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TSSA General Secretary, Manuel Cortes, has urged the Government to act over the future of the travel trade and not "kick badly needed decisions into the long grass" after the Government announced what it described as a Global Travel Taskforce.
Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, said the ‘taskforce’ was aimed at implementing a testing regime to reduce the self-isolation period for travellers arriving in the UK, along with other measures to enable travel during the pandemic.
Currently, anyone arriving in the UK from certain countries overseas must self-isolate for 14 days.
Responding, transport and travel union boss Cortes said: “Sadly the quarantine regime has been clear as mud from its inception.
“However, our union welcomes anything which might provide travellers with clarity while at the same time assisting public confidence. We really hope the setting up of this so –called Global Travel Taskforce is not a route by which Ministers are able to kick badly needed decisions about our travel trade into the long grass.
“Far too many travel businesses have already gone to the wall and many of our members have lost their jobs. This may be a step in the right direction, but our travel industry requires proper long-term support if it is to get through this crisis.
“The Government could help by appointing a dedicated Minister for Travel, so that we have someone to champion our industry day in day out.”


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A 7-2 win at the Supreme Court is a big deal. But some advocates of religious freedom minimized the importance of Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, saying it was a narrow ruling that applies only to the manifest hostility to religion the commission showed in adjudicating Jack Phillips’s case. Religious-liberty opponents have claimed the decision is an open door to invidious discrimination, including racism. Both views are wrong.
The hostility to Mr. Phillips and his beliefs isn’t unusual. The rhetoric Justice Anthony Kennedy condemned—and cited as examples of constitutionally impermissible animus—is often heard from antagonists who attempt to ruin religious believers. Comparisons to racism and Nazism such as the Colorado commission made are standard for left-liberal culture warriors.
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App Annie recently released The State of Mobile 2020 report, which is full of interesting mobile statistics and trends for publishers.
You can download the report from here, but in the meantime here are some of the key findings.
Consumers averaged 3 hours 40 minutes on mobile in 2019, up a whopping 35% since 2017
Mobile is now well and truly our go-to device.
Mobile-first emerging markets like India, Brazil and Indonesia continue to spend the most time on mobile – and France, Canada and India all showed strong growth with mobile usage up 25% compared to two years back.
In-App subscriptions contribute 96% of consumer spend (in non-gaming apps)
In-app subscriptions are by far the biggest revenue drivers, constituting 97% on iOS and a slightly lower 91% on Google Play. Publishers are taking advantage of this revenue opportunity.
On Google Play 79% of the top 250 apps by spend (US) monetized through in-app subscriptions compared to 94% on iOS. The message is clear, consumers are willing to pay recurring subscriptions for apps that they enjoy and that improve their lives.
Mobile is the central nervous system of our connected lives
In the US, there were over 106 million downloads of the top 20 IOT apps in 2019. Mobile is the “brain” for all the various ubiquitous devices and screens that surround us, and the new decade will see the next era of mobile in which our smartphones will be the primary interface through which we interact with the world.
IOT will be the new reality, by 2025 there will be 25.5 billion connected devices, up 177% from 2018!
2020 is set to be mobile’s biggest year, with advertising fueling revenue
Brands have finally started to harness the potential of mobile, with ad spend set to reach $240 billion.
Thats 26% growth up from $190 billion in 2019.
Gen Z has 60% more sessions per user than older demographics
98% of Gen Z (1997-2012) own a smartphone. They are set to surpass millennials as the largest generation by the end of 2019 and comprise roughly 32% of the population.
It’s important for publishers to find a way to engage Gen Z, and mobile is obviously the place to do it.
Consumers across the globe are migrating more and more of their lives over to mobile. It is crucial to have a strong mobile presence going into the next decade to stay relevant and keep pace with consumer behaviour.


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BY THE NUMBERS
Dow and S&P 500 futures jumped more than 1% and Nasdaq futures surged roughly 2% on Tuesday following Russia's announcement that some of its troops at the border with Ukraine were pulling back. To start the week, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq logged their third straight negative sessions. (CNBC)
As stocks popped, bond prices fell, pushing yields higher. The 10-year Treasury yield topped 2% again Tuesday ahead of the government's latest inflation report at 8:30 a.m. ET. Investors will be looking at the producer price index to see if wholesale inflation ran as hot in January as last Thursday's look at consumer prices showed. (CNBC)
* Bitcoin, ether rise as Ukraine-Russia tensions appear to ease (CNBC)
U.S. oil prices, as measured by West Texas Intermediate futures, sank more than 3% on Tuesday on the apparent easing of Russia's aggressive posture toward Ukraine. When tensions were still high Monday, WTI jumped to more than $95 per barrel, its highest level since September 2014. (Reuters)
Central bankers will also be watching the PPI and Tuesday's Senate Banking Committee vote on President Joe Biden's slate of Federal Reserve nominees, including Jerome Powell for a second term as Fed chairman. (Reuters)
IN THE NEWS TODAY
Intel (INTC) on Tuesday announced a deal to buy Israeli chipmaker Tower Semiconductor for $53 per share, or $5.4 billion, a 60% premium over Tower's Monday closing price. Tower's shares in U.S. premarket trading were not trading at quite as high of a premium, jumping more than 45%. (Reuters)
Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway purchased about $1 billion worth of shares in Activision Blizzard in the fourth quarter, according to a regulatory filing, jumping in before Microsoft agreed to buy the video game publisher for $68.7 billion. Berkshire is poised to notch a handsome profit should the deal close. (CNBVC)
Berkshire also increased its position in Chevron by more than 30% in the fourth quarter. Buffett first bought Chevron at the end of 2020, which was largely viewed as a classic value play and a bet on the rebounding economy. (CNBC Pro)
* Tiger Global doubles down on Peloton, bets on Buffett-backed fintech (CNBC Pro)
* David Tepper all in on brick-and-mortar retail, initiates GM stake (CNBC Pro)
Greenlight Capital's David Einhorn, who has a history of betting against Tesla, disclosed a new wager against the Elon Musk-led electric automaker. According to a fourth-quarter regulatory filing, the hedge fund manager was long puts against 100,000 shares of Tesla with a notional value of $106 million. (CNBC Pro)
* Musk donated over $5.7 billion in Tesla shares to charity in November (Reuters)
Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., unveiled Tuesday an early draft of legislation aimed at placing definitions around stablecoins, which critics consider susceptible to manipulation, bad actors and collapse the result of insufficient reserve capital. The bill from the co-chair of the House Problems Solvers caucus will likely be the first of many attempts in Washington to structure the new market. (CNBC)
* Pentagon report says defense contractor mergers hurt national security, economy (AP)
Shares of the major Covid vaccine makers fell Monday. They were steady in the premarket as the omicron wave eased, with new cases rapidly dropping across the country. According to Johns Hopkins University data, the U.S. reported a seven-day average of 151,056 new Covid cases per day as of Monday; down 44% from a week ago. (CNBC)
* Microsoft is reopening its Washington and Bay Area offices this month (CNBC)
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has invoked emergency powers to quell paralyzing protests by truckers and others angry over that country's Covid restrictions, outlining plans not only to tow away their rigs but to take aim at their bank accounts and their livelihoods. "These blockades are illegal," Trudeau said. "The time to go home is now." (AP)
The Mazars accounting firm has fired the Trump Organization as a client after saying a decade's worth of statements of ex-President Donald Trump's financial condition "should no longer be relied upon," the New York Attorney General's office revealed in a court filing Monday. (CNBC)
* Sarah Palin loses defamation case against New York Times (Reuters)
Restaurant Brands (QSR) beat estimates by 4 cents a share, with quarterly earnings of 74 cents per share. Revenue came in above estimates as well. Burger King's comparable-store sales beat analysts' forecasts, helping to offset misses at the Tim Hortons and Popeyes chains. Shares rose 2% in the premarket. (CNBC)
* Taco Bell accelerates international growth as chain aims for $20 billion in annual sales (CNBC)
STOCKS TO WATCH
Marriott (MAR) jumped 3% in the premarket after the hotel operator beat top- and bottom-line forecasts for its latest quarter. Marriott earned $1.30 per share, 31 cents a share above estimates as occupancy rates increased amid a rise in vaccinations.
Zoetis (ZTS) was up 2% in premarket trading on better-than-expected quarterly results. Zoetis beat estimates by 4 cents a share, with quarterly earnings of $1.00 per share as improvement in its pet products business offset tepid results for livestock product sales.
Advance Auto Parts (AAP) beat estimates by 10 cents a share, with quarterly profit of $2.07 per share. The auto parts retailer's revenue also beat analysts' forecasts. Advance Auto's sales were higher than a year before, but profit was lower as it dealt with inflationary headwinds. Shares fell 1% in premarket action.
Avis Budget (CAR) reported better-than-expected profit and revenue for its latest quarter, as increases in rental activity and in revenue per day helped offset higher expenses. Shares rose more than 1.5% in premarket trading.
Intuit (INTU) lowered its current-quarter forecast as tax season gets off to a slow start. The maker of the popular TurboTax software maintained its full-year forecast, however, suggesting the company believes revenue was simply be pushed to a later quarter. Intuit fell 1% in premarket trading.
Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva said she's work out after a doping hearing but grateful she's allowed to skate Tuesday in the women's short program at the Beijing Olympics. The 15-year-old was cleared to skate even though she failed a drug test taken Dec. 25. She's the overwhelming favorite for the gold. (AP)


