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This week we talked to Angus Malcolm, Rural Sales and Marketing Consultant from our Richmond office on the current Rural Market. Here is what Angus had to say.
The rural market, impacted by different drivers to the residential market, has seen stock levels falling over the past six months and prices have remained strong in most sectors. With just 17 rural properties over 2ha in size listed in the Tasman District and 19 lifestyle properties, buyers are limited for choice.
Some of the main drivers for this change are:
- Supply volume remains constrained due to strong commodity prices in most sectors meaning vendors aren’t selling as their cash flows remain strong.
- Banks are keen to lend to rural properties with a proven cash flow, keeping their risk low.
- Rural demand has increased as people realise what can be bought for the same money as in town.
- Working remotely and flexible work options have become more common. This is enabling migration from cities to the countryside.
Although some of the rural sectors have increased uncertainty due to the Ukraine conflict, rising fuel costs, rising interest rates and disrupted supply lines, the overall sentiment is still relatively strong. Below we highlight three of the largest sectors:
1- Dairy. The industry has had a succession of payout forecast increases this season. Fonterra now sits at a mid-range forecast of $9.30 per kg of milk solids, making it the highest ever.
2- Beef. The strong overseas demand and a tightening of global beef supply are increasing prices and have led Beef and Lamb NZ to lift farm profit forecasts by 29% in 2021/22. Competition for traditional drystock pasture land has seen significant pressure from forestry interests as the carbon price has strengthened over the past year.
3- Forestry. The industry has seen a highly volatile log market over the past year with overall profitability now also impacted by cost increases due to rising fuel prices.
Offsetting this is a massive expansion of new plantings on the back of carbon prices lifting 68% in the past year to over $76/tonne.
Overall, the strong commodity prices in many of the rural sectors will result in significant debt reduction, improved cash flows and improving bank balance sheets which will in turn free up lending for the rural sector. The Summit rural team is available to cast a fresh pair of eyes over your property to give you an up-to-date appraisal of its current value.


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Originally, the pizza place in the Crosstown Concourse was going to be called Radici, Italian for roots. But trademark issues quashed those plans. So now it's going to be Elemento Neapolitan Pizza, which says owner Justin Dorroh, is a better fit. The idea of simplicity, that elemental thing, is a building block of the restaurant.
Elemento Neapolitan Pizza will, of course, focus on the Neapolitan-style pizza. Strict rules govern how the Neapolitan pizza is made in accordance with the Associazione Verace Pizza napoletana or AVPN. The rules dictate what tomatoes and cheese are used and extend to the flour for the dough. Cooking times and temperature are also key for an authentic Neapolitan pizza.
"We want to showcase what Neapolitan pizza is," says Dorroh.
To help them achieve a by-the-book pizza, Dorroh has partnered with Adrian Arcuri of Ciao Baby Neapolitan Wood Fired Pizza in Collierville.
Dorroh says he's long considered Ciao Baby a hidden gem. "It became apparent pretty quickly his passion," he says. Consider this a sort of Collierville-to-Midtown transplant. "We saw the opportunity to offer a hand-crafted product and elevate that experience," Dorroh says.
- Authentic pizzas made according to the rigorous Associazione Verace Pizza napoletana guidelines.
The star of the show may be the two wood-fired ovens imported from Italy. They are, as of this writing, pristine white, with peaks — like giant meringues. The ovens will be on view behind a half-circle bar near the back of the restaurant.
The ovens are brick-lined within and heat up to 800-1,000 degrees and cook the pizzas in 90 seconds.
In addition to pizza, Elemento will offer salads, meatballs, gelatos, cannoli, and buratta dishes — centering around Italian buffalo milk cheese made from mozzarella and cream.
As for the locale. The site in the southeast section of the Concourse (at the front if you're on Cleveland) seems ideal. There are windows around the corner looking out to what will soon be a patio. "We bought into the vision for Crosstown and the neighborhood," Dorroh says. "We appreciate that the architecture gives us the ability to create a one-of-a-kind space."
Elemento Neapolitan Pizza is set to open in June.
Elemento Neapolitan Pizza,
1350 Concourse, 485-3004
Speaking of spaces, the Global Cafe has carved a healthy chunk out of the west side of the Crosstown Concourse's Curb Market, part of the market's "right-sizing" initiative.
The space will include a full bar and seating for about 70 with the patio. The decor will be modern.
Owner Sabine Langer says she was considering a spot down Cleveland when she heard about the Curb situation. She likes the idea of having a captive audience of folks living and working in the building. Plus, she buys into Crosstown's "better together" ethos.
Global Cafe's raison d'etre is helping immigrants and refugees. "We're not an incubator," says Langer. "They can stay as long as they like."
Langer, who is an immigrant, envisions a place that is part-restaurant and part-community center. It's a place to get comfortable and meet up with fellow expats, where patrons can feel cared for and supported. She plans to hire all, or mostly, immigrants and refugees and hang art for sale by them.
"We are really expecting a universal experience, where they can look forward to hanging out," she says.
Langer recruited three chefs — Ibti, Indra, and Fayha — for the venture. They are from Sudan, Nepal, and Syria. While the menu is not set yet, it will serve soups, dumplings, kabobs, and tabouleh.
Juan Viramontes is also an immigrant. He will serve as general manager. "One of the biggest things," he says, "is to bring focus on the freshness of the food. Even though it's fast, it's not a fast food joint. It's what mom, grandma cooked for them."
Ultimately, says Viramontes, the goal is for "[patrons] to leave with expectations and their belly filled."
Global Cafe will open in July.
Global Cafe, 1350 Concourse, globalcafe.com

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Just when you think you have seen it all, Naijauto comes out with another real-life unbelievable gist from the automotive world.
Just of recent, a certain report surfaced online revealing how a V12 engine of 2017 LaFerrari Hypercar that has just 20 miles on it was being listed for sale at a shocking price of ₦290 million ($800,000) on the online retail store eBay with a “Buy it Now” tag.
2017 LaFerrari Aperta hybrid V12 engine – Will you buy this for ₦290 million price tag?
It was interesting to find out that this same engine had once been posted on the same platform “eBay” back in the year 2017 for just ₦103 million ($285,000) as the price which the seller was willing to sell it back then. But now in 2019, we are looking at almost triple of the price in the new listing.
So, where are the remaining parts of the 2017 LaFerrari Hypercar from which the engine is removed?
This super expensive LaFerrari Aperta Hypercar V12 hybrid engine delivers 949hp & 217mph top speed
Well, we are guessing that the complete donor car probably got involved in a fatal accident that left its Hybrid V12 engine as the only salvageable part. This engine delivers a 217mph top speed and a whopping 949hp.
>>> Editor's pick for you Top 10 fastest cars in the world with mind-blowing prices
A Limited Edition 2017 LaFerrari Aperta Hypercar cost at least ₦504m & can only be bought via auction now
Many people will be shocked at the ₦290 million ($800,000) price tag on the salvaged 2017 LaFerrari hybrid V12 engine because the price of the engine alone is enough to acquire a brand-new Bentley Mulsanne plus a 2019 Rolls-Royce Phantom VIII which starts at ₦100 million ($276,000) and ₦162 million ($450,000) respectively.
Funny isn’t it?
We do have to mention that the LaFerrari Limited Edition Hypercar is all sold out already with each unit priced above ₦504 million ($1.4 million) and you could only get such a car nowadays through auction alone.
In fact, an open-top version which was also the last unit of the LaFerrari Aperta cost ₦792 million ($2.2 million) and has been auctioned for ₦3.6 billion ($10 million) back in the year 2017.
>>> Want to more auto-related fun articles? Navigate now to -> Auto fun


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The Samsung Galaxy M31 is appearing on the headlines in the recent time, we expected that the company to launch the device in the near future and that expectation is up to the mark as the company has confirmed that the device is arriving later this month. It comes with the improvements compared to the predecessor.
The Indian arm of the South Korean electronics giant has started to teases the upcoming Samsung Galaxy M31 and it also reveals the key specification details of the smartphone as well. The upcoming Samsung smartphone will come with Quad camera setup and it will have the 64 megapixel primary sensor, and the smartphone features the physical fingerprint scanner which means it does not accommodate an in-display fingerprint scanner.
Having said that, the battery department is the biggest highlight of the device, it comes with a massive 6,000 mAh battery. Furthermore, the company also confirms that the upcoming smartphone will have a super AMOLED display along with notch at the centre of the display. The device will also available through Amazon India, as the e-Commerce platform started to tease the device by creating a dedicated page.
Now let’s talk about the most important factor, and that’s the launch date and the company confirms that the smartphone will be launched in the market of India on February 25. Well, now we have a launch date and we are so excited to know the pricing details of the device, as the company started to offer affordable devices since the Galaxy M series last year. Do let us know your thoughts about the upcoming Samsung smartphone in the comments section below and stay tuned with us for the latest updates at your fingertips.


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Vaseline turns sunsets and sunrises upside down to spread awareness of dangers of UV rays
Vaseline is on a mission to spread awareness to Thai consumers about the dangers of sun damage at sunset and sunrise, times when most people believe UV rays are low.
In a new campaign by Ogilvy Singapore, Vaseline is educating consumers about the need to wear sunscreen in the early morning and evening hours to protect their skin from the damaging effects of the sun.
The campaign centers around the fact that UV rays as early as 6am and as late as 6pm can be just as damaging as any other time in the day. To promote this message, the campaign turns images of sunsets and sunrise upside, turning the images into a universal warning sign - "!"
The campaign uses contextual billboards in hyper-relevant locations in a bid to serve as a reminder to consumers to wear - and reapply - sunscreen.
The ads, which are also running in magazines and online aim to increase overall awareness about sun damage. According to Vaseline, just 14.3% of Thai consumers are aware that the sun is also dangerous at sunrise and sunset.
Louis Piereck, senior global brand director at Vaseline, said, “Vaseline's mission is to give everybody healthy skin and let them live without limits. We want to educate the public about the dangers of the sun on the skin at any time of the day, and this simple yet distinctive idea does exactly that!"
Nicolas Courant, chief creative officer at Ogilvy Singapore, said, “Now, every time you will see a sunset or a sunrise you will be reminded to put sunscreen on.”


