text:
X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, has been sending out ad revenue share payments on schedule. However, some creators are still not getting the payouts they hoped for. There are a few key reasons for this:
- X users only earn money from ads seen by other paying users.
- Advertisers may not pay much to reach a creator’s specific audience.
- Posts didn’t receive high engagement like shares or comments.
- The content was unsuitable for advertisers due to restrictions.
An X engineer explained that revenue is exclusively generated from ads viewed by verified/paid accounts. This means it takes payments from three parties – the creator’s fee plus ads seen by two other paying users – to potentially create one revenue share payout.
Creators ask why their payments are low or nonexistent. According to the engineer, low views among fellow paid subscribers are usually the cause. X subscriptions begin at $7.99/month and promise regular earnings of over $10 per month.
However, it’s important to remember that ad revenue on X depends entirely on the size and purchasing power of the premium audience engaged with your specific content. Growing that pool of paying viewers is key to increasing ad revenue potential on the platform.


text:
- Hugh discussing cargobikes on the Jeremy Sallis Breakfast Show on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire
- Bike Radar: Interview with Hugh as part of an article on cargobikes.
- Independent quote Hugh on the differences between UK and Dutch cycling facilities.
- A recent article in the Cambridge Evening News covering our anniversary.
Press about the family bikes we sell
- The Times set out the lifestyle benefits of owning a bakfiets (supplied by us)
- Article on fashion and cycling for women and families
- Velovision review the Bakfiets.nl Cargobike Long (supplied by us)
- The Daily Mail use our Azor bikes in a fashion shoot
- Tony Juniper (Green Party PPC) on his Bakfiets in The Guardian
- Bakfietsen discussed in The Daily Mail
- Dutch article about the success of bakfietsen in the UK (in Dutch)
- Article on bakfiets converted for courier use.
- Article mentioning use of bakfietsen on London school runs.
- Article in The Week praising the bakfiets.nl cargobike and the Onderwater Family Tandem

domain: news


text:
Midterm elections are less than three months away, but there’s already a clear winner in 2014: digital advertising.
A leading ad research firm recently estimated that more than $270 million will be spent across the country this cycle on digital campaign efforts — an 1,825 percent increase from 2010, when the first generation of tablet computers was just hitting the market.
Story Continued Below
And just wait until 2016, when online political spending could top almost $1 billion and for the first time surpass newspapers, direct mail and telemarketing. Digital spending will still lag a long way behind TV, but it’s creeping closer to cable and radio budgets.
The next big thing in political campaigns is finally here, and it represents a nice payday for the likes of Google, Facebook, Pandora and other tech giants that have become mainstays in an American voter’s daily routine.
“In one way, it’s surprising that it’s taken that long,” said Kip Cassino, an executive vice president at Williamsburg, Virginia-based Borrell Associates, the research firm that compiled the ad spending totals and predicted a growing “digital juggernaut” in each upcoming election cycle.
Democratic and GOP candidates inspired by President Barack Obama’s 2012 digital effort are trying to change their ways too, putting Web-savvy staffers in senior slots and interviewing online-focused consultants at the earliest stages of their races.
In some cases, their online advertising is even turning into a primary conduit to get the message out in expensive TV markets like Los Angeles and New York, as well as for targeting coveted demographic groups. Xbox gamers in Florida, for example, saw Gov. Rick Scott’s commercials, while Pandora listeners in Atlanta heard from Senate GOP candidate Jack Kingston.
“If you’re trying to hit males 18 to 34, you probably want to be all digital,” Amanda Bloom, a GOP consultant at BASK Digital Media, said during a conference last month in San Francisco hosted by Campaigns & Elections magazine.
Digital campaign spending still won’t tally anything close to television — which is projected in 2014 to hit almost $4.6 billion and by 2016 to reach a staggering $6.4 billion, according to Borrell Associates. But presuming a race has a solid core of prospective voter and donor targets online, Democratic and GOP strategists alike said that campaigns could set aside as much as 20 percent of their budgets in 2014 for a respectable digital presence.
“There’s no exact figure,” said Brandon Hall, a Los Angeles-based Democratic political consultant and partner at Kully Hall. “It’s just assessing the market and looking at what can be done.”
“There’s still no question that a well-financed TV ad campaign will move numbers the fastest in terms of name identification, in terms of delivering a message that has the biggest impact right away,” he added. “But again, it’s shifting and the digital piece has to be a part of it. It has to be a layered approach.”
The digital transformation is more than a decade in the making, fueled by the demise of old-school live TV watching habits and an onslaught of new gadgets that keep replacing one another in the competitive market for ingesting news and entertainment.
Campaigns are seeing a payoff from the Web too.
Polling conducted immediately after last March’s House special election on the Florida Gulf Coast found online ads had strong penetration with voters — including people 45 and older — for both the winning Republican, now-Rep. David Jolly, and his Democratic rival, Alex Sink.
Perhaps a campaign’s highest aspirational goal for digital: seeing a low-budget Internet ad go viral and turn a losing candidate into a winner. It happened this spring in Iowa, where Republican Joni Ernst went from third to first in the Senate GOP primary in part because of her ‘Let’s make ’em squeal’ ad, which celebrated her résumé castrating hogs.
“Talk about a really, really good case study of how digital and traditional media can work together. Pig castration is where it’s at. That’s the key to success,” said Wesley Donehue, head of the GOP consulting firm Push Digital, which was working for the front-runner Mark Jacobs when Ernst’s digital ad landed. He noted with some irony that the hog ad helped Ernst raise enough money to start running it on TV.
Recognizing the demand, the major technology giants are bulking up on Washington strategists and retaining election-minded salesmen eager to monetize their corporate presence in the constantly connected life of an American voter.
“We’re helping fill the coffers of campaigns right now,” said Sean Duggan, Pandora’s vice president for ad sales, recalling that the music streaming service’s users are asked only four things when they sign up: age, gender, ZIP code and email address.
“We have 250 million emails on file,” he added.
Television itself is also adjusting to the digital wave.
Major TV ad buying firms like GMMB for the Democrats (it spent more than $411 million for Obama in 2012) and OnMessage for the Republicans now tout their own in-house digital teams. And campaigns have finally caught up to corporate America with cross-promotion TV commercials drawing voters to donate and like their Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube pages.
“If you were asking me what’s the single biggest change in advertising content in the political ads we see in 2012 and now, that’s it,” said Elizabeth Wilner, head of Kantar Media CMAG, a firm that tracks political advertising.


text:
An inbuilt ‘black box’ could soon become a common feature in many cars.
The main goal of tracking your driving behaviour, such as braking and acceleration, is to make driving safer.
However, some parties have now voiced concerns that some of the features of these tracking devices are too intrusive to be justified.
So what exactly are the pros and cons of the technology?
Insurances have started using ‘black boxes’ or ‘telematics’ which track how a vehicle is being driven. This includes monitoring the speed, driving frequency etc. This data will then be used to calculate the insurance fee for each driver.
Telematics base your insurance fee on your personal driving skills. This could mean that careful drivers could avoid having to pay premium rates, something which could greatly benefit younger drivers with irresponsible drivers remaining on premium rates.
One concern that was raised was that soon the tracking device might start monitoring behaviour, such as the sending of text messages, which many people feel would be too intrusive.
Soon this technology could become an opt-out rather than an opt-in feature for insurances. Those refusing a tracking device will have to pay more or might be refused insurance coverage altogether.
TomTom have brought out a device that lets you track the location of your business’ vehicle fleet in real-time.
The pros of this are that you know where all your vehicles are at any given time and you’ll be able to manage them better and update customers on the location of a delivery van etc.
However, some employees feel that this kind of tracking interferes with their privacy rights as employers can now track their daily activities in and out of the workplace. This kind of invasive monitoring is therefore frowned upon by many employees and can cause significant tension at the workplace.
In the first half of 2011 it was reported that £7.5 million worth of used and new cars were to returned to their owners, which was more than 90% of vehicles fitted with a tracker product. In 2013, data released by vehicle recovery service Tracker.co.uk highlighted that the BMW X5 4×4 was the most favoured by Car thieves.
Installing a tracking device into your car can come in handy should ever be stolen. Especially high-value cars could profit from this. Mercedes Benz is one of the car manufacturers that offers tracker units to customers who are taking out a Chauffeur Complete Care or Chauffeur Service Care plan. A high percentage of stolen cars with a tracking device are returned within 24 hours.
Tracking devices in your car certainly have their pros and cons. Stolen vehicles can be reclaimed much faster and good drivers don’t have to pay a premium insurance fee just because they’re young. Nonetheless, these devices raise plenty of privacy issues especially when employers start tracking their employee’s exact movements.


text:
The stake sale managed to get total bids for Rs 11,107 crore for 28.74 crore shares, against the offer of 24.28 crore shares.
PFC is the second public sector enterprise to be divested in the current fiscal under the government's disinvestment programme.
Sun TV stock has crumbled 47 percent from its 52-week high level
At close, shares of Jet Airways ended 0.67 percent higher at Rs 412.60 on the BSE. During the day, it rose by 4.18 percent to Rs 427.
The scrip ended the day with a gain of 4.39 percent at Rs 901.65 on the BSE. During the day, it surged 4.95 percent to Rs 906.50.
Other cigarette stocks also faced selling pressure. VST Industries fell by 3.79 percent, Golden Tobacco was down 3.21 percent and Godfrey Phillips India Ltd lost 1.79 percent on the BSE.
At 3.12 pm, the stock was trading 2.88 percent high at Rs 171.20 than last close. In the intra-day session so far, the share rallied between Rs 170.55 to Rs 177.40 when this report was being written.
Tata Motors fell almost 4 percent in the morning trade today following the news of its managing director Karl Slym's death.
Staff at the Toansa facility were found to have retested raw materials and other ingredients after the items failed analytical testing "in order to produce acceptable findings," and did not report or investigate the failures, the FDA said.

The investor darling today recorded its worst percentage loss since October 17. However, the stock had rallied almost 10 percent in the run-up to its results so far in the year 2014.