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Many netizens have praised Mr Lim Hock Chee, the Chief Executive Officer of Sheng Siong, who, together with his wife, have been stocking grocery shelves over the past week.
The Sheng Siong outlet in Commonwealth suffered a manpower shortage after four employees fell ill with Covid-19. Without any fanfare, Mr Lim and his wife got to work.
In 2021, Forbes listed the Sheng Siong CEO as the 21st wealthiest individual in Singapore, with a net worth of US $1.2 billion (S$1.64 billion.
But this particular billionaire happens to have humble beginnings, having been brought up as the son of a pig farmer in Punggol.
News of Mr Lim, 61, and his wife stacking shelves at the Commonwealth outlet was first reported by Shin Min Daily News on Sunday (March 13).
A reporter from the Chinese daily had heard that some employees of the supermarket had contracted Covid and had visited the outlet at 88 Tanglin Halt Road at 6:00 that morning and found Mr Lim and his wife at work in the kitchen and the warehouse of the outlet.
Mr Lim was working with packages of pork, stacking them in a basket and bringing them to the shelves to be displayed. The CEO and his wife have been getting up at 5 am to get to the outlet an hour later, and have worked there till noon for several days now.
In the afternoon, Mr Lim has been reporting at the office.
He told Shin Min Daily News that of the five employees responsible for the pork section of the store, four had gotten Covid.
Realising that finding suitable workers for the job would take time, he told his wife that it was their turn to step up to the plate. And because of his experience in raising pigs due to his family background, he was familiar with the processes involved.
And so, off to work they went.
On a Reddit thread about Mr Lim and his wife’s going to work at Sheng Shiong, commenters have praised the CEO’s leadership.
A netizen wrote, “NTUC CEO, take note on how a true leader behaves.”
This is apparently not unusual behaviour for Mr Lim.
One even called him “The OG Son of Punggol.”
Another wrote that this is something that bosses and middle management should do regularly.
One admiring commenter even compared the CEO to the President of Ukraine.
Send in your scoops to email@example.com


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The outcome of a meeting over whether to close Vauxhall's Ellesmere Port plant is to be revealed imminently.
Stellantis, the new parent company of the business manufacturing the Astra model, is reportedly reviewing its options for the Cheshire site, where around 1,000 people are employed.
It's been widely reported in the national and international press in recent days that the company is considering three avenues - invest in a new version of the Astra, build a different model at the site, or shut it down altogether.
Crunch talks were due to take place between officials at the plant and Stellantis on Monday, but a decision is yet to be revealed.
When contacted for a comment by BusinessLive on Wednesday, a spokesman for Stellantis said no announcement will be made today - and that it would be Thursday "at the earliest".
According to the Telegraph, new Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has been involved in talks with the company in a bid to urge Stellantis to invest.
On Thursday, Ed Miliband MP, Labour’s Shadow Business Secretary, said: “The Ellesmere Port plant is a major employer and winding it down would have devastating consequences, with a thousand highly-skilled jobs lost from the local community."To support our automotive manufacturing industry and boost its competitiveness, Labour has called for ambitious investment in electric vehicle technology, including the electric battery supply chain, through a £30bn green economic recovery. This investment would mean manufacturers have the long-term confidence they need to build new electric models in the UK.
“The Government must not simply stand by, because doing so risks worsening the unemployment crisis and dealing a huge blow to Cheshire and the automotive industry. They must act with real urgency to support our manufacturing industry and the jobs they provide.”
Justin Madders, MP for Ellesmere Port, said on Wednesday that closing the North Road plant would be a "hammer blow" to the whole community.
He told ITV Granada Reports: "It would be a hammer blow to the whole community, the wider North West and actually it would send a terrible signal out about where manufacturing lies in the Government's priorities in the post-Brexit world.
"We really have to make sure that we get the right decision on this."
Theresa Griffin, former MEP for the North West, tweeted: "I have been to this Vauxhall plant, seen its efficiency and know how vital it is to its local communities and the wider North."
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The news comes after Vauxhall's French parent company PSA merged with Fiat Chrysler to form a new automotive superpower last month called Stellantis.
Following that merger, it was revealed that the future of the North West plant was in doubt - largely due to the upcoming ban on new petrol and diesel cars.
Stellantis chief Carlos Tavares told a press conference Governments can "create situations which destroy the business model".
He said: "If we are told that in 2030 internal combustion engines cannot be sold in the UK - which we respect as a decision from the country - then we are not going to invest in internal combustion engines anymore because that makes no sense.
"That means that we are going to work on other directions, and then we see if there is a business model for the other directions."
He went on: "If you change brutally the rules and if you restrict the rules for business, then there is at one point in time a problem.
"The more we put stringent objectives on the automotive industry, the more you get close to that limit."
Mr Tavares said that "from a pure logistic perspective" it could make more sense to focus investment in electric car manufacturing in the EU rather than the UK, because it sells more of the vehicles in the former.
A Government spokesperson said: “We are committed to ensuring the UK continues to be one of the best locations in the world for automotive manufacturing, and we’re doing all we can to protect and create jobs, while securing a competitive future for the sector.
“We regularly speak with all automotive companies, including Stellantis but do not comment on ongoing discussions.”


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Export commodity prices edged down by one per cent in October in foreign currency terms, to be 24 per cent down from their peak in 2011.
The monthly fall in the index compiled by the Reserve Bank of Australia reversed a small rise the month before, and took the index to levels just above the three-and-a-half year low recorded in August.
The main reasons for the the fall in October were declines in the prices of iron ore, gold and crude oil, while base metals and rural goods prices increased in the month.
In Australian dollar terms, which was higher in the month, the index fell by 2.4 per cent in October.
Primary commodities dominate Australia's exports and the ratio of export prices to import prices - the so-called terms of trade - is a major influence on the Australian dollar's value over the long term.
The contrast between lower terms of trade and its apparent inconsistency with the stubbornly high Australian dollar has been mentioned numerous times in RBA speeches and publications over the past year or two.
So has the need for the exchange rate to fall in order to help he economy to "rebalance" as the mining investment boom fades.
Most recently, RBA governor Glenn Stevens said on Tuesday that "it seems quite likely that at some point in the future the Australian dollar will be materially lower than it is today".
The remarks prompted a bout of weakness for the currency.
The foreign currency price index is measured in terms of special drawing rights (SDRs), an average of four major currencies - US dollar, euro, Japanese yen, and British pound.


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Caught for producing medical masks and sterilizers
KUWAIT CITY, April 5: The General Authority of Industry closed a factory that did not adhere to the license granted to it they were producing sterilizers and medical masks without permission.
The authority added that the factory was closed in accordance with Article No. (43) of the Industrial Law and Article (26)an it was transferred to the Public Prosecution to take legal action against it.
Sources stated that the factory located in the agriculture area violated the license granted to it which manufactures henna, packaging and packaging of perfumery materials. But instead they were producing to sterilizers and the medical masks.
It is needed to adhere to the laws industrial establishments and the precautionary measures need to be taken to counter the spread of coronavirus infection (Covid-19). Sources further stated that the team will be inspecting excessively who are taking advantage of current situation.


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Annual event serves as a platform for leather, materials, and fashion businesses to discover new partners, customers, and suppliers.
APLF, a leather trade show that develops business platforms, networking, educational and award programs for the global leather industry, has appointed integrated creative and content-driven communications consultancy Catch Communications to spearhead their media and communications activity in the region for its 2023 edition.
APLF is an annual event that serves as a platform for leather, materials, and fashion businesses to discover new partners, customers, and suppliers, as well as keep ahead of industry developments. In addition to organizing leather and fashion trade shows, APLF provides first-rate businesses with an opportunity to promote design, innovation, and sustainability, attracting 60,000 attendees to their exhibitions each year. This edition is anticipated to host 350+ exhibitors from 30+ countries and regions at the Dubai World Trade Centre, covering a total area of 16,000 square meters.
"We are passionate about working with brands that bring communities together through means of education and empowerment,” said Injeel Moti, founder of Catch Communications, in a statement. "We look forward to helping the event reach new heights and make a positive impact on the communities it caters to."


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Mastercard today announced that it is the first and only payment provider in Australia and New Zealand to roll out the latest card on file tokenization technology in 2019. ‘MDES For Merchants’ ensures customer data and payments are safely stored and maintained in consumers’ favorite websites and apps. The technology could reduce online fraud by approximately 30 percent, or $146 million, while also ensuring customer pain-points are addressed, by automatically updating their payment details directly with the retailer, whenever a card is lost or replaced, avoiding the customer needing to manually update.
Online fraud is a growing threat to businesses in Australia, with AU$488 million loss as a result of last year alone. Across the world, it’s a similar picture with card-not-present fraud expected to cost retailers US$130 billion between 2018 and 2023. It also has a significant impact on customer experience with research showing that 66 percent of cardholders that experienced a false decline when transacting online, reduced or stopped shopping with that retailer altogether.
MDES for Merchants uses a security measure known as tokenization to encrypt consumer payment details in a unique way with each retailer. Tokenisation does this by replacing card numbers with digital tokens and every time a transaction is made online or with a mobile wallet, a unique token is created to make the payment. That way, if retailers get breached, there’s nothing to steal, as the 16-digit card number is not stored anywhere. Furthermore, consumers receive the added benefit of never having to update their card details with retailers when their original card is replaced. MDES for Merchants will seamlessly pass the new details to the retailer at the point of the next payment.
Surin Fernando, Vice President, Business Development, Mastercard said; “Mastercard’s MDES for Merchants tokenization technology supports both online retailers and their customers to increase the number of successfully approved purchases made online. As well as protecting retailers from data breaches the technology offers greater fraud protection to merchants and customers. The technology works to deliver a safer, higher approval rate while simultaneously working to delight cardholders at the point of checkout. By doing this, Mastercard has seen an increase in purchase conversion and a decline in cart abandonment.
In Australia, the lead up to Christmas sees a ramp-up of retail spending, making this the perfect time for launch. In addition to retailers, Mastercard cardholders can expect to benefit from the improved customer experience. For example, in the case their card is lost, stolen, replaced or expired, customers can expect their stored card details to be automatically updated. The technology also allows consumers to keep track of where they have saved their card information across retailers, ride-sharing, TV streaming, online marketplaces, telco and utility platforms.”
Leading Australian and New Zealand payment processing companies such as Fat Zebra, Bambora, Eway, Card Access Services, Datacom, IPSI, Securepay, Adyen, Paystation by Trade Me, Integrapay, Merchant Warrior, and Windcave (formally Payment Express) are just some of Mastercard’s partners enabling this technology to assist both retailers and consumers in 2019 and into 2020.
Leading financial institutions who issue customer cards such as the Commonwealth Bank, Bankwest and Bendigo Bank are amongst those rolling out this solution with a more following suit. Mastercard and its partners are at the forefront of protecting customers against cyber threats in Australia, implementing the latest advances in tokenization when transacting online.
Paul Vivian, Bankwest General Manager Customer Solutions and Insights said; “With increasingly sophisticated methods being used to target businesses, causing financial and reputational hardship, it’s important for businesses to strengthen their defenses.
We are committed to creating the best possible experience for our customers including how they like to pay. MDES for Merchants automatically update customers’ payment details when a card is replaced so customers no longer need to manually update all of their card details with each retailer.”
View more information: https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/business/756943-mastercards-mdes-for-merchants-ensures-data-payments-safely-stored


