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Two weeks out from the presidential election, you may not have the epic battle between L.A.’s Chinatown community and Walmart foremost in mind. But this high-stakes conflict is nothing if not riveting, with all the twists and turns of a modern-day Chandler novel.
If you haven’t been paying attention the last few months, here’s a quick cheat sheet: In February Frying Pan News broke the story that Walmart was planning to open its first-ever Los Angeles grocery store in historic Chinatown. The prospect of the world’s largest retailer setting up shop in a neighborhood famous for its homegrown stores and restaurants prompted residents, business owners and activists to seek a temporary ban on chain stores in the area. Just as the City Council was poised to pass the ban, Walmart mysteriously – some would say suspiciously, in the wake of the corporation’s stunning Mexican bribing scandal – secured building permits for its Chinatown location the night before the Council vote.
Amidst the legislative cat and mouse, Walmart created a PR mess for itself when its contracted PR firm sent an employee to an opposition rally posing as a reporter. (Mercury PR terminated the young woman, and then got the same treatment when Walmart fired Mercury.) Meanwhile, opponents generated some press of their own with the largest rally ever held against Walmart, even as they filed an appeal challenging the issuance of the building permits.
The latest chapter in this saga unfolded yesterday at City Hall, and it was a cliffhanger without an ending. Walmart foes filled the Council chambers in support of an emergency ban on chain stores in Chinatown, knowing that they needed a nearly unattainable 12 out of 15 votes to win. They were buoyed by the sight of Councilmember Bill Rosendahl, who is fighting cancer and recently announced that he will not seek another term due to his illness.
Rosendahl roused Walmart opponents with his declaration that “living wages and health care are critical to this city.” He didn’t have to explain that Walmart invariably falls short of these standards. Chinatown activist Sissy Trinh also raised the temperature in the room when she predicted that 30 competing small businesses would shut down if Walmart opens. Trinh’s warning is not mere hyperbole – studies have shown that Walmart routinely drives out locally owned businesses.
But it was Councilmember Eric Garcetti who delivered the most eloquent remarks. Lambasting the “false dichotomy” posed by Walmart supporters that anyone opposed to the project is anti-business and anyone for it is pro-business, Garcetti challenged Walmart and its allies to have a real conversation about economic growth. That conversation, he said, must address the question of how we create jobs with living wages and benefits – rather than jobs that leave full-time workers reliant on welfare.
When the votes were tallied, 10 councilmembers had backed the emergency ban – two short of the 12 needed. Conspicuous by his absence was Tony Cardenas, while Councilmembers Joe Buscaino, Harvey Englander, Jan Perry and Bernard Parks voted against the ban.
But the battle is far from over. The emergency ban will come back to the Council for a second vote next week. In the interim, Councilmembers Cardenas and Buscaino will get an earful from constituents, who immediately launched a petition urging the two representatives to reverse their position. (Walmart foes say that Englander, Perry and Parks are beyond reach.) And the appeal of Walmart’s building permits is still pending and could end up before the Council as well.
One thing’s for certain: Any notions Walmart may have had of an easy entrance into Chinatown and L.A.’s grocery market have been dashed. This food fight will only get messier.


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Volvo Pioneers New Cyclist Detection Technology
19 March 2013
Chinese owned Swedish automaker, Volvo, recently pioneered the world’s first pedestrian airbag and now they’ve gone one better and manufactured a new cyclist detection system as well. This marked yet another chapter in Volvo’s story to make their cars the safest in the world, when they revealed this unique system at the recent Geneva International Motor Show.
It is called ‘Cyclist Detection’ and this is the Swedes we’re talking about, so there is no faffing about. Rather obviously, the system detects cyclists and it can bring the car to a halt all on its own, if the sensors pick up imminent danger.
This is achieved through its integration into a car’s Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system, which up until now had been calibrated to react only to large moving objects (cars and trucks) or pedestrians.
“The advanced sensor system scans the area ahead. If a cyclist heading in the same direction as the car suddenly swerves out in front of the car as it approaches from behind and a collision is imminent, there is an instant warning and full braking power is applied,” Volvo explained.
Volvo says that they will continue to add more and more features to their AEB-reliant safety systems and the ultimate goal is to make their cars avoid all possible crashes. The cyclist detection system will be added to the list of safety features from May 2013. Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection with full auto brake will be available for the Volvo V40, S60, V60, XC60, V70, XC70 and S80 models.

