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The smartphone market in the country saw a major change in the last few weeks after Redmi Note 7 Pro arrived. Xiaomi has again been able to redefine the budget flagship lineup.
The under 15,000 category is now the most competitive space in the market.
Loaded by stalwarts from Xiaomi, Realme, Asus and Honor, there are some great budget flagships available in the range backed by some great features including camera, performance, battery and more.
Let’s check out the recent list of the top smartphones under Rs 15,000.
Redmi Note 7 Pro
Starting the list with the current newsmaker, the Redmi Note 7 Pro tops the list of the current best phones under 15,000 rupees. Packed by flagship-level features and specs, the smartphone comes with a premium design on the out sandwiched in a glass body. Redmi Note 7 Pro sports a 6.3-inch Full HD+ dot notch display running on Snapdragon 675 processor and MIUI 10 based on Android 9 Pie and a massive 4,000mAh battery supporting fast charge.
The sizzling feature is the rear dual camera setup comprising of the 48MP Sony IMX 586 sensor, all these starting at just Rs 13,999.
Samsung Galaxy M30
Galaxy M30 is the only smartphone to come with triple cameras at under 15,000 rupees in India. Samsung Galaxy M30 sports a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED Full HD+ Infinity-U display running on Samsung’s own in-house Exynos 7904 SoC octa-core chip. The Galaxy M30 features a rear triple camera setup, it’s major USP. The triple camera system comprises of a 13-megapixel f/1.9 primary shooter coupled with a 5-megapixel ultra-wide lens and a third 5-megapixel depth lens.
Galaxy M30 runs on Android 8.1 Oreo with One UI on top backed by a massive 5,000mAh battery with support for 15W fast charging (ships with the adapter).
Asus ZenFone Max Pro M2
The next spot is taken by the much-versatile Asus ZenFone Max Pro M2. The second generation Zenfone Max Pro smartphone was permanently discounted after the Note 7 Pro launch. Now available starting at just Rs 9,999, Zenfone Max Pro M2 offers excellent value for money at this price against the competition. With a 6.22-inch Full HD+ notched display protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 6, the smartphone runs on the dependable Snapdragon 660 processor, dual cameras including Sony IMX 486 sensor and 4K video recording support.
On top the smartphone offers flawless stock Android experience with 8.1 Oreo (pie update by April-end) and a massive 5,000mAh battery capable of running for at least two days with moderate use.
Realme 2 Pro
This smartphone from last year continues to dominate the market. Realme 2 Pro is now available starting at Rs 12,990, and it does offer great value for money at the price. Running on the same Snapdragon 660 processor as Max Pro M2, Realme 2 Pro comes with a Full HD+ 6.2-inch water drop notch display, dual rear cameras and a 3,500mAh battery.
Realme plans will soon be rolling out the Android 9.0 Pie as well, making the smartphone a solid contender in the best smartphones under 15,000 list.
Xiaomi Mi A2
The second generation Xiaomi Mi A series smartphone is now available at a permanently discounted price of Rs 11,999 for the base variant. Launched at a starting price of Rs 16,999 in August, Mi A2 now seems like a more reasonable option. The biggest advantage is it’s software and UI. The smartphone is an Android One device, directly backed by Google when it comes to security patches and version upgrades.
The smartphone runs on Snapdragon 660, Android Oreo, dual cameras, widescreen 18:9 display (great for those who hate notches) and a 3,000mAh battery supporting QC 4.0 fast charge.
The Honor 7X successor was unveiled back in October last year. The smartphone comes with a 6.5-inch Full HD+ with a notch on top running on an octa-core Kirin 710 12 nm processor. Honor 8X has Android 8.1 Oreo as its UI with EMUI 8.2 on top featuring a 20-megapixel primary rear camera coupled with a secondary 2-megapixel camera and a 16-megapixel selfie camera.
Honor 8X offers a massive display with amazing viewing experience, huge 3,750 mAh battery and great camera performance, starting at Rs 14,999.
The first Realme U series smartphone from last year remains a great option under 15,000 rupees. A selfie-focused smartphone, Realme U1 currently retails starting at Rs 9,999. The smartphone features a AI-powered 25MP Sony IMX 576 sensor. On top the smartphone runs on MediaTek Helio P70 chip, the latest 12 nm chip. Realme U1 runs on Android 8.1 Oreo with Color OS 5.2. The Android Pie-based Color OS 6.0 update will arrive by June.
The company has discounted the smartphone recently, and Realme U1 is now available starting at Rs 9,999. It also launched a new variant with 64GB storage and 3GB RAM at Rs 10,999.


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Publishers look for commerce content attribution to move beyond last click
With both publishers and advertisers looking to grow affiliate commerce, a growing number of publishers and advertisers have started using affiliate networks’ attribution tools to advocate for bigger commissions from advertisers and even earn commissions from customers that have read their content, even if that read doesn’t lead immediately to a click.
BuzzFeed, for instance, is exploring several possible third-party attribution solutions that would allow them to build commerce campaigns that factor in view-through attribution, which would pay BuzzFeed commissions for people who bought featured products after reading their content. Business Insider has seen a noticeable increase from affiliate advertisers sending more revenue their way thanks to multi-touch attribution products offered by affiliate networks.
“The main challenge for content publishers is that we’re typically at the start of the consumer purchasing journey (especially when we’re driving discovery through social),” Nilla Ali, svp of commerce at BuzzFeed, wrote in an email. “So the likelihood of winning on last-click attribution is very low.”
Though last-click attribution remains the currency that powers affiliate networks, some networks began making it possible a few years ago to spread their affiliate budgets around to better account for the value contributed by different publishers in their ecosystems. Four years ago, for example, the marketing technology firm Impact rolled out a tool that allowed advertisers to pay out what are called contribution bonuses to publishers whose content customers regularly consumed on the way to purchasing an advertiser’s product.
Over that same period, many affiliate networks began adding extra layers of information about the publishers participating in them, such as social media impressions or shares of posts containing affiliate links.
Thanks to that access to analytics that might be used in different ad campaigns, agencies and marketers will use affiliate campaigns for both awareness and sales, said Nicole Ron, vp of product marketing at CJ Affiliate. And as affiliate and other marketing investments become more entwined, it has pulled affiliate marketing out of the silo it has long existed in, and changed the way people think about it.
“What we’re starting to see is a trend toward other departmental budgets coming in to affiliate,” Ron said.
Some affiliate networks have added multi-touch attribution products in response to a mix of advertiser and publisher demand. Over the summer, the affiliate network Awin announced it had formed an exclusive relationship with SingleView, an attribution vendor based in the U.K. Awin sells SingleView as a subscription add-on to both advertisers and publishers. This year, Pepperjam overhauled its reporting technology to make it easier for advertisers to create what’s called a preferred partner designation for publishers, an option they launched late last year; a preferred partner designation guarantees that they receive a commission for any sale where they appear in the journey, regardless of whether they are first or last.
Since the integration, Awin has seen advertisers revise the way they spend their affiliate budgets on the platform, said Christopher Floccare, a publisher success manager at Awin.
Breton Fischetti, vp of commerce at Insider Inc., said he is happy to see the influence of Insider Picks’ content attract advertiser investment, and expects more brands might start doing it next year.
As commerce has become a less siloed part of the media, publishers have begun pushing to integrate commerce into broader, more elaborate sales packages.This fall, BuzzFeed reorganized its sales force to emphasize multi-dimensional packages, which might include a mixture of branded content, programmatic display and commerce content.
But adding those layers of complexity requires brands to sweat additional details, something not every advertiser has the interest or bandwidth to do. “Brands want to do this,” said Todd Crawford, cofounder of Impact. “They want to grow the pie. But it’s like anything else. Do you want to spend a lot of time doing this, or a little?”
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domain: news


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İrem UZUN -TDO- China on Monday morning announced it would cut import taxes on a range of products starting January 1.According to the state news agency Xinhua, China's Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council said the move was aimed at promoting a high-quality development of trade."The adjustments will be made to expand imports, promote the coordinated development of trade and environment, advance the high-quality development of the joint building of the Belt and Road," Xinhua said, citing the commission.
Tariff changes will be applied on 859 items ranging from frozen pork, avocados, some types of semiconductors, asthma and diabetes medications.The ministry of finance said the tariff changes would be made to "increase imports of products facing a relative domestic shortage, or foreign specialty goods for everyday consumption".Tariff changes include frozen pork - due to be lowered to 8% from 12% for some countries - as China struggles to cope with an outbreak of African swine fever.The deadly disease has wiped out about half of the country's pigs and dealt a heavy blow to the pork industry.
Further tariff reduction will be made according to the free trade agreements China has separately signed with New Zealand, Peru, Costa Rica, Switzerland, Iceland, Singapore, Australia, the Republic of Korea, Georgia, Chile and Pakistan, as well as the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement. It will also make adjustments to the applicable countries in line with the United Nations’ list of the least developed countries and China's transition period arrangements, the commission said.


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Canada passes recreational cannabis bill
The Canadian senate has passed a law that will legalise recreational cannabis use at a nationwide level.
Recreational cannabis use will soon become legal in Canada
The Cannabis Act was passed yesterday (Tuesday 19 June) with 52 votes in favour, 29 against and two abstentions.
An amendment to Canada’s Controlled Drugs and Substances Act will legalise recreational cannabis consumption and regulate its production, distribution and sale. Medical cannabis use has been legal in the country since 2001.
Prime minister Justin Trudeau tweeted: “It’s been too easy for our kids to get marijuana – and for criminals to reap the profits.”
It’s been too easy for our kids to get marijuana – and for criminals to reap the profits. Today, we change that. Our plan to legalize & regulate marijuana just passed the Senate. #PromiseKept
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) June 20, 2018
Analysts have estimated that Canada’s cannabis industry was worth US$0.04 billion in 2015, and is estimated to become an US$8bn business by 2020.
While concerns have been expressed over the impact cannabis sales could have on the alcohol industry, a number of spirits groups have eyed an opportunity to combine the two sectors.
US drinks group Constellation Brands acquired a minority stake in Canadian cannabis producer Canopy Growth Corporation for C$245m (US$191m) last year, announcing its intention to move into cannabis-based beverages.
Just last month, the largest drinks distribution firm in North America, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, entered into a partnership with cannabis producer Aphria to distribute its products throughout Canada.
Tory peer William Hague recently called for the UK government to “be as bold” as Canadian liberals with regards to its cannabis policy.


