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NRCS improves turnaround times for LOA’s processing, CEO told parliamentarians
The National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS) has improved its turnaround times for processing letters of authority, but still has a significant backlog to address, CEO Edward Mamadise told members of the Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry in parliament recently.
Letters of authority are required by importers before their goods can be released by customs. NRCS approval ensures products and imported goods meet the required specifications.
The backlog and delay in issuing these letters of authority have been a cause of major frustration by commerce and industry, particularly as they have to bear the cost of storage until the imported goods are removed from customs warehouses.
Madamise noted in a presentation to Parliament’s trade and industry portfolio committee that in 2016-17 only 37% of applications were processed within 120 days, which is the set turnaround time. In 2017-18, this had doubled with the NRCS processing 74% of applications within 120 days.
"By June 5, there were no applications [of longer than] 120 days," Madamise said.
However, a total of 5,236 applications were carried over from the 2017-18 financial year when there were a total of 16,034 applications to deal with. Of these, 2,907 were carried over from the previous year.
The regulator has adopted a risk-based approach to dealing with applications for letters of authority and will be separating goods into low, medium and high risk, being processed accordingly.
"The impact of the risk-based approach on approvals is that in the case of low-risk applications we will be able to process those applications more quickly. It also increases the output of our inspectors in terms of the targets they have to reach," CEO said.
The normal target per inspector is six applications a day, but with the implementation of the risk-based approach, this target has been increased to about 12 applications a day.
A further step in the implementation of the policy is the identification of applications that have a certificate from a conformity assessment scheme for electro-technical equipment and components. Applications accompanied by such a certificate will be processed more quickly as the NRCS will know the products have been tested according to its standards. They will be treated as low risk. At the end of May, 600 applications had these certificates.
Other bottlenecks in the approval process had also been addressed, Madamise said.
We have also embarked on an IT modernisation project with a view to automating its processes. This was not moving at the pace anticipated, Madamise said, due to capacity challenges in the department.
The department’s director-general Lionel October said the NRCS would be prioritising the electro-technical area, as well as processed food, which is a new responsibility. Additional inspectors would be appointed, with 19 already having been approved for food products.


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Benelli Imperiale 400 to be launched in India by mid-2019
The Benelli Imperiale 400 retro cruiser has been popular since it made its international debut last year. It has now been launched internationally. Given that Benelli India has just re-entered the country, this motorcycle will also be coming to India soon. Benelli chief marketing officer (CMO) Dante Bustos told OVERDRIVE that the Imperiale 400 will be launched in India around the middle of next year. The Imperiale 400 will be an important motorcycle for Benelli India as it will go head-to-head with the Royal Enfield Classic series. To this end, the company will also be exploring increased localisation when the motorcycle debuts. This will mean that the Imperiale 400 could be priced very competitively.
The Benelli Imperiale 400 will be assembled at the Benelli India plant being set up in Medichal, near Hyderabad, and will debut the company's 373.5cc powertrain in the country. The Benelli Imperiale 400's retro-themed styling looks good and it will appeal to those who want to stand out from the sea of Royal Enfields that dot the Indian roads. The motorcycle employs a double cradle, steel tubular frame.
A teardrop shaped tank with rubber tank grips, split seats and chrome bits add to the retro cruiser flavour of the Benelli Imperiale 400. The twin pod instrument cluster looks quite like a mix of modern and retro thanks to the digital screen between the pods.
The Imperiale 400 is powered by an air-cooled, single-cylinder, fuel-injected motor that displaces 373.5cc. The motor produces 20PS at 5,500rpm and 28Nm at 3,500rpm and is mated to a five-speed gearbox. There are disc brakes at the front and rear and ABS is standard. The front disc is a single, 300mm unit with 2-piston floating calipers, and a 240mm disc at the rear.
Also see: Benelli Imperiale 400 | Road Test Review
Starts Rs 5,50,000
Starts Rs 1,99,000

domain: news


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Easter weekend proved huge for Apple as sales of the iPad reportedly blasted past half a million units sold. Though the weekend’s total numbers have yet to be confirmed, industry analysts are claiming the iPad sold between 600,000 and 700,000 tablets. Apple itself said that it sold more than 300,000 iPads on the first day.
“It feels great to have the iPad launched into the world — it’s going to be a game-changer,” said Apple CEO Steve Jobs in a press release. App and eBook sales were also stellar: “iPad users, on average, downloaded more than three apps and close to one book within hours of unpacking their new iPad.”
Huge lines and thousands of pre-orders still didn’t wipe inventory clean, according to the Wall Street Journal. “Unlike what happened at the 2007 debut of Apple’s iPhone, few stock outages were reported.” It’s important to take into consideration that many Apple and Best Buy stores were closed on Easter Sunday, which would have impacted total sales.
For Wall Street types, Apple stock is expected to soar partially due to iPad sales. According to Mark Moskowitz of J.P. Morgan Research, the December 2010 price target for Apple stock will rise to $305, up from $240.
If the fatter numbers are accurate, it’s only a matter of time before the iPad reaches its millionth sale and truly becomes a jewel in Apple’s crown.


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Killzone 2 deploys February 27
Guerrilla Games' long-in-the-making sci-fi shooter will arrive on Sony's PS3 early next year.
As outlined in GameSpot's recent hands-on preview, Killzone 2 is shaping up to be one of the most visually impressive games on the PlayStation 3. And it had better, if it has any hope of living up to the highly controversial prerendered video created for Sony's E3 2005 press conference that was originally purported to be in-game footage.
Soon, gamers will have a chance to move beyond the visuals to find out just how well it plays. On G4's X-Play last night, Guerrilla's managing producer Kyle Shubel announced that Killzone 2 will be available for Sony's PS3 on February 27. The game had been slotted in for a February release since May, after a string of delays stretching back to 2007.
Killzone 2 continues the story established first in the 2004 PlayStation 2 game, and then extended with Killzone: Liberation for the PSP in 2006. Whereas humanity has thus far been primarily on the defensive against the invading Helghast army, Killzone 2 sees the Interplanetary Strategic Alliance launch an assault on the Helghan home world.
As is customary of current-generation shooters, Killzone 2 will feature a variety of modes, including online multiplayer. Up to 32 players will be supported in the online mode across eight different maps. According to the developer, a number of other maps are being prepped for release postlaunch.
For more on Killzone 2, check out GameSpot's extensive previous coverage.
GameSpot may get a commission from retail offers.
Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email email@example.com


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A statement on Bitstamp’s website informs the company’s customers of the loss of 19,000 BTC and temporary suspension of services. Still, there is nothing to worry about, says the company.
A new message on the Bitstamp website, posted at 12:34 a.m. GMT, provides an update on the situation at the major bitcoin exchange. As we wrote earlier, around 5 a.m. GMT on January 5th, the website stopped providing services and posted a message urging customers not to make deposits “to previously issued bitcoin deposit addresses” because “they cannot be honored”.
The new statement, repeating the same request, gives an account of the current situation at Bitstamp. On January 4th, “some of Bitstamp’s operational wallets were compromised, resulting in a loss of less than 19,000 BTC (about $5 million at current prices). The website is temporarily suspended “as an additional security measure” while the incident is being investigated in cooperation with law enforcement officials and the site itself is being transferred “onto a new safe environment”.
The situation will not affect customers beyond the suspension, claims the company, because the lost money is just a small part of Bitstamp’s bitcoin reserves, “the overwhelming majority of which are held in secure offline cold storage systems”. Bitstamp customers are being told that all their balances held prior to January 5th “will be honored in full”.
Nejc Kodrič, the co-founder and CEO of Bitstamp, confirms the information on his Twitter account. He skipped a flight to work on the situation and hopes to be able to tell today when the site will resume its functions.


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From March 27 to April 3, 2014, Baselworld will once again bring together the professionals and lovers of fine watch-making. This major fair gathers the top Swiss watchmakers and representatives of world watch-making and jewelry.
In these last few days of February, Basel is already bubbling over with excitement. Only one month to go before its big show, eagerly awaited every year: Baselworld, the “World Watch and Jewellery Show”, which will take place from March 27 to April 3. The construction and setting-up of the fair have begun since February 10.
For professionals, visitors, exhibitors and lovers of timepieces (Baselworld is open to the public), this exceptional event will be the opportunity to discover future collections and trends, jealously kept secret by the top houses. 2013 had shown record attendance: more than 120,000 people had roamed the sweeping halls of the fair. Last year also unveiled the new concept of Baselworld, which was remodeled by the architects Herzog & de Meuron (more than 140,000 m² and 430 million Swiss francs) and met with enthusiasm. Furthermore, 2013 is considered a good year for Swiss watch-making as a whole (source FH) with exports having exceeded expectations and reaching the equivalent of 21.8 billion Swiss francs.
2014 thus seems promising. Close to 1,500 exhibitors will vie with each other in originality to present prestigious showcases, choice settings to enhance the elegance of their creations and show their excellent expertise to all. Baselworld is excellent publicity and attracts world press, and not just the professional one. There is indeed no need to mention that, while the global luxury industry is doing well, watches, high-end bags and jewelry are its symbols…
Baselworld 2014, March 27 – April 3, Messe Basel/Basel Fair, Switzerland
Opening hours: every day from 9am to 6pm; Thursday, April 3, from 9am to 4pm.
For more information: www.baselword.comPlease note: Baselworld 2015 from March 19 to March 26, 2015