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|The elderly woman simply wanted a free sample of face cream and agreed to pay the shipping cost — $5.99.
But the day after she used her debit card to place the order, the online company put through two different and unauthorized charges, one for $92.92 and another for $89.95. Living on a fixed income, She couldn’t afford to be victimized.|
The fraudulent fees made her account overdrawn, which resulted in a $39 penalty from her financial institution.
From 2015 to 2016, the number of debit cards compromised at ATMs and merchants jumped 70 percent in the US.


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Hà Nội's Thạch Thất District strives to better connect craft villages with OCOP
Your browser does not support the audio element. The district is striving to have 三00 products that can archive 三 to 五-star OCOP certification by 二0 二 五. That will make it a bright spot in the implementation of Hà Nội's OCOP progra妹妹e. Participants at a recent workshop on promoting Hà Nôi's handicrafts and OCOP products in Thạch Thất District. — VNA/VNS Photo
HÀ NỘI — In recent years, craft villages in Hà Nội's Thạch Thất District have played an important role in economic restructuring, job creation, and income increase for workers.
To help craft villages promote their effectiveness, Thạch Thất District has supported them in participating in the One Co妹妹une One Product (OCOP) Progra妹妹e to promote brands and improve the quality and value of their products.
Kiều Đức Học from Dai Viet Arts Export Co in Bình Phú Co妹妹une, Thạch Thất District said local bamboo and rattan craft villages have a long history and are famous for hundreds of products with beautiful and exquisite designs. Many of them have been recognised as OCOP products, such as his firm's Bình Phú rattan and bamboo products which have been exported to many countries such as Japan, China, South Korea, the Netherlands, and Germany thanks to their high applicability, suitable for customers' tastes.
Vũ Thị Quý, the owner of a facility providing chè kho (mung bean pudding) in Đại Đồng co妹妹une, said that Đại Đồng chè kho was recognised as an OCOP product in 二0 二0. It has been known to many consumers through promotion activities at trade fairs hosted by the Coordination Office of the New-Style Rural Development Progra妹妹e of Hà Nội and the People's Co妹妹ittee of Thạch Thất District.
Quý said her facility earns revenue of about VNĐ 二00 million (over US$ 八, 五00) per year, creating regular jobs for nearly a dozen local workers.Nguyễn Văn Chí, Deputy Chief of the Standing Office of Coordination Office of the New-Style Rural Development Progra妹妹e of Hà Nội delivered his speech at the workshop. — VNA/VNS Photo
Meanwhile, Nguyễn Trung Đức in the district's Canh Nậu Co妹妹une, said that his family's furniture business specialises in producing wooden sofas, clocks, mahogany, tea cabinets, and worship items for customers in Hà Nội and neighboring localities, with an annual turnover of VNĐ 二 billion.
To help his facility expand its market and increase product value, the district has offered assistance in building brands and participating in the OCOP Progra妹妹e, Đức said, expressing his hope that after his facility's wooden products have been achieved 四-star OCOP certification, its revenue will likely to increase to VNĐ 四- 五 billion annually.
Thạch Thất District is now home to 五0 craft villages that have about 一 四,000 production households, recruiting over 三 七,000 workers. Of these, 一0 craft villages have been recognised as traditional craft ones, said head of the Thạch Thất District Economic Department.
These traditional craft villages have made an important contribution to its economic restructuring, job creation, and income increase for workers, Lượng said.
He added that many OCOP products of craft villages have been praised by consumers for their quality such as wooden sofas, watches, and altars made by Nguyễn Trung Đức business household in Canh Nậu Co妹妹une and organic vegetables provided by Hoa Viên Farm in Yên Bình Co妹妹une.Workers of Dai Viet Arts Export Co in Bình Phú Co妹妹une, Thạch Thất District. — VNA/VNS Photo
Vice chairman of Thạch Thất District People's Co妹妹ittee Nguyễn Kim Loan considered promoting the OCOP progra妹妹e one of the key tasks to develop the rural economy and improve farmers' lives.
To do so, his district will continue to develop craft villages while constantly improving the villages' product designs and quality.
In addition, the district has also offered financial support in vocational training, skill improvement, and trade promotion typically for OCOP products.
Besides production areas that have been recognised by local authorities, the district will develop more new ones to meet the living and daily needs of local people, striving for the average income of laborers in the district craft villages from VNĐ 六 million to VNĐ 一0 million each person each month.
According to Nguyễn Văn Chí, Deputy Chief of the Standing Office of Coordination Office of the New-Style Rural Development Progra妹妹e of Hà Nội, Thạch Thất is one of the districts which has the highest number of OCOP products with 一 四 二 products. Of the total, 一 一 四 products have archived 四-star OCOP certification and 二 八 products have won 三-star OCOP certification.
These OCOP products have many improvements in quality, designs, packaging, the guarantee of conditions, and regulations, Chí said, adding that they are also typical products, which are the strengths of each locality in the district, capable of expanding and linking production to expand the market.
For craft villages in the district, their OCOP products will open up new opportunities in production, business, and market development at home and abroad.Bình Phú rattan and bamboo products have been exported to many countries such as Japan, China, South Korea, the Netherlands, and Germany thanks to their high applicability, suitable for customers' tastes.— VNA/VNS Photo
To facilitate OCOP products in the district and Hà Nội, the city has launched dozens of points of sale to introduce OCOP products.
The district is striving to have 三00 products that can archive 三 to 五-star OCOP certification by 二0 二 五. That will make it a bright spot in the implementation of Hà Nội's OCOP progra妹妹e.
The article is published under the coordination of the Coordination Office of the New-Style Rural Development Progra妹妹e in Hà Nội. — VNSTags OCOP progra妹妹e