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|By Marketwired .||
|August 21, 2014 03:16 PM EDT||
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 08/21/14 -- Editors Note: There is a photo associated with this press release.
TV Everywhere design and development experts Digiflare successfully completed a first-ever collaboration with Starz for the recent launch of STARZ PLAY on Xbox One®.
STARZ PLAY is the authenticated online TV Everywhere service for STARZ premium subscribers in the United States offering more than 400 monthly selections, including 300 movies comprising first-run and other great films from a wide selection of Hollywood studios and 100 episodes of exclusive STARZ Original series.
The other Starz authenticated online services, ENCORE PLAY and MOVIEPLEX PLAY, are progressing in Xbox One development and expected to launch by year-end 2014 with assistance from Digiflare.
Digiflare's expertise in both Xbox One design and development along with their long standing experience delivering TV Everywhere products proved to be a strong match with Starz's vision to deliver a high quality, premium experience for its PLAY services.
"We are excited to partner with Starz in the delivery of a unique Xbox One experience," said Mano Kulasingam, Co-CEO of Digiflare. "Starz is willing to push the boundaries of the Xbox One platform, settling for nothing less than ultra-premium and delivering a cinematic TV Everywhere experience that fits the STARZ brand."
"Starz is very pleased with the expertise that Digiflare provided in the recent successful launch of STARZ PLAY on Xbox One, the first ever TV Everywhere launch for a premium pay TV service in the United States," said Jodi Robinson, Vice President, Internet & Interactive Technology for Starz. "The new STARZ PLAY service on Xbox One raises the bar in quality and performance and has enabled a truly engaging experience that brings new value to the STARZ subscription."
Based in Toronto, Digiflare Inc. is a digital agency focused on creating compelling user experiences by combining inspired design and new technology. Digiflare helps media companies harness the potential of Mobile, Tablet, Connected TV, Game Consoles, Web, and emerging devices to deliver Media Everywhere applications that end users fall in love with. Our proven experience, excellent process, and - most of all - our committed and highly collaborative team, has led us to numerous successful application launches.
To view the photo associated with this press release, please visit the following link: http://www.marketwire.com/library/20140821-963880-800.png
416.477.4845 x 112
416.477.4845 x 112
SYS-CON Events announced today that Catchpoint Systems, Inc., a provider of innovative web and infrastructure monitoring solutions, has been named “Silver Sponsor” of SYS-CON's DevOps Summit at 18th Cloud Expo New York, which will take place June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Catchpoint is a leading Digital Performance Analytics company that provides unparalleled insight into customer-critical services to help consistently deliver an amazing customer experience. Designed...
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With the proliferation of both SQL and NoSQL databases, organizations can now target specific fit-for-purpose database tools for their different application needs regarding scalability, ease of use, ACID support, etc. Platform as a Service offerings make this even easier now, enabling developers to roll out their own database infrastructure in minutes with minimal management overhead. However, this same amount of flexibility also comes with the challenges of picking the right tool, on the right ...
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Valpak chose a vice president from Valassis, another direct mail and media company, to take over the Valpak of Boston franchise this spring – one of the largest franchises in the Largo company’s network.
Valpak of Boston’s new franchisee Rick Baker now covers all of eastern Massachusetts. This had been a company owned network.
Valpak is a local print and digital coupon company, which mails more than 20 billion coupons to more than 40 million demographically- targeted households per month.
Baker also was vice president of direct marketing for Harry and David, a $400 million dollar catalog retail company.
“After many years working on the corporate side, I had a strong desire to become an entrepreneur and own my own business," Baker said in a statement.
Baker and his current team of 12 people have already begun work in eastern Massachusetts. He is looking to expand his team with four to six more salespeople within the next year and also hire a digital sales expert and graphic artist.
Valpak has a 470,000-square-foot manufacturing center in St. Petersburg, which makes it possible for the company to mail to more than 500 million homes.


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My Weblog: kutahya web tasarim umraniye elektrikci uskudar elektrikci umraniye elektrikci istanbul elektrikci satis egitimi cekmekoy elektrikci uskudar kornis montaj umraniye kornis montaj atasehir elektrikci beykoz elektrikci
The Grand Trade Fair kicked off at the Addis Ababa Exhibition Center on Thursday March 26. The fair that will stay open until April 11, the eve of the Ethiopian Easter holiday, features 360 local and 40 foreign companies from countries such as Syria, India and Egypt . The exhibitors will be selling several items such as furniture, food, drinks as well as electronics and many more. Mekurai Alemu , Vice Manager of Dashen Beer, sponsor of the fair, said in his opening speech, “This kind of trade fair has a grate potential to connect producers and traders with potential customers.’’ The trade fair is organized by Century Promotion Service, a company that won the bid to organize the event by tabling 4.2 million birr for the Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations. One million people are expected to visit the trade fair.


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Research suggests only 57 percent of small business owners will take a vacation this year, which Moneypenny, the world’s lead provider of call answering and customer contact services, says is a direct consequence of the “always on” customer.
Moneypenny, which doubled the size of its US office last year, says the need to provide constant customer coverage is taxing small business owners everywhere.
“The enterprising business knows that letting a customer get through to voicemail instead of an actual human is like tearing up money, because buyers will just call the next supplier on the list. In fact, we published a report that found 69 percent of callers who were answered by voicemail just hung up,” said Joanna Swash, Global CEO of Moneypenny in Charleston. “Pretty much every prospective customer hangs up at a voicemail message, yet our research shows that a third of businesses still fail to answer their incoming calls – even while already giving up their vacations.”
Studying the various customer journeys of the 13,000 businesses it works with, Moneypenny has found customers no longer use phones as a research tool. Instead, they now use social media, review sites and media for their initial business inquiries. A phone call today serves as the final reassurance a customer seeks prior to purchase, which means there are fewer calls, but that they are of a higher value.
“Small businesses understand that not answering calls guarantees losing business, and this research shows that they’re sacrificing important personal time in the name of business, which of course isn’t a new idea. The idea of 9 to 5 disappeared years ago,” added Joanna Swash. “However, research has also shown that burn-out is real, and that vacations and breaks from the office can actually improve performance, attitude and results. It’s quite the conundrum.”
Mental breaks feel good and have been shown to benefit business and not affect productivity. As a way for the body to reset physically and mentally, vacation helps reduce sickness, anxiety and depression, which can affect productivity.
“This environment has created the perfect place for us in the customer journey as the seamless connection between answering the phone while also individuals to step away from the phone, we essentially cover your shifts,” concluded Joanna Swash. “We’re all adjusting to the changing global economy, reconciling evolving best business practices with best personal practices. Sometimes, you can just ‘mind the gap’ with solutions like ours while still preserving what makes your small business yours.”