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Early on Thursday Instagram announced a new feature called Instagram Direct. The new feature allows users to privately share photos or videos with up to 15 people. Obviously this is a new direction for Instagram, as previously sharing a photo was an all-or-nothing act.
All right, with that out of the way, let's begin.Your inbox
You can access your Instagram Direct inbox by tapping on the mailbox icon in the top-right corner. This is where … Read more
A little unsolicited advice to tech companies wanting to hold an event: Bring something at least moderately interesting or new to the table.
Otherwise, you end up like Instagram, which on Thursday unveiled Instagram Direct, its take on the direct and instant messaging feature that's available on virtually every other major service. The moment was, to say the least, disappointing.
Instagram, a unit of Facebook, is just the latest company to focus on upping its one-to-one messaging capabilities after building its business and customer base on its social turf. Founder Kevin Systrom spoke of Instagram as more than a … Read more
Instagram is a daily habit for more than half of the photo-sharing social network's users, co-founder Kevin Systrom said at a press event Thursday in New York.
He also noted that, in general, photos taken have more than quadrupled from 86 billion in 2000 to 360 billion in 2011.
The main event of the press conference was the unveiling of Instagram Direct messaging.
Check out CNET's live coverage of Instagram's event Thursday
Ahead of the event, it was unclear just what the photo-sharing social network would announce, and speculation ranged from a photo-printing service -- based on the odd form of the invitations … Read more
Instagram is now offering Instagram Direct, the ability to send images to users, instead of broadcasting your photos publicly.
The photo-sharing network's CEO, Kevin Systrom, reiterated that Instagram is not about photography, but about communication.
"If we were about photography, we'd be built into cameras," he said at a press conference in New York on Thursday. "But, we're not built into cameras. We're built into phones."
Users will be able to send photos or videos directly to up to 15 people at a time. To share the image privately, you can use … Read more
Right now, it's unclear just what the photo-sharing social network will announce. Speculation has ranged from a photo-printing service -- based on the odd form of the invites -- to a private messaging service that could rival Snapchat and WhatsApp.
We may not know all the details now, but our live blog will bring you the news right as it happens.
Check out CNET's live coverage of Instagram's event Thursday The press conference, which will include … Read more
When Apple first announced the iPhone 5S and its new slow-motion camera feature, the thought of being able to upload sol-mo videos across social networks was exciting.
Then the phone launched, users started messing with the new camera features, and quickly realized that uploading a slo-mo video directly from the iPhone to Instagram (along with other social networks) wasn't possible. Or rather, it was possible, but you would have to use some workarounds to make it happen.
But a few weeks ago, a young developer who is still in high school, contacted me about the pending release of an … Read more
With the arrival of iOS 7, iPhone and iPad users received a smattering of Instagram-style visual-effect filters for snapping photos. But they can't be used when shooting video.
Enter Spotliter Video, a free app that provides a choice of distinctive filters for video recording. It is, quite simply, like Instagram for video, though without the integrated sharing options.
It works like this: fire up the app, then tap to choose an effect from the scrolling selector along the bottom. Spotliter offers a dozen of them, but not just the usual assortment of sepia, black-and-white, and so on.
Rather, you … Read more


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Employee Crime: The Cost and Some Control Measures
Hogsett, Randall M.,, III, Radig, William J., Review of Business
Employee crime has gained much attention in the media in the last few years. Is it occurring more or is it just being reported more? The answer seems to be both. United States business owners and managers have long recognized that employee crime is a huge problem. Unfortunately, its dimensions are growing.
According to Neil Snyder, a University of Virginia business professor and co-author of Reducing Employee Theft (Quorum Books), losses just from employee theft have reached an estimated $120 billion a year.(1) And this does not include other employee-related crimes such as fraudulent reporting of financial statements.
Kenneth Weiss, a security consultant based in Massachusetts, believes about 30% of American workers plan to steal from their employers, another 30% are normally good employees but may give in to temptation occasionally, and the remaining 40% are basically honest.(2) These figures seem to generally agree with some other estimates.
According to a National Retail Federation study released last year, employee theft made up approximately 38% of all "shrinkage." roughly the same percentage as shoplifting.(3)
FDIC investigators report that one-third of all bank failures in the late 1980's were primarily caused by internal fraud.(4)
Justice Department statistics show that federal convictions were obtained for 10.733 while-collar criminals in 1985, an 18% increase from 1980.(5)
With all of this reported dishonesty, it seems employers would be ready to raise the white flag and surrender. However, because of the recent recession, businesses are focusing on employee crime more than ever. A company generally can expect to lose 1% to 2% of its annual sales to crime, most of which is committed by insiders.(6) For a company the size of IBM, this amount can exceed $500 million a year. Richard Hollinger, a University of Florida sociologist, says this "can mean the difference between viability and failure" for many companies.(7)
With such high dollar losses at stake, it is not surprising that companies are beginning to take employee crime so seriously. Employers are beginning to realize that what have been called costs of security are actually investments in their businesses.
Types of Employee Crime
Employees have always committed crimes at the workplace. However, as technology has advanced, so too have opportunities for employees to steal. Employees still commit the more "blue-collar" type offenses, but technology has enabled them to defraud companies in previously unheard of ways. Some typical employee crimes follow.
When people talk of employee theft, they typically are referring to the so-called blue-collar crimes. These include stealing office supplies, parts and inventory for personal use or resale, making long-distance personal telephone calls on company lines, and falsifying time cards. Although these activities have been historically simple, even they are becoming more sophisticated. For example, service department employees of several companies have been caught submitting false warranty claims and reselling the merchandise and parts that manufacturers thought were being destroyed.(8) With this increased sophistication, it is becoming more difficult to distinguish the blue-collar criminals from the white-collar criminals.
White-collar crimes by employees are by far the most costly to the employer and are often the most difficult to detect and prevent. Some of these crimes include using the company's computer for personal business (sometimes running entire operations on the company's time and with a free computer),(9) embezzlement, and falsifying financial statements.
With the advent of the computer and other technology, employees are finding more innovative ways to steal. Employees are using modern laser printers and copiers to forge documents and are employing computers to switch funds electronically from company accounts to personal accounts. …


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There are some promising signs for Pennsylvania’s economy concerning the unemployment rate.
Theresa Elliott is the spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry.
“Our unemployment rate was down one tenth of a percentage point in October to 4.7 percent. It’s the lowest rate in nearly ten years. The last time the rate was at 4.7 percent was in November of 2007 and that was prerecession numbers.”
Elliot adds that hiring for the Christmas season is not expected to be as robust as it was in previous years due to the number of brick and mortar stores that have closed. Many retail businesses have either closed their doors altogether or opted to sell merchandise on-line.


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Performance Sports Group Appoints Amir Rosenthal President, PSG Brands
EXETER, NH--( May 28, 2015) - Performance Sports Group Ltd. (NYSE: PSG) (TSX: PSG), a leading developer and manufacturer of high performance sports equipment and apparel, today announced that it has appointed Amir Rosenthal to the newly created position of President, PSG Brands. Beginning June 1, Rosenthal will oversee all seven brands under the Performance Sports Group portfolio, including BAUER, MISSION, MAVERIK, CASCADE, INARIA, COMBAT and EASTON. Rosenthal will be responsible for the day-to-day oversight of each brand's business, while Kevin Davis will remain Chief Executive Officer of Performance Sports Group.
Rosenthal, the current Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President Finance & Administration, has been with the Company since 2008. In his role as CFO, Rosenthal was instrumental in implementing PSG's successful growth strategy and leading the Company's initial public offering on the Toronto Stock Exchange in 2011 as well as the U.S. listing on the New York Stock Exchange nearly a year ago. Prior to joining the Company, Rosenthal was the Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, General Counsel and Secretary of Katy Industries, Inc. and held numerous senior-level positions with Timex Group Limited from 1989-2001.
As a result of Rosenthal's appointment to President, PSG Brands, Davis will now be able to focus all of his attention on strategy, acquisitions, enhancing the platform functions that support the PSG brands, and meeting the increasing demands of our investors and analyst community.
"The creation of the role of President, PSG Brands aligns all of our brands under a single executive ensuring the proper focus and attention they deserve to drive future growth and allows my role as CEO to focus more on growth strategy, acquisitions and the demands of the public markets," Davis said. "Amir has been instrumental in building this company into what it is today. Since joining our team in 2008, Amir has demonstrated a positive combination of intelligence, integrity, and leadership that makes him a perfect fit for this new, exciting role."
The Company has partnered with leading executive search firm Korn Ferry to begin the search for a new CFO/Executive Vice President, Finance. Until the position is filled, Rosenthal will retain his current responsibilities.
"I look forward to taking on this new position and know that this strategic change in our executive team structure will make us an even stronger company in the future," Rosenthal said. "By consolidating the management oversight of each business, we can better serve the needs of each brand and continue our goal of delivering high-performing products to hockey, baseball, softball, lacrosse and soccer athletes around the world."
In addition to Rosenthal's appointment, the Company also announced that Troy Mohns will take on the role of Executive Vice President, M&A/Corporate Strategy focusing exclusively on acquisition opportunities and corporate strategy with Davis and the board of directors.
Performance Sports Group also announced that it will commence a search for Vice President, Apparel and Vice President, Soccer & Lacrosse, both newly created positions.
"Our apparel business is the fastest growing part of our portfolio and it is essential that we structure our organization to meet the current apparel needs of all our brands as we build the foundation for future growth," Davis said. "In addition, by creating a dedicated leader to oversee both our lacrosse and soccer businesses, we are confident that we can further accelerate the growth of those businesses."
About Performance Sports Group Ltd.
Performance Sports Group Ltd. (NYSE: PSG) (TSX: PSG) is a leading developer and manufacturer of ice hockey, roller hockey, lacrosse, baseball and softball sports equipment, as well as related apparel and soccer apparel. The Company is the global leader in hockey with the strongest and most recognized brand, and it holds the No. 1 North American position in baseball and softball. Its products are marketed under the BAUER, MISSION, MAVERIK, CASCADE, INARIA, COMBAT and EASTON brand names and are distributed by sales representatives and independent distributors throughout the world. The Company is focused on building its leadership position by growing market share in all product categories and pursuing strategic acquisitions.
For more information, please visit www.PerformanceSportsGroup.com.
Contact Information Company Contact: Amir Rosenthal/ Chief Financial Officer/ Tel 1-603-610-5802
Investor Relations: Liolios Group Inc./ Scott Liolios or Cody Slach/ Tel 1-949-574-3860
Media Contact: Steve Jones/ Sr. Director, Corporate Communications/ Tel 1-603-430-2111
SOURCE: Performance Sports Group Ltd. through Marketwired by press release ©