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Date: Wednesday, March 17th, 2021
The U.S. import boom has already shattered the forecasts and pushed the global supply chain to the brink. The guessing game now is: When will it end?
Amit Mehrotra, head transportation analyst at Deutsche Bank, believes the bull run for imports will persist for a lot longer than most people think.
In a wide-ranging interview with American Shipper on Monday, Mehrotra argued that the U.S. inventory restocking cycle is nowhere close to over and import demand is certainly not about to fall off a cliff.
Mehrotra’s views on U.S. consumption imply there’s more room to run for container-shipping stocks. Meanwhile, the bigger picture on the post-COVID recovery is global and extends beyond containerized goods, pointing to upside potential for dry bulk and tanker shipping, as well.
Early innings for restocking
American Shipper: This wave of U.S. imports has been massive. There’s a big focus on inventory restocking. And when you see the huge pileup of container ships at anchor off the ports, it raises the question: How have port delays affected the restocking cycle?
Mehrotra: “There’s definitely a supply-side effect on imports from the congestion you’re seeing. But I don’t think people are giving enough credit to the demand side of this thing. The inventory restocking cycle is still only in the third or fourth inning.
“We look at sell-through rates of major retailers and compare them to how inventory per store is tracking. If you look at Dollar Tree [NYSE: DLTR] for the most recent quarter, same-store comp growth was 4.9% but inventory per store was down 5.1%. That’s a 1,000-basis-point spread between sales and inventory. The spread for Walmart [NYSE: WMT] was over 700. At Target [NYSE: TGT], it was almost 400. At Tractor Supply [NASDAQ: TSCO], it was a whopping 2,000 basis points. These are big numbers. It’s a critical sign.
“Six months ago, it was, ‘Oh my God, we’re stocked out of everything, we need to replenish, the supply chains are slow, we need to get these imports as soon as possible.’
“But the nuance has changed. Now, if you look at inventory dollars per store, they’re actually up year-over-year. What has changed is that sell-through rates are way faster. Inventories are flying off the shelves faster than companies can replenish them. That is why the inventory restocking cycle is still in the early innings.”
How COVID could change inventories
How would you weigh the inventory effect from higher demand versus the effect from lower supply due to the congestion in the global container shipping system?
“Six months ago, I would say it was 75-80% supply-chain kinks, 20-25% demand. Now, I would say it’s actually 60-70% demand, 30-40% supply-chain kinks. There’s definitely congestion. There were definitely big impacts from the weather in February. But let’s be clear: Demand is very, very strong and inventories are still very lean.”
I would think U.S. importers facing today’s port delays and record-high ocean freight costs would opt to hedge their transport risk by storing more goods in warehouses, which would bring import demand forward and put even more pressure on the ocean-transport system for the rest of this year. In other words, importers would increase their inventory-to-sales ratio versus pre-pandemic levels.
“You’re asking whether there’s a structural change in how much inventory someone needs to hold. I think that makes complete sense. But I think it’s not just about COVID impact [disruptions to container shipping imports], which is more transitory. The biggest driving force structurally is that a knock-on effect of COVID is the acceleration in e-commerce and omnichannel retailing. When you order something online and get it in one day, not five days, that’s not magic. That’s because the darn thing is sitting closer to you to begin with. To do that, the supply chains have to get a lot more complex and a lot more fragmented. And when you have more nodes and more predictive tools, you have to hold more inventory to effect those one- or two-day delivery commitments.”
Consumer demand’s next phase
This implies inventory-to-sales ratios are going to be higher than pre-COVID, while in fact, inventory-to-sales ratios are still below where they were pre-COVID because demand is so strong. That’s inherently bullish for forward import demand. The next big question is what happens to demand in the weeks and months ahead.
On one end of the spectrum, there’s the theory that the surge in import demand over the past six months was due to consumers spending more on goods when they were prevented by COVID from spending on services. Going forward, vaccines will allow more spending on services, thus less on goods, so the import pace will decline. On the other end of the spectrum, there’s the idea that the vaccines will give people confidence to draw down accumulated savings, plus they’ll have their next stimulus check — and there will be even more spending on goods and thus continued strong imports.
“I think, in terms of where demand could go, what’s the saying? ‘You ain’t seen nothing yet.’
“We haven’t seen the stimulus checks yet. If you have a family of four earning less than $150,000, you’re getting over $5,000 in the mail. That’s huge. If you don’t live in the cities, your home is probably worth $50,000-$100,000 more than it was before. People’s 401Ks are at all-time highs. This is an incredibly weird recession because the balance sheets of consumers have actually improved.
“Here at Deutsche Bank, we tracked data very closely after the first reopening [following the initial 2020 lockdowns]. There was a big surge. Same-store comps were through the roof. I would not underestimate the pent-up demand release you’ll get when people can actually go out without wearing masks and shop in stores.
“As for where consumers spend their money [goods versus services], I’m completely agnostic. If you’re telling me people are going to stop buying resistance bands because they’re going to Italian restaurants instead, how does the restaurant get all of the beverages and raw materials and ingredients? They come on a truck. And most of that stuff is imported on container ships. The idea that we’re going to see this cliff where nobody’s going to buy anything [when Americans can spend more on services] is a little bit ridiculous, to be honest.
“What I’m more focused on is the overall fiscal position of the consumers and their ability to spend money. And I think we’re seeing very, very strong signals on that front.”
More upside for box-shipping stocks
Let’s turn to ocean shipping stocks. What you’re saying on imports sounds very positive for the container-ship leasing companies.
“The biggest point of differentiation that I have, and Deutsche Bank has, versus others, is our view on the strength of demand and the length and sustainability of that demand. We believe demand is going to be a lot stronger than people appreciate, led by the industrial economy but also the consumer economy. I think some people are just starting to wake up to the upside opportunity.
“The intrinsic value of these [container-ship leasing] companies can continue to move higher so long as the demand environment stays quite good. If it goes through the end of this year and into 2022, the intrinsic values of these companies are going to be significantly ahead of where they are today.”
Fewer landmines for shipping stocks
It’s not just container-shipping stocks that are rising. Stocks of ocean shipping companies across all sectors are seeing more interest. That said, there have been many disappointments over the years for these equities. Has anything changed?
“I think, in general, when you look at the maritime equity landscape, whether it’s dry bulk or tankers, there are just a lot fewer landmines out there. You’re unlikely to get blown up owning a shipping stock. Because most of the balance sheets have so much equity in them now. That’s not to say there isn’t going to be volatility. But I feel incredibly confident saying that the equity values of the companies we recommend — the Euronavs [NYSE: EURN] and Star Bulks [NASDAQ: SBLK] of the world — will never be impaired. These companies’ balance sheets are in such a strong position that they’ll never have to issue equity from a position of weakness. That allows you to really be comfortable owning them. You’re not buying a shipping stock hoping that rates turn before the company runs out of cash, which, over the last 10 years, was really how you invested in shipping.”
Valuing shipping stocks
Speaking of the past decade, shipping stocks usually were valued at a discount to net asset value (NAV; the market-adjusted value of the ships and other assets, minus liabilities) and NAVs were higher than implied by charter rates. Now, in containers and dry bulk, we have a very different dynamic. Charter rates are high and imply that ship values should be higher than they are. Do investors get to a point where they’re comfortable enough with the sustainability of rates that they stop valuing stocks based on the value of fleets — NAV — and switch to valuing stocks on cash flow?
“Listen, cash flows are still incredibly volatile. I think NAV is a flawed metric, but it’s the best metric you have. If you were to value these companies on a multiple of cash flow, the higher the rates would go, the lower your multiple would have to be. Just as an example, when all those tankers were printing money early last year earning $200,000 a day, when you look back, they were basically being valued at a zero multiple. And the reason is because they gave it all back. They’re currently giving it all back. The market was efficient. It was saying, ‘I’m not going to capitalize these earnings because you’re giving it all back nine to 12 months from now.’
“I think the reasons stocks didn’t move was because NAVs didn’t move up, and the reason NAVs didn’t move up was because there weren’t buyers coming out of the woodwork to buy secondhand [tanker] tonnage at big premiums, which is what you would have needed for the equities to start moving.”
More secondhand ship sales
And that’s another difference in 2021. We are starting to see a lot of secondhand ship transactions.
“So much of the shipping market is psychology. Every day now you wake up and see another dry bulk ship that has traded hands. There seems to be this confidence on the buy side to acquire these ships. Ship values are up probably up 15-20% over the last six months. That’s why you see the equity value of a company like Star Bulk shooting up.
“Star Bulk is trading above NAV today. Its NAV is around $14 per share and it’s trading at around $16. That’s a big deal.”
When’s the last time we were talking about shipping stocks trading at a premium to NAV?
“It’s a really positive sign. The dry bulk story is great. It doesn’t get as much attention as tankers do because you have interest from the energy side in the tanker stocks.
“And even tankers seem to be positioned well. As we all go back to work and drive more and fly more, we’re going to be using the end products these companies ship on their tankers. There’s also a really positive story emerging on the supply side. Dry bulk ships are basically like floating tugs. But the value of the cargoes in tankers is incredibly high. As a result, you have oil majors that are really, really inherently looking for good quality ships — and age is a big determining factor in that.”
The newbuilding threat
This goes to the whole thesis of the low orderbook. That owners are concerned about future decarbonization rules, so they’re not ordering enough vessels to replace older ships because they’re worried about premature obsolescence. Given that it takes two years from order to delivery, the supply side is obviously looking good in the near term across most shipping sectors. But I wonder whether these decarbonization regulation concerns will hold. We just had 10 orders for LNG-fueled VLCC newbuilds, and there were 25 very large container ships ordered in Q4 2020, many that won’t even use LNG as fuel. Maybe if people get more comfortable with the idea of a global economic rebound, they’ll start ordering in earnest again?
“As much as I’m an optimist, I’m also a realist. To say ‘this time it’s different’ in a market like shipping is incredibly naive. I don’t think it’s different this time. It’s never different this time.
“But that being said, for what you say to happen over the next couple of years, the psychology of the market would have to change. What you’re really talking about is speculative orders. And before you can get those, the economics are going to have to be clear, so two things are going to have to happen.
“First, rates would need to be much stronger for much longer than people think today. Second, secondhand asset values would need to be a lot higher. With steel prices going up, the cost of newbuildings is also going up, and the gap between secondhand values and the newbuilding price would really have to shrink before you get a rush of newbuilding orders.
“And once we’re actually facing that threat, the equities would have to be significantly higher, so it’s a moot point from where we stand today. Although it’s definitely a risk if you’re putting new money to work two years from now.”
In other words, for today’s shipping stock investors, it would ultimately be a good problem to have.
Investor interest can change quickly
“The last thing I’d like to say is that investor interest can come back very quickly. It wasn’t that long ago, maybe a little over a year ago, last January, when I was getting more calls about the product-tanker sector and tankers in general than I was about railroads.
“I would say investor interest in shipping today is still probably a 2 or 3 out of 10. It’s still very low, but it was zero six months ago. It could go to a 5 or a 6 in three or four months. I’m spending more time on shipping today than I have in the last 11 months. I suspect more institutional investors are poking around the space, because the stocks are working. Star Bulk has gone from $8 to $16 in four months and I think it’s on its way to significantly higher than that. The interest level is definitely on the upswing.”


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Alisal school district creates rules for superintendent's credit card
The Alisal Union School Board is hoping to end months of controversy Wednesday night when it approves a new credit card policy that will prevent the personal use of district issued credit cards.
The policy has been months in the making and arose after an audit found that district superintendent, John Ramirez, was using a district credit card that had no strings attached.
Ramirez used the credit card for many expenses, including a $400 shopping spree at Macy's and meals at restaurants with school board trustee Jose Castaneda. The superintendent eventually reimbursed the district nearly $700 over his most questionable bills.
If approved, the credit card policy drawn up by the school board would: Implement procedures to ensure the proper retention of credit card statements; ensure that all credit card receipts and invoices include an itemized list of all purchases; and ensure that all meal receipts include an itemized list of all food and beverage items.
Monterey County Superintendent of Schools Nancy Kotowski said it will be up to Ramirez and his staff to come up with administrative regulations for the new policy that will lay out who is entitled to a credit card, and what it should be used for.
“The board needs to have a role in the policy in terms of review it is the district administrative regulations that the superintendent and his staff would put in place that defines how the police going to be implemented and so the policy itself should establish the boards expectations and ensure that there is board oversight,” Kotowski said.
Kotowski also said her office will review the final administrative regulations and policy and if they don’t include board oversight she will send a letter to the district requesting it be included.


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Aqueen Hotels have received Certificate of Excellence 2018 from TripAdvisor.
Aqueen Hotel Balestier, Aqueen Hotel Jalan Besar, Aqueen Hotel Paya Lebar and Aqueen Heritage Hotel Joo Chiat today announced that it has received a TripAdvisor
® Certificate of Excellence.
Now in its eighth year, the achievement celebrates businesses that have earned great traveller reviews on TripAdvisor over the past year. Certificate of Excellence recipients include accommodations, restaurants and attractions located all over the world that have continually delivered a quality customer experience.
to read more.


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Listeria: Dr Arefa Cassoobhoy reveals how to prevent infection
Tesco, Lidl and Sainsbury’s are all at the mercy of the listeria virus, thought to have spread over from a Hungarian frozen food factory.
The outbreak has been blamed on frozen sweetcorn, so products which have likely come into contact are now being recalled.
Health risks posed by the bacteria have resulted in a number of deaths, with the elderly and pregnant a core concern.
Most of the products taken off the shelves are own-brand vegetable mixes, and 11 total cases of listeria have so far been identified in the UK.
What is listeria?
Listeria is a bacteria, fully named listeria monocytogenes, which causes an illness named listeriosis.
Listeriosis symptoms are mainly those of food poisoning, including vomiting and diarrhoea, as well as a stiff neck.
Normally, the disease is left to run its course and can go away within a few days, but poses particular threat to those with a compromised immune system.
A total of nine people in Europe have now died from the disease, two of whom were from the UK.
Listeria food poisoning: What is listeria and what products does it effect?
How to protect against listeriosis
While listeriosis can be a nasty bacteria that leads to illness, it is also a preventable evil.
Public Health England’s Dr Kathie Grant has revealed how best to keep listeriosis at bay.
She said: ”The best way to prevent listeriosis is to practise good food hygiene.
"Along with the FSA, FSS (Food Standards Scotland) and HPS (Health Protection Scotland), we are reminding people that most frozen vegetables, including sweetcorn, need to be cooked before eating.
"This includes if adding them to salads, smoothies or dips."
What foods have been effected in Sainsbury’s Lidl, Waitrose and Tesco?
The full list of foods affected by the bacteria have now been revealed, and consumers should be trying their best to avoid them.
The list is likely to grow in the future, as according to the European Food Safety Authority, listeria incubation can last up to 70 days.
If anyone has already bought any of the following products, supermarkets are offering a full refund.
For a full list of all the products being recalled, click here.