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Today is not a good day to be Frito-Lay. Every company has their missteps, but you really have to stop and wonder how the higher-ups at Frito-Lay let a fiasco like this happen on their watch: Today the multinational snack brand is currently performing some much-needed damage control after printing thousands of bags of Cheetos that claimed Cheetos could be used as a flotation device.
Yup, it’s safe to say someone’s getting fired for this one. Take a look at the packaging snafu below:
Yikes! That’s going to leave a stain on the company’s reputation. No matter how good their intentions may have been, labeling their puffed cheese snack as a flotation device only served to blow up in their face. The company has since issued a massive recall of the bags and launched an around-the-clock PR campaign to apologize for suggesting that Cheetos would suffice in keeping someone afloat in water.
Frito-Lay addressed the incident in a contrite press release:
We here at Frito-Lay are immensely sorry for having misled our customers in claiming that Cheetos are an adequate flotation device. It turns out that this is not true. Frito-Lay cannot vouch for Cheetos’ viability as anything but a snack food. In the event that a person is drowning, we strongly discourage lifeguards from responding by strewing armfuls of Cheetos into the water. Storing Cheetos onboard a boat or any aquatic vehicle should be solely for the purpose of eating, as they do not fulfill any mandates necessary for complying with Federal Boating Safety Regulations. To those who have lost a friend or a loved one because of this, we offer our deepest apologies.
To guarantee the erasure of any and all misconceptions that resulted from this faux pas, Frito-Lay also vowed to include a drowning warning label on future bags of Cheetos so consumers know not to rely on the snack as a means of aquatic safety.
Try as they might to allay the damage, Frito-Lay may continue regretting this miscalculation for some time to come. It’s still unclear who was responsible for the dismal display of judgment. Whoever it was better start cleaning out their desk, because this one was a screwup for the ages.


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“We established our business around the idea of bringing solutions to our customers’ global needs through a robust, yet simplified reinforced polyamide product portfolio – and the addition of this latest and greatest compounding technology is our most recent proof point,” said Richard Hill, global commercial director, INVISTA Engineering Polymers. “Our ability to provide consistent, high quality grade engineered polymers anywhere in the world is quickly adding value to our customers’ businesses.”
Consistency and replication are two key focal points for the business. By building the compounding asset in North America, INVISTA now manufactures product to specification for multiple regions of the world, which helps meet multi-region OEM and automotive suppliers’ needs. INVISTA employed the latest turnkey compounding technology from Coperion and had successful startup in 2013.
“The ability to solve similar problems in various parts of the world is proving to be advantageous,” added Hill. “To be able to do it with the state-of-the-art technology is that much better for our customers.”
With INVISTA’s technical leaders in each major region of the world, the company’s engineered polymers are designed to work well in customers’ processes regardless of location.
The North American compounding asset is the second compounding investment by INVISTA. In December 2012, the company announced the acquisition of a compounding and recycling manufacturing facility in Born, the Netherlands.
INVISTA’s business model will also continue to support its established global network of contract manufacturers.
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Sprint just launched their WP7 device, but rumour has it Verizon is going to officially talk about the HTC Trophy next week. Not sure anyone cares, with so many other Android and iPhone devices on Verizon that are better. You can count the Verizon CTO in that group of people who don't care. [WMPowerUser]
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“We have six zones in India, and most are broadly trading between 30 and 40 percent occupancy—even for markets like Delhi and Mumbai. The leisure markets seem to be more impacted because that is discretionary travel. Although there are certain markets, like Goa which still seem to show some strength,” he said, adding that they had ended December at 70 percent at the portfolio wide across 105 hotels.
This time around, leisure markets seemed to be worse hit, but social functions were being rescheduled more than being cancelled outright.
One of the new brands which the group introduced called Radisson Individuals also helped them attract a lot of independent properties, he said when asked about the phenomenon of independent properties looking at joining chains after the pandemic.
In 2021, the group converted three hotels into Radisson Individuals, one each in Imphal, Bengaluru and Katra (the last is not yet open), he added. “We are seeing a distribution appetite. Many independent hotels, do you see the strength of distribution coming from the brand channels. The second factor is that being part of a branded platform also conveys a stronger message of trust to the customer,” Saxena said adding that the Radisson brands were very strict about their Covid health, hygiene and safety protocol and this was a very relevant part of hospitality in the current times.
“The travel industry has been badly hit and the businesses are still under pressure. We've been set back by a couple of years because of the pandemic . There are pressures on cash flows; many hotels have to maintain bank repayments,” he said, enumerating the second challenge for the industry.


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Following a busy National Hot Dog Day that generated nearly 500 million impressions online, the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (NHDSC) received additional positive media hits last week.
The latest quarterly report of the Foundation for Meat and Poultry Research and Education (Foundation) is available here.
The Chinese government approved several domestic companies to buy U.S. products - including cotton, corn, sorghum and pork - with lower or no retaliatory tariffs.
The North American Meat Institute today said the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Services’ (FSIS) final swine inspection rule allows for further food safety innovation while continuing to ensure consumers have access to safe, wholesome pork. FSIS today released the text of the final rule, called Modernization of Swine Slaughter Inspection.
WASHINGTON, DC – The North American Meat Institute (Meat Institute) today applauded the Trump Administration for securing a trade agreement in principle with Japan.
“So many misconceptions were put to rest”
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What happens when you tell people to stop eating meat? They get mad! And why wouldn’t they? Meat is both delicious and nutrient dense. In 2016, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans confirmed once again that meat can play a key role as part of a healthy diet... read more


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Here on The Unapologetic Bookworm, Banned Books Week has been focused on sharing some of my favorite challenged/banned titles, as well as drawing attention to censorship. I’ve spent time discussing why certain books have been challenged, and also given some reasons for reading them. I’ve even issued some challenges of my own this week, including:
- Taking time out to educate yourself about modern-day censorship and how it affects society,
- Watching videos about banning (and burning) books,
- Reading a challenged or banned book (including comic books),
- Creating a Virtual Read-Out video,
- Seeking out and reading a book someone else told you was “bad” so you can form your own opinion,
- And looking at the NCTE list of books that were either challenged or banned between 2002 and 2018.
This week I’ve been following a lot of Banned Books Week conversations taking place on Twitter. People have shared pictures of themselves reading banned books, quotes from favorite authors on the subject of censorship, and pictures of banned book displays at their local library. There have even been some fantastic articles and videos shared about books like the Harry Potter series and The Hate U Give. I’ve retweeted some of my favorites, which you can find by following me @UnapologBkworm.
What’s interesting is that some individuals have approached the week as a celebration of our right to read, while others have been critical of those who do so.
And so I have to pose the question… How should we approach Banned Books Week?
I have a hard time answering this question. I can certainly see why many people choose to treat Banned Books Week as a literary holiday and, let’s face it, the freedom to read is something that should be celebrated. Libraries across the country have set up displays of banned books, and more than one school librarian has mentioned on Twitter that books from those displays have been checked out at a pretty fast rate.
On the other hand, how can we celebrate when there are many people in our country (and around the world) who are currently being denied access to books because of censorship? The following infographic comes from the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom…
There are a lot of reasons that people give when challenging a book, but if you take a look at the section titled “Reasons for Book Challenges” on the infographic, it’s clear that books containing LGBTQIA+ content are the most frequently challenged. In fact, out of the eleven “top challenged” books in 2018, nearly half were challenged for this reason.
One of the things I love about reading is encountering a character that I can relate to on a personal level. Try to imagine being in a position where you’re unable to find books with characters you relate to; not because they aren’t being written, but because someone on the school board has decided that your ethnicity, faith, gender identity, sexual orientation, etc. is in some way inappropriate for you and your classmates to read about. Acts of censorship like this only serve to marginalize people.
While it seems like we most frequently hear about books being banned in schools, did you know that there are prisons all across America where books are actively being banned? According to the PEN America website, there was even a program introduced in the federal prison system that required prisoners “to pay a 30 percent markup to buy books from authorized dealers.” In a previous post, I mentioned a study that showed that reading fiction increased people’s empathy. If that study is correct, we should be sending books to prisons by the truckload, not making people pay more money for the right to read.
But let’s circle back around to the question of “celebration” vs. “observance.”
I understand where people are coming from when they say that Banned Books Week shouldn’t be treated like a holiday. There’s nothing fun about being informed that you can’t have a certain book in your library or classroom. I know. I’ve been there. Banned Books Week really is not a celebration for those who are being marginalized and denied literature that speaks to their life experiences.
One of my favorite authors is Ray Bradbury. In addition to writing Fahrenheit 451, among other amazing titles, Bradbury provided us with a tremendous amount of wisdom, like the following statement:
“You don’t have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.”Ray Bradbury
I think whether you treat Banned Books Week as a holiday or a more solemn observance is completely up to you. It’s a choice I’ve struggled with this week, and I’m currently planted firmly on the fence. While I certainly want to celebrate my freedom to read, the fact that censorship is still alive and well in this country means that we still have work to do.
And yet, if the activities and library displays that were created for this week cause even one reluctant reader to pick up a book and read, then I think that librarian or teacher has accomplished something that can, and should, be celebrated.
Maybe that book will encourage that child to change our world.