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EDINA, Minn. - Hot Mama prides itself in being a store that empowers moms. But one store manager in Colorado claims the company's anti-theft policy discriminates.
"I read the policy and it just screamed at me off the page because I felt like I was being required to keep an eye on minorities," a manager at a Boulder store said to a Denver TV station.
The manager, who is no longer employed by Hot Mama, took her concerns to the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado. The ACLU sent a letter to the CEO saying the shoplifting policy makes some "subtle and not-so-subtle references to race."
One part asks employees to identify customers "that don't look like the typical Hot Mama shopper." The policy also says shoplifters will "try to make you uncomfortable. They may say "are you following me because of my race?'"
Megan Tamte, CEO and founder of Hot Mama, defended her company.
"We don't discriminate against moms. We want every mom to come into Hot Mama," Tamte said.
The former teacher turned business executive said the policy was created in 2008 just as the company was gaining steam but losing merchandise.
"We got slammed. We got attacked by shoplifters in the Twin Cities. At the time I think we had maybe six stores and we got hundreds and thousands of dollars of merchandise swiped from our stores and quickly had to deal with this idea of shoplifting which was relatively new to us," Tamte said.
Last winter the company reviewed its theft policy and realized their mistake, she said.
"We were like that language does not feel good," Tamte said.
After the review Hot Mama rolled out a new theft policy that eliminated the language. The ACLU and the manager who reached out to them didn't know about it until Tamte told them.
A spokesperson for the ACLU says they reviewed the new policy and they are encouraged and glad to see it.
(Copyright 2013 by KARE. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)


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Subsidizing the new deal to change the pattern of new energy vehicle market
On July 5, BAIC new energy's first private exchange tram showed how to change power quickly in the sample room of the power station.
From January to June, the production and sales volume of new energy vehicles increased by 94.9% and 111.5% respectively year on year, far better than the previous years. With the implementation of the new subsidy policy, the market pattern of pure electric vehicles has changed a lot, and the long-term vehicle model that more meets the demands of consumers has become the choice of more consumers. Experts predict that the annual production and sales of new energy vehicles are expected to exceed one million. In the next few years, with the accelerated release of production capacity and the continuous decline of subsidies, the new energy automobile industry will meet the market test—— . So far, more than a month has passed since the announcement of the notice. The impact of the new deal on the market can be seen in the recently released ranking of pure electric vehicle sales in June.
With the implementation of the new subsidy policy, the market pattern of pure electric vehicles has changed a lot. In the first five months of this year, BAIC new energy ranked first in the domestic pure electric passenger vehicle market. However, by June, BAIC new energy had only one small SUV ranked fifth among the top ten sales in a single month, and last year's sales champion EC had only three sales in June.
At the same time, SAIC Roewe ei5 topped the sales list of pure electric vehicles in June. It can be seen from this that the long-term vehicle model that more meets the demands of consumers has gradually become the choice of more consumers.
The annual production and sales volume is expected to exceed one million . Among them, new energy vehicles continue to maintain a high-speed growth trend. In June, the production and sales of new energy vehicles completed 86000 and 84000 respectively. From January to June, the production and sales of new energy vehicles completed 413000 and 412000 respectively. The performance in the first half of the year was far better than that in previous years. ; From January to June, the production and sales volume of new energy vehicles increased by 94.9% and 111.5% respectively year on year, 11.7% and 97.1% respectively compared with the same period last year, showing a significant high-speed development trend. On a month on month basis, the production and sales volume of new energy vehicles in June decreased by 10000 and 18000 respectively compared with that in May, which was greatly affected by the policy. Although some car companies maintain the same price, the overall reduction of subsidies has a greater impact on low-end electric vehicles.
Zhou Yi pointed out that in terms of structure, the production and sales of pure electric vehicles in June were 64000 and 62000, respectively, down 32000 and 40000 from May; the production and sales of plug-in hybrid vehicles were 22000, respectively, up 3000 and 2000 from May. On the one hand, the decrease of pure electric vehicle subsidy is more obvious, and there is crowding out effect. On the other hand, it is related to the increase of support for plug-in hybrid vehicles in various regions.
Xu Haidong, assistant to the Secretary General of China Automobile Industry Association, said that the production and sales of new energy vehicles in the first half of this year was much better than that in the same period of previous years, and it is expected to maintain a good development trend in the second half of this year, maintaining the previous judgment that the annual production and sales scale exceeded 1 million vehicles.
Zhou Yi said that in recent years, the development momentum of new energy automobile industry is good. In terms of quantity, the output of new energy vehicles in China last year reached 794000, a year-on-year increase of 53.8%, and the total supporting capacity of new energy vehicles' power batteries reached about 37.06 billion watt hours, a year-on-year increase of nearly one third. In terms of scale and increment, they are in the forefront of the world. In the first half of this year, the production and sales of new energy vehicles have increased significantly compared with last year. "In line with this trend, the annual production and sales volume is expected to exceed 1.4 million vehicles," he said.
at present, the anxiety about battery technology, charging inconvenience, price and endurance mileage is still the main factor restricting consumers to choose new energy vehicles.
According to Shi Jianhua, Deputy Secretary General of China Automobile Industry Association, competition in the new energy automobile industry will be extremely fierce in the next three to five years. Up to now, 16 new enterprises have obtained new energy vehicle production qualification. In 2017, 91 new vehicle projects were invested in China, and 21 provinces announced new energy vehicle projects, with an investment scale of 528.3 billion yuan. The production capacity of new energy vehicles announced by various automobile enterprises will exceed 20 million in 2020, 10 times of the target set in the national plan.
In addition, the development of new energy automobile industry is driven by predictable technical factors, and the influence of policy is also crucial.
Zhou Yi said that after the implementation of the new subsidy standard on June 12, although some enterprises maintain the same terminal price, the ability of enterprises to supplement the subsidy gap has not been known in the next two years as the subsidy gradually decreases until it exits completely. Since July 1, the import tariff of automobile and parts has decreased, which makes the import volume of automobile increase significantly. Whether it will affect the sales of new energy vehicles in China is uncertain. At the same time, the current tightening of environmental protection policies, whether the environmental tolerance of traditional fuel vehicles can remain unchanged, and whether local policies such as traffic license plate will be more inclined to new energy vehicles, etc., all of these factors will affect


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Android 4.1-powered HTC Operaul found on benchmark site
Oh boy, another new Android to add to the rumor mill! This time we’re talking about an HTC smartphone operating under the codename of Operaul. Details found on Nenamark tell us that the handset runs Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean and features a 1280×720, a 1.4GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor, and Adreno 305 GPU. Considering the specifications, it’s possible this could be a lower cost HTC offering, however we’ll have to wait for more details to say for certain.
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#TheList Dean Marsden, born c. 1978, and Michelle Louise Marsden, born c. 1980, of 3xx Union Road, Oswaldtwistle, Accrington, Lancashire BB5 3NW – failed to get veterinary help for their Labrador dog who was suffering from ear, eye and skin diseases.
Blackburn magistrates heard the chocolate Labrador called Charlie suffered “significant pain and discomfort” over a period of time.
The Marsdens both pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering and two charges of failing in their duty of responsibility to the dog.
Paul Ridehalgh, prosecuting for the RSPCA, said Charlie had been handed over by a member of the public who found him straying in Oswaldtwistle.
The vets discovered extensive hair loss, anaemia and an underactive thyroid. He also had long nails indicating he was not getting sufficient exercise.
The vet’s opinion was that the dog had been suffering for some time and that all his conditions could easily have been treated.
Zabair Afzal, defending, said it had not been a deliberate attempt to cause suffering.
He said the couple had noticed issues with the dog’s skin last year and had treated it with creams and shampoos.
“That worked but the condition flared up again in March of this year,” said Mr Afzal.
He said the pet store where they had bought the previous medication had closed.
They bought some more medication but didn’t get chance to complete the course before the dog strayed.
“They made several attempts to look after the dog but they accept it wasn’t enough and they couldn’t afford to take the dog to the vets,” he added.
Eight-week curfew; £85 victim surcharge. Banned from keeping any pets for 10 years. Deprivation order made for Charlie which allows the RSPCA to re-home him.