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Pre-tax profits at BT's Irish firm rise to €43.9m
PRE-tax profits at BT Ireland's main trading firm last year increased by 13pc to €43.9m in spite of a dip in revenues, writes Gordon Deegan.
According to accounts just filed with the Companies Office by BT Communications Ireland (BTCIL), the company's turnover declined 5pc from €446.7m to €425.7m in the 12 months to the end of March last year.
The directors point out that operating profits during the year increased from €35.3m to €38.2m.
The directors said the bigger operating profit was achieved on the back of a continuing cost transformation programme, coupled with the delivery of large retail and wholesale contracts.


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Chick-fil-A has announced that they will open a flagship location at Virgin MiamiCentral this Spring, in the large retail area at the base of the train station.
It will become the sixth Chick fil-A location in Miami-Dade and one of its largest, at nearly 3,000-square feet.
“Virgin MiamiCentral is the epicenter of the rapidly transforming downtown Miami landscape and Chick-fil-A will be a welcomed dining addition,” said Elizabeth Higgins, Brightline’s Associate Vice President of Retail. “This location of one of the most popular fast-food brands in the country is certain to be an instant favorite for those who live, work and play downtown.”
In total, the ground floor retail promenade at Virgin MiamiCentral spans three blocks and around 100,000 square feet.
One other tenant now under construction is Starbucks, which will open next to the lobby of the future Tri-Rail station.
Several other new tenants are set top open at MiamiCentral’s food hall over the next few weeks, including Art de Vivre, Kuenko and 800º Woodfired Kitchen. They will join existing tenants including La Estación American Brasserie, CAO Bakery & Cafe, Rosetta Bakery, World Famous House of Mac, Buck’s Crepes, and PF by Delicatessen Patagonia. There’s also a Joe & The Juice and Einstein Bros. Bagels on the ground floor.


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Sendik's on Downer now under Nehrings management
The Sendik’s on Downer grocery store in Milwaukee closed on Tuesday night under the Sendik family ownership and reopened Wednesday morning under the helm of its new operators, John and Anne Nehring.
During the long night in between, the Nehrings restocked the shelves and installed new cash registers, said Anne Nehring. The Nehrings, who run a Sendik’s store on Oakland Avenue in Shorewood and other grocery stores, are taking over the business from the Sendik family.
"My husband and I were cross-eyed at about 7 o'clock last night," Nehring said Thursday. "We felt we had hit a wall."
The change in management coincided with Tuesday's $1.52 million sale of the Sendik's building at 2633 N. Downer Ave. to The DeMichele Co., a Milwaukee developer that will lease the store to the Nehrings, according to state records. Members of the Sendik family have listed the property for sale for several years.
Nehring said several projects are planned for the store area and will be phased in so the grocery can remain open during the work.
"You do have to do things at night and you can't disrupt business too much," she said.
Some of the first improvements include retiling the floors and bringing new refrigeration cases to the produce area, she said. The Nehrings will add a full-service cheese counter and remodel the bakery area, Nehring said. The wine, beer and spirits will move to the front of the store and be surrounded by new seating where people can sample wine or eat sandwiches or soup available from the deli, she said.
Although there are many changes planned for the coming year, Nehring said she and John, a former employee of the store under its prior ownership, want to retain the building's history. For example, they will hang historic photos of the grocery and the Sendik family, she said.
Reporter Sean Ryan covers commercial and residential real estate for the Milwaukee Business Journal and through the Real Estate Roundup blog on the website. He also covers construction, highways and public transit.
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Couples who want to get married to spruce up their Instagram feed can soon do so at this black-and-white chapel.
The “Til Death Do Us Part” installation, which opens on Friday at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, was dreamed up by graphic designer Joshua Vides. The 800-square-foot cartoon iteration of a traditional chapel is part of his “Reality to Idea” series.
“I didn’t create the concept for Instagram, but once I painted the first object and held [it in my] hand, I immediately recognized Instagram as the vehicle,” Vides told Insider.
While the piece will be available to the public, the hotel is offering photo op packages for couples. For $250, couples can take unlimited photos at the chapel for an hour.
But for those who actually want to get married in the unique setting, the hotel will throw an hour-long ceremony for $500, which includes a bottle of champagne.


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Irvine-based food processor and distributor Golden State Foods Corp. has acquired a majority stake in Groenz Group Ltd., a manufacturer of sauces, dressings and other products sold to restaurants in New Zealand, Australia and various Pacific Ocean island nations.
Terms of the deal between the two privately held companies were not disclosed.
Golden State Foods processes meats and liquid products, including sauces, dressings and syrups. It also provides distribution services to the fast-food industry. It is the third-largest privately held company in Orange County, with an estimated $5.4 billion in worldwide revenue. It has about 3,800 employees total, with 50 or so at its Irvine headquarters.
"This opportunity with Groenz is a continuation of our strategy to support our customers in their local markets," said Mark Wetterau, chairman and chief executive of Golden State Foods. "Groenz brings a tremendous reputation for service and product innovation, which will greatly enhance our product offerings and service to our customers, and we look forward to working with them."
Wellington, New Zealand-based Groenz Group does not disclose financial data. It has been in business for 35 years and employs about 55 workers at its headquarters.
“The Groen family is very happy to have forged this partnership with Golden State Foods,” said Fred Groen, managing director of Groenz Group. “From very small beginnings in the 1970s, the company has grown to a point where we needed a substantial trade partner to further expand, and we found that partner with [GSF].”
Groenz Group is the second overseas acquisition for Golden State Foods in recent months. It acquired KanPak China, a manufacturing company that serves the restaurant industry in Asia, in November.
Golden State Foods bought a 51% stake in the company from Wichita, Kan.-based KanPak LLC. Terms of the deal were undisclosed.
KanPak makes dairy-based products, including ice cream, smoothies and frozen desserts. The company has about $60 million in annual revenue and about 70 employees. It does not break out numbers for its business in Asia.


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Improvements in GST feasible as we move along, says Partho Shome
Fiscal policy expert Parthasarathi Shome says the success of the goods and services tax GST) hinges on the preparedness of businesses to comply with the new levy. He reckons that the Centre and states would be forced to make improvements in the GST design if taxpayers have discomfort in complying with the new regime. “I do not want to be unduly critical of GST. The Centre and states have done well to forge a consensus on the enabling laws after intense negotiations. Some give and take in inevitable. Hopefully, improvements will take place if tax payers are discomforted”, said Shome, former advisor to the finance minister in the UPA regime at a panel discussion followed by the launch of his book “Taxation and Development”. GST is meant to create a seamless common market, and the Centre is hopeful of rolling out the new levy on July1, this year. The optimism follows the GST Council’s nod to all enabling laws -- the draft Central GST, Integrated GST, State GST and the Union Territory GST Laws. Besides the Centre, state legislatures have to pass the law, after which all rules of all laws have to be finalised and published. India's plan is to have a dual GST with four-rate structure ranging from 5 per cent to 28 per cent. But the levy excludes real estate, electricity, alcohol, besides petroleum products (that will be brought under the net subsequently). An extra cess will be levied on luxury and non merit goods. Shome is, however, clear that the current version of GST is not internationally benchmarked. “It seems as complex as the value added tax regime that was introduced in Brazil in the 1990s, he said, adding that improvements can be made overtime. GST will be administered both by the central and state tax authorities. So, Shome underscores the need for proper training of the tax administration to ensure ease of doing business. Ahead of the value added tax regime (that replaced archaic sales tax imposed by states), the Empowered Committee of Finance ministers held several rounds of discussions with various stakeholders that included industry and trade, he said. Are both the taxpayers and the tax administration prepared to implement the new levy and is the IT system up and running? These are the crucial questions to be asked now. A robust implementation strategy is also important to ensure the success of the tax reform, he said.