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Earlier this month, Microsoft decided to try something a little different when it came to selling the Xbox 360. Their plan: to kick off a pilot program under which customers could shell out a mere $99 for a shiny new 4GB Xbox 360 and a Kinect, provided they inked a two-year subscription deal to Xbox Live Gold.
Now, it seems the time has come for that pilot program to spread its wings. Microsoft recently announced that later this month, all Best Buy stores and certain GameStop locations would be selling those subscription-friendly Xbox 360s.
Well, for a little while anyway.
Since this is far from a hard launch, Microsoft’s Larry Hryb notes on his Major Nelson blog that “this next phase of the pilot program will be limited in terms of both timing and the number of units available.”
To add to the difficulty of nabbing a subscription-friendly Xbox, Microsoft Interactive Entertainment President Don Mattick has said that fans have (perhaps unsurprisingly) reacted enthusiastically to the new pricing model. There’s a very real chance that your local gaming retailer will blow through their allotment of sub Xboxs in a jiffy, so Hryb recommends that interested consumers give stores a call to lock down availability details.
A report from the Wall Street Journal helps shed some light on why Microsoft is so dedicated to the slow and steady approach. Part of the process involves making sure that purchasers of this subsidized hardware pass a credit check, and are training employees to position the console correctly to potential customers.
It’s been noted plenty of times now that the subscription model isn’t exactly the best deal for consumers — they ultimately end up spending nearly $40 more than if they had just bought the hardware and a 2-year Xbox Live Gold card all at once — but it could prove to be a huge ally in Microsoft’s war to control your living room.
By lowering up-front costs in a way that no other console manufacturer has done before, Microsoft is fighting to lower the barrier to Xbox adoption in an attempt to further expand their reach. Cheap(er) hardware is only part of the equation though, as Microsoft proved the other day with their slew of Xbox-related media announcements that their gaming platform is maturing into something much broader — a full-blown entertainment platform.


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Several auto companies continued to enjoy strong sales in Canada last month, with both domestic and foreign automakers reporting surging sales compared to May 2011.
The numbers suggest pent-up demand appears to be overshadowing any fears about making a big ticket purchase in a shaky economy.
Several big name companies reported double digit increases in a month that compared very favourably on a year-over-year basis, when last March's earthquake in Japan slowed production at Honda and Toyota factories, and dealers ran short of cars by May.
Despite faltering stock markets and consumer confidence, drivers are also buying in droves to replace aging vehicles, a shopping trip that was delayed during the recession.
Ford of Canada reported its best May since 1997, helping it to surpass Detroit Big Three rival Chrysler to regain the position of Canada's top-selling automaker both for May and the year so far.
Ford Canada saw May sales jump 27 per cent to 32,338 vehicles from 25,448 in the same month of 2011.
The automaker said overall car sales rose 31 per cent, driven by strong demand for fuel efficient vehicles. Full-sized pickups saw a 46 per cent increase, powered by sales of its F-150, which saw a 52 per cent jump.
"May was a good growth month for Ford of Canada, with strong sales across the entire lineup of cars, utilities and trucks," said Dianne Craig, president and CEO of Ford of Canada.
Still, Chrysler Canada said it enjoyed its 30th consecutive year-over-year increase in May, with sales rising seven per cent to 26,218 vehicles from 24,406 in May 2011.
"There have only been three months in the last 10 years that have hit the 26,000 sales mark and I'm thrilled to count May 2012 among them," said chief operating officer Dave Buckingham.
The increase in vehicle sales in May gave Chrysler its best retail sales numbers for the calendar year to date since 2002, the company said in a release.
Japanese automakers seemed to rebound thoroughly from supply challenges faced since the country's massive earthquake and tsunami in March 2011.
Toyota Canada Inc. said it has regained momentum from "post-tsunami" challenges and saw sales jump to 19,810, a 64.7 per cent increase over May 2011. Sales of its Prius family of hybrids were especially strong, seeing a whopping 804 per cent increase over last May.
Nissan Canada Inc. said it sold 9,204 units, an increase of 36.9 per cent over May 2011.
Meanwhile, South Korea's Hyundai Auto Canada Corp. recorded a two per cent increase in May sales to 14,249 vehicles from 13,967, its best May ever and 41st consecutive year-over-year monthly increase.
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real-time news and commentary for investors
Tuesday, Jun 12
2012, 5:49 PM
Facebook (FB) goes after those criticizing the effectiveness of its ads with a study...
Facebook (FB) goes after those criticizing the effectiveness of its ads with a study co-developed with comScore (previous) that trumpets the effectiveness of social media marketing. Among the study's claims: Starbucks and Target customers increased their respective purchase frequencies by 38% and 21% after seeing company messages in their news feeds. Social media marketing software providers such as CRM, ORCL, and CTCT are doubtlessly pleased to see the free PR.


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As the Indonesian government starts to ease social restrictions in some cities, including Jakarta, a Covid-19 epicentre in Indonesia, hotels are partnering with travel companies to lure locals to travel again.
In a recent webinar, the Association of Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA) and the Indonesian Hotels and Restaurant Association (IHRA) agreed to an MoU to craft deals to stimulate domestic demand.
Quoting various sources, Hariyadi Sukamdani, chairman of IHRA, reported at the webinar that Indonesia’s tourism industry employs around 13 million people and 90 per cent have been sent home without pay due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
It has also forced more than 2,000 hotels and 8,000 restaurants to shut down, with potential revenue loss of 30 trillion rupiah (US$2 billion) for hotels and 40 trillion rupiah for restaurants from January through April. Meanwhile, the airlines and tour operators have lost US$812 million and four trillion rupiah, respectively.
Tourism recovery hinged upon not only the people, but also the government, said Hariyadi, raising the question of whether the government will allocate state budget to lift the accommodation and meetings industries.
He said that IHRA was now striving to get a work capital amounting to 21.3 trillion rupiah for the upcoming six months, but claimed that it was hard to secure the government funding when there was zero demand. Hence, he added, there was the need to stimulate domestic demand.
According to Hariyadi, IHRA, which has 28,230 hotel members and 17,862 restaurant members, is ready to collaborate with ASITA to roll out competitive prices for domestic travellers.
Rusmiati, head of ASITA, said both sides stand to benefit greatly from the collaboration. “ASITA has 7,000 members. If (IHRA) works with ASITA, our members can help sell and promote (the good deals),” she said.
The MoU stipulates that IHRA members would come up with competitive pricing for ASITA members. To make the good deals work, IHRA and ASITA will bolster digital marketing and promotional efforts through social media and make working groups in their regional chapters as well as approach airlines to roll out competitively-priced airfares for domestic travellers.
I Ketut Ardana, managing director of Bali Sunshine and head of ASITA Bali Chapter, hoped that after IHRA and ASITA sign the MoU, that local traditional players would enjoy lower rates from hotels, compared to that of overseas agents and OTAs. He also expected hotels to stop giving contract rates directly to overseas agents.
Herman Muchtar, head of IHRA West Java chapter, agreed that providing special prices was a must, revealing that his members would offer discounts of up to 50 per cent during the West Java Extravaganza Sale that will be held from July 1 to August 30 to lure domestic tourists to visit West Java.
However, he opined that the current priority of IHRA was not to dole out good deals, but to urge the central government to give industry players economic stimulus packages to prevent the shutting down of more hotels. Low interest rate and moratorium on loan repayments were also needed.
Herman said that for some of the hotels in West Java, if they fail to receive stimulus from the government, they will likely only “last until July”.