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Cracking Open China’s Wheat Import Quota
A tariff-rate quota intended to open China’s wheat market has never been filled in the two decades since its establishment.
Hundreds of flour mills apply for a share of the quota each year, indicating strong demand for imported wheat.
A surge in the use of wheat as a feed ingredient has the potential to push China’s wheat imports to meet the quota for the first time in 2021.
As the world’s largest wheat market, China accounted for an estimated 19 percent of the world’s wheat consumption in marketing year 2020/21 (July–June). That’s more than the European Union’s 15-percent share, and far ahead of the 4-percent U.S. share (see chart below). To meet demand for a population of more than 1.4 billion, China imports wheat, but at a volume less than half of what is allowed under a quota system first established when China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001. A study by USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) looked at China’s past procedures for allocating quotas to its prospective importers and revealed that, based on the application rates for wheat quotas, demand for imported wheat often exceeded what was typically awarded. ERS’ analysis of China’s wheat import data suggests that import volume in 2021 is poised to reach that quota for the first time in two decades.
While China may be known for its consumption of rice, wheat flour is the main ingredient in many of the country’s staple foods, such as steamed bread, noodles, scallion-filled pancakes, deep-fried dough, and dumplings in heavily populated northern regions. More recently, flour-based instant noodles, European-style breads and pastries, hamburger buns, and snack foods have become popular all over the country.
Since the 1990s, China’s wheat market has progressed. It was once composed mainly of subsistence farmers, government-run procurement stations, and rudimentary flour mills. Today, China’s wheat farms are still small in scale, but nearly all wheat is mechanically harvested, and farmers sell most of their wheat. They can sell to traders or warehouses, choosing the buyer that offers the best price. Some village-run flour mills have morphed into nationally known companies. Flour is sold in supermarkets and used by bakeries and food processors. Consumers can find bread, noodles, and snack foods in fast-food kiosks, shopping-mall bakery chains, and workplace cafeterias.
Market Opened Less Than Expected
While China’s industry has changed considerably over two decades, the current quota system continues to reduce Chinese flour millers’ access to overseas wheat suppliers. In part because wheat is a staple food crop, the Chinese government has tightly controlled the wheat market for decades. Until the 1990s, China’s wheat imports were monopolized by a state-owned grain-trading company, China Oil and Foodstuffs Corporation (COFCO), which bought and sold wheat based on orders from government planners.
When China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001, authorities agreed to establish a tariff-rate quota (TRQ) that was meant to open the China wheat market to import business and reduce the government’s monopoly (see blue box below). Under the TRQ, China now allows up to 9.636 million metric tons (the quota) to be imported at a 1-percent tariff. Imports in excess of the TRQ can be imported with a 65-percent wheat tariff applied, but it is usually not profitable for millers to import wheat when this tariff is applied.
Because China originally expected demand for quotas to exceed availability, the government established a mechanism to award quotas. Companies interested in importing wheat must apply for the quota in September of the year before they plan to import. A central government agency then decides which applicants will be awarded quotas and distributes certificates before January.
Although China lifted the monopoly on wheat imports when it joined the WTO, 90 percent of the wheat imported under the tariff-rate quota is set aside for end users who must import through a state trading enterprise (STE) designated by the Chinese government. This STE is the same company that once monopolized grain trade—COFCO—and the agency that assesses the quota applications is the same one that issued import orders to that company until the 1990s. The remaining 10 percent is reserved for importation through other entities with rights to import wheat.
Over the last 20 years, as China’s annual wheat use grew from about 110 million metric tons (Mt) to 145 Mt, the 9.636-Mt quota was unchanged. Imports never reached the quota, despite the apparent profitability of imports and robust demand for classes of wheat that are scarce in China. Despite indications of strong demand for imported wheat, China’s wheat imports were 3 to 5 Mt in most years, less than half the quota. Imports surged to nearly 8.4 Mt in 2020, the largest volume since the 1990s, but still fell short of the quota.
Imports of U.S. wheat were less than 1 Mt in all but a few years (note that the TRQ system does not specify the source of the wheat). Wheat imports surged during 2004 to stem rising Chinese grain prices that year and in 2013 to restock government reserves. Imports of U.S. wheat were especially low during 2018 and 2019, when China assessed retaliatory tariffs on U.S. commodities. Wheat imports from the United States experienced a resurgence in 2020 after the U.S.-China Phase One trade agreement, but China’s imports from France, Canada, Australia, and Lithuania also surged that year.
China’s delegation to the WTO has fielded many questions from counterparts about how the TRQs were administered, their opacity, and why the quotas were not filled. China’s TRQ mechanism, in place since 2001, had remained mostly unchanged until the United States initiated a WTO dispute that challenged the administrative practices China used to manage wheat, corn, and rice TRQs. In 2019, a report issued by a WTO Dispute Settlement Body found, among other things, that some of China’s procedures for allocating quotas were not transparent, predictable, or fair to applicants. The WTO report also revealed that Chinese authorities had used criteria to assess applications that were not revealed to the applicants. The report also indicated that the entire 90-percent state trading enterprise share of the quota had been set aside for use by COFCO, which did not have to follow application procedures, nor did it have to return unused quota as other applicants were required to do.
Shortly after the WTO issued its report, China revised application instructions to the 2020 TRQ that allowed applicants to request both STE and non-STE quota and stipulated new capacity requirements for applicants. COFCO’s headquarters appeared on the list of TRQ applicants for the first time in 2020. Despite these changes, WTO member countries remained unclear as to whether the revisions addressed issues raised in the dispute, as Chinese authorities did not reveal whether changes in procedures complied with requests made in the WTO report.
Applicants Seek Imported Wheat
In 2015, the Chinese agency handling TRQ applications began to post lists of quota applicants on its website. While the lists do not reveal how much quota was requested or received by companies, the number of applicants is an indicator of strong demand for imports. Hundreds of Chinese flour mills, food processors, trading companies, and feed mills apply for a share of the wheat import quota annually. The number of companies applying to import wheat in 2017 rose as high as 475, while the lowest number was 347 in 2020. More than 900 companies applied for the TRQ at least one year from 2015 to 2021, and 171 companies applied in all 7 years.
Most applicants are flour-milling companies that report a combined milling capacity of more than 100 Mt which, in aggregate, represent about half the industry’s total. By comparison, China’s national wheat imports of 3 to 4 Mt in most years are a small fraction of the industry’s milling capacity.
Data show that applicants who are awarded quotas receive small allocations. A few city-level offices in China announced that only one or two companies in their districts received quota allocations of a few hundred metric tons of wheat. By comparison, international wheat shipments are commonly transported in vessels with a capacity of 60,000 metric tons or more.
The quota applicants are a diverse group that reflects the makeup of China’s flour-milling industry. Three major companies listed below represent the diversity:
- Wudeli is a private company based in a wheat-growing area of Hebei Province that is now one of the four biggest millers in China: 25 branches submitted 81 applications for quotas in 2015–21.
- COFCO is the state-owned company that is now one of the world’s biggest grain traders. COFCO includes its Beijing headquarters and local flour-milling subsidiaries that apply for a share of the quota: 20 branches submitted 72 applications for 2015–21.
- Yihai Kerry is part of a Singapore-based multinational conglomerate that has grain and oilseed-processing businesses in China: 20 branches submitted 106 applications for 2015–21.
Most applicants for wheat quota are privately owned mills that were established several decades ago to mill local wheat. A few, like Wudeli, have expanded rapidly and built modern facilities with milling capacity exceeding 1 Mt. Many others are small scale and still conduct most business locally.
Besides COFCO and its subsidiaries, at least 25 other state-owned companies have applied for wheat TRQ. Some are trading companies operated by local governments responsible for ensuring city or provincial grain supplies. Grain reserves in some regions managed by such firms appear to be stocked partly with imported wheat. Other state-owned applicants are engaged in foreign agricultural development, are companies affiliated with state farms, or are entities engaged in agricultural marketing. Some Chinese government documents call for using state trade enterprise TRQs to implement trade initiatives, such as buying more wheat from Central Asian countries.
Despite Large Application Numbers From Wheat-Growing Regions, Other Companies Import Most of the Wheat
China’s flour-milling industry is highly competitive. Some milling companies have expanded rapidly even as the size of China’s flour market has remained relatively stagnant leading many in the industry to report low profit margins and excess capacity.
While no public information is available on which quota applicants import wheat, there are indications that not all companies are given equal consideration. Minimum production capacity requirements for quota applicants may preclude smaller plants from importing wheat. A comparison between the regional breakdowns of quota applicants and wheat imports indicates companies in wheat-growing regions have reduced access to wheat that can be imported under the TRQ.
Three-fourths of TRQ applications are from companies in wheat-growing provinces of northern and western China (see map below). The top two wheat-growing provinces, Shandong and Henan, typically submit the largest number of TRQ applications. This is consistent with industry data indicating that about 90 percent of China’s flour-milling capacity is in wheat-growing provinces. Flour mills tend to locate near raw materials, and flour consumption is predominant in wheat-growing areas.
Wheat-growing provinces consistently accounted for about three-fourths of TRQ applicants, but Chinese customs data indicate these provinces account for an average of just 10 percent of wheat imports (see chart below). Instead, companies outside the wheat-growing regions are the primary importers of wheat in China. Beijing-based companies comprise the majority, with 69 percent of wheat imports, reflecting the predominance of COFCO, whose headquarters is in Beijing (few flour-milling companies are based there). Beijing companies’ share of imports increased to 87 percent in 2020, even though they accounted for 6 of 362 TRQ applications submitted. Other top importers are based in Guangdong and Fujian provinces, southern coastal regions where wheat is not grown in significant quantities.
Information from China indicates Beijing-based companies store imported wheat in various facilities around the country or sold on to other companies. However, steering imports to certain companies also gives those companies favorable profit margins denied to companies in wheat-growing areas that are not awarded wheat imports under the TRQ.
Feed Use Could Push Wheat Imports Past Quota
Chinese officials say their TRQ system is necessary for managing wheat supplies because tightly controlled food grain markets are vital to national security. But it may be the demand for wheat in animal feed, rather than for food, that may cause the wheat TRQ to fill in 2021 for the first time.
China’s wheat imports reached 7.2 Mt in the first 7 months of 2021, up 50 percent from the same period a year earlier. USDA estimates of market year imports for China suggested the pace would continue through the end of the calendar year, and wheat imports could reach the TRQ of 9.636 Mt in 2021.
China’s National Grain and Oils Information Center (CNGOIC), the premier grain analysis arm of the Chinese government, partly attributed increased wheat imports in marketing year 2020/21 to China’s commitment to buy U.S. products as part of the Phase One agreement. However, China’s customs data indicate that most of the increase in imports came from countries other than the United States.
Further, supply and demand estimates indicate that a surge in feed use of wheat was the most prominent change in China’s wheat market in the most recent marketing year. China’s wheat harvest was historically high, and flour mill demand increased only marginally. However, CNGOIC and USDA estimated demand in the “feed and residual” category increased 21 to 22 Mt in 2020/21.
In 2020, corn prices in China rose above those for wheat. This wheat-to-corn price inversion prompted widespread substitution of wheat for corn in livestock feed in China during 2020/21. Chinese authorities held numerous sales of wheat reserves to satisfy the demand for feed wheat. According to CNGOIC and other sources, some imported wheat was also used for animal feed.
The increase in feed use of wheat raises more questions about the TRQ’s operation and its future role. The wheat TRQ application guidelines stipulate minimum capacity requirements for flour mills and for food processors but nothing for feed mills. Some animal feed companies nevertheless applied for wheat TRQ, but their numbers dwindled from 31 in 2015 to 2 in 2020 and 8 in 2021. Branches of some of China’s largest feed companies appeared on the lists.
Tariff-Rate Quotas: A Market-Opening Tool
A tariff-rate quota (TRQ) is a two-tiered tariff system introduced by the World Trade Organization (WTO) during the 1990s with the intention of opening tightly controlled agricultural markets. The TRQ concept involves two steps. First, nontariff controls on imports—such as traditional import quotas and managed trade—are converted to a (typically high) tariff that provides equivalent protection. Second, a modest quantity—called a quota—can be imported at a lower tariff. Various approaches exist for distributing the quota to prospective importers including first-come-first-served bases, auctions, and hybrid methods.
Dozens of WTO members adopted TRQs after they were introduced in the 1990s. Several WTO members that joined in the 2000s, including China, also adopted TRQs. About a fourth of WTO member countries have now established TRQs, with the total number implemented exceeding 1,100.
China’s wheat TRQ is the largest, based on its volume. However, an ERS study found it was an example of an “underutilized” quota, meaning it did not fill despite profitability of imports.
Potential Wheat Demand in China: Applicants for Import Quota, by Fred Gale, ERS, August 2021
Do Tariff-Rate Quotas Function as Intended by the World Trade Organization?, by Jayson Beckman, USDA, Economic Research Service, March 2021
Wheat Outlook: September 2021, by Andrew Sowell and Bryn Swearingen, ERS, September 2021