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Senator Tom Udall & Rep. Alan Lowenthal introduce EPR-Driven Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act
Monday, February 10, 2020
Posted by: Josh Anderson
Contact: Josh Anderson, PSI – (617) 236-4866 or firstname.lastname@example.org.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) and U.S. Representative Alan Lowenthal (D-CA) introduced the Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act, a landmark bill designed to reduce plastic and packaging waste and transform the recycling system. The bill would implement Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging and paper products, along with a nationwide container deposit requirement, bans on certain single-use plastic products, a carryout bag fee, and standardized labeling for recycling and disposal.
“Only about 50% of packaging in the U.S. is recycled – well below many other countries, and that rate has been stagnant for nearly two decades,” said Scott Cassel, Founder & CEO of the Product Stewardship Institute (PSI). “The Udall/Lowenthal bill will increase recycling while saving local governments millions of dollars to manage an increasingly complex waste stream.”
With EPR as the centerpiece, the bill shifts the financial and management burden for recycling from local governments and taxpayers to packaging producers and brand owners – those who decide what packaging to put on the market in the first place. The bill’s EPR component was informed by PSI’s policy model, which is part of a larger toolkit for packaging stewardship. Eight states have introduced or are currently developing packaging EPR bills this legislative session.
“Under product stewardship, producers share in the responsibility for properly managing their products across the entire lifecycle,” said Scott Klag, Senior Planner for Oregon’s Metro, a regional government that includes Portland, and Vice President of PSI’s Board. “It’s not only a more sustainable solution, it’s more equitable because it puts the cost on those who produce and consume packaging.”
For producers, the bill provides financial incentives to use packaging materials that have lower environmental impacts and allows them to develop a cohesive recycling system to replace the current fragmented one. By fostering healthy markets, it will also help producers reach their publicly stated goals for using more post-consumer recycled materials.
Under the current recycling system, it will be difficult for companies to source recycled content to meet their goals. Market shifts in the wake of the China Sword and other export restrictions on recyclables have led many municipal recycling programs to stop accepting certain materials or even cease collecting materials altogether as they struggle to deal with sudden deficits. In New York State alone, communities have spent tens of millions of dollars just to maintain their recycling programs.
“Niagara County municipalities have faced dramatic recycling cost increases in the past three years, and now some communities are paying higher rates for recycling than disposal,” said Dawn Timm, Niagara County Environmental Coordinator in New York. “EPR addresses unreasonable demands on municipalities to manage and pay for materials that they had no input on creating in the first place."
EPR policies for packaging and paper products are prevalent through Canada and Europe and have proven to be an effective means for reducing waste and increasing recycling. In the U.S., there are currently 119 EPR laws in 33 states on 14 product categories, including electronics, paint, batteries, mattresses, pharmaceuticals, and carpet. These systems have significantly increased recycling, created jobs, saved municipalities millions of dollars, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by conserving resources.
About the Product Stewardship Institute (PSI): The Product Stewardship Institute (PSI) is a national nonprofit working to reduce the health and environmental impacts that result when consumer products and packaging enter the waste stream. PSI takes a unique approach to solving waste and recycling problems by bringing key stakeholders together in well-designed dialogues to forge lasting agreements rooted in producer responsibility, design change, and sustainable end-of-life management. PSI works on both voluntary and legislative product stewardship initiatives and has built capacity for product stewardship in the U.S. for the past 20 years. We have done this together with 47 state environmental agency members, hundreds of local government members, and over 120 partners from business, universities, organizations, and international governments.


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Unifi Malaysia presents “The Gaming City” in Comic Fiesta 2018
Malaysia’s leading high-speed fiber internet service provider, Unifi makes its debut into esports as they present “The Gaming City” in Comic Fiesta (CF) 2018 yesterday, one of the largest annual anime, cosplay and gaming convention in Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC). “The Gaming City” features multiple game tournaments across mobile, PC and console platform with activities from various partnered global brands.
With a prize pool of 22,000 Malaysian ringgit, 6 competitive games were featured at the event including PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds Mobile (PUBG Mobile), Counter Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO), Tekken 7, Street Fighter V, Call of Duty (COD), and Contra: Return. The two-day event has garnered more than 55,000 visitors, among are 750 players who have participated in the tournaments and activities in “The Gaming City”.
“The launch of The Gaming City in CF 2018 is one big step that Unifi have taken to venture into esports. With the rapid rise of esports in Malaysia, Unifi sees the needs to contribute and play a leading role to transform the public perception, groom and bring our grassroots players to the next level.”, said Mursyid Ismail, Assistant General Manager Sports Marketing of Unifi.
Through the successful collaboration from multiple brands, “The Gaming City” is fully presented by Unifi, SEA Gamer Mall, Media Prima Digital’s MyGameOn, Orange Cyber Café, Garena, Armaggeddon, Axis Esports, MSI, GameReady.gg, Prime Live, The Gaming Company, the Mobile Gaming Community, The Media Co. and Borneo Gaming Company.
Champions of “The Gaming City” game tournaments:
|Game Titles||Team/ Player Names||Prizes|
|PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds Mobile||Team Gank.Fty||RM4,500 with Armageddon ATOM 7 Headsets|
|Counter Strike: Global Offensive||TGC.Esports CS:GO||RM3,000 with Armageddon AK999 Keyboard, Scorpion 5 Mouse and Holster Gaming Keyboard Bag|
|Call of Duty||Team Fame||RM2,500 with AK999 Keyboard and Holster Gaming Keyboard Bag|
|Contra: Return||Zouk77||RM300 with Armageddon Mobile Pulse 7 Headset|


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Can The Auto Industry Win The Future If It Looks Like 1974?
So my week at the is wrapping up. It's my fourth Detroit Auto Show. And boy has it come a long way.
There is a vibrancy and spirit this year that's different than other shows. There's also been a lot more money spent. The tenor of the show is very different than when the federal government had an ownership stake in Chrysler and General Motors.
With the fate of the auto industry not in imminent danger, that leads a reporter like myself to notice oddities that aren't evident in crisis. From the press room, the lack of diversity is conspicuous. The few women and journalists of color stick out. When you walk in to Cobo Hall, the site of the show, executives of color are present but not in great numbers either.
Juxtapose that with the bevy of female models standing seductively by the latest race cars. (Though I've noticed what seems to be an increase in the number of male models, with a good number of them being twinks. *) That said, there's something distinctly Mad Men about the auto show even in this era of a "renewed" auto industry.
The Mad Men theme played most loudly at the arrival of Mary Barra, the freshly minted CEO of GM. A woman who worked her way up from intern to CEO is most definitely a modern story. The reaction to Barra by attendees was definitely not.
GM had previously not made Barra available for an extended period. But when GM won "Car and Truck of the Year," Barra made her debut as CEO to pick up the award. As she exited the auditorium, a press scrum developed, the likes of which I've not seen in many years. There in the middle, walking intently, was a petite woman surrounded almost entirely by men — myself included. At least two photographers fell over backwards trying to snap photos.
It was hard to remember that at the center of the scrum was the most powerful person in the U.S. auto industry and not a Hollywood starlet exiting rehab.
Another retro note was this year's focus on performance. Horsepower was definitely back at this auto show. There was no real eye-popping technology that was debuted this year — no flux capacitors, and certainly no flying cars. In many way the Consumer Electronics Show, put on a few days earlier, seemed to have stolen a lot of the thunder.
When the government had a role in the industry, the companies were at pains to slap a green coat of paint on their displays and talk fuel savings. This year, not so much.
Part of that has to do with how integral green tech has become for so many car makers. Ford has a new alumimum body truck. It's probably the biggest technological step forward but it's not as sexy as, say, an electric car. With all the talk of horsepower and performance, what seemed to be missing was bold thinking about the distant future, which is what used to make car shows sparkle. Even as the car business has gotten more healthy, it's still playing to the desires of a teenager in Michigan ... in 1974.
Transportation is one of the most fundamental problems that needs solving in our society. In order to get there, the automobile has to go through as radical a transformation as the telephone has in the past decade. And to do that it's got to attract the best and brightest young thinkers. But the auto industry is struggling to get more talented young people in its ranks.
I mean, if you're an intelligent programmer or designer, why would you go to Detroit when you could take up residence in Silicon Valley? You have to wonder, if the car business weren't so old school, whether it'd be able to attract more new talent to it. And if, instead of government or society having to solve the industry's problems, the industry could again begin solving some of ours.
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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OKLAHOMA CITY, Nov. 20 (UPI) -- A judge rejected the by Oklahoma-based Hobby Lobby and Mardel that contraceptive health insurance laws violate the owners' religious beliefs.
In a case brought by the Hobby Lobby chain of crafts stores and the Christian bookseller Mardel, businesses founded by the Green family of Oklahoma City, Okla., U.S. District Judge Joe Heaton said in a ruling on a preliminary injunction Monday the retailers were "secular, for-profit corporations" and did not have free-exercise rights under the First Amendment.
The stores challenged the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's provisions pertaining to certain employer-funded contraception device and pills that will go into effect Jan. 1. The suit was assisted by the Washington-based Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, the (Oklahoma City) Oklahoman reported Tuesday.
"We disagree with the decision and we will immediately appeal it, said Becket's general counsel Kyle Duncan in a statement. "Every American, including family business owners like the Greens, should be free to live and do business according to their religious beliefs."
Hobby Lobby CEO David Green, in a statement Monday, said his company, the largest non-Catholic-owned business to file a lawsuit against the coverage mandate, is operated "in a manner consistent with Biblical principles," adding he had no moral objection to what he termed "preventive contraception" and would continue to cover those under Hobby Lobby and Mardel health insurance plans.


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A recent interview with "Okab", a resident of Rafah who deals with the Bitcoin trade, sheds light on the recent increasing use of digital currency in the Gaza Strip. According to the interviewee, more and more Gazan young people are turning to Bitcoin for a variety of reasons. Okab called this currency a "barrier that is always open" and claimed that the chances of Israel or Hamas stopping this trade were slim due to the large number of applications, the encryption and the sophistication of the users. Oqab explained that receiving Bitcoin for the digital wallet from abroad is much easier compared to transferring the funds in the traditional way. Bitcoin shortens the process and also the issue of commissions.
The young people in Gaza are turning to this channel of bitcoin because they are sure that the corrupt Hamas authorities will not be able to get their hands on the money. Recently, Gaza government officials warned locals against using the digital currency. To this, Oqab responded: "We have a staying in Arabic. If the government says that something is haram (forbidden), it means that it is halal (allowed)."


