release CoordinatorWA


text:
Potato supplies down on 2019; demand up
Potato supplies at the end of January were estimated to be down by 13% from the same time last year, according to a report released by the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) last week.
The IFA reported that at the end of January there were 13,774t less potatoes in store. The figure also includes potatoes still in the ground which were not harvested due to wet conditions. This area was estimated at approximately 1,000ac at the end of January.
Amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, demand for potatoes has increased in retailers the IFA has stated.
However, demand from the food service industry is down. It is estimated that there is currently enough potato stock to meet market demands until mid-August, which is similar to 2019.
The table below outlines the stocks of potatoes in tonnes, as of January 2020 according to variety. The decline in Kerr Pink is due to market demand.
On the same day, March 18, the IFA released potato prices. They were unchanged from the previous report on March 11.
The average price for a box of Roosters was €350, while a 10kg bag was priced at an average price of €3.50. 10kg bags of Roosters varied in price from €3.30 to €4.
Golden Wonders were the dearest on offer at an average price of €5.50 per 10kg bag.
The prices outlined in the table below were reported to the IFA and are all ex-farm.


text:
Marc Merlin has been working as an engineer at Google since 2002 and has seen (and done) a lot of open source and Linux work during that time. Speaking at the LinuxCon North America event this week, Merlin provided a standing room only audience with an overview how Google uses and contributes to open source.
"Google wouldn't be around today without open source software," Merlin said.
High-end music player has a Raspberry Pi running Raspbian inside
Bryston has launched a high-end, compact “BDP-π” digital music player built on a Raspberry Pi running Raspbian, plus a HifiBerry “Digi+” audio HAT add-on.
Bryston’s new Raspberry Pi-based BDP-π digital music player costs a hefty $1,295. Yet that’s less than half the cost of the highly acclaimed Bryston BDP-2 player, while offering many of these same features and much of the same high-end sound quality. The BDP-π is faster and more capable than the BDP-1, says the company.
The creators of the Kickstarter-funded video game, Mighty No. 9, announced on Thursday they released the Mac and Linux versions of the game. This announcement comes just a little over two months after the game was delivered to North American and Asian backers via PS4, Xbox One, and PC. The team revealed that both Mac and Linux versions are now available on Steam.
The Wine team released today fifth stable release of 1.8 branch of Wine. Version 1.8.4 has many small changes including 50 bugfixes.
This stable release contains bugfixes, new cards were added to GPU description table, new features are included in development releases from 1.9 branch.
Apple's once glittering reputation for quality took quite a few hits during the last few years, especially when it comes to iOS, the software that runs on iPhones. In some cases, recurrent software bugs have plagued users with issues such as the inability to use Wi-Fi, frequent crashes, and ridiculously short battery life. This week reports surfaced about a hardware flaw that makes some iPhone 6 screens inoperable. (Apple hasn't confirmed any related problems.)
It's hard to tell how widespread some of these issues are, but a new report from a company that monitors smartphone quality suggests iPhones are far more likely to "fail" or suffer serious glitches than Android phones. The Blancco Technology Group says it collected performance data from millions of mobile phones during the second quarter of 2016, and it found that iPhones had an overall failure rate of 58 percent, compared to just 35 percent failure for Android devices. The term "failure" doesn’t necessarily mean that the phone has become a brick, according to Blancco. Instead, it means the device or software running on the device suffered some serious problem.
Maru OS is a software project that lets you plug an Android phone into an external display to run desktop Linux software. First unveiled earlier this year, the software is very much a work-in-progress. Initially it only supported one phone: the Google Nexus 5.
But things could get a lot more interesting soon, because the developer behind Maru OS has finished open sourcing the project and a group of developers are planning to start porting the software to run on additional devices.
Not to be confused with Maru the adorable YouTube cat, Maru OS, the bite-sized Android add-on that turns your phone into a desktop, just went open source.
Maru OS doesn’t change much about the way your phone operates on its own, but once you connect a desktop monitor via a slimport cable, Maru really comes to life. When connected to a display, Maru OS allows you to run a desktop Linux environment straight from your phone.
Your phone is still a phone, it’ll take calls, send texts and do everything else it normally does, even while it’s connected to a desktop monitor running Linux on the side. It’s an interesting concept, but it’s still very much a work in progress. Today’s announcement could help move things along for Maru.