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…Raises penal hammer against cheating marketers
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has declared that it has sufficient stock of the premium motor spirit also called petrol, and called on the people to resist the urge for panic buying of fuel.
The corporation also warned marketers not to engage in products hoarding and diversion saying it has empowered a monitoring team in the Pipeline and Products Marketing Company (PPMC) to sanction companies caught in sharp market practices.
The statement by the corporation’s spokesman, Mr. Ohi Alegbe, came in response to noticeable scarcity of petroleum products in major cities across the nation, including Abuja and Lagos.
Market survey by The UNION yesterday showed that major service centers operated by the major oil marketers in Lagos and Abuja closed to customers as fuel attendants claimed that they ran out of supplies.
However, sources at depots and jetties said that whereas import traffic has slowed down supply situation has not reached panic level.
The onset of scarcity followed spike in fuel demand as last quarter economic and social activities gather heat at a time speculations of fuel price reduction frightened market operators with social unrest.
The fears that motorists might refuse to pay correct fares forced some major marketers to shut down their key stations to limit security risks.
In trying to douse the tension in the domestic market, NNPC declared yesterday that apart from securing the commitment and collaboration of major marketing companies in meeting domestic fuel demands in the high demand high season the domestic pump prices of petrol remains N87 per liter.
The corporation called on members of the public to avoid panic buying of petroleum products, especially petrol, saying it has enough stock of the product to keep the entire country wet for 23 days.
– Sopuruchi Onwuka


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Josh Ong is the US Editor at The Next Web. He previously worked as TNW's China Editor and LA Reporter. Follow him on Twitter or email him a Josh Ong is the US Editor at The Next Web. He previously worked as TNW's China Editor and LA Reporter. Follow him on Twitter or email him at [email protected].
After months of anticipation, Pinterest has gone all in on mobile with the launch of a native iPad app and its debut on Android.
The company announced the new software at a party. Version 2.0 of the iPhone app is also now available in iTunes. It introduces a 2-column layout and includes better usability and improvements to stability and performance.
The announcement was followed by an official blog post from Pinterest detailing the new apps. The Android app has been custom designed for Android phones and tablets of all cost, speed and size. Meanwhile, the post puts forth the iPad app as possibly “the best Pinterest experience yet.”
Pinterest has been on a tear lately, rising to become the third most visited US social network earlier this year. Data from comScore estimates the site received almost 20 million unique visitors in March. The firm also found that those visitors “spend more money, more often, and on more items” than any of the other top social media sites.
The service, which was one of the fastest to reach 10 million active users, hit a landmark last week when it dropped its invite-only status and opened up to all. The company also recently redesigned its website and revamped its repinning feature.
In May, the company announced that it had closed a $100 million funding round led by Japanese ecommerce giant Rakuten. Andreessen Horowitz, Bessemer Venture Partners and FirstMark Capital also participated in the round. Rakuten’s investment was followed up by a collaboration that involved the addition of “Pin it” buttons to several of its Web properties.
Image via Flickr / Free-stock
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CROSS-BORDER train company Thalys is auctioning off the contents of its trains from seats to bins.
The online eBay sale , is designed to draw attention to the renovation of its stock and is, according to the firm a chance to own a “true collector’s item.”
All profits are going to Unicef to support its Wash programme to improve access to safe drinking water.
On going to press, seats were up to €261 while cheaper bets included bins and head rests at around €10.
The firm is selling 120 items between now and September 18.
Thalys is majority-owned by the SNCF and the rest by the Belgian and German national operators. It runs trains between France, Belgium, Germany and Holland.


text: Any year in which a young man earns a living playing video games is a pretty darn good one. For 27-year-old Tyler Blevins, aka Ninja, 2018 was the best year of his life, he told CNN in a recent interview. And who could argue? Ninja is, literally, killing it. The 94,958 Fortnite kills he had racked up at last check have helped him earn what he says is close to $10 million this year. Blevins and his colorful hair (neon red at the time of this interview) have become a cultural phenomenon, and his skills and personality have helped make Fortnite the behemoth that it is — one that drove its company, Epic Games, to a reported profit of $3 billion this year. Blevins burst onto the scene after a record-breaking live stream (628,000 concurrent viewers, a record which he’s since broken) with rap icon Drake back in March. Since then he has become a must-see on social media and more importantly, a must-stream. Ninja’s “bread and butter,” he says, are YouTube and Twitch, a streaming video platform. He estimates 70% of his income comes from the two services. Every time one of Ninja’s 20-million plus YouTube subscribers watches a pop-up ad on his channel he earns a percentage of the ad sale, and most of Ninja’s videos on YouTube have been viewed millions of times. On Twitch, more than 12.5 million users follow him, and almost 40,000 pay to watch, subscribing to three different tiers and forking over either $4.99, $9.99 or $25 per month to watch Ninja blast his way to big bucks. Because users don’t have to subscribe, ad dollars help the platform and its streamers make money too. Still, Blevins thinks Twitch “could do a much better job incentivizing” people to choose the pricier subscriptions; he compared Twitch to a giant “violin case” for a street performer, with people just throwing in what they feel is right. The rest of Blevins’ income is from sponsors like Samsung, Uber Eats and Red Bull. And those sponsors, along with Ninja’s September appearance on the cover of ESPN The Magazine, lead to a major question about him and his peers in the burgeoning esports community: Are they athletes? Blevins said he sees himself instead as a small business owner, equating gaming to a small coffee shop. “They’re gonna find another coffee shop if you’re not there … you have to be there all the time,” he said. Ninja mans that “coffee shop” for 12 hours a day, he estimates, working out to nearly 4,000 hours of Fortnite this year alone, the equivalent of more than 140 days. Each and every time he’s away from the shop, Blevins and wife/manager Jess are calculating how many subscribers they’re losing, and how much money they’re not earning. While the couple does carve out time for one another each day, their last vacation was their honeymoon eight years ago. And even that trip, long before Fortnite, was still cut short for professional gaming. Fortnite has 200 million registered players around the world, a 60% increase since June, and Blevins says he thinks it’s nowhere near peaking. No matter how long its popularity lasts, Blevins is enjoying his moment in the sun. He appeared on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” earlier this month, and has recently been moving into other revenue streams, like a clothing brand and music. He’s released a rap album called “Ninjawerks” and “Fortnite Rap Battle,” a compilation video in which he stars, has been viewed nearly 80 million times on YouTube. While parents are watching the ball drop on New Year’s Eve, Ninja will be capping off the best year of his life. As Fortnite fans wait for the battle bus, he’ll be streaming on his Twitch page in front of an invite-only audience in Times Square, going from 4 p.m. ET to 4 a.m. ET in what he promises will be an “epic, cool, incredible time” — or just another day at the office for one of the hottest gamers on the planet.


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PHILADELPHIA - There’s an ongoing shortage of Christmas trees and this year consumers will also pay more for a fresh tree.
Bustard’s Christmas Trees in Lansdale is in its 93rd year of business with three farms, including one in Canada. The co-owner Jay Bustard said their tree farm offers 11 varieties for sale and this season worked with other growers to secure more trees.
"We fortunately lined up a bunch of trees, so we’re going to have more trees than last year, but I still don’t expect to make it to Christmas," Bustard said. "We want to have enough trees to make everybody happy, but trees only grow so fast and we can’t get them to grow any faster."
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Bustard anticipates selling between 6-7,000 trees this season and all before Christmas.
"Depending on the type of tree and size, you’re probably going to see a 5 to 15 percent increase," Bustard said. "If you’re going to your local retailer, I would go early because there is a shortage."
The dry summer impacted some tree farms, according to Bustard, but he said luckily, they were mostly spared. Aging farmers going into retirement with no one new to replace them is also contributing to the ongoing shortage.
Families picking out Christmas trees said it’s worth paying extra to continue their traditions.
"I want to say last year $65 [for a Christmas tree], this year $89 for the same, comparable tree," said Skip Hessey of Hatfield. "Those trees right there were $125, but you know it’s a tradition, so we don’t mind that and these trees usually last us until the end of February. If you’re going to skimp, this is not the time of year to skimp."
This year, Bustard’s is the co-grand champions of an international decorated wreath contest, and back in 2015 their 18-foot tree graced the Blue Room of the White House. Still, Jay said their biggest pride continues to happen at their tree farm each year when they get a front row seat to the traditions of families near and far.
"We have a gentleman, Mr. Chelhammer, he went to school with my mother. He’s 95-years-old and he come here every year like clockwork on Black Friday. When we open up, he’s there because he wants to be the first tree."


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Nomura Holdings Believes MU Won’t Stop HereBy Ryan Adsit
Nomura Holdings analyst Romit Shah reiterated a Buy rating on Micron (NASDAQ: MU) today and set a price target of $23. The company’s shares opened today at $18.90, close to its 52-week high of $19.34.
According to TipRanks.com, Shah is a 5-star analyst with an average return of 10.9% and a 62.6% success rate. Shah covers the Technology sector, focusing on stocks such as Advanced Micro Devices, NXP Semiconductors, and Applied Materials.
Currently, the analyst consensus on Micron is Moderate Buy and the average price target is $21, representing an 11.1% upside.
In a report issued on November 3, Mizuho Securities also reiterated a Buy rating on the stock with a $22 price target.
Based on Micron’s latest earnings report for the quarter ending August 31, the company posted quarterly revenue of $3.22 billion and GAAP net loss of $170 million. In comparison, last year the company earned revenue of $3.6 billion and had a net profit of $471 million.
Based on the recent corporate insider activity of 36 insiders, corporate insider sentiment is negative on the stock. Earlier this month, Dermot Mark Durcan, the CEO of MU sold 1,803 shares for a total of $23,944.
Micron Technology, Inc. provides semiconductor solutions. It manufactures and distributes semiconductor solutions. It manufactures and markets DRAM, NAND Flash and NOR Flash memory, as well as other memory technologies, packaging solutions and semiconductor systems for use in computing, consumer, networking, automotive, industrial, embedded and mobile products. The company operates through four segments: Compute and Networking Business Unit (CNBU), Mobile Business Unit (MBU), Storage Business Unit (SBU), and Embedded Business Unit (EBU). The CNBU segment includes DRAM and NOR Flash products sold to the computing, networking, graphics and cloud server markets. The MBU segment includes DRAM, NAND Flash and NOR Flash products sold to the smartphone, feature phone and tablet mobile device market. The SBU segment includes NAND Flash components and SSDs sold into enterprise and client storage, cloud and removable storage markets. SBU also includes NAND Flash products sold to Intel through its IMFT joint venture. The EBU includes DRAM, NAND Flash and NOR Flash products sold into automotive and industrial applications, as well as the connected home and consumer electronics markets. The company was founded by Ward D. Parkinson, Joseph L. Parkinson, Dennis Wilson, and Doug Pitman in October 1978 and is headquartered in Boise, ID.