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WASHINGTON COUNTY, Md. -
Walmart officials recently announced that the new Supercenter off Sharpsburg Pike is expected to open some time between this August and September.
Construction on the site has been ongoing for the last 14 months, and Walmart officials said the new store will create 300 jobs in the county.
The building is 155,000 square feet, spread across 55 acres of former farmland.
Walmart officials said although this is the only new store they are building in Maryland this year, they plan on remodeling eight other stores and Sam’s Clubs in the state by the end of 2017.
The site plans are moving forward to construct a convenience store and fast food restaurant on Sharpsburg Pike.
The construction of the convenience store and restaurant will depend on the current construction of the new Walmart.
With the Walmart will come a few improvements to Maryland Route-65. One of the changes will be adding Arnett Drive.
The more than 4,000 square foot store and 2,000 square foot restaurant are set to be north and south of Arnett Drive.
Washington County officials said the Walmart is set to be completed in 2017.


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A recent report has shown that growth in online extortion, hacktivism and mobile malware is expected in 2016, along with a shift to an offensive cybersecurity posture for government entities and corporations.
“We anticipate 2016 to be a very significant year for both sides of the cybercrime equation,” said Raimund Genes, CTO, Trend Micro. “Governments and enterprises will begin to see the benefit of cybersecurity foresight, with changes in legislation and the increasing addition of cybersecurity officers within enterprises. In addition, as users become more aware of online threats, attackers will react by developing sophisticated, personalised schemes to target individuals and corporations alike.”
According to the report, 2016 will also mark a significant turning point for malvertising. In the U.S. alone, 48 percent of consumers use online ad blocking software, with a 41 percent increase in global use this year. As a result, advertisers will seek to alter their approach to online ads, and cybercriminals will attempt to find other ways to obtain user information.
Online extortion will be accelerated through the use of psychological analysis and social engineering of prospective victims. Hacktivists will be driven to expose even more incriminating information, impacting targets, and facilitating secondary infections.
“Hackers consistently evolve to adapt to their surroundings, just as online ads are declining, we see ransomware is increasing,” said Tom Kellermann, chief cybersecurity officer, Trend Micro. “Despite the growth in security investments and legislation, these changes will inevitably bring new, more sophisticated attack vectors.”
Highlights from the 2016 predications report include:
§ Cybercriminals will devise new ways to personalise attacks, making 2016 the year of online extortion.
§ Mobile malware will grow to 20 million, primarily affecting China, while targeting new mobile payment options globally.
§ As more consumer-grade smart devices are used in day-to-day activities, at least one device failure will be lethal in 2016.
§ Hacktivists will escalate attack methods to systematically destroy targets with high-profile data breaches.
§ Less than 50 percent of organisations are expected to have cybersecurity experts on staff by the end of 2016.
§ Increased ad-blocking products and services will force cybercriminals to find new means to target victims, resulting in fewer malvertisements.
§ Legislation will expand to a global cybersecurity defence model, allowing for more successful arrests, prosecution and convictions.
Welcome to world of 2099
The world of 2099 will be unrecognisable from the world of today, but it can be predicted, says one visionary. ARTHUR GOLDSTUCK met him in Singapore.
Futuristic structures tower over the landscape. Giant, alien-looking trees light up with dazzling colours amid the hundreds of plant species that grow up their trunks. Cosmetic stores sell their wares via public touch-screens, with products delivered instantly in drawers below the screens.
This is not a vision of the future. It is a sample of Singapore today. But it is also an inkling of the world we may all experience in the future.
Singapore was the venue, last week, of the World Cities Summit, where engineers, politicians, investors and visionaries rubbed shoulders as they talked about the strategies and policies that would enhance urban living in the future.
As part of the Summit, global payment technologies leader Mastercard hosted a small media briefing by one of Singapore’s leading thinkers about the future, Dr Damian Tan, managing director of Vickers Venture Partners. The company’s slogan “We invest in the extraordinary,” offers a small clue to Tan’s perspective.
“We look as far forward as 2099 because, as a venture capital firm, we invest in the long term,” he tells a group of journalists from Africa and the Middle East. “Companies explode in growth because there is value in the future. If there is no growth, they won’t explode.”
The big question that the Smart Cities Summit and Mastercard are trying to help answer is, what will cities look like in the year 2099? Tan can’t give an exact answer, but he offers a framework that helps one approach the question.
“If you want to look at 81 years into the future, and understand the change that will come, you need to double that amount and look into the past. That takes us to 1856. The difference between then and now is the difference you can expect between now and 2099.”
- Arthur Goldstuck is founder of World Wide Worx and editor-in-chief of Gadget.co.za. Follow him on Twitter on @art2gee and on YouTube
Use the page links below to continue reading about Tan’s visions.
Win a Poster Heater with Gadget and Takealot.com
This winter Gadget and Takealot.com are giving away three Poster Heaters, which look like posters but become heaters when you plug them in.
Three Gadget readers will each win a unit, valued at R550 each. To enter, follow @GadgetZA and @Takealot on Twitter and tell us on the @GadgetZA account how many Watts the heater consumes.
What’s the big deal about these heaters? Many of us are struggling to keep the balance between soaring electricity costs and the need to keep warm this winter.
However, the recently launched Poster Heater by EasyHeat and distributed in South Africa by Takealot.com is not only one of the most cost effective electric heaters currently on the market, it is also easy to setup and use.
As the name indicates, it is a poster similar to one you would hang on a wall. But, plug it in and it turns into a 300 Watt heater. The Poster Heater isn’t designed to heat hallways or large rooms, but rather smaller ones like a bedroom or a baby’s nursery or a dressing room.
It uses radiant heating, which means that it heats up in a couple of minutes and the heat is directed at the objects or people around it, quickly taking the chill out of the air and providing a comfortable ambient temperature.
The other advantage of radiant heating is that it doesn’t dry out the air like infrared or gas heaters. Users also don’t have to worry about their children or pets getting too close to it because, even though it gets hot, it can be touched.
To enter the competition follow the steps below:
Competition entry details:
3. The competition closes on 31 July 2018.
4. Winners will be notified via Twitter on 1 August and Takealot.com will be in touch to organise delivery.
5. The competition is only open to South African residents.


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Donald Trump’s arrival in India today marks the fifth US presidential visit to India in the last 20 years. The increasing frequency of such state visits—only four US presidents visited India between 1947 and 1999—reflects the better strategic relations between New Delhi and Washington in recent times.
While there is a lot of focus on further cementing trade ties between the two nations, Trump’s visit has political hues as well. This being an election year in the US, Trump is likely to pursue his “America First” policy in full earnest to strike the right chord with his voter base.
The Trump administration officially targets a reduction in the US’ overall trade deficit, and there is pressure on trading partners, such as India, to reduce tariffs on US goods and services. In 2018-19, India had a trade surplus of $16.85 billion with the US.
Under these circumstances, a comprehensive India-US trade deal is unlikely.
Trump had called India “a tariff king” early last year and wants the Asian nation to grant free market access to more US products. His administration wants India to reduce tariffs on products like Harley Davidson bikes, and pulses and also remove restrictions on the import of US farm produce and high-end medical devices.
Some of these demands, are not in the Modi government’s interest and it is unlikely to cede much ground. For instance, free import of US dairy items will wreck the livelihoods of millions of Indian farmers. The unrestricted flow of foreign goods was one of the reasons India cited while walking out of the proposed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership in November last year.
India’s demands, on the other hand, concern the restoration of the Generalised System of Preference (GSP) benefits, which the US withdrew last year. GPS is a preferential US tariff programme that allows duty-free entry of thousands of products from designated countries.
Another demand from India is the reduction in tariffs on derivative steel and aluminium, which took effect this month.
Despite the conflicting interests, there is also a case for both nations to seal some sort of a pact.
Trump’s visit is important for him given how crucial the Indian diaspora is for the US presidential elections in November this year. As for India, a trade deal with the US is important as exports hold the key to reviving its slump-hit economy. The US is India’s second largest export market after the European Union and third largest source of imports.
A deal always involves compromises and some give and take.
India is likely to agree to higher imports of US oil and natural gas to reduce the trade gap, and the US is unlikely to press hard on market access to dairy products. Therefore, a limited trade pact with the declaration of a comprehensive deal later is the likely outcome of the visit.
We welcome your comments at firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Cumbrian takeaway named best kebab shop in Britain
Last updated at 12:29, Thursday, 24 January 2013
A Wigton takeaway has been crowned the best in the country after picking up the ‘Best Kebab Shop of the Year 2013’ award.
The Alternative Takeaway in High Street, Wigton, beat off competition from 86 nominees to be named the best in the business at the inaugural British Kebab Awards.
Owner Matthew Morgan said: “It’s really good to get an award, I couldn’t believe it. I was happy enough to get a nomination because we’re a small town and often get overlooked.”
The takeaway was nominated by the town’s MP, Rory Stewart.
Mr Stewart said: “I very much enjoyed a recent visit to Alternative Takeaway and found the kebabs of excellent quality. It’s incredibly important to show that businesses in small, rural market towns are able to compete on a national level.”
First published at 12:25, Thursday, 24 January 2013
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk
- Row brewing over plans for 50 new homes in Wetheral (3 comments)