text:
AGIF and online gaming companies have filed cases challenging the constitutionality of the state government’s law which banned online rummy and poker
The petitioners argued that rummy and poker being games of skill is a well-settled position and hence these games can’t be fully banned
The Centre is considering classifying online games into those two categories and levying a differential rate of GST
The Madras High Court on Monday (July 3) did not grant any kind of interim relief to the online gaming companies on a batch of cases filed by them and the All India Gaming Federation (AIGF) challenging the constitutionality of Tamil Nadu government’s law which banned online gambling and gaming.
The South Indian state passed the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Act, 2022, banning online gaming.
The gaming act’s challenge by the AIGF was listed alongside online gaming companies including Gameskraft, Junglee Games, Head Digital Works and Play Games 24×7, before the bench of Chief Justice SV Gangapurwala and Justice PD Audikesavalu of the High Court.
The bench said that they would prefer to take up the batch of writ petitions for a final hearing anytime rather than hearing the matter for interim relief since the arguments would be the same in both cases.
The writ petitions challenge the Tamil Nadu government’s new law banning online gambling and classifying online rummy and poker as games of chance, something which the industry argues as being games of skill.
Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Mukul Rastogi represented the petitioners, pointing to the jurisprudence on games of skill and the issue of legislative competence.
While Rastogi contented that the new law is unconstitutional and goes against several Supreme Court and High Court judgements, Singhvi contended that three High Court judgments have recently struck down bans on online rummy passed by the Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala governments.
Meanwhile, the petitioners argued in the Madras High Court that rummy and poker being games of skill is a well-settled position and hence these games can’t be fully banned in the manner sought by the Tamil Nadu government.
Kapil Sibal, representing the Tamil Nadu government, argued that the petitioners had argued the same points before a division bench and that the same points were being argued again.
The court has listed the matter for hearing on July 13, 2023, allowing the petitioners to make submissions for interim relief. Sibal will then reply to those submissions on behalf of the Tamil Nadu government on July 20 or any other convenient date.
To be sure, while there is no clear consensus on what games of chance and games of skill are, the finance ministry is considering classifying online games into those two categories and levying a differential rate of Goods and Services Tax (GST).
The Finance Bill 2023 introduced two new Sections – 194BA (for TDS on winnings from online games for online intermediaries) and 115BBJ (for computation of taxes for those who earn income from winnings of online games).
As per the Bill, prize money earned from online games would be taxed at 30% from April 1. Before March 31, 2023, TDS was imposed on the winning amount of online games if it exceeded INR 10,000.


text:
The Sydney siege selfies received a massive online backlash, questioning the appropriateness of people taking selfies in inappropriate situations or locations.
With the growth of smart phones and prolific use of picture-based social media, the selfie has become almost an overnight phenomenon that has taken the world by storm. The term was named by Oxford Dictionaries as word of 2013. However, the general consensus is that many have gone over a red line in terms of what kinds of selfies are being posted online and that despite technological advances, there should still be a level of appropriateness that must be upheld. For example, funeral selfies have become a trend and exacerbated further by the Cameron/Schmidt/Obama selfie during Nelson Mandela’s funeral, which definitely put to question their level of taste and decency.
Those who own a camera would have taken a selfie at some point. There are different psychological explanations that relate to the kinds of selfies that are being taken. Most amateur psychologists would say that the selfie is a product of vanity and a way of filling a void within someone, so taking a selfie and posting them online is a form of social validation. Also, the desire to share in real time means an erosion of people’s ability of actually being able to be truly present. Dr Aaron Balick at this year’s Social Media Week London said that people should use the technology and not let the technology use you.
Social Media Week London also featured a selfie school in which session leader and renowned mobile phone photographer Oliver Lang helped attendees see how selfies can have a greater value on social media with the right context and composition. There are no set rules or etiquette when taking selfies but the biggest tips were to think about the followers and how these selfies (and photographs in general) can inspire and inform.