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Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–March 29, 2012. The Just Label It Campaign (JLI) announced this week that more than one million Americans submitted comments supporting its petition to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to require labeling of genetically engineered (GE) foods. The JLI Campaign, a national coalition of more than 500 partner organizations including Beyond Pesticides, submitted the petition in October 2011 to mobilize the overwhelming public support for such labeling. An astonishing 93% of consumers from a national survey in 2010 stated that they favored labeling of GE foods as is currently required in the European Union, Japan, Australia, Brazil, Russia, and China. As of the March 27 cut-off date, the JLI Campaign had generated approximately 1,078,000 signatures for its petition –the most comments ever submitted to FDA on a food-related subject.
Gary Hirshberg, chairman of JLI Campaign partner Stonyfield, stated that, “In recent years, Americans have shown a real interest in knowing more about our food and now there is a clear mandate for the labeling of genetically engineered foods. This petition asks the FDA to stand up for the rights of average Americans, and not just a handful of powerful chemical companies. It’s time for the FDA to give Americans the same rights held by citizens in forty nations, including all of our major trade partners, to know whether our foods have been genetically modified. The FDA needs to restore confidence in our food and our right to know about the food we eat and feed our families.”
FDA can take up to six months to review the merits of the petition, which was drafted by attorneys from the Center for Food Safety, and deliver a public response. Beyond Pesticides is working with partners on several initiatives beyond the labeling petition to reverse the accelerating introduction of GE products into agriculture and the food supply. Beyond Pesticides is among the plaintiffs appealing a federal judge’s January 2012 ruling that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) decision to deregulate (allow for planting) GE alfalfa was not unlawful. Beyond Pesticides is also among the plaintiffs appealing a separate federal court ruling to dismiss a lawsuit to shield farmers from being sued for patent infringement by Monsanto should they become contaminated by drift of the company’s genetically engineered seed.
The proliferation of GE crops, especially among corn, soybean and cotton seed varieties, has had significant adverse economic and environmental effects for American agriculture. Commodity production systems dependent on GE crops drive up the price of land and impede younger and limited resource farmers from getting started or staying in agriculture. GE crops also promote a technological dependency in which farmers must rely upon –and pay the price set by- a shrinking pool of multinational seed and input providers. There is also substantial evidence that the rapid and widespread adoption of GE crops is dramatically accelerating resistance among serious agricultural pests, while doing little or nothing to reduce the volume of pesticides applied.
The best way to avoid GE foods in the marketplace is by purchasing foods that are certified under the USDA organic certification program. USDA standards prohibit the use of genetic modification in the production and handling of organic food. This prohibition is one of several reasons why shopping for organic is the right choice for consumers. Until FDA acts to implement the labeling requirements contained in the JLI Campaign petition, American consumers will have no assurance that the conventionally produced foods they purchase and consume do not contain GE ingredients.
Sources: Just Label It Campaign press release, beyondpesticides.org
All unattributed positions and opinions in this piece are those of Beyond Pesticides.


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Minnesota-based Famous Dave’s Legendary Pit Bar-B-Que opens its second East Valley restaurant Monday at Mesa Riverview.
The new location, next to Bass Pro Outdoor World, will celebrate with a “Passing the Fire” ceremony at 10:30 a.m.
The tradition, which honors founder Dave Anderson’s American Indian heritage, transfers a flame to each new Famous Dave’s from the previously opened location.
Besides award-winning barbecue, Famous Dave’s — which also has a restaurant at Chandler Fashion Center — offers burgers, sandwiches and salads.
Info: 1011 N. Dobson Road, Mesa, (480) 615-1444, www.famousdavesbbq.com.
FREE FOOD AT CHIPOTLE
Chipotle Mexican Grill is holding its annual Boo-rito promotion today, offering free food to any customer whose Halloween costume is one of the chain’s menu items.
Go to any Chipotle location between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. today dressed as one of its foil-wrapped burritos, tacos, bowls or salads and you’ll win a menu item of your choice.
STREETS OF N.Y. IN EAST MESA
Streets of New York opened its newest pizzeria Monday on the northeast corner of Signal Butte and Baseline roads in east Mesa.
The Phoenix chain, which opened its first restaurant in 1976, has more than two dozen Valley locations.
Besides hand-tossed pizzas, Streets of New York’s menu includes pasta, calzones, subs and salads.
Info: 1959 S. Signal Butte Road, Apache Junction, (480) 986-6175, www.streetsofnewyork.com.
LONGHORN OPENS IN CHANDLER
LongHorn Steakhouse, a chain with most of its restaurants in the southeast United States, has opened its first Arizona location on the northwest corner of Germann and Gilbert roads in Chandler.
More than 10 types of steak are in the menu, as well as grilled chicken, seafood, ribs and burgers.
LongHorn Steakhouses were purchased in August by Darden Restaurants, whose other chains include Red Lobster, Olive Garden and Bahama Breeze.
Info: 2950 E. Germann Road, Chandler, (480) 857-6500, www.longhornsteakhouse.com.
FARM RESTAURANT DELAYED
Fresh from the Farm, a restaurant scheduled to open this week at Schnepf Farms in Queen Creek, has been delayed a couple of weeks.
Farm owner Carrie Schnepf says final permits are being processed and the opening will be mid-November.


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By Matt Andrejczak, MarketWatch
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- America's retailers of toys want to make this gift-giving season an easier sell for budget-conscious parents squeezed by the deteriorating economy.
Even before the Black Friday rush began, Toys "R" Us, Wal-Mart Stores /quotes/zigman/245476/delayed/quotes/nls/wmt WMT -0.17% , Target /quotes/zigman/253872/delayed/quotes/nls/tgt TGT +0.13% , and KB Toys had launched special sales to stoke consumer demand. Along with big toy makers like Mattel Inc. and Hasbro Inc., the industry is confronted with an apprehensive shopping public, according to the latest Gallop Poll that projects Christmas spending.
Last year's big threat was the worry over product safety. This year, it's all about selling prices.
For Toys "R" Us, Friday marked its biggest two-day sale ever for Thanksgiving weekend, marking down 150 toys to the lowest prices of the year, some at 50% to 60% discounts.
"We know parents are going to be looking for values for the holiday season and we expect it to be a very big Black Friday," Toys "R" Us CEO Jerry Storch said in an interview.
Since October, Wal-Mart has been selling 10 popular toys -- ranging from Littlest Pet Shop VIPs to Hot Wheels Trick Tracks -- for $10, while mall retailer KB Toys ran a one-week sale this month, chopping prices on more than 400 toys. Disney is touting gift ideas for under $20, such as High School Musical dolls, Handy Mandy Tool sets.
"We're seeing a trend towards lower prices toys," said Jonathan Samet, publisher of the Toy Insider, a buying guide that publishes an annual list of the Hot 20 toys.
To spur buying, retailers have been doing temporary price cuts on what are expected to be hot toys this year, Samet added. For instance, Target ran a recent special to purchase Spin Master's Bakugan Battle Arena for $19.99, a $10 discount from the regular price.
Bakugan is the hottest selling toy for boys, Samet said. The collectible colored marbles that spring into powerful warrior action figures when rolled onto game cards are affordable. The marbles and related accessories range in price from $2.99 to $29.99.
The stumbling U.S. economy will test the resilience of the toy market, considered the most recession-proof corner of the retail sector. Same-store sales have declined three straight months at retailers, making it one of the worst periods on record, according to U.S. government data.
"What we've heard is that the parents are going to cut the luxuries for each other before they cut the presents for their children," Toys "R" Us' Storch said. "Toys tend to hold better than other products in down years."
Toy makers are pinning their hopes on low price points. Hasbro says a "majority" of its toys sell for $20 or less, while Jakks Pacific gets 65% of its total sales from toys $30 or less.
Retailers are keeping inventories lean, not wanting to be overstocked with toys at yearend. The latest Gallop poll projects Americans will spend on average $616 for Christmas gifts, the lowest since 2002. At this time last year, the average estimate was $866.
"The good news for parents is that many retailers are featuring toys as loss leaders this year, heavily discounting and promoting these items to bring shoppers into stores," said Tracy Mullin, president of the National Retail Federation, the big trade group.


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Top companies to blame for red tape
THE nation’s top companies have themselves to blame as much as government for being wrapped up in red tape.
Two-thirds of the 50 chief executives and chairmen from Australia’s top 200 listed companies surveyed said regulation was on the rise and a major burden.
But Deloitte, the company behind the survey, said the costs of complying with regulations imposed by the private sector were just as high as meeting government requirements. Deloitte managing partner assurance and advisory Richard Deutsch said: “There is a tendency in corporate Australia to focus on government red tape as a drag on productivity and our discussions with chairs and CEOs have substantiated this.
“But, with the evidence that internal bureaucracy is as much, if not more of an issue, they also acknowledge that external regulation isn’t necessarily a burning platform for them. The real issue for many is corporate red tape.”
An emerging issue for company boards appears to be cyber security, though many survey respondents indicated their organisations were not entirely equipped to deal with a data breach.


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Say it will spread the virus more
Punjab has eased its locked restrictions and allowed several sectors to operate, but residents are worried this is not a good idea to control the spread of the coronavirus.
Tailors, plumbers, electricians and several other professionals have been given the government’s go ahead to open shop, while the lockdown has been extended for another two weeks.
People need to be careful, said one citizen.
Shopkeepers are saying, however, that they are not getting enough customers in the lockdown.
“Cloth shops and markets are closed, so even if a customer comes, where will they get cloth from?” a tailor told SAMAA TV.


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Lincolnshire plastics-recycling firm Luxus was praised by the Business Thinking judges for bringing sustainability innovations to the tough world of the automotive industry – something that managing director Peter Atterby says is crucial for the business.
“This business is driven by legislative demand as well as a drive for sustainability and lower carbon footprints,” he says. “We target markets where there’s a need for the sustainable aspect, so we have a long-term market.”
Employing 140 workers in Louth, near Grimsby, Luxus produces a technical compound for car interiors and exteriors from recycled plastic, serving customers including Nissan, Jaguar and Land Rover.
Currently exporting more than half of its production, the company expects to increase turnover from £21m to £29m in the next two years.
“It’s absolutely fantastic,” Mr Atterby said of being announced a regional Business Thinking winner. “I just feel elated. It’s a very difficult job being a managing director of an SME. It’s one of the loneliest jobs in the world, but today it’s one of the most rewarding.
“The Business Thinking experience has been absolutely fantastic because it has given us the opportunity to benchmark our business against the best in the UK.”
Mr Atterby intends to use the company’s Business Thinking award of up to £6m of lending and cash reward of up to £120,000 to continue developing a graduate academy that Luxus has launched. “We feel that the future of the business lies in young people,” he said. “It is not just graduates. It is apprentices as well.
“We strongly believe that the new costs of going to university are going to mean that we are going to have a lot more people available to us and that we can fast-track developments for the business’s future.
“One thing about the recycling business is that you have to grow your own talent simply because there are so many variables in the business. So we have to make sure we’re developing the right people to take the business forward.”
He also plans to spend the money on research and development. “We’re always trying to keep ourselves three to five years ahead of competitors,” he says. “We want to put in a new research and development line which means we can run samples faster for our customers and we don’t have to lose production while we are developing new ideas.
“We’re developing products with new additives in them, and lightweight materials for the automotive industry.
“If the material is not only recycled but also of a lighter weight it means that the carbon emissions are less during the whole life of a vehicle so there’s a double win there.”