In 2013, Land Rover sales rose 15 percent to 348,383 units while Jaguar nearly doubled its sales to 76,668 units. The Jaguar F-Type, the company's new sports car, and Land Rover's Range Rover Sport and Range Rover Evoque were favourites among buyers.

Telecom stocks today faced selling pressure, falling as much as 4.4 per cent, after the Delhi High Court held that the Comptroller and Auditor General of

 India (CAG) can audit the accounts of private telecom operators under the relevant provisions of the law.
Infosys is poised to overtake ITC as the stock with biggest weighting in the benchmark BSE Sensex and broader Nifty.

Shares of most Indian IT companies have been on the rise in the past few months, due to expectations of a rise in demand in the coming year. Most large and mid-size IT players have hinted at a marginal uptick in spending by clients and a rise in discretionary spending during 2014.


text:
Open Source Virtual Reality, a Razer-spearheaded coalition that was introduced at CES 2015 in January, has announced 12 new partners.
OSVR aims to build an open source VR platform that developers and hardware makers can use to create virtual reality devices and experiences across multiple operating systems.
- What cool gadgets will you buy in 2015?
Existing OSVR partners Razer and Sensics are today joined by 12 new companies, including 3DRudder, a maker of foot-powered controllers; Cyberith, maker of a VR "locomotion device;" Impulsonic, which creates spatial audio solutions; Jaunt, dedicated to making VR more cinematic; Lucidscape, builder of a new 3D engine; and game developers Pixel Titans and Tammeka Games.
The new partners also include SoftKinetic, which is working on "DepthSense" hand interaction for VR; Sonic VR, another 3D sound company; Tactical Haptics, which wants to improve controller rumble technology; VR Bits, another content creator; and VR Union, a maker of business-facing virtual reality hardware.
The year of VR
OSVR also announced the Open Source Virtual Reality Academia Program, by which it will provide 10 free OSVR Hacker dev kit units and source code access to interested universities.
This may prove to be the year of virtual reality, and with OSVR, Samsung, Sony, and even LG and Google offering their own versions, it's clear by now that Oculus Rift - the VR headset that kicked off the current movement - is no longer the only giant on the field.
With VR going open source, that can only get more true.


text:
Caption: (L – R) Hon Pinto Katia, Minister for Commerce, Industry and Trade and Kiribati officials with Secretary General TuilomaNeroni Slade at the signing of the MoU at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in Suva.
Kiribati becomes the second country to sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish the Pacific Regional Trade and Development Facility (the Facility). Vanuatu was the first to sign the MoU at the Pacific ACP Trade Ministers Meeting held in May 2013 in Nadi.
While signing the MoU on behalf of the Government of Kiribati, the Honorable Pinto Katia, Minister for Commerce, Industry and Trade, highlighted the importance of Aid for Trade for small island economies such as Kiribati. “This MoU is the first step for the countries from the Pacific region to join efforts to highlight the importance of proper channeling of adequate aid to assist in the development of trade in the Pacific island countries,” Hon. Katia said.
“Investing in the development of trade will assist our economies to provide employment and improve the livelihood of our people. The MoUprovides the region with a great opportunity for coordinated partnership between all stakeholders in providing Aid for Trade,” Hon. Katiasaid. “Coordinated efforts in trade facilitation, promotion and capacity building activities will enhance and maximise the benefits from the resources available to the Pacific region, and Kiribati looks forward to benefiting from such arrangements,” Hon. Katia added.
The Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Tuiloma Neroni Slade, thanked the Government of Kiribati for its commitment to the MoU to establish the Facility.
“The Pacific Regional Trade and Development Facility has the potential to provide regional trade-related assistance in a timely and effective manner and to enhance the ability of Pacific Island Countries to actively participate in the international trading system.” Mr. Slade stated. “I congratulate Kiribati for signing the MoU. The Facility is expected to play a vital role in assisting development partners in coordinating their Aid for Trade resources for the Pacific region.” Mr Slade added.
“We look forward to other Pacific ACP States to follow suit in signing the MoU in view of the importance of the Facility in securing Aid for Trade resources.” Hon. Katia stated.
“The Pacific ACP region is currently in the final stages of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations with the European Union (EU). Development Cooperation is an important part of the EPA. EU’s support and commitment is being sought to provide resources to the Pacific ACP States in the implementation of the EPA through the Facility,” Hon. Katia said. “The EPA Aid for Trade needs and other important issues will be discussed at the upcoming EPA negotiations that will be held in Brussels in the coming weeks from 24 June- 5 July,” Hon. Katia confirmed.
“I thank the Forum Secretariat for its continued support and engagement with the Pacific Island countries in progressing the trade and development agenda in the region,” Hon. Katia concluded.
The MoU is now open for signature by other Pacific Island Countries, Development Partners, and regional and international organisationsthat wish to benefit from and support the Facility.


text:
As part of the National Year of Digital Inclusion, the ACCANect Conference will "focus on how to empower consumers to get and stay connected to the phone and broadband services they need".
CeBIT Australia 2016 closed yesterday evening after three days showcasing the latest tech innovations to thousands of visitors, for start-ups, SMEs, enterprise, government and more - and now 2017 beckons!
CeBIT Australia is being held at Sydney Olympic Park, with the event always best experienced in person, but a live stream of selected events can be seen right here.
Global entrepreneurial hub ‘Rare Birds’ has announced a full roster of 48 speakers headlining the largest entrepreneurial event of its kind to ever take place in Australia.
CeBIT has released the program for this year’s event which will kick off on 2 May in Sydney with a line-up of over 100 international and local Australian technology leaders.
Pause Fest and Melbourne’s Federation Square are pressing play on announcing the upcoming ‘Pause Fest’ creative tech conference in Melbourne, being held on 8 to 14 February 2016.
Bitcoin has popularised the concept of the ‘Block Chain’, with the Feb 2016 Block Chain conference in San Francisco scoring IBM as keynote presenter.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has announced registrations are now open for RadComms 2016, ‘Australia’s leading spectrum management conference.’
Billed as ‘Australia’s largest startup conference’ with 2000 attendees and tech industry superstars, SydStart will see the debut of UberPITCH in Australia.
Jabra has added the SPEAK 810 conference speakerphone to its range, promising ‘flawless call experiences’, improved productivity and better meeting collaboration by eliminating common pain points.
With plenty of debate over the disruptive forces of Uber, Airbnb, Apple Music and others, a Sydney-based tech innovation conference will look at ‘disruption for good’.
At its first major global conference, Tech World in Beijing, Lenovo has launched an impressive new Thinkpad, new consumer notebooks, a new collaboration with Microsoft and more!
Everyone is developing an Internet of Things OS, from Apple’s HomeKit to Huawei’s LiteOS to Samsung’s ARTIK to Microsoft’s Windows IoT - with Google’s Brillo to shake 'things' up!
Lenovo is holding its first ‘Tech World’ conference on 28 May 2015 in Beijing, China, with Microsoft, Intel and Baidu CEOs to participate - Ashton Kutcher too?
Samsung has introduced a new family of low-power chips designed for next-gen IoT devices at San Francisco’s Internet of Things World conference.
Veeam’s new regional conference brought together top partners from A/NZ to demonstrate how to best address customer needs and to announce top partner awards.
Box office king Will Smith made waves at Defcon on the weekend, after he made a surprise appearance to do research for an upcoming movie.
The "The Internet Show Australia" conference organized by Terrapinn will take place in Melbourne on 30 Apr 2012.
Have you ever recorded a video clip on your iPhone - only to discover it has deleted itself after trying to get the camera application to respond'¦ and are wondering why?
Hundreds from Australia and New Zealand are connecting to redefine Customer Engagement
I find it strange that things like watching streaming media such as Netflix or listening to music should be classifieded[…]
thanks for this post
There's a lot more in US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers' decision than you have reported here. Apple won all[…]
I'm a retired proofreader with a lot of free time on my hands and would happily work as a moderator[…]
All this ruling does is clarify the situation and confirm the commonsense proposition that what has long been generally unlawful[…]


text:
After 93 days of internet blackout in the NS & SW regions of Cameroon, President Biya has responded to the people’s cry, asking him to reinstall internet in the regions. In relation to a tweet from CRTV, the president orders the restoration of internet connection in the two English-speaking regions.
— Befoune. (@befoune) April 20, 2017
President orders restoration of Internet connection in the two english speaking regions
— CRTVweb (@CRTV_web) April 20, 2017
This internet reinstallation is coming a few days after the UN representative came to Cameroon ordering for the release of all those who had been arrested, and for the reinstallation of internet.
The internet blackout in the two anglophone regions of Cameroon, brought about the #BringBackOurInternet. Used by most Southern Cameroonians on social media, #BringBackOurInternet is finally reaping its fruits. Before you say its not the hashtag that let to the reinstallation of internet, Know that the solidarity of the people gave them hope.