text:
Manufacturing is one of the key pillars of economies in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region. According to GlobeNewswire, APAC is the largest general manufacturing market in the world, accounting for 43% of the global market. With the advent of the Industry 4.0 revolution, the world’s largest manufacturing hub will experience significant shifts as connectivity becomes the backbone of next-generation factories, where artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, cloud computing and the Internet of things (IoT) are being embraced to unleash technology-driven smart manufacturing.
Founded on the interconnectivity of machinery sensors and intelligent systems, the Industrial IoT (IIoT) adds intelligence to traditional manufacturing processes and management. Smart manufacturing solutions help to connect, automate, analyse and monitor equipment and processes to yield informed decision-making, maximise operational efficiency and improve product quality. Advanced IIoT solutions offer real-time data and meaningful insights that accelerate response time to raise overall productivity and sustainability.
5G is critical to smart manufacturing
Factories are moving towards real-time capabilities, virtualisation, decentralisation and modularity to facilitate productivity, precision and agility. At the heart of this revolution are 5G networks that deliver reliable, high-speed connectivity, greater bandwidth to accommodate massive data traffic, extremely low levels of latency between devices, network slicing for virtual separation of networks and mobile edge computing (MEC) to facilitate edge computing. As a key enabler in smart factories, 5G together with IoT bring about innovative technologies such as automation, collaborative robots (cobots) and real-time remote monitoring.
In 2020, the global smart factory market was valued at USD270.74 billion. According to Mordor Intelligence, this value is estimated to reach USD461.82 billion by 2026 – representing a CAGR of 9.33% during this period. During which, APAC dominates the market owing to increased foreign direct investment and industrial development. In conjunction with the deployment of 5G in countries, governments in the region are also encouraging smart manufacturing adoption through policies and assistance.
As one of the earliest adopters of 5G innovation in the world, and an economy that relies heavily on manufacturing, South Korea unveiled a plan last year to leverage 5G and AI to roll out smart factory solutions alongside telecom providers to the country’s small and medium-sized businesses. The aim is to have 30,000 factories by 2025.
In China, where manufacturing accounts for about 38% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2020, and the world’s largest manufacturer in terms of output, strategies are in place to tap on advanced manufacturing to grow its position into a manufacturing superpower. Initiated in China, the “Made in China 2025” 10-year government plan was rolled out in 2015 to focus on rapidly developing the country’s manufacturing capabilities critical to its fourth industrial revolution. Reinforcing its efforts, China revealed a more comprehensive plan on 5 March 2021 as part of a new 5-year plan to enhance its manufacturing capabilities by 2025.
Currently, smart manufacturing is adopted more widely in industries that emphasise high-volume and low-margin production. It is also deployed in highly-regulated industries such as the pharmaceutical and food and beverages industries, where tracking and traceability are critical. Entire value-chain processes can be automated to rely on robotic inspections, for instance, to reduce human errors. With automated inspection processes, smart factories harness machine learning and AI to accurately detect defects.
Increasingly, innovations are focused on areas such as predictive maintenance, remote monitoring and control, real-time supply chain management, advanced process control and quality management.
Using a network of IoT sensors, CCTVs and thermal imaging cameras, equipment wear and tear can be determined ahead of time to prevent disruption to production lines. In the event of failures, engineers from across locations can leverage remote augmented reality (AR) to troubleshoot problems so that maintenance can be carried out as promptly as possible to reduce downtime and eventually costs. Blockchain is also becoming relevant for manufacturers as the technology fosters transparency and accountability throughout the supply chain as massive information is shared simultaneously across large quantities of devices.
Last year, disrupted supply chains owing to global lockdowns placed a tremendous strain on the manufacturing industry to respond to volatile market demands. Yet, manufacturers with fully-automated production lines that relied on AI, big data and remote operations managed to cope better. Manufacturers also saw the benefits of cobots working alongside humans, with cobots performing more repetitive tasks while humans attended to important decision-making to better respond to disruptive trends and deliver more optimal products.
With 5G networks being critical to the digitalisation of the manufacturing industry, many tech providers are already expanding into the 5G space to provide private 5G networks. For telecom operators, this means tapping on its expertise to generate new revenue streams. Instead of simply providing manufacturers the 5G network capacity and connectivity required to power smart factories, telecom operators are partnering with strategic service providers to assist manufacturers in adopting transformation technologies that future-proof their processes.