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Here’s What You Need To Know Before You Do A Cookie Swap This Holiday Season
We love our cookies. In fact, we love our cookies so much that Better Homes and Gardens quotes one bakery as saying people around the country consume as much as 7 billion cookies a year, with many of these baked goodies prepared, decorated, and enjoyed over the holiday season (cue: cup of hot chocolate).
With the pandemic swirling around us, the CDC is warning against in-person gatherings, particularly in areas where COVID is widespread, and while this may not be the right time to attempt an in-person cookie swap for the first time, there are still a number of things you can do to make sure the cookie swap for Christmas 2020 isn’t cancelled.
Because the CDC has said there is “no evidence to suggest that handling food or eating is associated with directly spreading COVID-19,” dropping off cookie care packages at the doorstep of friends or family members doorsteps won’t go amiss. Just make sure you wash your hands carefully while you’re baking and preparing the cookies for distribution (which you should be doing anyway). “You don’t have to worry about sanitizing the outside of the packages or anything like that. This virus is really transmitted by the airborne route. You’re not going to pick it up from touching a food container or something,” infectious diseases doctor Dean Winslow of the Stanford University Medical Center told Today in November.
Martha Stewart suggests vetting your cookies if you want to mail them
If your friends and family are far away, there’s always option two — doing a cookie drop involving friends and family who are more than a driving distance away. If you’re planning to pack up a care package, Martha Stewart suggested to Today that it’s best to avoid delicate cookies which will break on the way, decorate the cookies ahead of time with icing that can smudge, make sure you list out ingredients as a courtesy for nut allergy sufferers, and use a container that will keep the cookies fresh.
The Washington Post says it might be fun for you to send off the cookies and then organize a Zoom or FaceTime party so you can do a virtual cookie swap instead. Just remember to keep the group small so that you’re not having to put too many cookies in the mail.
Source: Read Full Article


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US airline successfully undertakes test flight powered with blend of algae and jatropha-based biofuel
Continental airlines has this week successfully completed the first US demonstration flight of a commercial jetliner powered by a biofuel containing both algae and jatropha oil. The 90-minute flight...
Auto giant to provide 100 electric vehicles to support this weekend's final in Milan
Smart energy systems firm will use funding to further develop and market Energy Internet software applications
Newcastle University latest to announce it will pursue investment decisions that are compatible with its sustainability values
The sustainability benefits of tech are not just limited to building energy controls and online sharing platforms, argues techUK's Susanne Baker, huge opportunities are just around the corner


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Uploaded on Nov 10, 2011
Perfect World and Cryptic Studios have announced that the official launch date for the free to play version of Star Trek Online is set for January 17, 2012. To celebrate the announcement, a new trailer featuring the reworked opening cinematic has been released. Enjoy!


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Rinspeed has revealed more pictures and some videos of Xchange concept. The prototype will be presented to the public at the Geneva Motor Show in early March, and anticipates the technology of legalized autonomous vehicles to the streets.
Ford recently introduced a new generation of F-150 pickup . The great appeal of the model, exalted by the automaker itself, was the extensive use of aluminum in its composition, with the goal of reducing the final weight.
The organization of the World Car of The Year award - 2014 (Car of the Year - 2014) released the list of finalists in all categories evaluated. The winners will be announced in the next edition of the Hall of New York, whose opening happens at the end of March.


text: Athlete Branding & Marketing LLC, a NIL representation company for student-athletes, rolled out to the public its Husker-focused N100 collective in April 2022. N100 allows businesses and individuals to directly support NIL efforts by Cornhusker student-athletes. ABM states that since its inception in August 2021, it secured payments of more than $850,000 to more than 90 student-athletes across five sports. The Lincoln-based collective also announced in spring 2022 it raised an additional $3.5 million for NIL-related activities. “Members will receive access to exclusive content, events and interaction with student-athletes,” Gerrod Lambrecht, ABM’s president, said. “Businesses who participate can utilize ABM clients in marketing campaigns and sponsored events.” ABM has a partnership with Opendorse and Fan Arch, which works with more than 300 pro athletes, enabling them to develop their personal brands. ABM is also rolling out an initiative focusing on Nebraska’s walk-on program. It will allow for the direct support of walk-on student-athletes. Lambrecht expects it to solidify “Nebraska’s place as the best walk-on program in the country.” N100 also has options to donate to the Huskers’ prestigious volleyball program and directly to skill players and linemen on the football team.


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Susan Bach column: ShredFest highlights need to deal with actual documents
The Better Business Bureau of Wisconsin wants to help consumers protect themselves from identity theft by holding its biannual ShredFest event from 8:30 to 11 a.m. Saturday in Appleton. Consumers and businesses can bring up to three boxes of documents to be shredded for free.
The event will be held at Thrivent Financial, 2000 E. Milestone Drive, across the street from the entrance to Thrivent’s main campus on Ballard Road. ShredFest is sponsored by Thrivent Financial (Outagamie County Chapter), Fox Cities Records Services and the BBB.
Identity theft is a big concern for a lot of people, and with good reason. According to the Federal Trade Commission, identity theft has been the top complaint to that agency for the past three years in a row. In 2013, more than 3,600 Wisconsinites filed identity theft complaints with the FTC, and people between the ages of 20 and 29 were most often the victims.
Many people think that most identity theft cases occur when your personal information is stolen online. While online identity theft does happen, as many Target shoppers know, you might be surprised to know that most cases of identity theft occur when something with your personal information on it is physically lost or stolen, which is why shredding unneeded documents with your personal information on them is so important. Remember, if you don’t need it, destroy — responsibly.
Identity thieves can obtain your personal information by stealing your purse or wallet, your mail and even your trash. Once they have your personal information, identity thieves can drain your bank account, run up charges on your credit cards, open new utility accounts or get medical treatment on your health insurance.
In addition to shredding personal documents, there are many other things you can do to protect yourself. For example, limit what you carry. When you go out, take only the identification, credit, and debit cards you need. Leave your Social Security and Medicare cards at home in a secure place.
If possible, avoid sharing personal information at your workplace, a business, school or a doctor’s office. First ask why they need it, how they will safeguard it, and the consequences of not sharing.
In addition, take outgoing mail to post office collection boxes or the post office. Promptly remove mail that arrives in your mailbox. If you won’t be home for several days, request a vacation hold on your mail. Also, consider opting out of prescreened offers of credit and insurance by mail. You can opt out for five years or permanently. To opt out, call 888-567-8688 or go to optoutprescreen.com.
What needs to be shredded? Anything with your Social Security number, account numbers, passwords and PIN numbers, including old tax returns, canceled checks, credit card statements and monthly bills. For a list of things that need to be shredded, go to www.bbb.org/wisconsin/shredfest. For more information about ShredFest, call the BBB at 920-734-4352.
— Susan Bach is regional director of the Better Business Bureau for northeastern Wisconsin. She can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org or 920-734-4352.


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Harsh winters take a toll on cars, and electric and plug-in vehicles are no exception.
Read This Article
No one ever said going fast was cheap.
Nissan is recalling 2011 Nissan Rogue models to fix potentially defective circuit boards in the electric power steering system that, if broken, could make the vehicle harder to control.
What would it take to get you into an electric car?


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ICYMI: Vlad and Niki Win Shorty Award
Preschool superstars “Vlad & Niki” have received the Shorty Award for “Best Influencer & Celebrity YouTube Campaign” it was announced Wednesday, May 12, via the live four-day 13th Annual Shorty Awards online winners reveal.
The Shorty Awards® honor the talented agencies, brands and industry leaders behind the best and most innovative work on social media and digital channels, campaigns, websites and applications.
“Vlad & Niki,” of Vlad & Niki/Content Media Group FZC, LLC, have captivated preschoolers and their families around the globe with more than 173+ million subscribers worldwide and 67+ million subscribers on their English Channel. Translated into 18 languages, the brothers have received more than 94+ billion total views.
Starring eight-year-old Vlad Vashketov and five-year-old Niki Vashketov, the streaming short-form content is filled with everyday brotherly antics, non-stop adventures, learning, creativity and tons of fun. Each episode is produced with an innovative mix of live action, animation and music to create comedic videos for the preschool demographic. Adding to the family-fun comedy is the boys’ real-life mother Victoria Vashketova and baby brother Christian.
Beginning in June 2021, Vlad & Niki’s toys and playsets from Zuru Toys and Playmates Toys will be released in retail stores including Target, Walmart, Smyths U.K. Vlad and Niki have collaborated with major toy brands as Hot Wheels, Hoverboards, Disney Cars, DC SuperFriends, WWE Toys, and more.
Originally from Moscow, Russia, by way of Thailand, the family now resides in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and Florida, United States.
Fans can become fully immersive with “Vlad & Niki” on their website at https://vladandniki.com where consumers are able to watch videos, play games and purchase exclusive merchandise including apparel, accessories, drinkware and home goods. For more information visit “Vlad & Niki” on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/c/


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Zones could be the latest solution provider to get out of the licensing game as Microsoft tightens the requirements around its top partner program.
SoftwareONE, a $3.3 billion solution provider based in Waukesha, Wis., is in advanced talks to acquire the licensing business of Auburn, Wash.-based Zones, No. 30 on the 2015 CRN Solution Provider 500, sources familiar the company's plans told CRN on Wednesday. Talks are "very serious" and a deal is "imminent," according to one of the sources.
Another source, who has ties with SoftwareONE, agreed that the company is attempting to close on another licensing business deal. The source said they were curious how SoftwareONE, No. 14 on the CRN SP 500, is financing the deal given that it would be the company's second licensing-related acquisition in five months.
A Zones spokeswoman said the company doesn't comment on rumors or speculation. SoftwareONE and Microsoft didn't return requests for comment.
There has been massive consolidation in recent months among the 15 or so Licensing Solution Providers (LSPs), the only Microsoft solution providers authorized to handle software volume licensing transactions. SoftwareONE, Zones and CompuCom are all Microsoft LSPs.
Sources told CRN in November that the Redmond, Wash.-based vendor was looking to reduce its number of U.S. LSPs from 15 to 6 by Tuesday -- the end of Microsoft's fiscal year -- as the company puts a greater emphasis on cloud, mobility and services sales.
A different source concurred, saying Wednesday that he expects the number of Microsoft LSPs to drop considerably over the next several years as a result of mergers and acquisitions.
"Microsoft is making a lot less money on the enterprise licenses," he said. "In two years, I don't think you'll see Microsoft selling any shrink-wrapped software. It will all be subscription-based."
Microsoft has been putting the squeeze on LSPs, with CRN reporting in November that the vendor was considering revoking CompuCom's LSP status because the solution provider wasn't meeting revenue targets or investing enough in technical certifications. That portion of the business was sold to SoftwareONE four months later.