text:
Here you'll find the latest news and articles from Coversure. For Coversure family updates to the latest industry news, you're in the right place.
01 October 2020
With 82% properties in the UK underinsured and leaving their owners open to potential significant losses in the event of a claim, getting the right level of protection is vital. In this case study we see how Mike from our Bedale office helped a client escape the underinsurance trap.Read more...
11 June 2020
We are pleased to announce that from the 15th June 2020 some of Coversure’s offices will be reopening their doors to the public. Following the government’s announcement that non-essential retail businesses can reopen, there will be a gradual reopening of our offices.Read more...
18 March 2020
As you are doubtless aware, the Coronavirus has spread to the UK necessitating changes to the way we all go about our daily business. At Coversure we have developed a robust set of contingency plans that will enable us to continue to provide you with the high-quality insurance service that you have come to expect.Read more...
Coversure Insurance Services Ltd is Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Ref: 309041
Registered address Coversure House, Vantage Park, Washingley Road, Huntingdon, PE29 6SR.
Registered in England No: 2381990 | © Coversure


text:
© The Financial Times Ltd 2015 FT and 'Financial Times' are trademarks of The Financial Times Ltd.
February 14, 2014 6:13 pm
Good news, Whole Foods shoppers. Now a trip to the grocery store will cost, perhaps, just half that paycheck. The company that made organic food part of the mainstream diet – for a cost – has been cutting prices and running promotions. And, gasp, it has added “more high-grade conventional” (read: not organic) offerings. That is bad news for Whole Foods shareholders, in the short term. The shift has hit both sales and the share price.
Whole Foods faces growing competition from other speciality chains, such as Sprouts Farmers Market, which have adopted Whole Foods’ mantra, and from traditional grocers such as Kroger, which have introduced healthier options. That is to be expected when a company hits on a recipe for success. The uneven US economic recovery has also highlighted the importance of price.
In the three months to January 19, comparable store sales at Whole Foods rose 5.4 per cent, against a long-term average of 7 to 8 per cent growth. Like just about every other retailer that has produced lacklustre sales of late, Whole Foods blames Old Man Winter and the economy. But it also said that the rate of price growth slowed – to 2 per cent year on year in the past quarter from 3 per cent in the previous one. The company also cut its full-year earnings targets – it now expects up to 12 per cent growth against a previous target of up to 15 per cent.
Initially, the lower prices hit results because customers are buying the same items for less. Over time, the hope is that the lower costs will give existing customers the incentive to buy more coconut water, grass-fed beef and the like as well as draw new shoppers through the door. But such transitions take time.
Investors are impatient. Whole Foods shares lost 7 per cent after the results this week. At $53, they trade at 31 times forward earnings. which suggests that Whole Foods is still a growth story. Indeed, it runs 373 stores and puts the opportunity at 1,200 in the US alone (it has 16 stores outside the US). Given the threats from rivals, the current strategy should put the company in a better competitive position in the long run. But shares look fully valued until the changes bear fruit.
Email the Lex team in confidence at email@example.com
Please don't cut articles from FT.com and redistribute by email or post to the web.


text:
25 May 2017 ‘Feed the Need’ giving event Sunday
Faulkner County residents have an opportunity to help alleviate hunger this summer through the “Feed the Need” event on Sunday, May 28.
Local churches, organizations and individuals are invited to go to any of the five participating locations between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. to purchase select food items and leave them on location to be distributed to hungry families in the community.
“Feed the Need” trucks will be on site at Walmart on Dave Ward, Walmart Neighborhood Market on Prince Street, both Kroger stores on Salem Road and Oak Street, and 10 Box on Harkrider Street. Shopping lists with needed items will be available and the stores will pull items forward during the event for the convenience of shoppers. After purchasing the items, volunteers will collect food at the trucks and prepare for delivery to the StoreHouse Food Pantry at the Conway Ministry Center.
“Faulkner County residents may be unaware of the food insecurity that exists in their own community. As we officially launch into summer, this insecurity becomes an even greater concern for many low-income parents in the area,” said Spring Hunter, executive director of the Conway Ministry Center.
Arkansas ranks second in the nation for hunger, with 19.1 percent of Arkansans not knowing where their next meal will come from. One in four children and one in four seniors are at risk for hunger in Arkansas even with nutrition programs like SNAP. With school closing for the summer, children who normally receive free breakfast and lunch during the school year will be at an increased risk for hunger over the next three months.
The StoreHouse is a client choice food pantry that allows hungry families to shop for foods that meet the family’s individual needs. The Storehouse also provides clothing, shoes, hygiene and household products. Food collected through Feed the Need will be distributed directly through the Storehouse, as well as supporting other pantries in the community.
“Feed the Need” is one day only.
For more information or a complete shopping list, visit conwayministrycenter.org.


text:
After oil prices cratered two years ago, leading to lost jobs across the energy industry, many West Texas workers found relief in what seemed an unlikely place: solar power.
Instead of the boom-and-bust cycle of the oil and gas market, these workers sought stability in longer-term construction projects building facilities that harness solar power. Those opportunities, fueled by lower prices for solar panels, helped prevent widespread unemployment, said Doug May, the executive director of the Fort Stockton Economic Development Council.
“We were able to put people to work in the construction industry on these solar facilities who were working in the oilfield,” May said. “It’s enabled us to keep our economy stable.”
The respite may be short-lived. Solar industry advocates are warning that a case facing the U.S. International Trade Commission could significantly raise the price of solar panels in the United States, stunting growth across the country, but especially in Texas.
In April, Suniva Inc., a Georgia-based solar panel manufacturing company, filed a petition with the Trade Commission requesting protection from foreign competition. Solar manufacturing abroad has recently flooded the American solar market, lowering prices for panels here. Suniva, which recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, wants the commission to effectively set a tariff and bar imported solar panels below a certain price level.
The effects to the American solar industry could be “devastating,” said Abigail Ross Hopper, the CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association, a national organization. The group, which is fighting the case in Washington, D.C., estimates Texas could lose more than 6,000 jobs in the construction, wiring and development segments of the solar industry if the price of solar panels rises.
The cheaper imports have fueled growth in Texas. In 2016, the industry added 2,366 workers in the state, a 34 percent bump from the previous year, according to data from the Solar Foundation, a solar advocacy nonprofit. That growth could be just the beginning: The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which runs the state’s electricity grid, projects that solar power could contribute up to 28,100 megawatts to the grid within the next 10 to 15 years, an enormous increase from the roughly 1,000 megawatts currently on the grid.
“Solar in Texas is really coming on strong. We have seen tremendous cost reductions over the past several years,” said Charlie Hemmeline, the executive director of the Texas Solar Power Association, a state-based industry group.
And while the Trade Commission will not rule on the Suniva case until September — President Donald Trump will make the final decision on any potential remedies — some solar companies in Texas are already feeling effects.
Clay Butler is the CEO of 7X Energy, an Austin company that develops large solar farms and sells the power they generate to utilities and corporations. His company is preparing to sell more than 400 megawatts of solar power in Texas — “hundreds of millions of dollars invested in the state," he said.
But concerns about the trade case have already stalled progress on the company’s plans here. With the potential for more expensive solar panels in the United States, Butler said locations abroad are looking more compelling for solar developers than sun-drenched Texas.
“If we cannot compete here, we need to go to other countries, whether it’s Australia or Mexico,” Butler said. “We are actively now focusing a lot of our development efforts in other countries.”
And as solar developers begin to consider their options, the contractors and firms that help build their large-scale solar farms in Texas and elsewhere are also beginning to feel industry tremors.
McCarthy Building Companies is one of the construction firms that helps build solar farms in Texas, employing hundreds of people at a time to complete its projects. Scott Canada, senior vice president of renewable energy at McCarthy, said some projects have recently started to fall through because of the Suniva case.
“We’ve had at least one in West Texas be put on hold and the other we haven’t heard back, but I’m assuming that’s the next shoe to drop,” Canada said. “It’s definitely slowing development. It causes definitely some inefficiency in the business and some direct heartburn" for workers.
To Matthew McConkey, the lawyer representing Suniva before the Trade Commission, concerns about job loss are inflated — “scare tactics” from an industry that favors installation over manufacturing jobs.
“They don’t want to talk about all those lost jobs in [solar panel] manufacturing,” McConkey said.
Some solar panel manufacturers in Texas have seen their business wane as imports have undercut their prices. In the past year, Mission Solar Energy, a solar panel manufacturer based in San Antonio, has laid off more than 200 employees. But even though it would benefit from higher solar panel prices, the company does not support the trade case, according to Mission Solar Energy spokeswoman Nicole Howard.
“While we acknowledge that foreign competition is a challenge for our company, we object to Suniva’s petition as it currently stands,” Howard wrote in a statement. “Despite Suniva’s claims, solar manufacturing in the U.S. has seen growth in past years.”
Hemmeline, with the Texas Solar Power Association, said that panel manufacturing represents only a small part of the solar industry, both nationally and in Texas.
“When you think about the solar industry and the different job pieces, I think it’s important to keep in mind it’s just one of those pieces," he said.
But Bret Biggart, the CEO of Austin-based Freedom Solar Power, which installs solar panels on commercial and residential properties, said that price increases tend to be more consequential in Texas, a conservative state where people are less mobilized by the urgency of climate change.
“It’s less compelling than it is in California and a lot of East Coast states," he said, "and so the impact is potentially a lot greater in a state like Texas."
The Trade Commission will have its first hearing on the case in August.
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly described 7X Energy's operations.


text:
I awoke this morning to have several friends post me the news that 'Barkers' of Bradford had been closed by the police for 21 days, while court proceedings are to take place. The Bradford local paper quoted me from the campaign I headed back in 2011, calling on the shop to be closed down. I even ended the day being interviewed by my old friends at BCB, the wonderful community radio station.
All good news - Barkers had always felt like unfinished business from my previous incarnation as city centre priest in that beautiful West Yorkshire City.
For those unfamiliar with the story, Barkers had always pretended to be a newsagent, but actually made its money from selling replica weaponry, real weapons such as crossbows and assorted knives, knuckledusters, plus a whole load of other dodgy and violent stuff. All semi-legal, 'collectors' were allowed to have them in their homes. I had always hated the shop, on a prominent site opposite where I used to get my bus - the window full of horror and stuff to kill people.
But when the so called 'Crossbow cannibal' was on trial for killing three women barely 200m from the shop - the owner decided to put on a special 'crossbow sale'. With the families of victims walking around and the shock the case had caused the city, I went into the shop and asked them to remove the crossbow sale. Initially, the owner said he would - but days later the offending killing machines were still on sale - so I went back in with a reporter from the Telegraph and Argus local paper.
The owner swore at us and told us to get out, and leave him to conduct his business in peace. And so the battle commenced. The papers and radio station joined in, so did a local MP. Privately the police told us they wanted to see the back of it because it was linked to local criminality, but the shop always managed to stay just within the law.
We put peace stickers on the windows in front of the weapons, we held vigils on Good Friday in front of the shop, and held a successful petition from neighbouring shops and those in the street calling on the shop to stop selling crossbows. When I left Bradford in 2012, the campaign was still in its infancy, and I felt frustrated that we had failed to see the place close.
So the news of 'Barkers' demise has come as a great relief. It doesn't end the ridiculous law that allows people to buy lethal crossbows, but it does show that that these shops lead to criminality, the reason for the police action. Hopefully this time the owners will not be able to find a legal loophole and manage to stay open. But at least for now, I've finally got some closure.