text:
Bangladesh bans Chinese powdered milk amid health panicSeptember 22nd, 2008 - 4:57 pm ICT by IANS
Dhaka, Sep 22 (DPA) Bangladesh imposed a ban on the sale and import of powder milk from China Monday after laboratory tests found presence of toxic chemical melamine in the samples, officials said.The health ministry also warned the people against the use of tainted powdered milk from three major Chinese companies for making sweets and baby food.
A ministry spokesman said legal actions would be taken against the importing firms and local agents of the three Chinese firms - Guangdong Yashili Group, Qingdao Suncare Company and Sanlu Group - identified as selling milk laced with the chemical melamine.
Police went from store to store in Dhaka’s crowded markets seizing the powdered milk which was also being sold as a baby food in fancy tins without the approval of the public health authorities, witnesses said.
The sale of sweetmeat has radically dropped despite the upcoming Islamic festival as consumers avoided powder milk for making dishes for the celebrations.
Bangladesh imports powdered milk worth millions of dollars annually from nine countries including China.
A media report said the contaminated Chinese powdered milk was exported in bulk to Bangladesh and at least four other countries.
“We are now testing all the brands of powdered milk being distributed and sold in the country,” said Azmal Hossain head of the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institute in Dhaka.
Hossain said the institute was testing samples from 12 foreign dairy companies.
The Chinese brands Yashili 1 and Yashili 2 which were marketed as baby food was tested as containing indutrial chemical melamine and were removed from the shelves of shops.
Industrial chemical additive melamine used in plastics and fertilisers and as a bonding agent was found in a number of baby food formulas in China and atleast four infants have been reported to have died from complications related to intake of the chemical in that country. Thousands of babies are being treated at hospitals for melamine contamination.
- Police seize 64 tons of melamine tainted milk from northwest China plant - Jul 09, 2010
- Chinese Milk Found Tainted With Melamine - Jul 12, 2010
- Melamine tainted milk resurfaces in China - Jul 09, 2010
- 96 arrested in China for selling adulterated milk powder - Jan 13, 2011
- China jails 14 people in tainted milk case - Apr 30, 2011
- China Destroying Tainted Milk Powder - Jul 12, 2010
- China arrests 96 people for using tainted milk powder - Jan 14, 2011
- Six arrested in fresh melamine milk scandal in China - Aug 21, 2010
- Cancer-causing chemical found in baby milk in China - Jul 23, 2012
- Melamine-tainted dairy product reappears in China - Nov 24, 2010
- Chinese police arrests six suspects, 41 others in melamine milk scandal - Aug 21, 2010
- Baby food safety turning Chinese to look for imports - Jul 16, 2012
- China bans more milk products tainted with melamine - Jan 25, 2010
- Milk products found tainted with melamine in China - Jul 12, 2010
- China sets limit on melamine in baby food - Apr 21, 2011


text:
Ticket sports bar adding food menu at North Davis spot, will break ground on new location
- The Ticket sports bar on 7333 North Davis Highway now offers a food truck
- The North Davis Ticket will have a full kitchen by the end of the summer.
- The Ticket will close its West Nine Mile Ticket in 2020 and open a new one, at 1370 West Nine Mile.
A black food truck, void of any signage, stickers or logos, parked behind the Ticket Sports Bar 1 in Pensacola certainly doesn't scream for attention, but it does serve as a sign of major things to come for the popular local sports bar chain.
For the first time in its 16-year history at the 7333 North Davis Highway location, the original Ticket will begin serving food sometime in mid- to late August.
"It's going to be fast casual," said Todd Hofstetter, who co-owns the three Pensacola Tickets, along with Scott Nicola. "A style similar to most places now like Panera or whatever."
New West Pensacola restaurant:iQ Eatery restaurant opens, will launch online meal plan program
Popular food truck making a difference in the community:3-D Eats food truck serves up slushes for charity
New location coming to West Nine Mile
Food won't be integrated into the location at 2115 W. Nine Mile Road, because instead, Hofstetter and Nicola plan to break ground on an all-new Ticket at 1370 W. Nine Mile Road, which is projected to open in the spring or summer of 2022.
The owners say they will try to time the closing of the existing Ticket so it aligns with the opening of their new location, which is about two miles west down the road. Once open, the new Ticket will have a kitchen right out of the gate.
The downtown Ticket at 820 E. Gregory St. also won't be adding a food menu, but that location will benefit from the new food truck, which will become a traveling truck once the kitchen at the North Davis Highway Ticket is up and running.
As part of the sweeping new changes at the original Ticket on North Davis Highway, five new booths have already been built in the middle of the bar and restaurant, replacing one pool table and filling otherwise empty space. In front of that area, on the back wall north of the entrance, will be a full service kitchen that is just now beginning to take shape.
"You'll just come up, grab your tray and you'll be off and running," Hofstetter said.
What's on the menu?
Smoked brisket Philly cheese sandwiches, pulled pork quesadillas and three specialty burgers are a few of the many "elevated bar food" menu items already being whipped up in the little black truck behind the bar, open seven days a week from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m.
Every day since April, the new smoker near the patio had emitted the aroma of pulled pork and brisket, generating the curiosity of patrons in the process. New head chef Keith Pardue said that is the goal.
"I like southern comfort food, but then again it's a sports bar, so I wanted to do some elevated pub fare," Pardue said, describing the menu's inspiration.
An entire menu is already crafted, and customers can order from it as Pardue and his staff work out the kinks in the truck and prepare for the indoor restaurant launch.
Pardue said he's keeping things "as local as possible," scouting out fresh area produce for his sandwich, burger and wrap toppings. The Ticket's bread supply comes directly from Craft Gourmet Bakery and Gelato Shop, also on North Davis Highway, so Chef Jordan Hewes is to thank for the jalapeño cheddar toast that complements the Ticket's pulled pork grilled cheese sandwich so well.
Learn more about the new bakery:Craft Gourmet Bakery and Gelato Shop in Pensacola ran by longtime local pastry chef
"This place is built like a restaurant more than a bar, really, and this is a really transient location," Hofstetter said of the North Davis Highway Ticket, which sits beside a host of interstate entrance and exits ramps. "Less neighborhoods, more hotels and there's a lot of traffic. We noticed the last few years that people love the place, they want to have a beer and watch the game. But, jeez, they need to eat."
Hofstetter added that the new Ticket on West Nine Mile, once it opens in about two years, will have two outdoor beach volleyball courts visible from the road and will include building space across the parking lot for two to three retail shops, which the Ticket owners will rent out to future tenants.
Jake Newby can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org or 850-435-8538.