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Facebook will report its results for the second quarter of the year this Wednesday, the 24th. As the numbers of the largest social network in the world come to the fore, experts start their bets.
The Standard Media Index, a company that measures the advertising market, said Facebook’s advertising revenue fell 25% in the last quarter. J analysts estimate that the total revenue of the chain will increase 16.7%, reaching US $ 1.62 billion.
According to the Business Insider, the social network has seen strong revenue growth every quarter. Thus, such a sudden drop, as the Standard Media Index suggests, would be a sudden catastrophe and for no apparent reason.
The SMI report also reveals other amazing numbers. Twitter would have grown 112% in the quarter and Amazon 165%. The retail giant will present its result on Thursday, 25, but Twitter does not disclose its financial performance because it is a privately held company.
Facebook Business stock Exchange result Online advertising


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Motoring Research covers the car news that matters to motorists and car buyers. If it’s of interest to drivers and car owners (and motorcycle fans, van owners, even reluctant car buyers), it will be on MR car news. Also follow us on Twitter and Facebook both for the latest news and the more offbeat news from the world of motoring. And do sign up for our newsletter!
As Highways England takes over the Severn crossing, it announces that users no longer need to pay VAT
New 2018 BMW M5 first drive | Mercedes-Benz E-Class range driven | Merc Marco Polo camper tested | New Lamborghini Urus SUV |
Fifth generation model once again eschews diesel. Sensible
2018 Golf SV range priced from £20,475
It seems building its first SUV isn’t enough.
It’s on sale from 1 March 2018
Three-year PCP deal rolled out for new Nissan Leaf 2.Zero launch edition
We drive the Mercedes-Benz Marco Polo luxury camper. It's much more than a V-Class with beds...
Move over, white van man…
The cars are the stars in the latest series of The Grand Tour


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|A buyer shops online. — Photo nld.com.vn|
HÀ NỘI — Despite the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Vietnamese e-commerce market is still booming. Therefore, the amendment and supplementation of Decree 52/2013/NĐ-CP on e-commerce to better manage the activity, considered "the future of the retail market", is extremely necessary.
The Việt Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) recently co-ordinated with the Ministry of Industry and Trade to organise a seminar commenting on the draft amendment of the decree.
The Vietnamese e-commerce market includes big names such as Shopee, Lazada, Tiki and Sendo. During the COVID-19 pandemic, e-commerce platforms recorded double-digit growth.
With a market of nearly 100 million people and stable socio-economic growth, e-commerce in Việt Nam is considered to be full of potential. Many foreign investors have poured billions of dollars of investment into these sites.
Experts also emphasised the importance of the revised Decree 52 to manage but not restrain the explosive growth of e-commerce activities in Việt Nam.
Chu Thị Hoa, deputy head of the Institute of Legal Science under the Ministry of Justice, stated that the policy of the State was to promote digital economic development.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade should be cautious in amending some points of Decree 52, especially in matters that have a profound impact on foreign investors and enterprises and those which may cause difficulties for business operations.
Meanwhile, Sendo Chairman Nguyễn Đắc Việt Dũng raised concerns about the regulations on market access conditions of foreign investors from the perspective of domestic enterprises which need access to capital to develop amid fierce competition.
As e-commerce is a field which needs significant capital, Vietnamese businesses without a parent company with strong financial potential would not be able to develop and compete as they are only allowed to access capital from the narrow list of investors announced periodically by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, he said.
In addition, the draft decree also eliminated the participation of the group of investors, which are foreign investment funds, which are one of the types of investors with abundant capital and experience to support local businesses to develop strategies, operations and human resources.
Đoàn Tích Tử Phước, MoMo representative in Hà Nội, said that tightening cross-border transactions would reduce the attractiveness of e-commerce in the country.
The long-term consequence was that domestic e-commerce sites might have to make room for the operation of overseas e-commerce companies such as Amazon, Aliexpress, or Facebook, which were not subject to Vietnamese law.
Consumers buying goods on these platforms would also not enjoy protection and support policies from domestic e-commerce trading floors. — VNS


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Corona Sunsets Music Festival
It’s not a likely pairing seeing Somerset and Ibiza in the same sentence but this weekend sees Corona Sunsets’ Music Festival returning to the Somerset resort of Weston-super-Mare, our UK home town.
Last year was the first year we saw this event appear on the calendar and it started in Weston-super-Mare and finished in the sunset’s iconic home of Ibiza – and we loved it
Tapas Ibiza Cocktail Masterclass
Have you ever wanted to learn how to make cocktails the right way? Do you want impress your friends and family with a new skill and a little bit of cocktail knowledge?
Well now you can thanks to the new Tapas Ibiza Cocktail Masterclass.
Above and Beyond
This August the world renowned Cream brand is bringing a unique event to the island of Ibiza.
With over 20 years experience on the island with their Cream residency this year will see the award winning Creamfields enter the island for the first time.
As you know we are huge Above and Beyond fans and if not for them we would never have found Ibiza after booking our first trip to the island purely to see them again after we saw them live in Brixton, London.
Today Cream Ibiza announced their lines ups and Above and Beyond will be playing at Amnesia no less than 7 times over the summer.
To see the 2016 appearances for Above and Beyond and the full cream line ups click here.


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The Coventry-based car maker will offer customers the option to buy their car entirely online, accompanied by a dealership at Westfield Stratford, London where customers will be greeted by so-called ‘angels’ who are described as “non-selling product experts”.
According to JLR, the new service has been developed “in response to changing demands from its customers”.
The 15 ‘Angels’ can offer advice as well as help customers use the in-store configurators and show them around six display cars, which will be both Jaguar and Land Rover models. They are then able to complete their purchase on the accompanying website – in store or at home.
However, JLR adds that there is no need to visit the physical store, as the website allows customers to browse models, book test drives, specify your car, arrange finance and trade in your car.
The digital offering will launch in early September alongside a service centre near Stratford which will prepare new cars for delivery and manage part-exchanges. The Westfield Stratford store is due to open in early October.
When asked why JLR chose Westfield Stratford as a location, a spokesman said: “The Stratford area was already an open point in our retail network, and there is clearly exciting potential around the Westfield shopping complex, so we have the right opportunity, in the right location, at the right time, with the right partner.”
The car marker would not disclose predicted targets for online purchases of its models.


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A 1-kilogram batch of hand-rolled new Japanese tea leaves from central Japan's Shizuoka Prefecture sold for a record 1.96 million yen (about $15,466) at the season's inaugural auction on Monday.
The green tea leaves were grown in Fujinomiya, and sold at the Shizuoka Japanese Tea Market's annual auction to ring in the latest crop. Shizuoka Prefecture is renowned in Japan for its green tea. The market officials said that although this year's tea grew more slowly than usual, its quality remains good.
Speaking at a ceremony, the market's president, Yasuhide Uchino, said that despite continually rising fuel and raw materials prices, the market "is working hard to ensure it provides delicious tea at fair prices."
The bell heralding the start of transactions rang at 7 a.m., and agricultural workers, tea traders and others could be seen negotiating prices with Japanese "soroban" abacuses. Clapping echoed as deals were struck.
"We were able to acquire tea of good color and shape," said a satisfied Natsuki Wada, 35, a processed-tea wholesaler based in Shizuoka city.
Trading was also done for teas grown outside Shizuoka Prefecture, including from Kagoshima Prefecture in the southwest and the southern prefecture of Okinawa. Late April is expected to be the peak for tea hand-rolling work.
The Shizuoka Japanese Tea Market reported that as of 8:10 a.m., the trading volume of Shizuoka-grown green tea was 1,732 kg, with an average per-kilogram price of 5,027 yen.