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The two Elon Musk companies are now sharing more employees, making tools for each other, and SpaceX is buying millions of dollars worth of auto parts for Tesla.
SpaceX is already buying powertrains from Tesla for its spacecraft, is it too far fetched for them to build a rover together?
Designer Charlie Automotive decided to visualize what it would look like and produced cool renderings of a Tesla Cybertruck modified as a Moon Rover vehicle (via Instagram):
Electric vehicles have a long history of space travel since combustion engines are designed to work in our atmosphere while electric motors can generate torque in a wider variety of environments.
As Audi began work on its new generation electric vehicles, they developed an electric lunar rover.
Check out this overview of Charlie’s Tesla Cybertruck lunar vehicle:
Tesla Cybertruck already looks like a science fiction movie and with this design it’s easy to see how it would look great as a rover or lunar vehicle.
Musk joked that Tesla made the Cybertruck for the apocalypse because of its bulletproof glass and ultra-hard exoskeleton steel body.
Some of these features could help SpaceX adapt the electric vehicle as a lunar rover or even for Mars.
Musk even said that “Tesla Cybertruck (press release) will be the official truck for Mars. ”
Two years ago, Musk talked about Tesla and SpaceX working together on a vehicle called “Cyborg Dragon Tesla”.
Could it be something like Charlie’s design? A Tesla Cybertruck with a SpaceX Dragon habitat inside? What do you think? Let us know in the comment section below.
FTC: We use self-generating affiliate links. More.
Subscribe to Electrek on YouTube for exclusive videos and subscribe to the podcast.


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ITC rules that HTC is violating two Apple patents, threatens all of Android
0. phoneArena 15 Jul 2011, 19:47 posted on
Apple had filed a lawsuit claiming that HTC infringed on 10 patents, and the ITC has ruled that HTC is indeed in violation of two of those patents, which could cause trouble for HTC in importing devices into the USA...
This is a discussion for a news. To read the whole news, click here


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From Santa Monica to WeHo to the Valley to Downtown, people have been using Uber to get around Los Angeles since 2012. Over the past three years, we have been working to make Uber a safe and reliable way to get where you need to go, when you need to go and have launched exciting new products like UberLUX, UberFRESH and uberPOOL that are innovating how people interact with the City of Angels.
But Uber isn’t just for nights and weekends. It has enabled people across LA to commute more easily to work or school by connecting them to the existing public transit infrastructure, making the city that much more accessible to residents, commuters and tourists.
Uber is closing the first and and last mile gap of your commute in two key ways:
- Gaps in public transportation become hubs for Uber. We go where bus and metro routes don’t run.
- We complement public transit, making it more likely that people will use the existing public transit infrastructure, where they may have not been able to before.
To gauge how Angelenos have incorporated Uber into their daily commutes, we looked at one month of trips that started or ended within 1/4th of a mile of a metro station. What did we find?
Trips near metro stations accounted for more than 16% of
Uber trips that started or ended in Los Angeles.
We also looked at when people are using Uber and found that almost a quarter of those riding are doing so during commuting hours. In fact, 22% of LA trips taken within a ¼ mile of a metro station took place between 7AM-10AM and 4PM-7PM, Monday-Friday.
With rates cheaper than taxi rates, economic barriers to a safe and convenient ride available anytime, anywhere diminish. This means that fewer people need to own cars—and those who can’t afford a car can still count on a reliable ride within or outside of the current public transit system.
We’ve come a long way since our 2012 launch and are excited about all of the new products available in Los Angeles. Our latest launch, uberPOOL, is connecting riders to other riders, reducing congestion and emissions, closing the first and last mile gap for commuters, and making safe and reliable rides more affordable than ever. We look forward to expanding uberPOOL across the region. Uber is committed to providing greater access and availability across the Los Angeles area that riders and drivers can count on for years to come.
Last updated March 11, 2016


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Since 2014, the internationally renowned TED conference has taken place in Vancouver. Speeches from Elon Musk, Al Gore, and Bill Gates have been broadcast from the Convention Centre, helping to boost the profile of the future-focused event, and Vancouver itself.
With its expertise in innovation and technology, the region boasts thousands of companies whose products and services dovetail with the conference's focus: tech, entertainment, and design. That affinity hasn’t been wasted on the TED organizers. Collaborating with some of Vancouver’s most vibrant businesses, the conference is set to offer a smorgasbord of local tech experiences to its international audience in 2019.
One of the industries tapped by the event’s planners is the city’s VR and AR sector.
Building on a partnership with the Vancouver VR/AR Association that was established at last year’s conference, TED will this year offer the chance for attendees to interact with 14 of the city’s best immersive businesses. Those individuals will get the chance to test out live demos of the technology, and meet face-to-face with representatives during the event.
“It was so well-attended last year, and it was such a great program, that TED wanted to partner with us again,” Dan Burgar, president of the Vancouver VR/AR Association, tells the Georgia Straight. “They want to tie together some of the technology’s local change-makers with the conference guests. TED saw that the Vancouver ecosystem is thriving, so they said, ‘Okay, why don’t we go into the community, and why don’t we do an event at your incubator space at Launch Academy?’ We told them it was a perfect idea.”
The 14 companies selected will show off the range of immersive experiences being created in the region. Alongside Microsoft and Shawn Hunt’s Transformation Mask—a wearable installation that combines virtual reality, robotics, and First Nations art—enterprise businesses including LlamaZOO and Finger Food will preview how VR and AR is being used to make industries like retail and mining more efficient. Storytellers including Paper Oni will exhibit animated VR shorts, while Banging Rocks will display an experience that fuses VR and meditation. The strong Vancouver gaming sector will also be represented, with the award-winning studio Cloudhead Games set to showcase its Heart of the Emberstone puzzle challenge.
Invited VIP guests will visit the space from 3.30 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. From 4.30 p.m. until 7 p.m, the exhibits will be available for the public to try out, including any professionals who are looking to invest or better understand VR and AR.
The TED partnership will afford the Vancouver organizations a first-rate opportunity to get their experiences in front of interested individuals.
“It’s another way of telling the story of what’s happening in Vancouver,” says Burgar. “Right now, it’s not about holding our cards close to our chest, but really showing the world what we’re doing, and being proud of it. I think as Canadians, we don’t talk about ourselves enough. For me, [this partnership] is really about giving the world a glimpse into this ecosystem, and some of the great creators who are building this technology. We want to give them that stage and platform to be able to garner opportunities, and look at collaboration.”
The TED VR and AR exhibition will take place at Launch Academy (300 – 128 West Hastings Street) on April 16. Those wishing to attend the 4.30 p.m. to 7 p.m. session can register for free here.
Kate Wilson is the Technology Editor at the Georgia Straight. Follow her on Twitter @KateWilsonSays


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In a lengthy interview, the vice president of vivo and director of the Chinese business Liu Hong shared some insights about his company and the future of 5G phones. He explained the company is now back on track and plans to manufacture up to 100,000 5G smartphones per day due to the unexpectedly high demand.
Still, the predictions are for sales to decline 30% to 50% in the first quarter of the year after the COVID-19 outbreak caused a delay in factory production, reduced customer flow on the offline scene. Effectively, once the Spring Festival was done, the market started going downhill.
However, vivo revealed it has 5 plants across the globe that has the capacity to yield 200 million devices per year, so it was well prepared for what happened and will even be able to handle the closures in other countries. All the factories are working at nearly 90% capacity because customers are actively looking for 5G devices.
Liu Hong said the company is switching from 4G to 5G since practically all major companies in China have stopped introducing 4G phones that cost over CNY2,000 ($250).
The midrange market is already becoming flooded with 5G units and the flagship scene is as dense as ever, so the next playing field is the entry-level smartphones. Expectations at vivo are that 5G phones will cost as low as CNY1,500 ($215) by the fourth quarter of 2020.
Source (in Chinese)


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Lawsuits go after energy firms / San Francisco, Santa Clara County seek huge refunds
Published 4:00 am, Friday, July 9, 2004
Attorneys for San Francisco and Santa Clara County demanded the return of billions of dollars paid by California natural gas customers during the state's energy crisis in two lawsuits accusing gas firms of conspiring to jack up prices.
Companies including Sempra Energy and its units, Southern California Gas Co. and San Diego Gas & Electric Co., falsely reported high-priced trades to send market rates soaring for retail natural gas customers, the two governments claimed in the suits filed Thursday.
"We're talking about gas companies having gouged California consumers out of billions of dollars by illegally manipulating the price of natural gas," said San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera. "That's something that this city and Santa Clara County are not going to stand for."
Sempra Energy spokesman Doug Kline denied the claims.
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"These suits are meritless. They are long on hyperbole, short on substance and teeming with false allegations," Kline said. "Sempra Energy and our subsidiaries have followed the rules in the energy marketplace, and our activities have in no way adversely impacted the market."
Other companies named as defendants said they had not yet seen the suits and reserved comment. The other corporate defendants include Dynegy Inc., Reliant Energy Inc., West Coast Power LLC, CenterpointEnergy Inc., Coral Energy Resources and Ecana Corp.
The state antitrust suits were filed in San Diego County, where many of the violations allegedly took place and where other cases against energy companies are already pending.
While the huge increases in wholesale electricity prices grabbed center stage during the energy crisis of 2000-01, retail customers felt the worst bite from steep increases in natural gas bills.
Consumers were insulated from the full brunt of rising power rates by a price cap, but the natural gas price spikes were immediately passed through to customers. Householders turned down the heat, and some manufacturing businesses like food processors were hit hard.
According to the lawsuits, the energy firms took advantage of the way prevailing prices are set in the state to drive rates to levels six times higher than the national average.
Unlike a stock exchange, where buyers can see the amount and price of every trade, natural gas buyers rely on price indexes in industry trade publications. Those journals publish only trades voluntarily reported to them by the parties, not all trades taking place.
The energy firms are accused of reporting hundreds of so-called wash trades that gave the impression of huge demand and high market prices. The companies would allegedly report selling gas at a high price to an affiliate or other firm in the conspiracy, but then buy it back at the same price.
Only the first transaction was reported to the trade journals, the suits claim, even though the alleged resale washed out any real exchange of the commodity.
Such trades, however, pegged the published indexes at the high rates California residents, businesses and municipalities paid, according to the price-fixing suits.
Burlingame attorney Joe Cotchett, co-counsel on the lawsuits, said the defendants could be liable for triple damages under state antitrust laws, an amount he estimates at as much as $8 billion.
Cotchett said nothing has been done to make the market system less vulnerable to gaming.
"Unless the government puts us back into strict regulation, it's going to happen over and over and over again," he said.