text:
Following the successful delivery of sister ship Dettifoss earlier this year, leading Icelandic transportation and logistics company Eimskip has taken delivery of Brúarfoss, the second of two new 2,150 TEU container vessels built in China. Together, they are now the largest vessels in the company’s fleet.
Partner Grant Eldred and associate Ellis van der Vos assisted Eimskip in relation to the delivery of the vessel, built at Guangzhou Wenchong Shipyard in partnership with China Ship Trading Company, as well as the financing arrangements with German bank KfW IPEX-Bank Gmbh and ECA backed financing from Chinese insurer Sinosure.
Despite the ongoing disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic, all parties worked together via a virtual closing meeting across China, Iceland, the UK, Germany and the Faroe Islands to achieve completion, and delivery of Brúarfoss was successfully achieved 9 October 2020.
The Faroe Islands flagged vessel will now begin the voyage from China to Iceland, before formally entering into service in a few weeks’ time.
The vessel has a gross tonnage over 26,000 and has been designed with ice class in accordance with the Polar Code, for the eventual trading route to Greenland. In line with the shipping industry’s sustainability drive, Brúarfoss has been specifically designed to lower emissions of nitrogen oxide, consume less fuel per container unit, and has built-in scrubbers to minimise sulphur oxide emissions.
Grant Eldred, partner in the banking and finance team at Penningtons Manches Cooper, said:
“In these challenging times, the successful deliveries of both the Brúarfoss - and the Dettifoss earlier this year – were great testament to the quality, skill and cooperation of the people embedded in the shipping industry worldwide. Congratulations to all involved.”
Árni Sigurðsson of Eimskip commented:
"It’s a great milestone for Eimskip to take delivery of its second new build, Brúarfoss, following the delivery of Dettifoss earlier this year. In these unprecedented circumstances resulting from the outbreak of Covid-19 and the economic downturn it made a huge difference to have an experienced partner in Penningtons Manches Cooper throughout, providing us with the guidance and assistance to conclude the project in the middle of much uncertainty."


text:
WASHINGTON--The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requesting the agency take enforcement action against ConsumerLab.com, alleging the company is engaged in unfair and deceptive business practices. CRN is requesting the agency force ConsumerLab.com to make a series of changes including making public all test results, regardless of whether companies paid money to ConsumerLab, identifying its contract labs and testing methodologies, and changing its business name.
"Until now, nobody has looked behind the curtain and exposed ConsumerLab.com's tactics," said Annette Dickinson, Ph.D., president of CRN (www.crnusa.org). "It is a business, not a watchdog--one that intimidates manufacturers to pay for its services. We ask FTC to lift the veil this company uses to disguise its true nature."
CRN cited several examples of ConsumerLab.com's allegedly deceptive business practices, including not disclosing the material fact that it requires manufacturers to pay a fee for gaining positive or avoiding negative publicity associated with testing products. According to the complaint, ConsumerLab only publicizes adverse test results from dietary supplement companies that do not pay for testing; companies that do pay and have products that fail to meet testing criteria do not have those results released. Further, the complaint noted, positive test results are only publicized for free if the companies have paid for testing. In addition, CRN alleges the name "ConsumerLab" deceptively suggests the company operates a laboratory.
Tod Cooperman, M.D., president of ConsumerLab.com, issued a response to CRN and FTC, claiming the complaint is full of inaccuracies. "What ConsumerLab.com is and what it does is clearly explained on our Web site and in our book, and we do not violate any FTC regulations," he wrote. Cooperman said ConsumerLab.com publishes the findings for all products it tests and uses outside laboratories to blind the product identities and use the most accurate methodologies. "The reason we do not publicly disclose the names of these labs is because members of your industry have threatened several with loss of business," Cooperman added. The response suggested CRN is "shooting the messenger" by casting doubts on ConsumerLab.com's research and credibility, and requested CRN take immediate corrective action.


text:
George Osborne announced Making Tax Digital back in 2005, but HMRC did not provide much information until early 2017. The intention is that all businesses and landlords will make quarterly submissions to HMRC of their turnover and taxable profits. This would replace the need to file annual tax returns.
A more detailed timetable for its implementation was included in the March 2017 budget:
- April 2018 – All businesses and landlords paying income tax with turnover over the VAT threshold of £85,000
- April 2019 – Businesses and landlords under the VAT threshold but with a turnover of over £10,000
- April 2020 – Any business paying corporation tax
This legislation has been dropped due to the announcement of the General Election but this is likely to be only a temporary delay as both the government and HMRC have indicated their intention that quarterly digital reporting will become mandatory.
HMRC argue that quarterly reporting will provide greater certainty and reduce errors due to better record keeping, but the cynical would say the greatest benefit will be to government borrowing. Once HMRC have quarterly figures it is only to be expected that they will expect taxpayers to pay quarterly rather than to pay after the end of the tax year, as they currently do.
Larger businesses and those already submitting quarterly VAT returns may already be using accounting software that will facilitate the digital reporting but it is likely to have big implications for landlords and small businesses who currently use spreadsheets to produce accounts at the year end to file their tax returns. HMRC has indicated they will provide an online filing tool but as yet we have little information as to what this will entail but small businesses and landlords will have to change the way they operate so that they can submit the necessary information quarterly.
All business owners need to be aware of the implications both for record keeping and for cashflow.


text:
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - A survey of workers in Brazilian companies showed that more than half (or 55%) spend more than their salaries, while another 45% spend "a little less" than they earn.
The survey was conducted by financial consulting fintech Leve. In total, 700 employees from 16 companies were heard.
The goal was to draw a profile of workers' finances. According to Leve, the study drew a worrisome picture of Brazilians' lack of financial control. According to the survey, 35% of workers were only able to maintain their living standards for 3 weeks after ceasing to work.
Debts are . . .


text:
New regulations target “isomers not found naturally in the plant cannabis, but [that] are instead synthetically produced in laboratories”
Freewheeling anti-prohibitionists that we are, we’re rarely able to see positives in anti-drug laws of any type. Even when they seem to make sense on the surface—and especially when they seem good-spirited—they tend to backfire and do the exact opposite of what they’re intended.
Take, for example, the disastrous prohibition on flavored tobacco and vape products in Massachusetts. As we have reported, flavored tobacco and Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems [ENDS] products have been banned for sale in Mass since 2020, a measure intended to “discourage youth e-cigarette use” that included the banning of menthol smokes. In the three years since, there have been several small and large-scale busts involving colorful liquids and cartridges and Newports smuggled in from places like New Hampshire, while every month or so, there’s a new headline about some bodega or rogue independent distributor getting pinched for slinging neon nicotine juice. (Read more here about the extent of the Commonwealth’s war on flavored tobacco including data on seizures in the booming illicit market and related revenue losses).
But with the accelerating proliferation of significantly strong and sometimes toxic synthetic cannabinoids at gas stations and smoke shops—despite adult-use cannabis dispensaries popping up everywhere—it’s hard to throw shade at cities and towns that are trying to get a grip on the issue. Like in Beverly, for example, where the board of health “passed new regulations in an attempt to crack down on the sale of synthetic cannabinoids and decrease the number of stores that sell tobacco products in the city.”
As the Salem News reports, Beverly, which does allow for cannabis dispensaries, passed new regulations that “prohibit the sale, manufacturing and distribution of synthetic products such as delta-8 and delta-10 and would gradually reduce the cap on the number of businesses than can sell tobacco of any kind, including adult-only tobacco stores.”
The News notes that “the new rules were prompted in part by problems at the Cabot Smoke Shop, whose permit was permanently revoked by the Board of Health last year for illegally selling to customers under 21 and selling illegal flavored tobacco.”
“That has really fueled them to crack down on who can sell tobacco,” Health Director Laura DelleChiaie said. “We don’t want to see any of these synthetic products. … We’re trying to get ahead of the game.”
The regulation defines synthetically derived as “any cannabinoid that is altered by a chemical reaction that changes the molecular structure of any natural cannabinoid derived from the plant Cannabis to another cannabinoid found naturally in the plant Cannabis,” and notes:
delta-8, delta-10, and other forms of THC are isomers of delta-9 and, except for trace amounts, are not found naturally in the plant cannabis, but are instead synthetically produced in laboratories…
the production of synthetic, hemp-derived products like delta-8 is not regulated by the federal government or in Massachusetts because the manufacture, sale or distribution of such products is not permitted under state or federal law …
synthetically produced THC products have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA for safe use in any context because there is variability in manufacturing processes, product labeling and amounts of THC concentrations, in addition to reports of hallucinations, vomiting, tremor, dizziness, anxiety and confusion.
The new rules bring fines of up to $5,000 for multiple violations, and follow crackdowns in other municipalities including Boston, where then-Mayor Marty Walsh banned the use, sale or purchase of “synthetic marijuana” in 2015.