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Under the new system, iPhones will send their exact location to a RapidSOS dispatcher, which will then forward the coordinates to local emergency response centers.
Of course, there are privacy implications to such a feature.
Apple stressed that the data could only be used for emergency purposes and the 911 center's access to user locations will be restricted to the duration of 911 calls. Since 2015, iPhones have been able to pinpoint their users' locations relatively accurately, using a combination of Global Positioning System and nearby wifi networks, a technology the company calls HELO (Hybridized Emergency Location). When iOS 12 becomes available, Apple will use a technology called RapidSOS to quickly and securely share HELO data with 911 operators.
Apple is beta-testing a new feature called "USB restricted mode" created to improve the security of their devices against all kinds of potential intruders.
"Communities rely on 911 centers in an emergency, and we believe they should have the best available technology at their disposal".
Salah fit for Egypt’s next World Cup match
The seven-time African champions will pose a much tougher task, but a lot will depend upon Salah's fitness. Egypt will play against Russian Federation next Tuesday on June 19 while Uruguay will face Saudi Arabia .
Approximately 80 percent of 911 calls come from cell phones, however, which is why it's critical to fix this system.
"We're thrilled that Apple is giving 911 centers access to device-based location data via a thoroughly-tested, standards-based approach", said Rob McMullen, President of the National Emergency Number Association, the 911 Association.
RapidSOS's technology integrates with existing software installed at many 911 centers, which is how they'll receive the data. "When every moment counts, these tools will help first responders reach our customers when they most need assistance".
In fact, according to the FCC as many as 10,000 lives could be saved each year if the improved system allowed emergency respondors to arrive just one minute quicker.


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Leading cryptocurrency exchange Binance has launched the latest of its products as it aims to dominate every aspect of trading cryptocurrencies. The exchange revealed the launch of its Options products on Monday to complement the previously launched Binance Futures.
The Binance Options feature will launch with a single pair of trading for Bitcoin against Tether – the leading stablecoin in terms of market cap.
The exchange has opted to adopt a similar strategy in launching the options as it did when it launched the Futures product as well.
According to the exchange’s VP of the Futures product Aaron Gong, this particular strategy was extremely effective when launching the Binance Futures catapulting Binance to the leading spot in terms of volume and engagement surpassing BitMEX.
“Like the futures contracts, we will devote all our resources to BTC options initially, and introduce more digital assets when the first pair picks up,” he said adding that “the strategy proved to be very effective in driving the growth of Binance Futures and helping us enhance the futures product. I’m confident that it will also boost the growth of our options product.”
This is to be expected given that Bitcoin is the flagship cryptocurrency while Tether is one of the most traded stablecoins.
Bitcoin options on the Binance Futures platform will enable traders to purchase (a call option) or sell (a put option) Bitcoin futures in anticipation of a price rise or fall.
According to the Monday announcement, the options will be valid between 10 minutes and 24 hours. However, Binance has opted to allow users to settle their contracts before their contracts’ expiry periods meaning a trader can opt to exit an option trades if and when they predict to lose their funds in a trade with signs of the trade going against their trade.
This feature is common in U.S. based futures markets as opposed to European markets in which contracts can only be settled at the expiry date.
Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao was excited about this latest product saying in a statement that:
“I’m impressed by the speed our community has adopted Binance Futures. It has evolved quickly in the last six months and grown into a leading crypto derivatives platform. I believe that success can be attributed to our continuous rollout of new features, listening to our users, lowest fees in the market, a stable and high-speed platform, hard work from the team, a lot of luck, and most importantly, support from our users.”
The Futures Options can only be accessed on Binance mobile applications both on Android and iOS with plans to roll it out to other interfaces such as access through API and the web interface.
If you found this article interesting, here you can find more Bitcoin news


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Indian telecom operator Reliance Jio has announced its data add-on packs that will offer up to 6GB 4G data to Jio users. As per the latest report, the add-on packs which were introduced earlier last week will offer only data benefits and not the voice calling benefits.
To recall, Reliance Jio had already introduced four new data add-on packs alongside the Rs 49 plan for JioPhone just last week. However, the company did not reveal the data offering at that time. Now, as reported by Telecomtalk Info, the data add-on packs will offer up to 6GB data on top of the standard prepaid recharge.
As per their report, the add-on packs of Rs. 11, Rs. 21, Rs. 51, and Rs. 101 will be made live later today. Reliance Jio customers can recharge them from Jio’s official site and app. You should note that these data add-on plans will work with regular recharge packs.
Reliance Jio Add-on packs
Starting with the Rs. 11 add-on pack, it will now offer 400MB data, while the Rs. 21 pack will give 1GB of 4G data. Next, the Rs. 51 pack offers 3GB data and the Rs. 101 add-on pack will offer 6GB of data. There is no validity period for these add-on plans and these will be valid with the primary recharge. So, you can enjoy up to 6GB of data on top of the daily data benefits.
Earlier, Reliance Jio used to offer five data booster packs – Rs. 11, Rs. 51, Rs. 91, Rs. 201, and Rs. 301. The company now offers only four affordable data add-ons and they will only offer data benefit, unlike earlier add-ons which offered both voice and data benefits.
These plans might be announced anytime within a few hours as per the information provided by the publication. Also, it is not yet clear whether these data add-ons will be applicable to JioPhone users as well or not.
If we talk other operators, Airtel has also introduced a data add-on pack of Rs. 193 in select circles. Airtel’s add-on plan offers 1GB data per day on top of the existing unlimited plan.


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First shipments of the refreshed $329 9.7-inch iPad model which went on sale following yesterday’s education event won’t arrive until later this week, but that didn’t stop Apple from releasing the iOS 11.3 software update solely for the new device.
Available as an over-the-air download in Settings → General → Software Update only on the company’s new sixth-generation iPad model, this unexpected release might indicate that the software update will likely release for other devices in the next couple of days.
iOS 11.3 brings the ability for iPhone users to view battery health, as well as assess their performance capacity. Users are given a switch in Settings to optionally disable Apple’s performance management features (CPU throttling) at the risk of unexpected shutdowns.
iOS 11.3 also packs in the long-expected Messages in iCloud feature that saves on-device storage space and makes backups faster, four new Animoji characters, expanded health record integration, ARKit 1.5 which can detect walls and 2D images, software-based authentication for Hom


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Latvian FIMA company has installed an e-ticketing system on behalf of Lithuanian Railways, in the framework of a EUR 1.1 million contract. Train tickets are now available online and can be printed out or saved on smart devices.
“The system itself is not an innovation but it is the first time that it has been introduced in the country’s railway sector. We have installed electronic ticket office machines at all the country’s stations, updated ticketing and control equipment on trains and introduced an online ticketing website – www.traukiniobilietas.lt – and have integrated all the systems into a single one. This was a big and ambitious project. From now on rail travellers can enjoy more flexibility and convenience thanks to this practical solution while Lithuanian Railways can now update customers on different travel-related issues and provide them with attractive offers in a more efficient way,” the director of FIMA’s Solutions Department, Rokas Šlekys, said.
According to the deputy director of the passenger transportation directorate at Lithuanian Railways, Dalijus Žebrauskas, about 4.6 million passengers used the rail network in 2014 with 71% of them being students or commuters travelling to work. Because people in these age groups are technology-minded, the new service should be instantly recognisable to them. In Lithuania, passengers usually travel on the lines between Vilnius and Kaunas, Vilnius, Ignalina and Turmantas and Vilnius and Klaipėda. Each passenger spends about EUR 3.10 on each journey.
“The availability of tickets online will save time for our passengers and they will be able to plan their trips more easily. Registered users will receive faster updates on changes to timetables and different offers and promotions,” Mr Žebrauskas said. “We, in turn, will be able to build on the existing loyalty scheme and offer more discounts and special tickets than before”.
The new system increases the number of ways that tickets are sold. It allows seat reservations, ticket purchases at stations, on trains and online as well as fully automated administration. Before the system was introduced, many functions used to be carried out manually and were computerised afterwards. The system includes an interface with the company’s data processing system, SAP, a module for updating passengers on travel conditions, integrated timetables and prices.
Future plans are to expand the ticketing system with an international ticket module, an application for smart phones and to offer more ways of paying for rail travel.


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Stocks making the biggest moves premarket: McDonald’s, UPS, General Motors and more
McDonald’s, Shares dipped more than 1% after McDonald’s reported its latest quarterly results. The fast food giant topped earnings and revenue estimates, saying customers are increasingly visiting its restaurants. Still, McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski said he expects “short-term inflationary pressures to continue in 2023.”
General Motors — Shares of the automaker rose more than 5% in premarket trading after GM beat estimates on the top and bottom lines for its fourth quarter, even as its profit margin narrowed. The company reported an adjusted $2.12 per share on $43.11 billion in revenue. Analysts surveyed by Refinitiv were looking for $1.69 in earnings per share on $40.65 billion in revenue. GM said it expected earnings to fall in 2023, but guidance was still above analyst estimates.
Ford — Shares of Ford rose 2% after the company announced Monday it would lower the price of the Mach-E, its electric pickup truck. The company reports earnings later in the week.
United Parcel Service – Shares of UPS rose 1.9% after the company reported earnings that beat analyst expectations. The company posted adjusted earnings per share of $3.62 on $27.08 billion in revenue. Analysts had forecast earnings of $3.59 per share and $28.09 billion in revenue, per Refinitiv.
Exxon Mobil — The oil giant was under pressure despite reporting upbeat financial results for the latest quarter. The company, whose stock price rallied more than 80% last year, saw a tightening in supplies as economies began recovering, CEO Darren Woods said in a statement. Shares fell more than 1%.
This report’s information was first seen on CNBC; to read more, click this link.
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Monday, 17 October 2011
Cash-strapped shoppers want a bargain but also have values
The future also looks positive, with nearly a third of shoppers saying they expect to purchase more free range and high animal welfare products in the year ahead*.
The figures should be higher, of course, but it is an encouraging figure; although people want a bargain, many are also maintaining their values.
This trend is clearly having an effect on businesses, an increasing number of whom are trying to improve on animal welfare.
I recently helped out at the RSPCA Good Business Awards ceremony, where companies who are already going the extra mile for animals were recognised for their efforts. It’s great to see that some companies are recognising their responsibilities and responding to what consumers want.
Also, take a look at RSPCA Freedom Food’s new Hettie the Hen animation about welfare-friendly shopping (click on the image at the end of this post)!
For the third year running, Co-operative won the most public votes in the People’s Choice award, plus the award for Most Progress. Marks & Spencer received an award for Sustained Excellence, and Sainsbury’s picked up the prize for Excellence in Consumer Communications for its promotion of higher welfare food.
Riverford Organic (farms in Devon, Hampshire, Cambridgeshire and Yorkshire, delivers around the UK) won the Independent Retailer award, while Daylesford Farmshop (Kingham, Gloucestershire) and Edge and Son (New Ferry, Wirral) were highly commended.
Lussmans Fish and Grill Restaurants (St Albans, Hertford, and Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire) won the Independent Restaurant award, while Due South (Brighton) was highly commended.
The Feathers Inn (Hedley on the Hill, Northumberland) won the Pubs category for its commitment to animal welfare, including a food festival and expansion into catering. This is the second time they have won this award. Catering company Eco Cuisine was highly commended.