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Tesla Inc. Chief Executive Elon Musk, who has repeatedly played down the risk of the coronavirus since early in the pandemic, says he tested positive for Covid-19 and sought to raise doubts about the validity of such testing more broadly.
Mr. Musk said on Twitter a Thursday night saliva sample came back positive for the virus. He took a PCR, or polymerase chain reaction, test after earlier rapid-response tests had returned both positive and negative results. The rapid-response test isn’t considered as accurate as the PCR test that typically involves a nasal or throat swab.
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New Delhi, Jan 10: The Union cabinet on Wednesday approved a proposal of allowing 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) in single-brand retail via automatic route and 49 percent in Air India.
The government also cleared 100 per cent FDI in construction development via automatic route.
In a statement issued, the government said the decision was to liberalise and simplify the FDI policy in a bid to provide ease of doing business in the country.
The cabinet claimed this decision will lead to larger FDI inflows contributing to the growth of investment, income and employment.
Apart from this the centre also decided that foreign institution investors and portfolio investors be allowed to invest in power exchanges through primary market and amended the definition of “medical devices” in its FDI policy.
The decisions were taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, were intended to liberalize and simplify the FDI policy to provide ease of doing business.
“In turn, it will lead to larger FDI inflows contributing to growth of investment, income and employment,” an official statement said.
The present FDI policy on single-brand retail trading allows 49 per cent FDI under automatic route and FDI beyond 49 per cent and up to 100 per cent through government approval route.
“It has now been decided to permit 100 per cent FDI under automatic route. It has been decided to permit single brand retail trading entity to set off its incremental sourcing of goods from India for global operations during initial five years, beginning April 1 of the year of the opening of first store against the mandatory sourcing requirement of 30 per cent of purchases from India,” the finance ministry statement said.
For this purpose, it said, incremental sourcing would mean the increase in terms of value of such global sourcing from India for that single brand (in Indian rupee terms) in a particular financial year over the preceding financial year, by the non-resident entities undertaking single brand retail trading entity, either directly or through their group companies.
“It has been decided to clarify that real estate broking service does not amount to real estate business and is therefore eligible for 100 per cent FDI under automatic route”, it added.
Under the present policy, foreign airlines are allowed to invest under government approval route in the capital of Indian companies operating scheduled and non-scheduled air transport services, up to the limit of 49 per cent of their paid-up capital.
However, this was not applicable to Air India, thereby implying that foreign airlines could not invest in the national carrier owned fully by the government.
“It has now been decided to do away with this restriction and allow foreign airlines to invest up to 49 per cent under approval route in Air India subject to the conditions that foreign investments in Air India including that of foreign airlines shall not exceed 49 per cent either directly or indirectly.”
Making changes in the sector relating to power exchanges, the government removed the restrictions on investment by foreign institute investors and portfolio investors to invest in power exchanges through primary market as well.
Under the present policy, FII and FPI purchases were restricted to secondary market only.
In the pharma sector, the Cabinet decided to amend the definition of medical devices in the FDI policy.
“Cases under the government approval route, also requiring security clearance with respect to countries of concern, will continue to be processed by concerned administrative department or ministry.”
In another modificatin in FDI , it has now been decided that issue of shares against non-cash considerations like pre incorporation expenses, import of machinery etc shall be permitted under automatic route in the case of sectors under automatic route.


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One of the most challenging parts of running a small or medium enterprise is being an employer of labour. Whether you have 3 employees or 30, life as you know it has changed forever. You’re now directly responsible to and for others, and you have to do right by them and also make sure that your business is better for their being there. Here are 7 pitfalls you’ll want to avoid.
Africa’s Biggest e-Business Fair to Hold Feb 21st, 2015
Connect Nigeria is pleased to announce that its second annual e-Business Fair will hold on February 21st 2015 at Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
In 2013, over 2,000 people turned up for the e-Business Fair and learnt about e-Business as well as necessary skills they needed to develop in order to take their businesses to the next level.
Leading organisations, including Union Bank, MasterCard, Etisalat, Microsoft and Google will be sponsoring the event.
With this year’s theme being ‘e-Business and The Growth of Your Enterprise’, it is anticipated to be Africa’s biggest e- Business Fair. Terragon Group, FirstMonie, Skye Bank, Heritage Bank, JMG and Leatherworld will also be sponsoring the event, and some representatives from each organisation will be speaking on the day.
Speakers also include representatives from Tranzit.ng, Hotels.ng, Jovago, Supermart.ng and many others.
There will be raffle draws, and prizes such as iPhones, laptops, and other useful gadgets to help and support your business will be distributed.
Last year, several lucky attendees won various tech-related prizes and this year promises many more. Expecting double the number of people this year, Connect Nigeria assures you that this is an event that you don’t want to miss.
Don’t miss out on Africa’s biggest business fair.
Registration is free and can be done at www.connectnigeria.com/bizfair.
See more here.


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Netflix will have to pay huge sums in the fight over writer pay.as deadline Report, the Writers Guild of America won an arbitration award that will require Netflix to pay 216 drama and film writers an additional $42 million in unpaid balances. The WGA is also seeking another $13.5 million in late payment interest.
WGA accuses Netflix of “self-dealing” that helped it save writers’ pay. According to the association, the remainder of a theatrical release should be paid based on revenue earned in a given market, while licensing requirements like Netflix (which is both a producer and distributor) require fees based on a more traditional relationship — a Sony movies licensed to Netflix, eg. However, Netflix reportedly struck a deal with the Directors Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild of America (SAG-AFTRA) to allow it to pay the remainder of the cost of its own films at “significantly lower” prices than the films cost.
The victory was aided by an earlier victory over the Sandra Bullock film bird box, the WGA claims. An arbitrator found that Netflix grossly underestimated a screenwriter using a formula in a recent dispute. The referee told Netflix to pay the author $1.2 million in residuals and interest.
We’ve reached out to Netflix for comment. However, the WGA is not shy about its criticism. It described Netflix as one of the “worst violators” of the Guild Residuals basic agreement, and saw the arbitration as a pushback against media companies trying to “drive down” payments through streaming services. Don’t be surprised if there are more battles like this across the industry.
All products featured by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. We may receive an affiliate commission if you purchase through one of these links.


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Taking a break from the recent Dow Theory series to give my two cents on today’s earnings beat by Google. It’s a stock I own so I’m understandably thrilled by Google’s recent earnings report. Google’s shares had shed nearly 40% of their value since reaching a peak at $750 and fallen to their 52-week low before jumping 20% on today’s report. So, what can we learn from this report?
Analysts don’t have a clue
The slew of negative revisions in earnings expectations and hand waving on Google’s revenue and earnings potential over the last quarter seems to have all been in vain as the company didn’t miss a beat despite working on an initiative to decrease clicks with hopes of improving the quality of leads generated by their ads. It turns out that online advertising budgets continued to grow, click growth was not nearly as low as some believed, and Google has very quickly monetized their improved click quality.
It’s not completely the fault of big-time analysts that they got Google so wrong. Unfortunately, Google does not offer forecasts on its business. This may be due to the fact that the online space is very difficult to understand and project. As with anything that is poorly understood and potentially volatile, the market punished Google with severe multiple compression as the general economic outlook turned murky in the last few months. I think, now, we see that this was undue punishment and that Google’s franchise may be even stronger than some believed.
Online advertising is far from mature
A significant worry of many Google bears was that consumer searches for commercial products online would decline as consumer spending cut back during a possible recession. Instead, we find that CEO Eric Schmidt’s belief that quantifiable advertising would be seen as a safe haven for shrinking ad budgets was closer to the truth. Despite potentially slackening ad budgets, search and online advertising seems to have drawn a larger share of advertising interests as companies look to maximize their ad spend. Furthermore, shrinking consumer spending seems to have worked in Google’s advantage as there is some belief now that more consumers are going online to do more research and price comparison before shopping.
What we see here is that even though Google looks like a behemoth in online advertising, the online advertising market is still far from mature and is still in the process of taking market share in the much larger advertising industry. The impressive fact is that despite shrinking ad budgets and falling consumer spending, Google still managed 20% paid click growth (throughout its network) and 30% earnings growth. Not to be overly bullish, but this bodes very well should Google retain its market share through this downturn and ad spending picks up once again. Google’s position as the leader in online advertising positions it to benefit most in the shift from traditional marketing routes to internet distribution.
Global growth is still a play
IBM’s earning report earlier this week was a good indicator that US companies positioned well overseas were well-positioned to weather any economic downturn in the US. Google, too, is a far more international company than many people realize. While it does not have a dominant presence in some overseas markets, namely Japan and China, it did receive 47% of its revenue from overseas channels last quarter. That number grew this quarter to 51%.
Google continues to have big plans for its operations overseas particularly in the mobile markets that are exploding throughout Asia. The innovations it makes to capitalize on mobile internet will only continue to provide a driver for growth both abroad and here at home. Google recently doubled market share in China from 13% to 26% though it still trails rival Baidu which owns, a nearly-Google-like, 60% of the Chinese search market and has longterm plans to take the top spot within 5-years. It is also surprisingly trailing Yahoo in the Japanese market (66% to 29%) though Google has recently signed a groundbreaking deal with Japan’s largest mobile provider, NTT Docomo, that gives Google the early edge in the mobile internet market.
One potential negative
Comscore defended its paid click numbers today and could lead to some questions about where online advertising may plateau. Comscore believes that Google’s paid click numbers are materially different from theirs because they only track paid clicks on Google’s US search service while Google presents an aggregate number including AdSense (used on this site and many others), services, and internationally. If Comscore’s numbers are correct, this could be a signal that Google’s search advertising may be as saturated as it will get with growth only coming through increasing prices. This would make sense given that Google search commands nearly 70% of the US search market. Though, with Yahoo! potentially throwing in the towel and continued changes in how internet users accept internet advertising, who knows? (Back to the difficulty in predicting and understanding a company like Google.)
Lessons for me as a trader/investor
I’m an idiot. In my Curious Investments Q1 Review, I went over a little chart analysis which showed very clear signals for selling Google’s stock near $690-$700. No, this wouldn’t have been the top of $750, but it would have been a very strong and very quick gain on my investment. When I made the investment in September, I had a target price in the mid-$600s based on 2008 projections and a forward P/E of 30, justified by the very crude assumption that PEG ratios tend towards 1. In November, my analysis showed that upside valuation on the 2-year horizon might be around $710. As a rational and conservative investor, I should have shed my Google stocks when these targets were reached or if I was truly diligent about my chart reading skills when Google’s charts indicated two lower highs after hitting $750, but I let greed and market enthusiasm cloud my judgment. Never again…
For those who were smarter than me, a play on Google with a proper and conservative sale in the high-$600s when full valuation was reached followed by a purchase as shares bottomed near $450 this past month, could have proven significantly lucrative. Given the negative news surrounding Google why would a purchase at $450 make sense? Well, one could assume that a price of $450 factored in a huge earnings miss (earnings of 10-15% vs. true earnings of 30%) given the compression in P/E below 30 and forward P/E in the low-20s/high-teens. Furthermore, a person who understood Google’s position as a firm that is not in a mature industry, taking market share, and internationally diversified, could be relatively confident in at least stable earnings and the potential for continued performance to bring Google’s valuation back to its old September basing levels – ~$550 – would have represented margin of safety in excess of 20%.
If you read the posts I mentioned above, you will realize that this not simply hindsight proving 20/20, but a very realistic scenario for a truly adept investor who understands market technicals. The only requirement is freedom from greed (to be able to sell) and an ability to remain confident in your understanding of a company (to be able to buy again). Hopefully, the lessons I’ve learned from this trade/investment in Google will serve better in the future. For now, until the economy improves, I have my price target on Google set to $635 by the end of the year. Should the stock rebound more swiftly than that, I will be ready to sell to realize profits as I should have in January.