text:
If you’re not keen on 50 Cent’s new record, you can spend some of your hard-earned Bitcoins on a holiday instead. Expedia is the latest site to support the cryptocurrency, giving you the option to pay for a hotel reservation with the controversial virtual cash.
The company teamed up with Bitcoin payment processor Coinbase to integrate the service – you should now see the option alongside its usual payment methods such as Visa, MasterCard, American Express and PayPal.
At the moment, it’s hard to tell just how much demand there is for Bitcoin payment support. The currency still feels novel and somewhat volatile, but if the Bitcoin community continues to grow, who knows – we might see a number of other large companies accepting it in the future.
Image credit: Joshua Lott/Getty Images


text:
The senate has asked the Nigerian National Petroleum Cooperation (NNPC) to stop further payment of oil subsidies.
It also asked the cooperation to immediately refund the total sum of N216 billion said to have been used for subsidy payment to the consolidated revenue fund.
The senate issued the orders on Wednesday after adopting the recommendations of its committee that investigated the subsidy payment done without the lawmakers’ approval.
The lawmakers described the payment as illegal and lacking in transparency.
They also ordered the cooperation to pay oil marketers the outstanding arrears of subsidy payment owed them prior to 2017.
More to follow…


text:
Posted by Sheila Shayon on May 21, 2012 04:33 PM
QR codes and augmented reality are hot commodities for mobile marketing, bridging the digital and analog worlds, pushing the edges, out-of-the-box, smart, crazy and fun. A few new mobile promotions that caught our attention:
Austrian crystal purveyor Swarovski is bringing the bling to Facebook with an app that delivers the digital Warholian promise of “15 amazing seconds of fame” by inviting users to submit personal dance videos modeling sunglasses for a chance to win one of 15 pairs of Swarovski Amazing sunglasses.
Bloomingdale’s new Big Brown Bag app (click here for Android) is a play on the store's "Big Brown Bag" bags, letting users create and manage wedding registries and Loyallist rewards points and pay their bill, find discounts and promotions and scan products in-store to view promotions and find other locations. “The launch of our mobile application for iPhone and Android is part of our commitment to enhancing our customer’s omnichannel shopping experience,” said Anne Bridges, SVP site merchandising, Internet productions and planning, to Mobile Commerce Daily. "We’re now inviting couples to use their phones – instead of a gun – to scan items to add to their registry."Continue reading...


text:
Debenhams move away from the “challenging” clothing market helped it notch up a Christmas sales rise.
Trading director Suzanne Harlow said clothing was “particularly challenging”, which had driven the decision to grow other categories, in particular beauty and gifting.
Kantar Worldpanel revealed this morning that fashion market sales fell 2% in the year to December 18, its biggest decline since August 2009.
This has knocked nearly £750m off total fashion sales over the year.
Debenhams made headway on its strategy to reduce dependency on fashion to offset this. Non-clothing grew to 57% of the sales mix over the 18 weeks to January 7, up from 52% in its last financial year.
Beauty sales were up 4% year-on-year over Christmas at Debenhams. According to new chief executive Sergio Bucher, eyeshadow palettes were the top seller, with 300,000 sold over the festive period.
Harlow said Debenhams had achieved “strong market growth” in relation to make-up and now had 34% market share in premium make-up.
Verdict global research director Maureen Hinton said: “Having less dependence on fashion has proved a real asset. [Debenhams] had less promotional activity, despite the challenging clothing market, with fewer clothing options and 7% less stock.”
“Its strength in beauty is a key benefit as beauty, in particular fragrance, is a major gifting category at Christmas, and not only drives sales but also drives footfall into stores, offering the opportunity to upsell other products.
Margins and prices hold firm
Debenhams’ full-year profit guidance was maintained despite the growth in beauty, which holds a lower margin than clothing.
Finance boss Matt Smith said its margin would not be impacted by the strong US dollar in its current financial year, adding that it was fully hedged until the end of August.
This morning Primark warned that its operating profit margin would decline over the year in the face of the strong US dollar.
Meanwhile, Debenhams vowed prices would not rise in its current year. This contrasts with Next and John Lewis, which have both previously warned that prices would rise in 2017 in the face of currency devaluation.
Harlow said: “There will be no price movement this year. However, value is more important than price for our customers. They’re willing to trade up.”
Black Friday here to stay
Black Friday is here to stay, according to Debenhams chief executive Sergio Bucher.
The retailer’s trading director Suzanne Harlow echoed Bucher and said Black Friday was now “the kickstart of Christmas”.
“It’s our biggest day online and second biggest day for stores. We’ve asked our customers and they love it.”
Despite the retailer’s participation in Black Friday, it managed to reduce markdown for the sixth season in a row over Christmas. There was a 2% improvement in full price sell-through over the period.


text:
Facebook users have been warned to keep an eye out for adware, with security firm Sophos saying a hacking attempt was launched over the weekend designed to appear to be sent from friends.
The firm said hundreds of thousands of users have been hit with the fake ads, which appear to show a link to a video called “distracting beach babes”.
The company has said the ad will take users to an app that tells them they do not have the right video player installed. Instead of the real video player, users will download adware designed to spam their computer.
“This is a typical online ‘bait and switch’,” Paul Ducklin, head of technology at Sophos Asia Pacific, said in a statement.
Get daily business news.
The latest stories, funding information, and expert advice. Free to sign up.
“The bait is the movie; the switch is that you don’t get to see a movie – you are tricked into using a bogus Facebook application and into installing unwanted software instead. Other bait-and-switches seen on Facebook include the offer of a free iPad; if you bite, the bait is switched and you are asked to sign up for an expensive SMS service first. Of course, there never was a free iPad.”


text:
Government takes up the plight of Uyghur Muslims
The UK government is introducing new rules to prevent the import of goods suspected of using forced labour in China’s Xinjiang province.
Foreign secretary Dominic Raab told the House of Commons on Tuesday that companies would have to make sure their supply chains are free from forced labour in the Xinjiang province or risk fines.
Raab told parliament there was harrowing evidence of human rights violations in Xinjiang against over a million Uyghur Muslims and that Britain had a moral duty to respond.
China has denied that any such human rights violations are taking place.
Raab said: “Xinjiang’s position in the international supply chain network means that there is a real risk of businesses and public bodies around the world – whether it’s inadvertently or otherwise – sourcing from suppliers which are complicit in the use of forced labour.
“Allowing those responsible for these violations to profit, or indeed making a profit themselves by supplying the authorities in Xinjiang.
“This package put together will help make sure that no British organisation, government or private sector deliberately or inadvertently are profiting from or contributing to human rights violations.
“The overwhelming majority of British businesses would not dream of it. Today’s new regulations will penalise any reckless business that does not take those regulations seriously.”
UK companies will be given robust and detailed guidance on conducting effective due diligence to make sure they do not source products linked to Xinjiang.
Raab said Britain will check sourcing from companies more thoroughly and strengthen the operation of the Modern Slavery Act, with the introduction of fines for businesses that do not comply with their transparency obligations.
The government will also conduct a review of export controls to prevent companies providing products to Xinjiang camps. Any countries that do not comply with procurement rules will be barred from government contracts.
Raab said: “Here in the UK, we must take action to make sure that UK businesses are not part of the supply chains that lead to the gates of the internment camps in Xinjiang.
“And to make sure that the products of the human rights violations that take place in those camps don’t end up on the shelves of supermarkets that we shop in here at home, week in week out.”
The move is likely to further strain ties between London and Beijing.
In the last year, tensions have grown between the UK and China over Beijing’s heavy-handed approach to democracy demonstrations in Hong Kong.
In July, the UK suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong and blocked arm sales to the territory after China imposed a tough new security law on the former British colony.
The government has also ordered Chinese tech giant Huawei to be removed from the UK 5G network by 2027 over concerns the Chinese government could use the company for spying.Last Updated: 14 January 2021