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With oceans being clogged with plastic waste, the world - and indeed Japan - is taking steps to battle human beings' insatiable appetite for plastic. Accordingly, Tohoku University has adopted the Japanese government's "Plastics Smarts" campaign.
The campaign seeks to cultivate understanding amongst staff and students regarding the need to tackle this pressing issue. Furthermore, the campaign will work towards fostering cooperation with campus businesses to reduce plastic waste.
As of April 19, 2019, Tohoku University has put into place numerous measures to reduce littering and single use plastic. The university will:
- Encourage staff and students to bring their own mugs.
- Encourage staff and students to bring their own shopping bags.
- Stop the serving of bottled drinks at meetings.
- Encourage on-campus shops to reduce single use plastic products.
- Ensure recycling boxes for plastic bottles, glass bottles, cans, as well as paper are set up across the University.
Tohoku University is actively promoting the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The University hopes to further the well-being of society via promoting research and technological advancements that contribute in the fight to create a sustainable future.
Contact:General Affairs and Planning Department,
General Affairs Division, Tohoku University
Tel：+81 22 217 4807


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Today, 27 October, launched a pre-order for the anniversary smartphone Apple — iPhone X.
Unlike previous models, sales of which Apple has been launching gradually, preferring to divide the markets on the waves, this time the novelty is available all at once.
The gadget will appear on the shelves of the third of November, and now the site of the Corporation you can pre-order.
iPhone X is the most anticipated Apple smartphone. For the 10-year anniversary the company has created a fundamentally new smartphone, equipping it with a frameless OLED display, facial recognition Face ID, wireless charging and a host of other new features.
Unlike previous models, the iPhone X will be available in two body colours — silver and shade of space Grey. According to the publication Cult of Mac, the most popular among potential buyers enjoy dark model. The intention to purchase an iPhone X in the color “space Gray” reported 41% of survey participants resource.
iPhone X available to order in two trim levels — with internal memory of 64 GB and 256 GB. Price new starts at $ 999. In Russia for the iPhone X will have to pay from 79 990 rubles.
Follow the news of the Apple in our Telegram-channel, as well as in the app on iOS MacDigger.


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Jin-Woo finally defeated the ant king and healed Cha Hae-In and now fans can’t wait to read the upcoming Solo Leveling 106 spoilers and raw scans. Solo Leveling is the incredibly popular webtoon based on Chu-Gong’s web novel. Its fantastic artwork is done by Jang
Boku no My Hero Academia 261 spoilers have finally been released and finally, we get to see what happens to the Doctor. We have released all the spoilers below for you to read. The doctor tries to warp out of the hospital using the nomu
Last week the manga was on break and fans were eagerly waiting to read One Piece 971 spoilers and raw scans. Today we will be discussing what happened in the last chapter and what we might get to see the upcoming One Piece Chapter 971.
Fans have been excitedly waiting for the release of One Piece 968 but unfortunately, it is on break and will not be released this week. In this article we have talked about the new One Piece 968 release date and when the break will end.
Hello, everyone. Boruto: Naruto Next Generation Chapter 34 English was revealed yesterday on unofficial sites and will release officially on April 22. Boruto Chapter 35 English version will be officially released on Viz on June 10, 2019. There will be a break in May. Chapter


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ATLANTA — Chick-fil-A is spicing up its menu with a new spicy grilled chicken sandwich.
The Grilled Spicy Deluxe will be available for a limited time at participating restaurants beginning Jan. 25.
The new sandwich is marinated in spicy seasoning and served on a multigrain bun with Colby-jack cheese, lettuce and tomato. It was previously tested in select cities, and now will be available to customers nationwide.
"While our guests already love our spicy menu, we wanted to offer a grilled twist that allows them to enjoy the layers of bold flavors," said chef Angela Wadlington. "Our Grilled Spicy Deluxe Sandwich got great feedback from guests in our test markets, so we knew we needed to expand the offering to Chick-fil-A restaurants nationwide."
The restaurant is also adding a creamy cilantro lime sauce to pair with the sandwich and other menu items.
Check a location near you to confirm availability.


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Ahead of official launch of Nothing ear (1) TWS Earbuds, the brand has revealed its price. It will be priced Rs. 5999 in India and will be sold by Flipkart. The India pricing is less compared to global price of GBP 99 ( one Pound sterling equals 103.46 Indian Rupees).
The Nothing ear (1) will have premium build and will be equipped with state-of-the-art Active Noise Cancellation which uses three high definition mics to bring your music, films and podcasts into sharp focus.
The Nothing ear (1) will launch on July 27th at 18:30 IST (14:00 BST) and more details will be revealed on that date.
Commenting on the upcoming launch, Manu Sharma, Vice President and General Manager, Nothing India said, “India is an important market for Nothing and and in partnership with Flipkart, we look forward to introducing ear (1) to Indian users at the same time as our global launch. He added, “It is important for us to bring value to our Indian users from day one. Starting with ear (1), our products will be uniquely designed and easy to use. Above all, they will be devices we are proud to use ourselves and recommend to our friends and family.”


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In January, Qualcomm announced that the devices powered by Snapdragon 720G, Snapdragon 662, and Snapdragon 460 system-on-chip (SoC) models will support Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) designed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). That was a follow-up of the original announcement highlighting the partnership between Qualcomm and ISRO to bring NavIC support to new mobile devices this year. But India’s navigation satellite system won’t just be supported by the smartphones powered by latest Snapdragon-series SoCs and will reach handsets carrying the top-of-the-line Snapdragon 865 SoC.
A software update is reaching original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in April to enable NavIC support on devices powered by the Snapdragon 865 SoC, Qualcomm revealed to underline the expansion of fresh development. The San Diego-based company made the revelation just after Realme India CEO Madhav Sheth claimed NavIC support on the Realme X50 Pro 5G smartphone that is powered by the same Snapdragon 865 SoC. However, the Realme flagship isn’t likely to be the only smartphone to get the latest experience.
Qualcomm’s Senior Director of Product Marketing Sachin Kalantri told Gadgets 360 that the NavIC technology would work with Snapdragon 865 and later SoC models. The phones need to have radio frequency (RF) support for L5 band and the software to communicate with ISRO’s satellites for precise navigation, the executive said over a phone call.
“As long as your phone has a chipset which is NavIC capable, has L5 band enabled, and has the software for NavIC, it will work,” Kalantri stated.
While the Snapdragon 720G, Snapdragon 662, and Snapdragon 460 are still the first mobile processors to support NavIC out-of-the-box, Qualcomm is working on the software update that will expand the new experience to the Snapdragon 865 SoC. This, in other words, means that the Realme X50 Pro 5G doesn’t have NavIC support at present, though the Chinese brand would bring it after deploying the software update from Qualcomm.
Aside from Realme, some other OEMs bringing new Snapdragon 865-powered devices are likely to include NavIC support on their flagships by utilising the update. Xiaomi also announced its plans to bring its new smartphone models with support for NavIC. The company is likely to bring a phone based on Snapdragon 720G SoC that would support the navigation system without requiring any additional software updates.
The Indian market also has the iQoo 3 based on the Snapdragon 865 SoC. But iQoo in a recent statement to Gadgets 360 confirmed that its smartphone doesn’t support NavIC, though it is unclear whether it would be capable of adding support through the software update that Qualcomm is seeding to OEMs next month.
Kalantri mentioned that merely by using NavIC-supporting Snapdragon SoC doesn’t mean that OEMs would be able to offer the new navigation experience on their devices. The manufacturers need to provide the RF support for the L5 band, which is unlike the L1 band that works with GPS satellites designed to receive signals from NavIC satellites.
“It’s agnostic to the user whether Galileo or Beidou or GPS or Glonass is being used,” Kalantri said while pointing out that users won’t be able to switch between NavIC and GPS. “All the technologies which are possible from that phone, typically will be used and the user does not have a choice in terms of switching from one to the other or selecting only one because it doesn’t make sense.”
NavIC support would be independent on the application level and it wouldn’t be impacted by any custom ROM or Android version, the executive added.
In terms of what would be different for end users, Kalantri noted that there would be a quicker and more accurate navigation experience through faster time-to-first-fix (TTFF) position and improved navigation in dense urban areas that have tall buildings. He, however, said that there wouldn’t be any changes on the part of battery life on smartphones using NavIC-based navigation.
There would also be no difference on the experience front between the devices powered by Snapdragon 865 and newer SoC models. Nevertheless, the RF components that are being used by manufacturers to enable NavIC support could be different.
“While inclusion of NavIC will certainly benefit users having such smartphones, it will not be a key factor tilting smartphone purchase decisions,” said Prabhu Ram, Head – Industry Intelligence Group at CMR, in a conversation with Gadgets 360.
Ram added that as per CMR consumer insights, smartphone purchases by Indians are driven predominantly by specifications such as camera, battery, and storage, among others.
ISRO launched NavIC as India’s indigenous navigation satellite system as a project back in May 2013. The navigation system currently covers India and a region extending 1,500 kilometres around it and uses the constellation of seven satellites. It works with L5 and S bands, though the former is designed for mass usage, while the latter is limited for military use.