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Today Microsoft and ARM announced that they have signed a licensing agreement for the ARM processor architecture. While there have been no details from Microsoft or ARM on what the agreement covers there is of course plenty of speculation. One thought is that the full version of Windows could be ported to ARM which would enable Windows to run on the low power ARM chips for mobile devices. But Mary-Jo Foley has a suggestion that it would be for Windows Phone 7 to run on slates. So far slates have been showing running Windows Embedded Compact but OEMS have to build there own user interface for that platform (and create app stores etc) so there are doubts to how well that would work and given how well the Zune/Windows Phone UI could work on a tablet I think a Windows Phone 7 powered slate would be really good idea.
Microsoft have to do something that is seen to be competing with Apple’s iPad and the Android slates that will be coming out soon, I recently got an iPad to try and really like it but I would much rather have a Windows Phone powered device
Ian Dixon is a Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional), founder of TheDigitalLifestyle.com tech site and producer of the weekly The Digital Lifestyle Show podcast. Ian has been writing and talking about Windows for over 10 years and has over 20 years in IT as an IT Manager. Ian has thousands of followers on Twitter and Facebook and over 4 million views on his YouTube channel.


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Your campus, Your story
From "Mr. GQ" in high school to President of FAMD, Ben Touchette tells Grand Central why he chose to stay at Central Michigan.
Ben Touchette describes himself as organized, structured, sarcastic and too sassy for his own good − evident from his tabbed text book, organized binder, and crisp black button down shirt, paired with a black and white stripe knit tie and cream button cardigan.
He was voted “Mr. GQ” at Troy High School, and President of the Fashion Association of Merchandising and Design, American Association of Textile Chemist and Colorist, and Kappa Omicron Nu.
Yet Central Michigan University Junior Ben Touchette wasn’t always going to pursue a career in fashion.
From seventh grade until his junior year in high school, Touchette wanted to become a medical professional like his parents. It wasn’t until one day after struggling to click with his advanced biology teacher that he decided he didn’t want to do it anymore.
After mulling over what he was most passionate about, Touchette researched and studied packets for various prestigious fashion schools such as Parsons, the Fashion Institute of Technology and the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising.
His parents were very supportive of his decision. But said he felt cheated when they informed him that he could not attend school out of state for the first year.
After completing his freshman year at CMU, he was all set to transfer to Columbia University and even attended orientation. Touchette then realized what he wanted from his school of choice: A program based on academics and leadership.
“I am most happy and most impressed with our professors,” Touchette said.
He liked that CMU Apparel Merchandising and Design professors were well-known from their extensive academic research and eagerness to learn about the industry. Touchette decided to further his education at CMU because he wanted to inspire students and make a difference.
Touchette is majoring in apparel merchandising with a minor in retailing, and wants to pursue a masters degree and a PH.D. He has already made an impact on the apparel program by starting the Central Michigan Chapter for American Association of Textile Chemist and Colorist, which is the second largest University Chapter.
“Everyone was there to support me being crazy,” Touchette said. “This year is going to be insane.”
He is most excited for this year’s charity, the Clothing Closet. The Clothing Closet is a non-profit organization that provides the Detroit Medical Center with casual clothing in good condition for children, teens and parents.
FAMD members who volunteer to design for the organization are required to complete a children’s outfit including a top, bottom and accessory.
“We have amazing students here,” Touchette said. “Our creativity is off the charts, we need to expose it.”
FAMD will be hosting a charity banquet on November 18, where the winner of the contest will be announced. Friends and family will be entertained by performers and will be able to look at all the garments that are on display.
The e-board then plans to spend a day at the hospital with the kids, donate all the designs and present the organization with money raised from the semester’s fundraisers.
Touchette has a clear focus here at CMU: To build relationships, maintain leadership roles and inspire people in the fashion field.
He described it as keeping the passion flowing. Touchette said it’s important to always put his name out there and for future apparel students to be involved in organizations such as FAMD to build contacts.
“People in the industry know everyone in the industry,” Touchette said. “This program is what you make of it.”
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Google and YouTube have collaborated to develop and roll out a new video iPhone App named "Capture" which will empower improved Dealer Content Creation and easy publishing of videos to Social Media channels.…
What types of video work better? Authentic Vehicle Walk-Around Presentations or Videos assembled from OEM supplied "B Roll" intended for TV Spots... Or, the ever popular mass produced Pan and Zoom "fake" videos made from the still images photographed for inventory listings?
Last week I had the honor and privilege of both attending and speaking at the Digital Marketing Strategies Conference produced by Carrie Hemphill, Brian Pasch, Glen Pasch and the team at…
Later this month, hosted video content on Google Video will no longer be available for playback. Google Video stopped taking uploads in May 2009 and now we’re removing the remaining hosted content. We've always maintained that the strength of Google Video is its ability to let people search videos from across the web, regardless of where those videos are hosted. And this move will enable us to focus on developing these technologies further to the benefit of searchers…
This is a fascinating instructional and inspirational video on using social media to advance your business operating, CRM and marketing objectives... 19 Best-in-Class Practices illustrated and explained. Turn up the sound, it has an unusual but very cool sound track!
Many Automotive Digital Marketing professionals have asked me "How do I get started with using Video to attract customers?"... There are a lot of ways to leverage the car buying public's seemingly insatiable appetite for online video clips. Certainly the whole industry has by now been pitched on using video clips created by vendors like Unity Works Media… Continue
Added by Ralph Paglia on October 8, 2008 at 8:30am —
Internet users in the US watched 11.5 billion online videos in March 2008, up 13% over February 2008 and 64% over March 2007, according to comScore Video Metrix. That is an average of 83 videos watched per viewer during March. Online video viewing is a mainstream activity for Internet users in the US. Nearly three-quarters of the online population watched an online video in March.
With all the attention being given to video sites such as YouTube and others, what are the implications for dealers and their marketing partners? What I saw at the 4th Digital Dealer Conference and Exposition in Orlando is that Dealers, their marketing managers, as well as many of their ad agencies and digital marketing service providers are changing their… Continue
Added by Ralph Paglia on April 23, 2008 at 6:00am —
BOSTON, MA — Search engine marketing firm iProspect today published the iProspect Blended Search Results Study. Sponsored by iProspect and conducted by JupiterResearch, the study reveals that in the case of news, image, and video results, search engine users click specialized content within general search results more than they do within vertical search results.
Download PDF of Study including multiple charts:… Continue
Added by Ralph Paglia on April 16, 2008 at 8:30am —
A recently released comScore Video Metrix service report, revealed that U.S. Internet users watched more than 10 billion videos online during the month of December, 2007, representing the single heaviest month for online video consumption since comScore initiated its tracking service. Google Sites saw substantial growth and extended its video market share gains, now accounting for nearly one out of every three videos viewed online.
Erin Hunter, comScore executive vice president of… Continue
Added by Ralph Paglia on February 22, 2008 at 8:30am —
Welcome to Automotive Digital Marketing
Please use the "Sign Up" link above to complete your registration form and become a member of the industry's leading Automotive Marketing and Internet Sales Professional Community. ADM members have access to resources, connections and private events that provide them with a competitive advantage.


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by David 'Hades' Becker [ Tuesday, 30th of November 2021 - 08:00 PM ]
The final update for Dying Light 2 is here with Dying Light 2 going gold and getting us ready for some final gameplay
We have had a whole lot of delays pop off out there for Dying Light 2, and thankfully, it looks like we will not be seeing any more of those coming down the pipes. That is due to the fact that Techland has finally placed out the news that the game has gone gold. Dying Light 2 is in its final release mode and the team is shifting over to make sure they can snag all of those smaller bugs and issues that could still be out there. You can now just sit pretty knowing that you will see the game on the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, and PC on February 4th next year. Read More...