text:
Exactly one year to the day after the Obama and Castro administrations announced they would pursue the normalisation of politics between the US and Cuba, the countries announced on 15 December 2015 a significant achievement in the development of relations between the two states in the form of a deal on air transportation. The deal will allow for the development of regular commercial air travel services between the US and Cuba, paving the way for a widely forecast boom in tourism activity as legal barriers to travel between these markets have been largely removed in the last 12 months.
Now boarding – regularly scheduled flights
Despite an easing in permissions for people looking to travel between the US and Cuba, logistical difficulties remained a significant barrier in 2015 for tourists looking to travel between the US and Cuba. Airline companies have operated occasional charter flights between the US and Cuba, generally from Miami, and the frequency of these flights, offered by airlines including Jet Blue and American Airlines, increased significantly in 2015 as the number of outbound US tourists grew sharply over the course of the year, in light of relaxed restrictions. Non-US airlines currently serve Cuba, including Air Canada, Avianca, and Aeromexico, but do not offer flights connecting Cuba and the US. US travellers could illegally fly to Cuba via a third destination, for example flying to Mexico City and then on to Havana, but this practice was discouraged by the US government, and few US travellers were so determined to visit Cuba that this practice seemed worthwhile.
Inbound Arrivals to Cuba
Source: UNWTO and Euromonitor International
As part of the trade embargo, the US and Cuba has not had a commercial air agreement covering topics, including safety, for years, and a new one had to be in place before regularly scheduled commercial flights could take place. Thursday’s announcement that a commercial air agreement had been reached resolves this issue and removes one of the last remaining officially enforced barriers to open tourism flows between the US and Cuba.
The existing charter flights will likely serve as an introduction for US airlines to launch regular, scheduled flights, since companies operating charter flights will have built some knowledge that potentially can ease issues around safety, cultural differences, and airport logistics. Non-US carriers will likely leverage their existing knowledge of the Cuban air market to introduce more US-Cuba connections. Seat capacity between various cities in the US, not just Miami, and Cuba will likely grow quickly as Delta, United and American, as well as low-cost carriers like Spirit, Southwest and Jet Blue, have all prioritised increasing their route coverage to Latin America and the Caribbean in recent years.
2014 talk becomes 2015 action
The commercial air travel agreement caps off a year of steps that loosen requirements for US travellers looking to visit Cuba. Travel has long remained heavily restricted between Cuba and the US, despite significant historic and personal ties between the two countries and the fact that Cuba is located just 90 miles away from southern Florida, making it the US’ closest geographical neighbour after Canada and Mexico. Travel restrictions were eased considerably in January 2015, following the December 2014 announcement that the US and Cuba would seek to normalise relations. Under the new rules, bureaucratic procedures were reduced and a formal application process was dropped. In most cases, travellers from the US to Cuba in 2015 were effectively able to self-license trips that met criteria for one of a list of numerous approved activities, including family visits, educational activities, humanitarian projects, journalism, and a broadly defined “people-to-people” activities designation.
Travel for general leisure tourism purposes was not one of the newly legalised travel activities, but, in practice, how well a trip met official criteria for allowable travel was not monitored very closely by the US government. Still, throughout 2015, obstacles, including the ban on scheduled air travel between the US and Cuba, remained and independent travel was still challenging for a variety of reasons. First, the intent to normalise relationships does not automatically normalise them. In the months following the White House announcement, negotiations took place between representatives of the two governments on a host of topics, ranging from economic to political and human rights issues. These conversations have remained ongoing throughout 2015.
A second barrier is the state of Cuban infrastructure. Internet access remains limited in Cuba, as is card payment processing equipment. As of July 2015, US credit cards were still not accepted at points of sale throughout the island, and ATMs remain relatively uncommon compared to the US or top tourism destinations for US travellers. Tourism-specific infrastructure, including hotels, taxi services and airports, have developed to support the existing levels of inbound tourism flows to Cuba (in 2014, just under three million travellers from countries other than the US visited Cuba, according to Euromonitor International and UNWTO estimates), but existing capacity is reportedly insufficient for the spike in American tourists widely expected to want to visit Cuba in light of increasingly loosening travel restrictions. US officials claimed that inbound flows of American tourists in Cuba increased by 50% in 2015 compared to 2014, regardless of persisting difficulties and inconveniences, and many tourism agencies are reporting that tour packages and accommodations are already booked for the next 12 to 18 months.
In spite of these challenges, expectations are high for inbound tourism in Cuba in the years to come. In 2014, Cuba registered just under three million inbound tourists, more arrivals than countries like Costa Rica, Iceland and New Zealand, according to the UNWTO. A 2008 study by the International Monetary Fund, to date one of the most thorough analyses of tourism demand to Cuba, estimated that 10 million Americans would go to Cuba each year if they were legally allowed. If even half of that estimate materialised, Cuba would register approximately as many inbound arrivals as India or Australia, and more than Brazil and Argentina.
Inbound Arrivals to Cuba by Source Market
Source: UNWTO and Euromonitor International
This presents a significant opportunity for companies that can establish themselves in Cuba before the rush of tourists arrive. Early winners include Airbnb, which has capitalised on the limited nature of Cuba’s existing hotel stock, its ability to quickly add capacity by recruiting property owners rather than building its own lodging infrastructure, and its ability to leverage its peer-to-peer positioning to market itself towards travellers visiting for “people-to-people” reasons, the broadest class of approved activity by the US government. Maritime companies, not limited by air agreements in the way the airlines were, have also launched Cuba offerings. As of May 2015, passenger ferries were approved to shuttle visitors between Florida and Cuba. MSC Cruises is scheduled to base a cruise ship in Cuba starting in December 2015, Carnival Cruises has announced intentions to offer a “culturally-themed” cruise starting in May 2016, and Norwegian Cruises and Royal Caribbean have acknowledged similar interest in the island.
Still, more investment will be necessary to develop Cuba for the likely increase in tourists to come, and as will careful management of the development of the industry by the Cuban government. Continuing to improve telecommunications infrastructure, specifically internet access, is a priority to facilitate tourism operators’ ability to reach US consumers, who gather much of the travel information and make a large amount of travel plans online, as well as to allow travelers to maintain the level of connectivity they now broadly expect, even while traveling. Increasing hotel as well as air and ground transport capacity should also be viewed as a key task.
Many airlines will be looking to more fully join the ranks of these early entrants to serve the US inbound market in Cuba in the first half of 2016, now that they can coordinate and advertise regular schedules and routes. Greater connectivity with the US, including routes that connect Cuba to cities other than Miami, is the next step to normalising tourism patterns between the US and Cuba and sets the stage for very significant growth – not to mention changes – in Cuba’s tourism industry in 2016.


text:
Samsung has unveiled a highly anticipated digital wristwatch at least weeks ahead of a similar product expected from rival Apple. The so-called smartwatch is what some technology analysts believe could become this year's must-have holiday gift.
Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Gear on Wednesday in Berlin ahead of the annual IFA consumer electronics show.
Samsung says the Gear can act as an extension to a smartphone by discreetly alerting users to incoming messages and calls on its display screen, which measures 1.63 inches diagonally.
Users can even make calls, secret agent-style without getting out their phone.
The Gear also sports a basic camera and works with popular social media and fitness apps such as Twitter and RunKeeper.
Samsung will start shipping the $299 Gear smartwatch in September, ahead of a similar product expected from Apple. I had a chance to play with a pre-production unit for about 10 minutes and briefly with the version that Samsung announced Wednesday in Berlin on the eve of the annual IFA consumer electronics show.
Like similar products already being sold, the Gear is not an independent device. For useful functionality, the Gear needs to be linked with a specific Samsung smartphone or tablet computer. The pairing is done wirelessly over a Bluetooth connection built-in to both sides.
The Gear's display is a touch screen measuring 1.63 inches diagonally. Its strap has an embedded camera. The Gear supports apps such as Facebook and lets the wearer answer incoming calls or check email without picking up the smartphone that's paired with it. The Gear is not the smartwatch disclosed in recent Samsung patent filings with a flexible display.
With smartphones and tablets now ubiquitous, the mobile phone industry is creating a new category of products to wow consumers. Many believe the next big step for consumer electronics is advanced computing technology in everyday objects such as wristwatches and glasses.
Apple is seeking an iWatch trademark. Meanwhile, the response to projects such as Pebble, a smartwatch that received more than $10 million in investment pledges through funding website Kickstarter, also attests to the public interest in this trend.
Samsung is trying to attract not only tech addicts who must have the latest gadget but also young, design-conscious consumers. The Gear's design flair and ease of use are its sweetest attributes, but it may not entirely please either group. Although powered by the Android operating system, like many phones and tablets, it will work only with Samsung devices — and only with newer models.
At about twice the price of the Sony SmartWatch and the Pebble, Gear boasts a camera, a speakerphone and plenty of apps — about six dozen, according to Samsung. Apps include Twitter and sports services such as RunKeeper, which tracks runs and other workouts. Moderate use of the device will require a daily battery top-up with yet another charger to keep track of.
The big disappointment for Samsung gadget owners is that Gear does not work with most of its phones and tablets. The Gear needs the Galaxy Note III, a smartphone with a giant 5.7-inch screen and a digital pen, and the Galaxy Tab 10.1, a tablet computer. Both will go on sale later this month. At a later date, it will be compatible with the Galaxy S4, released earlier this year, and the Galaxy Note II, which came out late last year.
In some countries, mobile carriers will bundle the Gear with the Note III on a two-year contract. In other places, consumers will be able to buy the Gear without a phone contract.
Overall, the Gear gives us more ways to imagine what wearable computing gadgets might do for us in the future. Gear is smart but in a limited way, as it's essentially a slave to the smartphone it's paired to.
After my brief hands-on experience, I decided the first generation of the Gear was cool but not compelling enough to convince me to ditch my current device, an iPhone.
Based on reporting by The Associated Press.
Follow us on twitter.com/foxnewslatino
Like us at facebook.com/foxnewslatino


text:
According to the report, a complaint was filed with the U.S. Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s whistleblower protection program by a former Abbott employee in February 2021. Allegations included equipment in disrepair and formula being released for consumption without proper safety testing.
Later in October 2021, the same whistleblower expanded on the concerns in a complaint sent to the Food and Drug Administration. The agency, however, didn’t inspect the plant until the end of January 2022.
These complaint details offer a more complete picture of the timeline leading up to the February 2022 Sturgis plant shutdown — a full year after the initial claim was reportedly filed with OSHA. This has been a major contributor to the severe U.S. baby-formula shortage, as the factory produced about one-fifth of the infant formula in the U.S.
“Over 70% of our nation’s baby formula is out of stock . In my home district, I have a nine-month-old. They are rationing baby formula. This is the United States of America, folks. This is unacceptable,” said Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y.
In a statement sent to NewsNation, Abbott said it did not become aware of the complaint until it became public this past April.
“We believe this to be a former employee who was dismissed due to serious violations of Abbott’s food safety policies. While at the company, the former employee did not bring forward product safety complaints,” the company alleges.
Abbott restarted production in Sturgis last weekend under tight regulatory oversight.
The Wall Street Journal’s report led to scathing criticism against the Biden administration by Republicans on Thursday.
The baby formula shortage is expected to continue through July. To combat this, President Joe Biden launched Operation Fly Formula to bring close to 50 million bottles of formula to the U.S. from overseas.
“I’m thankful that Biden continues to do everything possible to deal with the shortage,” Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said.


text:
Home Tags Masks
Stories about "Masks":
The use of masks has been a point of discussion since the COVID-19 pandemic began. We have been used to seeing images coming out of Asan countries for many years with people wearing masks but it is something it took the Australian public a while to get used to.
The letter sent to the residents of Ewingsdale last year by holiday park owner Ingenia seemed fairly innocuous at first glance...