text:
Apple executives dug deep into the pockets of their Levi’s this summer and found a buzzword so barely grating that you’ll feel silly for getting mad about it.
That new term is “slofie,” Apple’s word for a selfie recorded in 120-fps slow-motion video with the iPhone 11’s upgraded front-facing camera. Apple’s new camera features are far more interesting than its choice of buzzword, but the iPhone maker is still committed enough to the term that it’s working to prevent other companies from using it. Apple filed a trademark application for “slofie” on Friday last week, a few days after the feature debuted during Apple’s fall product event.
As the Verge points out, the application relates to “downloadable computer software for use in capturing and recording video.” This suggests that Apple just wants to deter other software companies from aping the term to promote their own apps. Regardless of what you think about its new dadphrase, you can catch a preview of Apple’s upcoming slofie feature here.


text:
China Tightens Rare Earth Rules
Source: The Wall Street Journal, Yajun Zhang (5/19/11)
"China to impose quotas on ferroalloys with more than 10% REEs Friday."
China moved to tighten its control over rare earth metals Thursday by expanding its export quota system and imposing higher taxes on the metals, which are used in such high-tech applications as laser-guided weapons and hybrid car batteries.
The country also said it will get tough with companies that resell export quotas and won't approve any new projects—or the expansion of existing ones—in rare earth separation over the next five years.
The measures were announced separately by the State Council (cabinet) and the Commerce Ministry in an apparently coordinated offensive in a sector that has become highly politicized. Quotas for H111 total 14,508 metric tons—down about 35% from the same period last year, according to the Commerce Ministry. These measures have boosted rare earth prices and made export quotas much more valuable.
In the latest move, Beijing said it is raising the tax on light rare earth ores to ¥$60 (US$9.22) per ton as of April 1, while lifting the tax on heavy ores to ¥$30/ton.
"[China will] greatly increase rare earth taxes and refine its pricing mechanism to reduce the excessive profits in the rare earth mining industry," the State Council said.
China will also raise the threshold for companies applying for export quotas, though it didn't say whether this would reduce the number of qualified exporters. China granted quotas to 22 Chinese companies and 10 foreign companies this year.
The Commerce Ministry said it would start imposing export quotas on ferroalloys containing more than 10% rare earth minerals by weight, effective Friday.
This year, China began imposing 25% tariffs on exports of alloys with more than 10% rare earth content.
Prior to the latest announcements, China had issued export quotas for rare earth primary products, including minerals and oxides, but its quotas didn't include alloys.