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The lack of cultural awareness on the Center-Right in this country is frustrating, to say the least. For all of the internal talk about needing to change hearts and minds through improved campaign messaging, we miss so many easy opportunities to chip away at the intellectually, morally deficient underbelly of progressive liberalism.
The flaws in the Left’s economic agenda appear self-evident to those of us who already understand and appreciate the tenets of free enterprise and limited government. Preaching to the choir is something we do very well. But in a state like California even the obvious failures of the entrenched, bureaucratic, Democrat-dominated machine can be explained away with a few references to “greed,” “capitalism,” and “public safety.”
Clear-cut examples of the real-world impact that progressive liberalism has on our daily lives need bright spotlights on them. Especially when the examples in question impact the drinking and partying habits of young adults who aren’t familiar with Milton Friedman.
Case in point: The battle over Uber (and similar ride-sharing companies like Lyft and Sidecar).
From Forbes.com earlier this summer:
The California Public Utilities Commission warned Uber, Lyft, Sidecar and other car app companies in a stern letter this week that they are not allowed to take riders to or from any airport in the state. They have two weeks to comply. After that, any company whose drivers are spotted picking up or dropping off passengers at an airport could lose its permit and be shut down in California.
Left unchanged, a bill sitting in the California State Senate threatens the business models of ridesharing startups like Uber, Lyft, and Sidecar.
This week, the California State Senate’s insurance committee passed bill AB 2293, a measure to require ‘transportation network companies’ such as Uber to insure drivers as soon as they turn on their ridesharing app of choice. Currently, Uber and similar startups offer drivers commercial insurance when their app is on and someone has accepted a ride — the coverage then generally lasts until the rider exits the car their destination.
If AB 2293 passes through the state’s Appropriations Committee and becomes law, taxi industry leaders will flood newswires with victory cheers.
Not to be outdone, the Germans have allowed union influence to dictate economic policy with the news that the city of Berlin has banned companies like Uber from operating at all. From The Guardian:
The Berlin ban follows Europe-wide protests by taxi drivers in June. In its statement, the Berlin senate said the “protection of the taxi industry” was one of the factors it had taken into consideration.
The Association of Berlin Taxi Drivers welcomed the decision in a statement on its website. ‘As taxi drivers, we have to meet a series of rules and commitments,’ said its chairman, Richard Leipold. ‘With its decision the senate has clarified that these apply to every player on the market, even digital competitors.’
Notice the union’s request isn’t for a change to the government’s “rules and commitments.” The request is for Uber to be forced to conform to the same “rules and commitments” that created conditions crappy enough for entrepreneurs to introduce something better and more profitable. In short: be as bad at your jobs as we are, or be forced out of business.
Uber is growing because Uber is better. As a small-business owner on the west side of Los Angeles, I use Uber all of the time and have nothing but positive things to report. The drivers are polite. The cars are clean. Both customer and driver are able to rate each other. Fares are cheaper. The only thing I miss about traditional cab service is the lack of hilarious stories about how horrible the experience was.
Here in L.A., young people may love it because it’s cheaper (and greener) to make that lunch a liquid one, but who cares? Whether you are hitting up a trendy club with your crew, or rushing to that 3 a.m. booty call, ride-sharing apps like Uber have made it cool (and conscientious) to stimulate the local economy by summoning a reliable ride on your smart phone. If you want to connect with a younger, hipper demographic, you’re going to have to speak their language in making the case for your principles.
What I know is this: since news of a union-led campaign against Uber broke this summer here in L.A., I have heard more non-conservative, non-political people under the age of 40 talking about how corrupt and anti-business the state of California is than at any point in the past few years. An opportunity to distinguish conservative, free market ideals from those that have run this state into the ground has presented itself to pro-entrepreneurial Republican candidates in 2014.
But instead, I regularly receive emails from Uber telling me that two Democrats are leading the charge in their defense.
As Master Yoda put it: “And that is why you failed…”


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Natural gas users are in for a pleasant surprise when they get their next bill.
UGI announced today that the average customer will see a 3.8 percent decrease starting December 1 as a result of a reduction in wholesale natural gas prices.
The average residential heating customer should see their bill decrease from $89.55 to $86.17 per month, UGI said in a press release. Natural gas rates were also decreased in March 2012 and December 2011 by 4.3 and 13.5 percent respectively.
By law, utility companies cannot earn a profit on the sale of natural gas. They must pass the product on to consumer without any
UGI's Gas Division serves about 320,000 customers in 15 Pennsylvania counties.


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Beef and Lamb New Zealand has begun a project aimed at better understanding what impact alternative proteins may have on the red meat sector.
It is part of the organisation's new innovation programme to front-foot potential challenges and fill knowledge gaps.
Led by market innovation manager Lee-Ann Marsh, the alternative proteins project aimed to answer key stakeholder questions, the company said.
Its main purpose was to better understand the shifts in food production technology occurring outside New Zealand, separate ``the hype from reality'' and provide an objective view on product development, business models and consumer acceptance.
It was also seeking to identify threats and opportunities for New Zealand's red meat sector, as well as shifts and activities the sector might wish to explore to best position itself for the future.
Proposals were reviewed from four potential partners with a strong grip on the potential challenges facing the sector.
San Francisco-based innovation agency Antedote had been appointed, based on its experience with similar disruption challenges for international clients and strong US market networks and knowledge.
KPMG's 2017 Agribusiness Agenda, released in June, ranked closely following global developments in alternative proteins 19th in agribusiness leaders' priorities, up from 34th last year.
A report would be made to the BLNZ board next month and the findings shared with the sector soon after, followed by scenario planning and industry engagement to discuss initiatives the sector might want to pursue.
The market development team was refining the innovation programme strategy and identifying other transformational projects, looking at disruptive forces across the value chain.
The strategy would be discussed over the next two months, and ready to ``hit the ground running'' in the new year.


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FREDERICTON, New Brunswick – March 12, 2019 – (Newswire.com)
TurboPlay Corporation “TurboPlay” is pleased to announce that the company will be attending this year’s Game Developers Conference (GDC). GDC is the world’s largest professional game industry event, with 5 days of learning, inspiration, and networking from March 18-22, 2019 in San Francisco.
TurboPlay is the Main Event Sponsor for the Canada Game Nation (CGX) party Tuesday, March 19th featuring an exclusive first hand reveal of the TurboPlay App including a collection of incredible indie developer content launching on our platform in 2019.
“We’re very excited to reveal the first glimpse of our new platform at GDC. GDC is where developers in the games industry come together to see the newest and best offerings, and we are poised for major disruption amongst the digital marketplace platforms,” said Lisa Weeks, CMO.
Interested in meeting? Please drop by the Canadian Pavilion at GDC to book a time to meet with us. Or you can drop us a line at email@example.com
TurboPlay Corporation is redefining videogame distribution. We are developing a revolutionary gaming marketplace with technologies and features that both gamers and developers are actually excited about. TurboPlay is a marketplace where ownership of virtual assets, including games, in-game assets, and more are tracked using blockchain; where uptime is guaranteed by a revolutionary peer-to-peer (P2P) network; where gamers are part of a community and are rewarded for their activities and contributions; where developers are fairly compensated, have equal access to gamers, and can make data-driven decisions; where multiple payment methods are fully supported. TurboPlay will be the world’s first ultra-modern, fully-scalable, fault-tolerant, blockchain and ML/AI powered gaming marketplace, bringing together gamers and developers in new and meaningful ways.
Press Release Service