text:
If you go to a party or sporting event odds are you will see someone shooting pictures with their camera phone. The good part about a camera phone is that we almost always have our phone on us allowing us to take pictures at any moment. The bad part about camera phones is that the cameras in them tend to be subpar.
Don't Miss: See the first leaked Black Friday 2016 Ad
Wirefly.com did a survey that shows the camera phone is becoming the camera of choice for many adults. The survey says that 63.8% of adult’s age 18 to 30 say they use the cell phone camera at least once per week and 26.3% say they use it daily.
The survey also shows that 73.5% of adults 18-30 assign photo IDs to people in the address book. Of the users polled 96.3% own a cell phone with a camera and 19% of adults use the cell phone as their primary camera. 38.6% of photos taken on cell phones are sent to friends via MMS.
Don't Miss: Nintendo Switch: Everything You Need To Know


text:
LOS ANGELES – In October, Cadillac announced it was moving into the ultra-luxury segment with the launch of the Celestiq battery-electric vehicle. General Motors sees the Celestiq competing with brands such as Rolls-Royce.
In a press release, Rory Harvey, global vice president of the Cadillac brand, lauds the Celestiq’s technology as the “most advanced and innovative” that Cadillac has ever engineered.
Advanced technology is a given in a car that will set a buyer back more than $300,000. Celestiq’s success also will require both a big investment in customer experience by Cadillac dealers and an evolution of consumers’ view of the brand.
“For the car to be taken seriously, the customer experience has to be out of this world,” Ed Kim, president and chief analyst at consultancy AutoPacific, tells Wards. “They are going to need serious upgrades, both in facilities as well as in dealership staff.”
Cadillac also needs to upgrade its overall image, something it hopes the Celestiq will accomplish: The 5-door liftback will be hand-built starting in December 2023. Available by reservation only, GM opened its order bank in October.
There is a problem with perception,” Cherie Watters, executive director of automotive operations at Sunroad Enterprises, a San Diego-based group whose businesses include dealerships, tells Wards. “There is a difference between premium and luxury.”
Rolls-Royce has years and years of exceptional service and heritage, says Watters, who previously was chief operating officer of O’Gara Coach, a Los Angeles-based dealership group of ultra-luxury franchises including Rolls-Royce, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Bentley, McLaren and Rimac.
“There is no luxury without service,” says Watters. “Luxury is rare and hard to acquire.”
In its June 2022 report The Luxury Car Market: Five New Industry Trends, consultancy McKinsey notes: “Conditioned by their exposure to luxury-goods experiences in other retail environments, affluent consumers today seek continual engagement and personalized experiences when shopping for luxury cars.”
In the ultra-luxury segment, that can include having dinner with various clients up to five nights a week, Jennifer Stroup, brand manager at Rolls-Royce of Beverly Hills, an O’Gara Coach dealership and the largest Rolls dealership in the U.S., tells Wards. “I am more a friend of the family than a salesperson.”
She adds, “I don’t sell anything that anybody needs.”
Stroup will handle sales for the Rolls-Royce Spectre, the brand’s first fully electric model. The Spectre was introduced in mid-October, but special Rolls Royce customers, known as Luminary clients, got a sneak preview. In July, Stroup took a group of 11 such VIP clients – who have bought multiple Rolls-Royces – and their plus-ones to visit the factory in Goodwood, England. They viewed the Spectre and the new Phantom. (Luminary clients got a glimpse of the Spectre at a March dealers’ conference, as well.)
The clients paid for their flights; O’Gara paid for a hotel in London and dinner at Annabel’s, an exclusive dinner club. Rolls-Royce picked each couple up in London for a tour of the factory.
Back at the dealership in Beverly Hills, clients can relax in the commissioning suite and configure their new Rolls on a big-screen TV. For more bespoke personalization, O’Gara goes through a special Rolls-Royce department. Of course, not all clients want to spend their time in a commissioning suite. “We gauge the customer. Some people want to be there for five minutes,” says Stroup.
Cadillac says Celestiq clients will work with a Cadillac dealer in collaboration with a one-on-one concierge and will have access to a Cadillac designer and exclusive services. “Each client will experience a personalized journey to make their vehicle exactly the way they desire,” Harvey says in the press release.
GM won’t comment on how much its dealers will need to invest in creating that kind of “personalized journey,” saying details have not been finalized.
But an ultra-luxury experience doesn’t come cheaply, especially with electric vehicles, says Watters. Electrification is where many manufacturers are looking to “reset” the dealer experience, she says.
Cadillac already is using investment in electrification as a strategy to cull its dealership count. Starting in 2020, it offered buyouts to dealers who didn’t want to invest $200,000 or more for the chargers, tooling and training to sell EVs. Cadillac currently has 565 dealers in the U.S., down from 878 in 2020.
Now, many dealers will need to invest in more dealership upgrades, including design centers with a configurator room and a place for clients to “hang out,” says Watters.
Vehicle charging for ultra-luxury clients will need to be exclusive. Customer service will be key. For example, all the chargers must work all the time. And they will need to be fast chargers.
Cadillac should be benchmarking the retail and purchase experience of other ultra-luxury brands at every touchpoint, says AutoPacfic’s Kim.
“They need to exceed that because they are the challenger,” he says. “Cadillac stores might well be a Mitsubishi store relative to where these ultra-luxury stores are today.”


text:
n95 mask producer
- Xicheng Science & Technology Building High-tech Development Zone, Zhengzhou, China
- [email protected]
- >Online Chating
Apr 08, 2020 · According to the latest N95 respirators market research report from Technaivo, the worldwide coronavirus outbreak is expected to significantly boost demand and production of respirator masks, particularly N95 masks around the world, driving the global N95 respirators market size to grow by US$382.90 million from 2020 to 2024, representing an , n95 mask producerN95 KN95 FFP2 Respirator Mask - N95 Mask Latest Price , n95 mask producerFind here N95 KN95 FFP2 Respirator Mask, N95 Mask manufacturers, suppliers & exporters in India. Get contact details & address of companies manufacturing and supplying N95 KN95 FFP2 Respirator Mask, N95 Mask, KN95 Mask across India.3M ramps up N95 respirator production amid global , n95 mask producerTo fill the surge in demand for the devices, particularly the N95 respirator, 3M is ramping up production, which means hosting job fairs, making offers on the spot and expanding its assembly line , n95 mask producer
Feb 15, 2020 · Routine annual production in the United States has been estimated to be 1.5 billion N95 respirators and 3.6 billion surgical masks, according to a 2017 report in the journal Health Security.Amazon, n95 mask producer: n95 maskN95 3M Particulate Respirator Mask 8511 - Box of 10. More Buying Choices. $54.95 (1 new offer) N95 Niosh 20-Pack Particulate Respitory Mask - Adjustable Nose Clip, Comfort Nose Pad. More Buying Choices. $84.65 (1 new offer) Dust Masks, UBRU Reusable Respirators N95 Face Masks for Allergies Woodworking Running Sanding Mowing Half Mask for Women , n95 mask producerMakrite North America - Industrial Facemask ManufacturerMakrite Industries can provide our standard N95 or CE marked masks or create a custom mask to meet your needs. As a face mask manufacturer and distributor for over 20 years, Makrite North America strives to provide the best possible respiratory protection products to our valued customers worldwide. We set up manufacturing in China to produce , n95 mask producer
Mar 25, 2020 · The company has in two months doubled global production of N95 masks to about 100 million a month, and its planning to invest in new equipment to push annual mask production to 2 15 Best N95 Mask Alternatives & Respirators (2020) | Mar 22, 2020 · The biggest maker of medical face masks in the U.S. is warning consumers that the surge in demand for masks during the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a flurry of criminal activity.Amazon.co.uk: n95 masksAnti Pollution Mask N95 mask, With Layers Valve FFP3 Filter 98% Bacteria Anti PM2.5 Pneumonia Influenza Protection Dust Pollution Mask Unisex Outdoor (1 Pcs) Anti Pollution Mask N95 mask washable cotton mask mouth mask dust mask foldable mask with valve and 6 Replaceable filters for men. women & kids (Black) 4.2 out of 5 stars 181.
Mar 31, 2020 · AUSTIN (Texas Tribune) In normal times, an N95 face mask would cost a big corporation a buck or less particularly if it ordered a million of U.S. to Ramp Up Mask Production, But China Is Bottleneck , n95 mask producerMar 01, 2020 · Honeywell International Inc is the other major U.S. mask producer. 1. , n95 mask producer Secretary Alex Azar told lawmakers this week that the United States needs a stockpile of about 300 million N95 face masks respiratory protective devices for medical workers to combat the spread of the virus.N95 Masks On B2BManufactures, n95 mask producer from China & Taiwan N95 Online source for N95 Masks. It incorporates full list of Taiwan & China manufacturers and suppliers who supply a wide range of N 95 masks, such as n95 respirator, n95 respirator mask, n95 particulate respirator mask, n95 face masks, niosh n95 masks, n95 dust mask, surgical mask n95, n95 mask bird flu, etc. In addition, there are a wide selection of N95 Masks presented with highly resolved , n95 mask producer
Feb 12, 2020 · Exports ban ties hands of N95 mask producers India put a ban on the exports of personal protective equipment, including surgical masks, gloves and N95 respirators. However, on February 8, it lifted the restriction on gloves and surgical masks, but continued with the ban on N95 respirators that has left the manufacturers in a quandary.Wholesale N95 Respirator - N95 Respirator Manufacturers , n95 mask producerCompetitive n95 respirator products from various n95 respirator manufacturers and n95 respirator suppliers are listed above, please select quality and cheap items for you. Besides, we also provide you with related products such as n95 mask for your choice.5 Best N95 Masks - May 2020 - BestReviewsA quality N95 mask needs to form a tight seal around your lower face to be effective. This seal can be tested for both positive and negative pressure. When the wearer inhales deeply, a properly fitted N95 mask should draw inward. This indicates good negative pressure. When the wearer exhales, the respirator valve should open smoothly. This is , n95 mask producer
AIR + is a smart mask system that pairs an ergonomic protective mask with an attachable fan, to provide you and your family with highly effective protection and breathable comfort. Proven Protection with Breathable Comfort. for the Whole Family. N95 Mask and Micro Fan. For adults and children from 7 years onwards. N95 Kids Mask and Nano Fan.China N95 Mask, N95 Mask Manufacturers, Suppliers, Price , n95 mask producerChina N95 Mask manufacturers - Select 2020 high quality N95 Mask products in best price from certified Chinese Face Mask manufacturers, N95 Face Mask suppliers, wholesalers and factory on Made-in-China, n95 mask producerCAMBRIDGE MASK Co - Cambridge Mask CoApr 29, 2020 · Cambridge Mask is N99 tested and has been treated with silver, which means it blocks and kills 99.77% of micro particles such as airborne bacteria. Cambridge Masks N99 tested filters have been treated with silver to kill and block 99.6% of all viruses. Pollution clouds contain liquid particles and gases, which are trapped by the , n95 mask producer
To help replenish dwindling supplies of N95 masks, U.S. government agencies had been allowing them to be imported by businesses that hadn't been through the FDA's usual vetting process. It's , n95 mask producerThe Global Shortage of Medical Masks Won't Be Easing Soon , n95 mask producerChinese mask makers were only operating at 76 per cent capacity in mid-Feb. according to Chinese officials, which puts daily production at around five million pieces fewer than the 20 million maximum.List of Face Mask Manufacturers in China: Our Top 7 PicksGuangzhou Powecom Safety Goods Manufacturing was established in 2015 in Guangzhou, as a professional masks producer. The company offers 8 kinds of mask products for medical and daily wear, including dustproof masks, hay fever masks, disposable masks (3-ply, 4-ply), N95, KN90, KN95 masks, childrens masks, and PM2.5 masks.
Mar 22, 2020 · In response to the overwhelming shortage of N95 respirators and surgical masks, the National COVID-19 Medical Equipment Clearinghouse, aka Project N95FDA Withdraws Approvals for Most of China's N95 To help replenish dwindling supplies of N95 masks, U.S. government agencies had been allowing them to be imported by businesses that hadn't been through the FDA's usual vetting process. It's , n95 mask producerThe Global Shortage of Medical Masks Won't Be Easing Soon , n95 mask producerChinese mask makers were only operating at 76 per cent capacity in mid-Feb. according to Chinese officials, which puts daily production at around five million pieces fewer than the 20 million maximum.
Guangzhou Powecom Safety Goods Manufacturing was established in 2015 in Guangzhou, as a professional masks producer. The company offers 8 kinds of mask products for medical and daily wear, including dustproof masks, hay fever masks, disposable masks (3-ply, 4-ply), N95, KN90, KN95 masks, childrens masks, and PM2.5 masks.Project N95 Launches To Battle 2020 Shortage Of N95 Mar 22, 2020 · In response to the overwhelming shortage of N95 respirators and surgical masks, the National COVID-19 Medical Equipment Clearinghouse, aka Project N95Masks, masks and more masks | The Western ProducerMay 07, 2020 · Those half-micron viruses can slide in through your N95 mask when inhaling if it doesnt fit tight enough. And they can blast out if you cough or sneeze. , n95 mask producer The Western Producer is Western , n95 mask producer
Tech Spec 3M Healthcare Particulate Respirator and Surgical Mask 1860, N95 (PDF, 192.8KB) 3M Health Care Particulate Respirator and Surgical Masks Storage Conditions and Shelf Life FAQ (PDF, 142.6KB) 1860-1860S User Instructions (PDF, 233.8KB) Quick Reference Guide - Disposable Respirators (PDF, 293.6KB) , n95 mask producerCoronavirus Stokes Mask Production and Mass ConfusionFeb 11, 2020 · The worlds biggest mask producer is facing a severe shortage. Even running at full capacity, China can make only 20 million a day, nowhere close to CDC - NIOSH-Approved N95 Particulate Filtering Facepiece , n95 mask producerMay 12, 2020 · The N95 respirator is the most common of the seven types of particulate filtering facepiece respirators. This product filters at least 95% of airborne particles but is not resistant to oil. This web page provides a table of NIOSH-approved N95 respirators, listed alphabetically by manufacturer. You can select a particular manufacturer by , n95 mask producer
Key health products like N95 masks are still facing heavy shortages, and the current inventory is prioritized for Hubei. , n95 mask producer it is not difficult to build a makeshift hospital or a mask producer in , n95 mask producerHoneywell To Ramp Up N95 Face Masks Production | NasdaqMar 23, 2020 · On Friday, 3M said it doubled its global output of N95 respirators to an annual rate of over 1.1 billion per year, or nearly 100 million per month. In the U.S., 3M currently manufactures more than , n95 mask producerN95 Grade Medical Protective Masks Market 2019 Industry , n95 mask producerSep 18, 2019 · N95 Grade Medical Protective Masks is a respiratory protective device designed to achieve a very close facial fit and very efficient filtration of airborne particles.
Ouch, n95 mask producer You have clicked a page that seems to be very popular. Its currently a bit busy. You can have a rest and please slide to verify.5 Stocks to Watch as Fatalities Due to Coronavirus RiseFeb 10, 2020 · N95 Respirator Mask in Shortage. , n95 mask producer another mask producer typically makes 160,000 masks per day but production has dropped to 40,000 a day BYD is supplying Softbank with 300 million masks a month , n95 mask producerApr 13, 2020 · Chinas largest EV maker claims to be the worlds biggest mask producer, underscoring the countrys strength as a manufacturing powerhouse. Details: BYD on Sunday confirmed that it has reached an agreement with Japanese conglomerate Softbank to supply 300 million face masks per month starting May, reported Shenzhen Special Zone Daily (in , n95 mask producer