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The countdown is on and Angus Australia is looking forward to the return of hosting the Verified Black Angus Beef BBQ Competition on 26th November 2022, with tickets on sale now!
The Verified Black Angus Beef BBQ Competition will take place at the Angus Australia Office in Armidale, NSW and is an invitational Australasian Barbeque Alliance (ABA) sanctioned Championship Round event.
Hosting 20 of the best BBQ teams from around the country in a competition for a share in over $10,000 worth of cash and prizes, the competition is Australia’s only Verified Black Angus Beef invitational BBQ competition.
The BBQ is open to all and will be an afternoon and evening of amazing food featuring meat supplied by the Verified Black Angus Beef brands NH Foods Australia’s Angus Reserve, Jacks Creek Black Angus and Macka’s Australian Black Angus Beef.
Gates for the event will open at 2pm, with the official welcome taking place from 3:30pm.
The event would not be possible without the generous support of the sponsors. LEARN MORE HERE


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Recently released research connects the dots between better gut health and the regular consumption of grapes.
The database will feature the nutritional information from branded foods and beverages sold in Australia and will have most food information by 2023.
An analysis of wastewater by the Australian Government shows Australians drank responsibly, allaying fears of overconsumption during lockdowns.
A study has shown that processed food can be included as part of a nutritious and affordable diet.
Researchers have developed a profiling tool that ranks thousands of foods and lets consumers and manufacturers easily compare the healthiness of ingredients.
Research has found that those who use a low-sodium, high-potassium diet have a reduced chance of stroke.
The scientists hope the findings could help in the effort to fight obesity and enhance drug absorption.
Researchers study sense of smell to optimise food for consumption.
Australia's national science agency, the CSIRO, has outlined a roadmap that shows how Australia could become a player in the billion-dollar global edible insect industry.
The research suggests that there is potential for the creation of tailor-made fermented milks to help reduce hypertension.
The plant-based food market is expected to grow beyond the core dairy and meat categories and make significant headway in the confectionery space.
New research has found people in the Asia–Pacific region consume less alcohol and more health products.
New research suggests households with children purchase larger quantities of and higher-fat fluid milk compared to households without children.
Consumer marketing firm Mintel has released its report on consumer trends in the global food, drink and foodservice industries.
The US Dietary Guideline released its first recommendations for infants, toddlers and breastfeeding women last week, but critics say the document falls short on sugar intake.


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More Consumers are Feeling Better About the Economy and Their Personal Finances;
Discretionary Spending Intentions Rise as Holidays Approach
RIVERWOODS, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 7, 2011-- Consumer confidence increased substantially in November as more consumers viewed both the economy and their personal finances as improving, according to the Discover U.S. Spending Monitor. The Monitor, a 4-year-old daily poll tracking economic confidence and spending intentions of nearly 8,200 consumers throughout the month, recorded more than a 7-point rise from the previous month to 86.3 percent.
Nearly 19 percent of consumers felt economic conditions were getting better in November, a rise of more than 4 points from October. Similarly, those who believe economic conditions were getting worse declined by 7 points from October to 55 percent.
While most consumers still view the economy as poor, the percentage of consumers giving the economy poor marks dropped seven points from last month to 61 percent. Only 8 percent of consumers rate the economy as good or excellent.
Most of the shift in views about the economy came from 18 to 39 year-olds, whose pessimism declined substantially in November. Within this group, those rating the economy as good or excellent increased three points to 11 percent while those rating the economy as poor decreased by 11 points to 58 percent. The change for both 40 to 64 year-olds and 65 and older was much more subdued, and less than 4 points in these categories.
Personal Finances Are Getting Better
Consumer sentiment toward personal finances also improved in November.
- 33 percent of consumers rate their personal finances as good or excellent, 3 points higher than October, and 24 percent rated their personal finances as poor, down 2 points from October and at the lowest level since July.
- Consumers believing their personal finances are getting better increased for the third consecutive month to 18 percent, up 2 points compared to October. The percent of consumers who believe their personal finances are getting worse declined to 50 percent, down more than 4 points from October and the lowest level since May.
- There was also a substantial decline in the number of men who felt their finances were worsening in November. Forty-seven percent felt their finances were getting worse, 9 points lower than the prior month.
Spending Intentions Rise, as More Consumers Have Money Left Over After Paying Bills
General spending intentions rose in November mirroring previous Monitor surveys during this time of year. Yet, more consumers plan to have money left over after paying their monthly bills.
- 39 percent of consumers plan to spend more next month, the highest level since July 2008. Only 15 percent of consumers plan to spend less next month, a decrease of nearly five points compared to October and the lowest level since August 2008.
- 48 percent of consumers expect to have money left over after they finish paying their monthly bills, an increase of more than 3 points compared to October and the highest level since February.
Consumers Planning to Boost Discretionary Spending
Improving attitudes about the economy and their personal finances has more consumers planning to spend the same or more in the month ahead on discretionary purchases.
- On holiday gift giving, 40 percent of consumers planned to spend the same or more on gifts compared to last year, up three points from October. Fifty-seven percent of consumers planned to spend less, down nearly 4 points from the prior month.
- 51 percent of consumers plan to spend the same or more on discretionary personal expenses such as going out to dinner or the movies, a 5-point rise from October, while those planning to spend less in this category declined by 5 points to 45 percent in November.
- On major personal purchases, such as a vacation, 49 percent of consumers planned to spend the same or more, an increase of 3 points compared to October. Forty-five percent plan to spend less, 4 points lower than the prior month and the lowest level since February.
- 48 percent of consumers planned to spend the same or more on home improvement purchases, up nearly 5 points from October.
- Consumers’ plans to save and invest next month were also more optimistic, with those planning to save the same or more increasing 8 points in November to 57 percent, while those planning to save less decreased nearly 4 points to 39 percent.
Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS) is a direct banking and payment services company with one of the most recognized brands in U.S. financial services. Since its inception in 1986, the company has become one of the largest card issuers in the United States. The company operates the Discover card, America's cash rewards pioneer, and offers personal and student loans, online savings accounts, certificates of deposit and money market accounts through its Discover Bank subsidiary. Its payment businesses consist of Discover Network, with millions of merchant and cash access locations; PULSE, one of the nation's leading ATM/debit networks; and Diners Club International, a global payments network with acceptance in more than 185 countries and territories. For more information, visit http://www.discoverfinancial.com.
Source: Discover Financial Services


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Girl Scout sells Jason Momoa Samoas
(FOX NEWS) - A clever Girl Scout in Colorado is accelerating cookie sales by using the tried-and-true method of augmenting the box with a photo of a buff, shirtless man and his glistening pecs.
Charlotte Holmberg, identified as a Top Cookie CEO by the Girl Scouts of Colorado, is using “Aquaman” star Jason Momoa’s picture to move boxes of Samoas — and it’s working, according to Charlotte.
"The moms are getting really excited and they're saying that they need them," Charlotte told Denver’s KUSA.
Charlotte’s mom, who works in marketing, helped her daughter out with the project, after getting the Mamoa/Samoa idea from memes on the Internet.