text:
Best prostitute in guildford I Am Wanting Real Sex Dating
Now in its eighth year, Small Business Saturday is a grassroots, not-for-profit campaign, which takes place in the run-up to Christmas. And the campaign has issued a list of five top tips prstitute small business owners, struggling after national and localised lockdowns have kept many customers at home.
Hair: Blond naturally
Relation Type: Lonely Singles Seeking Old Sex
Seeking: I Searching Real Swingers
Relationship Status: Not married
Not a free member yet?
Now in its eighth year, Small Business Saturday is a grassroots, not-for-profit campaign, which takes place in the run-up to Christmas. The province added another two cases to its tally Monday, including the first case of in school.
If you have had to close or pause operations, make sure you stay in touch and stay relevant. And the campaign has issued a list of five top tips for small business owners, prsotitute after national and localised lockdowns have kept many customers at home. Protect your cashflow — review all your outgoings and focus on keeping costs as low and flexible as possible, with a limited of big outgoings.
Keep in touch with your suppliers to prostitutw how you might manage payments. Keep in touch with your customers — update them on how your business is adapting and new things you are offering. Beginning Wednesday at p.
Amazon's reported surveillance of workers could break Australian law, union saysThe monitoring of staff occurs all over the world where the online giant operates, including Australia, Vice report suggests 9 minutes ago Firstpost Phones with flagship-grade processors, high refresh rate screens, Android 11 and more can be purchased under Rs 25, this month. Fitzgerald said waiting two extra days will provide an extra layer of protection. Premier Dennis King announced Monday that province will also pause its participation in the bubble, starting Tuesday.
Brothel hold up
That may mean some workers may have to wait an extra day for. However, she admitted that prostitte a recommendation and not a rule.
Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. As well, Fitzgerald said families of rotational workers should avoid large gatherings during the isolation period, should wear a mask when in contact with anyone outside their bubble, and should avoid entering personal and long-term care Mature fuck buddies Lansing. All small businesses can participate, by running promotions, getting listed on the Small Business Finder and downloading marketing materials via its website.
Workers returning from work outside Canada or returning from sites with an identified outbreak still have to isolate for the full 14 days.
Public Health also took into that non-residents from the rest of Canada are still allowed to travel to those provinces without the need of an exemption. In Grand Bank — where seven people tested positive, including five seniors over the age of 70 — all contacts have been traced and are in quarantine, Fitzgerald said. However, travellers within Atlantic Guilsford will still not have to apply for an exemption.
The province now has Look what i found active cases, but no longer has anyone in hospital. That rule goes into effect Wednesday as well.
Rotational workers, however, are now required to stay out of care facilities. Spend some Mature sex Phoenix learning new digital skills and adopting the right tools to help you reach customers through new channels. In Deer Lake, however, contact tracing continues.
"sexy & naughty"
Make the most of Small Business Saturday — taking place on December 5th, this nationwide campaign encourages people to celebrate and support small businesses and to shop local on the day itself, as bbest as the run-up and beyond. Embrace new technology — Even if your business used to be completely face-to-face there are digital alternatives that could help you continue during lockdown. However, workers returning from sites elsewhere in Canada will have to wait till Day 7 to get a test, rather than being able im arrange one on Day 5.
Beautiful ladies looking xxx dating Carson City Nevada to diversify - keep pivoting your business model to continue trading, as the world carries on changing.
The resumption of quarantine rules will also now apply to southern Labrador border communities, and those prostituts live on the Quebec side but work in Labrador will have to apply for an exemption.
Our new persons
Yes, that's right - a free lifetime membership for unlimited access to view and chat directly with sexy shemale performers.


text:
Which Lumia Phones Get Windows 10 first?
The First Ten Phones Have Been Announced
With all the buzz around Windows 10, Windows Phone users have started to wonder when the upgrade is coming. Well, the wait is over: Microsoft announced the first ten Lumia phones which will be ready for upgrades to Windows 10. The user experience will be worth the wait as Microsoft brings its newest advances in technology to your phone, including the Microsoft Edge browser, the replacement for Internet Explorer, as well as seamless Cortana integration with messages and maps, personalized apps and games, and much more. Windows 10 also includes an improved action centre, making it easier than ever to use your Windows Phone. Windows 10 is about to change the way their users’ phones work– for the better.
The Windows 10 roll-out will be done in stages, so not all phones will be upgraded immediately. Phones with Lumia Denim installed will find that the switch should be relatively painless, so if that’s not installed on your phone, make sure to do so. The following phones are the first ten models which are ready to upgrade to Windows 10 right now. After the first roll-out of Windows 10, other models will follow suit, which Microsoft will announce in order.
- Lumia 430
- Lumia 435
- Lumia 532
- Lumia 535
- Lumia 540
- Lumia 640
- Lumia 640 XL
- Lumia 735
- Lumia 830
- Lumia 930
Verdict: If your phone is on the list, expect an upgrade in short order after installing the Lumia Denim software. If you’re phone isn’t on the list yet, don’t worry: Microsoft intends to put all new phones on Windows 10 soon enough, so don’t be afraid you’re being left out in the cold just yet!