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China's protocol of accession to WTO
The European Union must make a call on what could be one of its most significant policy decisions in the coming years. Whereas the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations with the United States have caught the public's eye, EU trade policymakers appear to be more preoccupied with a far more pressing issue – whether the European Union will grant China market economy status by the end of 2016.
Until recently, this mundane but controversial topic was a subject of debate reserved for trade lawyers and policymakers. However, it has now come to the forefront and even sparked unforeseen protests of thousands of steel workers and employers in Brussels in mid-February 2016. The manner in which the issue will be resolved is likely to have a significant effect on EU and Chinese industry. Granting China market economy status is likely to result in cheaper Chinese imports into the European Union. This could be detrimental to certain EU industries competing with Chinese imports, but positive for other EU industries that source their inputs and intermediate goods from China.
China's protocol of accession to WTO
The origin of this debate lies in China's negotiations to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and in particular a deal that it struck primarily with the United States and the European Union. In its protocol of accession to the WTO, China allowed other WTO members to consider it a non-market economy country for the purpose of anti-dumping investigations. Hidden in a small sub-paragraph of the protocol, this provision was going to have a significant impact on Chinese exports to other WTO members.
The practical result of China being treated as a non-market economy is that anti-dumping duties on its exports are usually significantly higher than those that would be imposed if it were to be treated as a market economy. Anti-dumping measures generally impose duties on imported products that are deemed to be dumped and cause injury to the domestic industry producing the products in question in the importing country. Dumping generally occurs when goods are exported for less than their selling price in the home market, third-country markets or below a theoretical domestic price based on costs and a profit that is deemed reasonable. However, in case of non-market economies, the European Union disregards domestic costs and replaces them with costs of a producer in another country where costs are usually higher than in China. This results in higher duties.
The vast majority of EU anti-dumping measures are imposed on Chinese products. Should China be granted market economy status, it is widely accepted that it will become far more difficult to impose such measures on China. Further, in the cases where measures will be able to be imposed, they are likely to be far lower than existing measures.
The problem lies in the poorly drafted expiry clause of the non-market economy provision of China's protocol of accession. The only clear element in this provision is that 'something' should change 15 years from China's accession to the WTO on December 11 2016. The crucial question is: what should change?
China's interpretation is that, according to the expiry clause, the right of other WTO members to consider China as a non-market economy country will expire on December 11 2016. China is not alone in its interpretation, as several commentators, and even the European Commission's internal legal service, agree with it. Only a few years ago, this position was undisputed in the European Union, to the extent that past EU trade commissioner Karel De Gucht had no problems in openly declaring in the European Parliament that "in 2016 China will receive market-economy status".
However, the United States, supported by other commentators and several EU member states, considers that the right of WTO members to keep considering China a non-market economy will not automatically lapse. WTO members would retain the right to grant market economy status to China only if and when they consider that China meets the relevant conditions. According to this interpretation, the expiry clause concerns only certain aspects of the non-market economy methodology applicable to China, not China's non-market economy status itself. The United States has consistently urged the European Union not to grant China market economy status, with a bipartisan group of 18 senators having recently sent a letter to the current EU trade commissioner, urging her not to grant market economy status to China. In addition, the European Parliament adopted a non-binding resolution in May 2016, proclaiming that China should not be granted market economy status. This, together with increasing opposition from EU member states and European industry, is reducing China's chances of being automatically granted market economy status by the European Union.
Reportedly, around 80 to 90 countries have granted China market economy status. These include WTO members such as Australia, Brazil, New Zealand, Russia, Singapore and Switzerland. China and the European Union will either work together to find a mutually satisfactory solution or will both end up with a WTO dispute, the outcome of which will provide a definitive answer.
If the European Union does not grant market economy status, China is likely to bring the matter before the WTO. Thus, the final answer as to whether this approach complies with WTO law will come from the WTO dispute settlement mechanism. The European Union could try to avoid a WTO decision on this matter by granting market economy status to China, accompanied with negotiated solutions concerning trade defence for key industries (eg, steel, ceramics or chemicals). There are valid examples of negotiated solutions (eg, the 2014 deal) where the European Union and China reached an agreement that led to the European Union dropping a possible trade defence investigation against Chinese telecoms equipment. But is a negotiated solution on this issue still possible at this stage?
In deciding whether to grant market economy status to China, the European Commission will not be the only player. The European Union will have to amend its anti-dumping legislation and this will require the approval of the European Parliament and Council. In light of recent strong opposition from the European Parliament and EU member states, approval for automatically granting China market economy status appears unlikely. Nevertheless, most political groups in the European Parliament also consider that the European Union should comply with its WTO obligations, while simultaneously safeguarding the European Union's ability to impose effective trade defence measures. Consequently, even if the commission decides to propose market economy status for China, the final outcome remains uncertain.
The EU institutions have yet to reach a common position and will further assess the effect of granting market economy status to China. To this end, the commission launched a public consultation on "whether, and if so, how, the EU should change the treatment of China in its anti-dumping investigations after December 2016". Together with the consultation, the commission published an analytical information note and an inception impact assessment. Both of these outline what the commission considers the three possible options to be:
- leaving EU legislation unchanged;
- changing the anti-dumping methodology for trade defence investigations against China with no mitigating measures; or
- changing the anti-dumping methodology for China as part of a package including mitigating measures.
Unfortunately for the commission, certain member states traditionally in favour of imposing trade defence measures (eg, France and Poland) have already rejected all three options. In particular, they want the commission to come up with an alternative approach with respect to effective mitigating measures. The currently proposed mitigating measures also met strong opposition from other member states that are traditionally more sceptical about trade defence measures (eg, the United Kingdom and Sweden) and have resulted in a deadlock in the council. As one of the representatives of one of the free trade-oriented EU member states put it: "we rather see a situation whereby China is not granted market economy status, even if this is contrary to WTO law, if the alternative would be to mess up the entire instrument."
The issue is likely to be debated heavily between European institutions and the different EU member states in upcoming months, with significant lobbying from European industries. The best solution would be to reach a mutually satisfactory agreement, a win-win solution according to which the European Union grants market economy status to China but secures adequate long-term protection for its key industries. It appears that the commission has been negotiating such a deal with China, but the question remains as to whether it will be acceptable for the European Parliament and EU member states.
The likely alternative is that the European Union will be unable to reach a common position internally and will not grant market economy status to China. China will then resort to the WTO, which will put an end to this dispute. If so, nobody in the European Union will have to take responsibility for having granted market economy status to China. One party will officially win and the other will officially lose. In reality, both parties will have wasted time and resources, which could have been used to reach a constructive and mutually satisfactory agreement.
For further information on this topic please contact Renato Antonini at Jones Day by telephone (+32 2645 1419) or email ([email protected]). The Jones Day website can be accessed at www.jonesday.com.


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USPS Is Planning This Long Dreaded Change to Your Mail, Starting Jan. 22
Customers won't be excited to hear about this upcoming adjustment.
From nationwide delivery delays to a rise in mail theft, it's clear that the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has been struggling. But the agency hasn't shied away from confronting its many challenges. In March 2021, the USPS unveiled its Delivering for America (DFA) initiative, which is a 10-year plan set on transforming the agency "from an organization in financial and operational crisis to one that is self-sustaining and high performing." As part of this initiative, the USPS has been making a series of adjustments to its service and operations—and they're not letting up. In fact, the agency has just announced plans for an upcoming change that many customers have likely been dreading. Read on to find out what is set to go into effect this January.
READ THIS NEXT: USPS Says You Can't Do This With Your Mail After Nov. 5.
The Postal Service has already made several changes to your mail.
There has been no shortage of mail changes Americans have had to adjust to over the past year. Back in Oct. 2021, the Postal Service implemented new service standards that slowed down deliveries for certain First Class Mail and Periodicals. Then in April, customers were hit with two new shipping charges from the USPS for nonstandard size packages.
But changes to shipping timeframes and costs didn't stop there. The Postal Service slowed down delivery times for almost one-third of all small, lightweight packages by implement new service standards in May. And in July, the USPS hiked prices for customers sending First Class mail by 6.5 percent.
The agency has long threatened more changes, including some that customers would be unenthusiastic about. Now, one of those dreaded updates is on the horizon.
USPS is planning another adjustment in the new year.
Get prepared for your mail to go up in cost yet again. The Postal Service issued a press release on Oct. 7, warning Americans about new plans to hike prices.
According to the announcement, the USPS has filed notice with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) to raise several shipping costs for customers in the new year. The agency said these price changes are set to take effect Jan. 22, "if favorably reviewed by the Commission."
The agency said the proposed price increases are due to inflation.
The USPS said that the proposed changes will raise First-Class Mail prices overall by around 4.2 percent. The increases are meant to "offset the rise in inflation," and include raising the price of the First-Class Mail Forever Stamp by three cents from 60 cents to 63 cents.
"The price for 1-ounce metered mail will increase to 60 cents, and the price to send a domestic postcard will increase to 48 cents. A 1-ounce letter mailed to another country would increase to $1.45," the Postal Service explained in its news release, adding that it is "also seeking price adjustments for Special Services products including Certified Mail, Post Office Box rental fees, money order fees and the cost to purchase insurance when mailing an item."
But at least two shipping costs will remain the same, according to the USPS. "There will be no change to the single-piece letter and flat additional-ounce price, which remains at 24 cents," the agency said.
The Postal Service just temporarily raised prices for the holidays.
Prices were actually just increased for USPS customers on Oct. 2, but thankfully for a limited time. As part of a seasonal adjustment to help cover costs during the busy holiday shipping season, the Postal Service raised prices for "key package products" in the Priority Mail Express (PME), Priority Mail (PM), First-Class Package Service (FCPS), Parcel Select, and USPS Retail Ground sectors. These prices are set to go back on Jan. 22—which is the date the USPS is now looking at to enact a permanent increase on prices.
This should have come as no surprise to customers, who have likely been dreading another increase in mail costs. During a public meeting with the USPS Board of Governors on Aug. 9, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy warned Americans that he believes the agency needs to continue to make "more aggressive" changes to its pricing structure. At the time, DeJoy said that despite recent improvements, the Postal Service is still projected to lose around $60 to $70 billion over the next 10 years.
"As everyone knows, inflation has hit the nation hard, and the Postal Service has not avoided its impact. We expect inflation to exceed our expectations by well over a billion dollars against our planned 2022 budget," DeJoy explained. "Because of this, my recommendation to the governors will be to remain on course to raise prices again in January."


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When Apex Legends announced a major overhaul of the game's shield mechanic back in Season 4, removing loot-based armor in favor of the 'Evo Shields' which level up as players deal more damage, the change was met positively by fans of the game. Rather than players just being rewarded for lucking into stronger armor as loot, players would now be given the opportunity to earn higher shield numbers by excelling in combat and dealing big damage. The shield rework was a massively popular addition to Apex, and fans have requested similar changes to other aspects of the game's defensive mechanics.
A recent post from Reddit user IntelligentImbicle to the Apex Legends subreddit proposed similar 'Evo'-based changes to the game's helmets and knockdown shields, suggesting that players could be allowed to start with both at the beginning of a game and upgrade them based on their Evo Shield level. The suggested change, however, would not touch Gold helmets or knockdown shields, as the game's highest tier of Armor comes with special effects like golden helmets providing increased recharge on abilities or knockdown shields giving players the ability to self-revive.
The idea of players starting a match with certain items wouldn't be the first time Apex Legends has put forward the idea of giving players a simple starting loadout, as Respawn has experimented with the idea before. Apex's popular Locked and Loaded game mode starts players with a handful of low-tier items and completely removes gray rarity loot, allowing players to only find stronger equipment and gear themselves up much faster than in standard games. A similar change to helmets and knockdown shields would remove two lower-tier loot drops from the pool of potential upgrades.
Apex Legends is entering an exciting time as the game moves into the third year since the popular battle royale debuted. Alongside Season 12 launching with Mad Maggie last month, Apex Legends Mobile recently launched pre-registration for the highly-anticipated mobile version, with players in some regions of the world already able to play with a limited regional launch coming late last month. Alongside rumors of new maps and numerous leaks detailing future content, Apex Legends looks to have plenty in store for its fans in the near future.
Apex Legends is available now for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One with a Mobile version available in select regions.