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Britons’ most-dreamed-about post-lockdown holiday experiences revealed – and it’s staying in a water bungalow in the Maldives that’s No1
- Researchers asked British travel-lovers what they dream about doing and where as soon as it is possible
- Experiences in the top five include seeing the Northern Lights and admiring the pink rocks of the Seychelles
- Study found the average Briton spends up to two hours a week fantasising about their next holiday
Staying in a water bungalow in the Maldives is the top post-lockdown holiday experience that Britons are dreaming about, according to a new survey.
Researchers asked British travel-lovers what they dream most about doing and where as soon as it is possible, and a stay in overwater accommodation in the Maldives archipelago is top of the list for 39 per cent of them. Coming second is seeing the Northern Lights (37 per cent), while third is admiring the pink rocks of the Seychelles (28 per cent).
Making the rest of the top five is enjoying a Greek salad in Santorini (joint fourth, 27 per cent), taking in the Great Pyramids of Egypt (joint fourth, 27 per cent), seeing the Grand Canyon by helicopter (joint fifth, 26 per cent) and hearing the water flowing at Niagara Falls (joint fifth, 26 per cent).
Staying in a water bungalow in the Maldives is the top post-lockdown holiday experience that Britons are dreaming about
Seeing the Northern Lights is No2 on Britons’ list of dreamy post-lockdown travel experiences
Admiring the pink rocks of the Seychelles comes third on the post-lockdown to-do list for Britons
BRITS’ TOP POST-LOCKDOWN DREAM EXPERIENCES
1. Stay in a water bungalow in the Maldives – 39%
2. See the Northern Lights – 37%
3. Admire the pink rocks of the Seychelles – 28%
4= Enjoy a Greek salad overlooking the sea in Santorini – 27%
4= Take in the Great Pyramids of Egypt – 27%
5= Enjoy a helicopter ride and see the Grand Canyon, America – 26%
5= Hear the water flowing at Niagara Falls, Canada – 26%
6= Go snorkelling in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia – 25%
6= Eat fresh pasta in Sicily – 25%
6= Drink a Mai Tai on the beach in Phuket, Thailand – 25%
7. Swim in the blue waters of Amalfi, Italy – 23%
8. Walk along the Great Wall of China – 22%
9= Swim with turtles in The Seychelles – 21%
9= Swim and float in the Dead Sea – 21%
9= See the cherry blossoms in Kyoto, Japan – 21%
10= Admire the Sistine Chapel in Rome, Italy – 20%
10= Go diving in the clear waters at Turks & Caicos – 20%
10= Swim with dolphins in Florida, America – 20%
10= Eat cheese and drink wine while overlooking the Eiffel Tower in Paris – 20%
11= Take a boat trip around Mauritius – 19%
11= Go on safari in South Africa 19%
12= See the leaves change colour during autumn in New Hampshire – 18%
12= Enjoy a luxury shopping spree in Dubai – 18%
13= Visit the Taj Mahal – 17%
13= Take a gondola in Venice – 17%
14. Drink rum at a beach bar in the Dominican Republic – 16%
15= Eat seafood by the beach in Mallorca – 15%
15= Cycle through the streets of Amsterdam – 15%
15= Drive through Havana in a vintage car – 15%
15= Discover the ancient ruins of the city of Petra, Jordan – 15%
15= Enjoy the casinos of Las Vegas – 15%
15= Go hiking in Yosemite, California – 15%
16= Drink rose wine at a restaurant overlooking the lavender fields in France – 14%
16= Swim with pigs in the water at Big Major Cay, Bahamas – 14%
16= Go trekking in Tibet – 14%
16= Visit Bilbo Baggins’ house where Lord of the Rings was filmed, New Zealand – 14%
16= Eat an acai bowl on the beach in Brazil – 14%
16= Eat authentic sushi in Tokyo, Japan – 14%
17. Go shopping in the souks, Morocco – 13%
18. Do yoga on the beach in Goa – 12%
Source: Club Med
The study of 2,000 adults was conducted by Club Med to launch its new Zenventure holiday.
Rounding off the top 10 is snorkelling in the Great Barrier Reef (joint sixth 25 per cent); eating fresh pasta in Sicily (joint sixth, 25 per cent); drinking a Mai Tai on the beach in Phuket (joint sixth, 25 per cent); swimming in the blue waters of Amalfi in Italy (seventh, 23 per cent); walking along the Great Wall of China (eighth, 22 per cent); swimming with turtles in the Seychelles (joint ninth, 21 per cent); swimming and floating in the Dead Sea (joint ninth, 21 per cent); seeing the cherry blossom in Kyoto, Japan (joint ninth, 21 per cent); admiring the Sistine Chapel in Rome (joint 10th, 20 per cent); diving in the clear waters of the Turks and Caicos (joint 10th, 20 per cent); swimming with dolphins in Florida (joint 10th, 20 per cent) and eating cheese and drinking wine while overlooking the Eiffel Tower in Paris (joint 10th 20 per cent).
Other highly ranked longed-for holiday experiences include enjoying a boat trip in Mauritius (joint 11th, 19 per cent), spotting exotic animals on safari in South Africa (joint 11th, 19 per cent) – where Club Med plans to open a new resort – and rum tasting at a beach bar in the Dominican Republic (joint 15th, 16 per cent).
Meanwhile, the study also found that a third (34 per cent) of Britons enjoy daydreaming about holidays, and the average UK person spends up to two hours a week fantasising about their next getaway.
Taking in the pyramids of Egypt is joint fourth on the bucket ‘list of lists’
Eating a Greek salad on the island of Santorini comes joint fourth on the list
So, it’s no surprise that nearly two in five Britons (38 per cent) claim that the prospect of travel is one of the main sources of hope that has kept them going during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The study also revealed that one-third of people in the UK confess they just can’t wait until their next holiday abroad, and almost a quarter (22 per cent) plan to spend more on their next holiday.
In fact, 16 per cent of Britons would like to finally plan the ultimate luxury trip of their dreams post-pandemic, while 15 per cent are considering packing their bags for a big round-the-world trip as soon as restrictions are eased.
Meanwhile, over a third of the nation (36 per cent) say they will be looking for more adventure during their holidays post-pandemic, instead of just focusing on relaxation.
Hearing the thunderous noise of water pouring over the Canadian side of Niagara Falls is joint fifth on the list
Snorkelling in the Great Barrier Reef comes joint sixth in the survey
Estelle Giraudeau, managing director of Club Med UK and Northern Europe, says: ‘It’s hardly surprising that the travel ban has got the nation dreaming about all the exotic destinations and experiences they’d like to enjoy post-pandemic.
‘Our research shows we’re open to plenty of excitement and adventure, whether that’s staying in a water bungalow in the Maldives, walking along the Great Wall of China or drinking rum at a beach bar in the Dominican Republic.
‘After a year like no other, we understand that people want that element of both zen and adventure and that’s why we have created the Zenventure holiday.’


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Dell topped analysts' estimates by a penny a share in its second quarter Thursday, earning $603m, or 22 cents a share, on sales of $7.7bn.
First Call consensus expected the PC maker to earn 21 cents a share in the quarter.
Dell shares closed off 1/16 to 41 3/4 ahead of the earnings report.
The $7.7bn in sales marks a 25 percent improvement from the year-ago quarter when it earned $507m, or 19 cents a share, on sales of $6.14bn. Company officials credited an enhanced product mix and favourable pricing and component costs for the upside surprise.
But overall revenue fell about $200m short of the company's target. Dell executives blamed the shortfall largely on soft demand in Europe.
"There was a significant slowdown in the [European] market relative to prior expectations, especially in the commercial sector," chief financial officer James Schneider said, during a Wednesday conference call with analysts. "We are encouraged by our progress given the software demand environment."
The company also cited weaker-than-expected government sales, because agencies accelerated their buying last year on Y2K worries.
Many industry observers fear PC demand will fall from historical levels, but Dell insisted its previously-stated goal of 30 percent annual growth is achievable.
"We remain confident that demand will be strong," Schneider said.
Dell traditionally sees ten to 13 percent sequential growth in the third quarter. "The lower end of that range is consistent with our view and consistent with where most [analyst estimates] are already," Schneider said.
Operating margins should rise above ten percent by the fourth quarter, he added.
More than 50 percent of its total sales were made online this quarter.
By region, Dell enjoyed a 27 percent jump in sales in the Americas while sales into Europe, the Middle East and Africa improved ten percent.
Sales into the Asia-Pacific region, which includes Japan, rose 48 percent including an impressive 98 percent jump in enterprise sales. China was particularly strong as sales increased 86 percent from the same period last year.
Combined sales of notebook computers, workstations, servers and storage products accounted for 49 percent of total system sales.
Sales from enterprise computing systems -- network servers, storage products and workstations -- increased 46 percent from the same period last year.
More impressive, sales from its high-density rack-mounted servers grew more than 300 percent during the quarter, and represented 33 percent of total server sales.
Last week, Dell was downgraded by USB Piper Jaffray's Ashok Kumar.
Kumar cut the stock from a "strong buy" recommendation to a "buy", saying Dell has fallen into a "real technical deterioration" in the past year and doesn't possess anywhere near the momentum it did in 1997 and 1998.
"We continue to believe that Dell does not have adequate earnings power in notebooks, server and nonsystem revenue to offset the secular weakness in consumer and commercial desktops," Kumar wrote in a research note. "Current revenue growth guidance of 30 percent is unsustainable."
In fact, Kumar predicted Dell would post second-quarter sales of $7.85bn.
In its first quarter, Dell beat the Street estimate, earning $525m, or 19 cents a share, on sales of $7.3bn. First Call consensus expects it to earn 25 cents a share in its third quarter and 92 cents a share in the fiscal year.
Dell shares peaked at 59 11/16 in March after falling to a low of 35 in February.
Twenty-four of the 28 analysts tracking the stock rate it either a "buy" or "strong buy".
Sergio G Non contributed to this report.
See ZDII for US tech investor news.
See techTrader for more technology investment news, plus quotes and research.
What do you think? Tell the Mailroom. And read what others have said.