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A single pill of Gilead Sciences Inc.’s hepatitis C treatment costs more than an iPhone, and is selling better, too.
In the drug’s first full year on the market in 2014, Sovaldi — which costs $1,000 a pill — brought in $10.3 billion. That’s more than the Apple Inc. phone generated in 2008, its first full year. Gilead’s follow-up drug, Harvoni, is on pace to do even better, with second-quarter sales of $3.61 billion.
Yet each lucrative prescription dispensed represents a patient cured of the viral liver infection — and who will no longer need the pills. As the treatments fly off pharmacy shelves, investors have wondered how long the gold rush can last.
It can last a while.
Read more on the article here : bloomberg.com/news/articles...


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Google, Microsoft, and Amazon are battling each other on cloud computing prices, but Amazon has said it will not match Google's new low, low prices. This is significant because on Tuesday Google dramatically dropped the prices of its mainstay storage and compute services to far below those of Amazon. Then on Wednesday Amazon …
Eh? He said ' We're not interested in quote unquote price matching everybody '
So he said;
We're not interested in "" price matching everybody
That's semi-colon total gibberish ellipse
Did he do backslash pipe symbol bunny ears too?
Race to the bottom...
when you follow this type of race, the only end point is a shit-hole....
Whilst I am all for a free market economy, monopalistic moves like Googles are not a good thing... So once Amazon is gone, what happens to the price.
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- Pic 7 AMAZING experiments set for Mars Rover 2020 – including oxygen generation
- Worstall on Wednesday YES, iPhones ARE getting slower with each new release of iOS
- Plug and PREY: Hackers reprogram USB drives to silently infect PCs


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Walt Disney said Tuesday chief Bob Iger was handing off the top executive post after building the media-entertainment powerhouse into the undisputed Hollywood leader. Disney's board named Bob Chapek, a 27-year veteran of Disney, the new chief executive, effective immediately. Iger, who has been CEO for 15 years, will assume the role of executive chairman and "will direct the company's creative endeavours," a Disney statement said.
Iger, 69, said on a call with analysts that his top priority now is the creative content on which Disney's streaming services and box office revenue depend.
The idea behind handing off the CEO position two years early is to let Iger focus on the creation of winning Disney content while Chapek handles day-to-day operations of the Magic Kingdom's complex entertainment operation.
"It was really that simple," Iger said while explaining the decision to surrender the CEO chair to Chapek.
"With everything else falling in place, the time seemed right."
The move also allows two years for Iger to coach Chapek on aspects of Disney he is less familiar with. Iger's contract ends at the end of 2021.
"The timing is, in very many ways, odd," Matthew Ball, a venture capitalist who once headed global strategy for Amazon Studios, told AFP.
"In other ways, it feels somewhat right. Iger has spent years trying to retire and the company has never been stronger than it is today."
Ball credited Iger with an impressive "corporate pivot" to streaming television and felt the success of Disney+ signalled the team is in shape to thrive after he leaves the company.
Big ticket buys
Iger engineered a blockbuster deal to take over much of the television and film assets of Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox to become the Hollywood box office leader, and then launched a new direct-to-consumer streaming television service which aims to position Disney against rivals such as Netflix in the new media landscape featuring on-demand platforms.
Iger oversaw deals for the animation studio Pixar in 2006 for $7.4 billion, Marvel Entertainment in 2009 for $4 billion, Lucasfilm in 2012 for $4 billion, and 21st Century Fox last year for $71 billion.
"With the successful launch of Disney's direct-to-consumer businesses and the integration of 21st Century Fox well underway, I believe this is the optimal time to transition to a new CEO," Iger said.
Disney, which is the leading force in Hollywood and also has major theme parks and television operations, has been betting heavily on its move to streaming as it takes on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.
Disney is intent on bulking up its original streaming content, taking advantage of beloved franchises such as Star Wars and the Marvel superhero movies.
Chapek takes the top spot after heading Disney Parks, Experiences and Products.
"Bob Iger has built Disney into the most admired and successful media and entertainment company, and I have been lucky to enjoy a front-row seat as a member of his leadership team," Chapek said.
"I share his commitment to creative excellence, technological innovation and international expansion, and I will continue to embrace these same strategic pillars going forward."
Iger is handing over the reins as theme park revenue is suffering due to closures resulting from efforts to curtail spread of the deadly coronavirus.
Disney+ a hit
Iger said the new CEO "has proven himself exceptionally qualified," adding: "His success over the past 27 years reflects his visionary leadership and the strong business growth and stellar results he has consistently achieved in his roles at Parks, Consumer Products and the Studio."
In Disney's latest quarterly update, the company announced it had signed up more than 28 million customers for its Disney+ streaming service, getting off to a flying start.
It also reported strong results from its latest Star Wars and Frozen films.
The company's total global theatre box office topped $11 billion dollars, "shattering" a film industry record set by Disney four years ago.
"We will continue to pursue bold innovation, thoughtful risk-taking and the creative storytelling that is the lifeblood of our company," Chapek said on the call with analysts.
"Our achievements to date will serve as the foundation for the future."


text: This report, commissioned by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) at the request of the Ethiopian Intellectual Property Office (EIPO), examines the economic impact of copyright industries in Ethiopia using 2012 data. It reveals a substantial contribution to the GDP and employment, with core copyright sectors dominating. Despite playing a crucial role in external trade, there is a trade deficit, emphasizing the need for improved export performance. The study recommends informed copyright policies that balance the rights of holders and enhance access to knowledge, stimulating creativity without adversely affecting different user groups. The findings affirm the sector’s significant role in the Ethiopian economy, providing a foundation for future research.


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LeBron James turns 25 next Wednesday, which means one thing: He's about to get worse. Ignore his gaudy statistics, and never mind that many analysts consider him the best player on the planet. By one statistical measure, Mr. James is just a week from being over the hill.
NBA players peak at 24 years old and basically stay at that level until they turn 25, at which point they start declining, according to a study by Dave Berri, a professor of economics at Southern Utah University. Mr. Berri's research, which examined every player from 1977-2008, says the statistical output of the average 24-year-old is equal in value to six wins per season for his team if he plays 35 minutes a night. From then on, the average player keeps getting worse each year until age 35, at which point he begins costing his team wins. Of course, not everyone fits the mold. Kobe Bryant, 31, peaked at 24 (he was worth the equivalent of 15.5 wins a year if he played 35 minutes a game) but he's still nearly as productive this season (14.3 wins).
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Meta (previously Facebook) is planning to introduce Novi Cryptocurrency wallet for WhatsApp instant payment. A few days ago, Facebook (now Meta) began testing its Novi cryptocurrency wallet. The first evidence of Novi wallet integration into the WhatsApp messaging app surfaces shortly after the test went live. Novi is a digital cryptocurrency wallet by Facebook.
Reports suggest that WhatsApp is testing the Novi digital wallet into the app. It will allow users in the United States to send and receive payments without leaving the messaging app. Facebook has previously expressed interest in integrating the Novi wallet into its family of apps and services, but this is the first time we’ve seen the Novi wallet in action in a Meta-owned app.
With the upcoming Novi Payments feature, WhatsApp users may have a new secure way to instantly exchange money with friends and family. The digital cryptocurrency wallet has no fees for instant money transfers. Novi prioritizes user privacy and information, the inclusion of the feature is completely compatible with the principles of WhatsApp.
Users will be able to add their bank account or link a card to the digital wallet. Moreover, it allows to withdraw money from the bank account, and view transactions and balance. Initially, Facebook created Novi’s digital Wallet for its cryptocurrency, Libra. Now, it aims to take over Remittances. It seems like a lot is changing after the Facebook new name. The company’s constantly striving to create a digital ecosystem covering all aspects of life.
The service is not available to the general public because WhatsApp is experimenting with how to integrate Novi in to the application. Moreover, it is unknown when the feature will be made available to the public. Additionally, it’s also possible that Novi wallet’s integration in WhatsApp Instant Payment will never see the light of day because of a lot of regulations that must be followed.
The post WhatsApp Instant Payment: Facebook to Integrate Novi Digital Wallet appeared first on Hamariweb.com News.


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McAfee to set up an online community for users to discuss issues
McAfee has announced that it will launch an online support community, enabling customers to interact with other users to resolve issues, share best practices and discuss emerging trends.
McAfee has partnered with Jive Software, a leader in social business software, to develop and host its new community space.
“Sharing information among peers is an increasing preference for our customers and an integral part of our social media strategy,” says Jayson O’Reilly, regional manager for Africa at McAfee. “The new support community will enable us to evolve beyond traditional phone and e-mail based services and focus more on collaboration with our customers through discussions, blogs, wikis, user groups and community polling. The community will tie into our social media presence elsewhere on the Web where customer activity is increasing and provide a hub with the tools to make conversations easier.”
McAfee, which is already monitoring Twitter and Facebook as part of its listening and response system, will launch the online support community in Q4 of 2009. The site will run on Jive’s Social Business Software platform.