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2019 has been set to be the “Year of the Vegan”, with beauty industry brands starting to become more animal friendly. At the moment the cruelty-free and vegan skin care products are becoming the ‘must-haves’ in the beauty industry today. But what is actually meant by cruelty-free?
If something is cruelty-free, it means that there were no animals hurt or killed in the testing/creation of a product. In recent years, many beauty companies have been boycotted for their use of animal testing which has since led to so many new and amazing plant-based ingredients being used in our products today.
From big name brands like LUSH to drugstore brands like Superdrug, vegan skin products are the most wanted at the moment and even more brands are even going cruelty-free. In November 2018, Covergirl announced that they were officially going cruelty-free and in stores today you can clearly see the cruelty-free certification.
MORPHE, who are another big brand in the beauty industry, also confirmed their cruelty free status in 2018. In a statement written by MORPHE, the company said:
“MORPHE absolutely does not use any of our products on animals for testing purposes and we do not condone the use of animals for cosmetic testing, this also includes companies we work with.”
It might be alarming to learn that the reason why some companies still chose to test on animals is because of China. Chinese law states that that animal testing is required by any foreign beauty companies. Therefore, if a company wants to sell their products in China then they have to abide by those laws.
But why China?
Believe it or not, China is an interesting market for foreign companies and the beauty industry in China is worth over 26 billion – which is enough for companies to want to sell their products there.
To gather a better insight on the world of veganism, I spoke with Katrina Wade from Hokey Coconut, a Leeds-based vegan skin care company to discuss her opinions on going cruelty free.
How did Hokey Coconut come about?
Growing up I suffered from really bad acne and whenever I used chemically based products, my skin would always react even more. I was always fond of the outdoors and seeing what Mother Nature would have to offer, so I decided to create my own brand that celebrated nature and helped to nourish the most sensitive of skins.
Do you think using cruelty free products are better than the non-cruelty free?
From my own experience, I would say they are 100% better. Going cruelty free, you are not only helping animals, but you are also allowing the products of nature enhance your face and make it happier and healthier.
What is your stance on companies who’re still refusing to go cruelty free?
At the end of the day they are a business and if they find testing on animals is harmless when making money then that is what they’ll do. There are so many big companies out there that still test on animals and even with the boycotting that goes on, they’re still earning so to me there’s still work that needs to be done.
In years to come, do you think all beauty products will end up vegan?
That is a tough one. As I said earlier, if the companies are more for earning that extra bit of money from selling in countries like China then they are highly unlikely to change. However, most of the conversions to veganism have happened due to customers protesting so you never know at this moment in time.
What advice would you give to consumers who want to go cruelty free?
Most cruelty free products will have the PETA bunny symbol on their packaging. However, don’t be alarmed if you cannot find it. Just because a company does not have the bunny on their products, does not mean they are not cruelty free. Just make sure you search the company and read their policies, just so you know what they are all about.
Here at shutupmarie, I’ve rounded up my top 3 vegan skin-care products that you should consider trying!
Lifted Contouring Cream, £3.39, Superdrug.
This light weight cream promises to give you an instant tightening effect on the skin with its major use of seed oil. Perfect for your skin and an absolute bargain!
Honey Trap Lip Balm, £7.50, LUSH.
A good lip-balm is a girl’s best friend. The use of almond oil in this product is not only vegan but helps to moisturising and condition the lips. This balm is just the one for anybody with chapped lips or in need of a good gloss effect.
Overnight Clearing Gel, £46.50, Dermalogica.
Despite the priceyness of the product, this vegan and cruelty-free gel features tea tree that aids in clearing spots and fighting redness of the face.


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How to protect from Identity theft in India? Identity theft is the process by which your personal digital credentials that uniquely identify you, such as user id and password, are compromised.
Identity theft has emerged as one of the biggest crimes of the new millennium. It is an enemy that won’t strike you from the front. Rather, it will stab you from the back when you are least expecting. It can bring you from riches to rags within minutes. According to Venkat Krishnapur, vice-president of Engineering and Managing Director, McAfee India, identity theft is one of the fastest-growing crimes of this century. Indians should worry more because, according to the McAfee India official, the country has been a soft target for organized cybercrime and identity theft.
“It has become a common occurrence (in India) owing to human negligence, improper disposal of records, misconfigured databases and other unintended security issues,” Krishnapur told FE Online.
As India celebrates the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi – the man who fought for Independence against the tyranny of British Raj through Satyagraha, non-cooperation and non-violent means, today, it is probably the best day for you to take inspiration and start a movement against identity theft. All you need to do is practice some instructions mentioned below. But before that, it is important to understand the meaning of identity theft.
What is Identity Theft?
Identity theft is also known as identity fraud. Krishnapur defines it simply as “the process by which your personal digital credentials that uniquely identify you, such as user id and password, are compromised.” He warns this could lead to situations where a scammer impersonates you to access your finances, credit, medical care, and other valuable assets, including your personal information.
Fraudsters replicate victim’s identity by stealing and using his/her personal information such as name, contact number, driver’s license or Aadhar card number. “Once they have this information, identity thieves can wreak havoc on your life. They can steal from your bank account, impersonate you to get a job, pose as the beneficiary of medical benefits or even provide false identification to the police and create a criminal record in your name,” he warned.
Tactics deployed by fraudsters for identity theft
According to Krishnapur, “Stealing one’s identity is, unfortunately, simple and usually happens when its least expected.” Fraudsters deploy several tactics to steal your personal information and impersonate you. The McAfee expert said some of the common tactics used by fraudsters include:
- Phishing: This has been traditionally used to trick people into revealing their information to identity thieves. They coax users into disclosing personal information by masquerading as genuine financial entities or an associate the recipient trusts or by using other forms of social engineering.
- Vishing: An even simpler form of crime that works the same way is ‘voice phishing’ or ‘vishing’. This makes use of automated scripts and are conducted via voice email, VoIP (voice over IP), or over the telephone. The criminal expresses a sense of urgency, intentionally creating conditions designed to con unsuspecting victims into willingly handing over valuable details, such as full names, addresses, phone numbers, and credit card numbers.
- SMiShing: Another popular scheme is SMiShing, wherein the fraudster sends spam text messages posing as a financial institution or other legitimate entities. The text message poses a sense of urgency, having users believe they will suffer financial losses or other implications if there is no response, thereby luring you to reveal personal information.
- Spyware: While users have grown to be more informed about traditional email-based phishing scams, fraudsters have started using more complex techniques. They deploy spyware, to steal personal or organizational information. Spyware is usually disguised as a popup advertisement, targeting users based on their habits and search history, while also recording the keystrokes, which could read their passwords and credit card information.
How to fight against Identity Theft, protect identity online
Krishnapur suggests some steps you should take immediately to fight against identity theft as its consequences can be devastating and long-lasting. He said protecting oneself begins with an understanding of what identity theft is, and being prepared by walling personal data from thieves. Some of the easy but essential steps that individuals can take are:
Share information judiciously – Be careful while sharing personal information online. Just because a website is asking for your information, doesn’t mean it’s necessary to provide it. Also, limit the amount of information you share on social media. Everyone doesn’t need to know the year you were born
- Learn to spot spam and scams – Although some phishing scams are easy to identify, other phishing attempts can appear legitimate. Exercise caution when clicking on links and opening email attachments. If the link/attachment is from someone you don’t recognize, don’t open it
- Use complex, unique passwords and change them regularly – Weak passwords are an identity thief’s dream – especially if you use the same password for all your accounts. To stop thieves from accessing your data, mix up your passwords. Avoid including your name in any password and change it anytime you suspect an account is compromised
- Keep an eye on your bank and credit card statements – Look for questionable activity and ensure you identify every transaction, no matter how small
- Install security software – Make sure all your devices have comprehensive security software like McAfee LiveSafe, that protects all your devices
- Beware of OFFLINE Identity Theft: According to Krishnapur, contrary to traditional belief that identity theft can only happen online, there has been an increase in instances where criminals have used offline techniques to replicate one’s identity. He advises to destroy any physical private records and statements that include any personal and/or financial data. “Cross shredding of all-important documents like credit card statements, offers, receipts, can prevent scammers from obtaining personal information and creating fake accounts. While these efforts may not eliminate the threat of identity theft entirely, they can do a lot to limit your exposure to help you stay safe,” he said.


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New Gameplay Today – Monster Hunter: World
You know what’s cooler than a Monster Hunter? A World of Monster Hunters. That’s what Capcom hopes to be the case with their new title Monster Hunter: World. Game Informer’s Jeff Cork and Leo Vader are joined by Monster Hunter super fan Dan Tack to discuss some new exclusive gameplay from the highly anticipated title.


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Is Bed Bath & Beyond Closing Any Stores in Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota?
Bed Bath & Beyond recently announced that they will be closing 63 of their stores by the end of 2020. Unfortunately, we are seeing stores in the midwest once again on the store closing list.
USA Today reported on Friday that Bed Bath & Beyond will be closing 63 of their stores by the end of this year. They have been struggling financially during the pandemic but the financial problems and closings started even before COVID-19 hit.
Back in January, USA Today reported that the company decided that 40 stores would be closing and although Minnesota was not a state on the list, several stores in Iowa and Wisconsin were, including Council Bluffs and West Des Moines in Iowa and the store in Racine, Wisconsin.
According to the story by USA Today, about 200 stores will close in the next two years. The details and locations of the 200 stores has not been revealed but they did release the 63 locations that are closing by the end of 2020.
Bed Bath & Beyond Stores Closing By The End Of 2020
It's good news for Rochester, at least for now. But, do you think that the Rochester store will make it through the next round of closings? Let me know what you think. Send me a message me on my Facebook page - Jessica On The Radio.