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With Sony itself damaging cover on what’s going to obtain the discount rate therapy this summer season, it’s reasonable to claim that, since today, the authorities Black Friday PS5 deals have actually currently started.
Sony has plainly take the lead in identifying what equipment (no, not the gaming consoles, prior to you ask or miss in advance) as well as games are obtaining their costs reduced in party of the sales period, as well as all the significant merchants have actually swiftly upgraded their listings as necessary. We’ve discovered the most effective seller, naturally, to have you covered is Amazon, which is well equipped as well as revealing the cost cuts up as well as down the equipment as well as game lines.
The wonderful information is that there’s practically a lot of lots to listing, as well as clicking with from any one of our highlighted bargains below will certainly likely bring you in person with even more great Black Friday gaming deals.
However, there are some remarkable headings amongst these Black Friday PS5 bargains. First of which is that the PS5 Pulse 3D Wireless Headset, which includes plainly in our take a look at the best PS5 headsets, is to a brand-new document low, which basically alters its cost classification entirely for such a top quality collection: it can be your own for just $69 (opens up in brand-new tab) at Amazon (was $99.99). Nice.
The DualSense controller – of all colours as well as kinds – has actually additionally taken a huge cost cut. You’ll currently discover primarily all colours of the controller at the $49.99 mark, which is wonderful as well as notes a brand-new document low. The default white variation is $49 on the nose at Amazon (opens up in brand-new tab) (was $69.99) which reveals a 20 buck decrease in cost, however a lot more uncommon colorways such as the Cosmic Red elegance have actually experienced much heavier cost cuts ahead down to $49.99 (opens up in brand-new tab) at Amazon, offered their greater beginning factor of $74.99.
And after that there are some Black Friday PS5 sell regards to games, as well as specifically those very first event games. There’s a first-ever discount rate on The Last of Us Part I (now $49.99 (opens up in brand-new tab), was $69.99), an enormous discount rate on Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut which has actually stubbornly held its cost because its launch (currently just $29.99 (opens up in brand-new tab), was $69.99), as well as there is a near-half cost deal on this year’s Horizon Forbidden West (now $39.99 (opens up in brand-new tab), was $69.99).
You’ll discover even more details on all the heading uses we have actually picked listed below, as well as plenty a lot more PS5 deals additionally down the web page.
Today’s ideal very early Black Friday PS5 bargains
More these days’s ideal PS5 bargains
If you’re aiming to maintain tabs on such PS5 equipment to see if any kind of various other merchants participate the activity as well as provide far better costs after that take a look at the listed below bargains as well as costs, as given you by our price-finding beavers every half an hour.
If you seek even more PS5-shaped price cuts this wintertime after that make sure to take a look at the most recent very early Black Friday PS5 headset deals, Black Friday PS5 and Xbox Series X TV deals, as well as Black Friday PS5 SSD deals.


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Hundreds Tell Hershey’s To Stop Making Child Labor Chocolate
That Hershey’s bar might look like a sweet treat, but it has a bitter origin, in West Africa, where child labor is used in its production.
Last Wednesday, June 8, hundreds of students and concerned consumers gathered in front of the Hershey Store in Times Square, New York City, to call on Hershey to “raise the bar” by eliminating exploitative child labor from its cocoa production chain.
Demand That Hershey’s Stop Using Child Labor
Green America reports that Kerry Kennedy, Executive Director of the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights, and Lee Cutler, the secretary treasurer of the New York State United Teachers Union, delivered passionate speeches, calling on America’s largest chocolate company to do something about the use of child labor in its supply chain. And the band Left on Red performed an amazing set of chocolate- and child-themed songs.
Hershey’s Lagging Behind Its Competitors
From The New York Daily News:
The demonstrators accused the confection king of welshing on its vow 10 years ago to eliminate using child laborers in their West African cocoa farms. Hershey’s is lagging behind its competitors who have already improved regulations on workers, they said.
“I think that it’s time to end all the empty promises,” said Tim Newman, an activist with the International Labor Rights Forum. “Right now we know that hundreds of thousands of kids in Ghana and the Ivory Coast are still working in hazardous conditions.”
Students from Public School 87, Brooklyn International High School and Benedictine Academy from Elizabeth, N.J., were among the 150 demonstrators, yelling, “Hershey’s: tastes good, feels bad.” The students have been studying global issues and were there as part of a field trip.
“I thought Hershey’s loved kids and I thought that would never happen,” said Marie Hagan, a fifth grader from Hamlin School in San Francisco, who took part in the protest. She was moved to act after watching the documentary, “The Dark Side of Chocolate.”
Promise To Eliminate Child Labor 10 Years Ago, But It’s Still Happening
A decade after major chocolate companies including Hershey agreed to eliminate abusive child labor, forced labor and trafficking from their supply chains, these abuses continue on West African cocoa farms. Hershey is lagging behind its competitors in implementing policies to end these abuses in its chocolate products. Families who grow cocoa also live in poverty due to unstable cocoa prices.
Students and consumers are calling on Hershey to take stronger action to end these labor rights violations and to start using Fair Trade Certified cocoa, which also guarantees farmers a stable price and additional funds for community development projects.
Care2′s Jaelithe Judy wrote here about the real cost of producing chocolate, including the shocking information that the average cocoa farmer in West Africa earns just 80 cents a day.
Please Take Action Now!
With World Day Against Child Labor coming up on June 12, please take action by clicking here and pledging to make your chocolate child labor free.
And thank you!
Photo Credit: Like_The_Grand_Canyon via Creative Commons


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HOUSTON (CNN/KPRC) - In Houston, surveillance cameras were rolling as a thief dropped into a cell phone store through the roof.
It happened Tuesday at the Cell Phone Wholesale store.
The suspect moved quickly, stuffing his cargo shorts with cell phones before heading back up the hole he climbed out of. The heist left the store owner in shock.
"I lost everything. We never ever expected someone would come [through] the roof. Never," said store owner Saira Siddiqa.
The store owner said the burglar walked away with more than 40 smartphones, which go for about $650 each.
An Erie County judge has ruled that the statements Candace Cartagena made to police will be used in her murder trial. Of the six statements, two were not allowed in.
Friends and family of 20-year-old Ashley Nelson have not heard from her since September 17th.
A Dinosaur Bar-B-Que restaurant is taking another step closer to opening in Buffalo. The restaurant, that is slated to open in February, will begin hiring for hourly positions on Monday.
The Niagara County SPCA is so packed with cats and dogs that the shelter is waiving adoption fees on many of its animals this holiday season. But a distraught pet owner came to us claiming the shelter sold her a cat that was so sick she …
State Police say a loud muffler led them to make an arrest for DWAI by drugs in the Town of Lewiston.
The long arm of the law caught up to a man who allegedly stole over $1,000 from a woman's bank account.


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OnePlus has officially confirmed the launch of the OnePlus 5 smartphone in India on June 22. Ahead of the official release, the company has now released a teaser video titled ‘OnePlus Aim for 5’ confirming the date and sort of establishing its legacy with successful phones like OnePlus 3T and why the OnePlus 5 is worth the wait. Also Read - Vivo Pad with Snapdragon 870 SoC appears online, likely to debut next year
The 30-seconds-long teaser video compiles all the rave reviews company generated from popular publications last year when it launched the OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T. With the OnePlus 5 smartphone, the company aims to go beyond what it has achieved previously, as seen in the video. A day ago, OnePlus released another video giving insights on how customer experience is maintained at the company. The Chinese manufacturer officially announced on Twitter to launch the OnePlus 5 smartphone on June 20 in the US. Also Read - OnePlus RT or 9RT: Which is the next OnePlus launching in India?
Are you prepared for the OnePlus 5? Focus on what matters and join our keynote live on June 20. https://t.co/uuWc1m3pz1 pic.twitter.com/KfbVfMyh00 Also Read - Oppo ColorOS 12 review: A colourful update coming to your nearest OnePlus device
— OnePlus (@oneplus) June 6, 2017
The company is expected to hold a separate event in China on June 21 and has scheduled one in India on June 22. The OnePlus 5 is certainly one of the much-anticipated smartphones and with the launch day approaching near, rumors and leaks have continued to pour in. ALSO READ: OnePlus 5 ‘official’ render shows Oppo R11-like design
— OnePlus India (@OnePlus_IN) June 7, 2017
The OnePlus 5 has earlier been confirmed to launch with Snapdragon 835 chipset and Full HD display. The company has been earlier reported to be pairing up with DxO Mark to boost the camera performance on OnePlus 5. The OnePlus 5 has been long rumored to sport a dual rear camera setup. The camera is also expected to feature an Auto HDR mode.
From what we know so far, the OnePlus 5 runs on Android Nougat 7.1.1 Nougat with Oxygen OS skin on top. The smartphone could launch in two variants offering a 6GB of RAM along with 64GB storage variant and an 8GB RAM model with 128GB storage on board. It is expected to house a 3,300mAh battery along with the company’s trademark Dash Charge technology for fast charging.
Watch the teaser video here:


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In one of the weirder, more curious ads for any gadget ever, Nokia paints a nostalgic picture of, well, hair and its Lumia 2520 tablet.
In the run-up to Australia's elections, the WikiLeaks founder sings an '80s classic on a marvelously demented "Game of Thrones" satirical video.
We've already seen the Fujitsu Siemens LifeBook S6410, a lightweight, ultraportable laptop with built-in 3G. Now we're gawking at its successor -- the S6420
It's a "Star Wars" trifecta with a new lightsaber-filled video from Skrillex, a rumor about where "Star Wars VII" will start filming, and an awesome featurette about the coolest weapon ever.
Marina Shifrin was tired of the hours she worked for viral video animation company Next Media Animation. So she made a dancing video to tell her bosses just that.
Samsung's next phablet will have a xenon flash and a 5.7-inch screen, according to leaked sketches and specs.
Buy a £15,000 Sony 4K TV and Sony will sort you out with a selection of classic (and not so classic) movies in ultra high definition.
This week, we joined a "Gangnam Style" flash mob, repelled water with our bodies, and voted for a video game hero for president.
Georgia Tech researchers aim to build a "MacGyver robot" that knows how to use nearby objects to escape risky situations. Hopefully it won't sport a mullet.
While dating site for robot lovers is currently restricted to humans, it does hope to include robots among its members "once their AI is sufficiently advanced."