text:
The Japanese Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) launched an investigation on Airbnb last month for violating antitrust laws. Regulators have obtained documents from Airbnb in Tokyo on suspicion that it asked users not to list properties on rival sites.
Upon reading an Airbnb contract, one property manager shared that he reluctantly signed an “exclusivity clause” that prohibited agents and owners from posting their listings on other websites. In exchange, Airbnb provided him with access to availability and other vital data.
Airbnb, however, denies the claims, saying it does not make property postings conditional on exclusivity. “All hosts and partners in Japan who list properties on Airbnb are able to list them on other platforms,” a Singapore-based Airbnb spokesman said.
Airbnb is Japan’s top home-sharing website, with over 50,000 rooms. It competes with hotels and other traditional forms of lodging by letting people rent out their homes or apartments to visitors. The hotel industry views Airbnb and other services as providing unfair competition, since the home-sharing companies provide similar services as the hotel industry without as stringent of licensing requirements and market regulation.
News about Airbnb’s suspected antitrust violations come amid a time of heightened competition in Japan’s vacation rentals market.
Until recently, peer-to-peer lodging (or minpaku) was illegal in Japan. However, this past June, the government passed a new law that allows private citizens to take in fee-paying lodgers for up to 180 days a year without a hotel operator license. A roster of new players have announced their entry to the market following the new minpaku rules, creating a time of intensified competition in the home-sharing market.
Furthermore, Japan is currently facing a tourism boom. As of October, the total number of foreign visitors entering the country reached 23.8 million, making it almost certain to surpass last year’s record of 24 million by the end of the year. This surge in travelers has increased the demand for short-term home rentals.
With increased supply and demand for short-term travel stay in the nation, the JFTC may face suspected antitrust violations with heightened scrutiny. If the investigation finds that Airbnb violated antitrust practices by partaking in actions to diminish business opportunities of rival companies or discourage new businesses to enter the market, the company could be subjected to disciplinary action.


text:
The CEO of Irn Bru maker AG Barr is to step down from the position after more than two decades at the soft drinks giant.
The company’s board of directors announced on Tuesday morning that Roger White will step down within the next 12 months at a “mutually agreed date” and will retire from the company.
He was the first chief executive at the company to come from outside the Barr family.
A formal succession process will immediately begin, including a search for external candidates for the role, the company said.
Mr White said: “It has been a privilege and pleasure to lead the business for over two decades and now the time is right to plan for my succession and to ensure the continued success of the business.
“I would like to pay tribute to everyone across the whole organisation who make AG Barr a very special place with amazing brands.”
AG Barr chairman, Mark Allen said: “Roger has served the shareholders, board, wider business and industry for over 21 years – this makes him one of the longest serving CEOs in the UK public market.
“He has supported the transformation of the business from a regional soft drinks business into a highly successful, multi beverage, branded company that has delivered significant value to shareholders, stakeholders and employees.
“AG Barr has a strong culture and momentum and is strategically well placed to continue to deliver for the long term.”
STV News is now on WhatsApp
Get all the latest news from around the countryFollow STV News
Follow STV News on WhatsApp
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country


text:
"Community benefits agreements" have been adopted in San Francisco, San Jose, Calif., Seattle, Los Angeles, Oakland, Pittsburgh, New Haven, Conn., and Denver in the last decade. But in those cities, retailers voluntarily reached agreements to settle a conflict with the community, or gain their support.
"There are [community benefits agreements] all over the country," Montgomery County Economic Development Director Steve Silverman told the County Council's Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee Monday. "But there is no jurisdiction in the country that has enacted a requirement for a [community benefits agreement]."
|Alexandria: Stores with 20,000 square feet or more must be approved by special exception|
|Arlington County: Stores with 50,000 square feet or more of floor area on one level or that require 200 or more parking spaces must be approved by special exception|
|Rockville: No store may be larger than 65,000 square feet on any level|
|Loudoun County: Stores with 75,000 square feet or more must be approved by special exception|
|Fairfax: Stores with 80,000 square feet or more must be approved by special exception|
|Prince George's County: Department, grocery and drug stores with 125,000 square feet or more must be approved by special exception|
|Source: Montgomery County Council|
Proposed by council President Valerie Ervin, D-Silver Spring, in response to concerns about a planned Walmart in Aspen Hill, Montgomery's measure would require a large retailer to enter into an agreement with at least three recognized civic organizations or to demonstrate to the county executive that the retailer has made a "good faith effort" to negotiate an agreement before opening.
The agreement could address any number of issues, ranging from hiring practices to operating hours to techniques that lessen traffic.
The bill would affect stores that are smaller than 75,000 square feet if they are the "primary occcupant" of a building that is 75,000 square feet or larger, said Councilwoman Nancy Floreen, D-at large and chairwoman of the planning committee. She pointed to the Giant Food store at the Montrose Crossing shopping center in Rockville, which would have had to sign a community benefits agreement under the standard.
However, Westfield Wheaton -- which received $4 million from the county in economic development grants to bring Costco to the mall -- has been told it would be exempt from Ervin's bill, said Councilman George Leventhal, D-at large.
Similar legislation has been proposed in the District of Columbia and Prince George's County.
The bill introduced last month by Prince George's County Councilwoman Andrea Harrison, D-Bladensburg, and Councilman Mel Franklin, D-Accokeek, would allow the county executive to require a retailer to negotiate a community benefits agreement on a case-by-case basis and only if the retailer has received more than $3 million in public assistance.
This approach is flawed because a retailer could avoid restrictions by not seeking government funding, said D.C. Councilman Phil Mendelson, D-at large, who introduced the District's bill.
Montgomery council members expressed doubts that their bill as written would accomplish what they want: community input.
Because the bill requires only a "good faith effort," a retailer could reject an agreement and open as planned, Leventhal said.
Ervin did not return requests for comment.