domain: news


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With ”Unlock” initiates in the country after lockdown, businesses are resuming operations.
As India begins to ease the restrictions of lockdown, it will be imperative that there are measures in place to ensure the safety and security of citizens going back to work and daily activities. Startups across India have come up with innovative new ideas to tackle challenges presented by Covid-19 such as how to ensure social distancing, rethink transport in city centres, and get people back to work. From factory workers to city commuters, here are some startups using tech to help us to return to a new normal.
Zoomcar – Succoring essential service providers
India’s self-drive mobility platform, Zoomcar, has stepped up to ease the transportation woes faced during the pandemic. Zoomcar has partnered with various organizations that are considered essential in this period to ensure their employees are provided a safe commuting option. The service ensures these partnering organizations are able to lower the barriers for essential personnel to come in and serve the needs of the citizens. Also, Zoomcar has announced the launch of Zoomcar Mobility Services (ZMS), to provide a diverse array of software-based platform services across the entire spectrum of vehicle categories ranging from 2-wheelers, 3-wheelers, 4-wheelers, trucks, and buses. ZMS will work across both internal combustion and electric vehicles and is fully hardware agnostic.
Dotpe has launched a QR-based contactless commerce and payment solution
With the increasing cases of Covid-19 globally, many countries announced the lockdown state and started observing strict norms of social distancing. This urged the retailers both online and offline, to push for contactless commerce. Gurgoan based O2O commerce platform DOT has launched a QR-based contactless commerce and payment solution and is striving to tap the $1 trillion retail market in India. The contactless retail solution by DOT will allow the shoppers to scan a QR code by using the mobile phone camera and get access to catalogues of retail brands and menus of restaurants on a browser.
Staqu – Video Analytics to smart monitoring
A Gurgaon-based startup, Staqu, recently announced an array of offerings to facilitate superior COVID-19 response. The brand is leveraging its proprietary video analytics platform JARVIS to roll out cutting-edge use cases aimed at identifying, tracking, and curbing the spread of COVID-19 and similar contagion. The video analytics is the only way to monitor all the compliances and guidelines in new normal. The offerings include COVID-19 identification, Suspect Tracing, PPE monitoring, Security, Safety and Hygiene Analytics and People Analytics.


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There’s a new shop on State Avenue in Emmaus that’s looking to save parents “from bump to big kid.”
Let’s Play Tag has just opened at 419 State Ave., near the Lehigh Street auto mile, offering consignment maternity and children’s clothing.
Being a consignment store means that the shop sells the items secondhand on behalf of the original owner, who then receives a percentage of the sale, which at Let’s Play Tag is 40%. Consigners can also purchase items using their earnings via store credit.
Of course, you can also shop there. The secondhand and resale market is expected to reach about $53 billion by 2023, according to the annual forecast from thredUP, an online resale marketplace. Customers see it as an option to reduce landfill waste by buying recycled clothing rather than brand new.
Let’s Play Tag is also a partner of Kidcycle, a children’s clothing recycling program through Carter’s and Terracycle. The program collects donated worn-out, stained or damaged clothing and shreds and recycles it into materials for another use, such as home insulation and stuffing in workout equipment and furniture. (Think of it as a way to get rid of old children’s clothes without filling up the landfills.)
Info on how to consign, the store and more: https://www.letsplaytag.online/


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SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Alphabet Inc, Google announced on Tuesday a video game-streaming service called Stadiums that attempts to take advantage of the company in the cloud technology and global network of data centers.
Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai speaks during a Google keynote announcement of a new game-streaming service with the name Stadiums that attempts to take advantage of the company in the cloud technology and global network of data centers, at the game Developers Conference in San Francisco, California, USA, March 19, 2019. REUTERS/Stephen Lam
The technology allows users to play games on their internet browser, without having to wait for any content to be downloaded on to their device, giving the access to the games potential as simple as watching a video on YouTube.
“Stadiums offers direct access to play,” Phil Harrison, a Google vice president overseeing the new service, said during a keynote presentation Tuesday in San Francisco at the Game Developers Conference, that the gathering of this week, about 25,000 people who work in the video game industry.
Google has endured mixed results in gaming. Video games are the best selling category on the app store for Android mobile devices. Sold an estimated $21.5 billion dollars on games last year, according to research firm Sensor Tower. And gaming is one of the top three categories in the Google-owned video service YouTube.
But Apple Inc’s App Store sold about $33 billion worth of games last year, and the games industry views Amazon.com Inc Twitch instead of YouTube, the most popular video streaming service for content pertaining to video games.
Google’s efforts to prevent the spread of games on the virtual reality headsets stumbled.
Harrison said the Stadiums would work on desktops, laptops, Tv’s connected to the Chromecast streaming media sticks, tablets and phones. Players can create their characters using mice and keyboards, USB controllers, or a new Wi-fi-compatible controller is developed by Google.
Several technology companies are looking to boost services revenue by experimenting with games to stream, including Sony Corp, Nvidia Corp and Microsoft Corp.
Although users may be attracted to the idea of a quick access to games from any device, they can not all the games that they want. Financial analysts have questioned whether the tech companies will be able to charge consumers prices high enough to attract top game publishers who have a lucrative business of the sale of games on cd’s.
Game publishers may also decide to launch their own streaming services, such as movie and TV studios have begun to do for their content in the last few years.
Google had started with a test of the Project Power in October last year, inviting users to play, Ubisoft Entertainment SA’s new game Assassin’s Creed Odyssey of their web browsers for free.
Reporting by Paresh Dave; Editing by Phil Berlowitz and Nick Zieminski


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Well, Google is one step closer to making this a reality - by introducing it's new self-driven cars on the roads of America - developed by Stanford Professor and Vice President of Google - Sebastian Thrun. The vehicles have been licensed to legally drive on the highways of Nevada - the first of which is a Toyota Prius.
The cars themselves rely on a number of elements to ensure that they are safe - from radar sensors to a series of lasers, video cameras and also on a large database collected by real world drivers. So far, self driven cars have travelled on, amongst others, the Pacific Coast Highway and the Golden Gate Bridge.
With the prevalence, and the incredible detail being poured into Google Maps, self-driven cars were really only a matter of time. It will be quite interesting, from a safety point of view in the future to see how successful these cars are - especially in terms of the reaction time of a computer versus a human.
Search giant Google has launched a new video aiming to explain SEO principles on a basic level in under 10 minutes.
Ever wonder what happens when you send an email? Well, Google have developed an interesting animation to explain the process.
As you may know we are super excited about Google's 'Project Glass' product, at the moment it is still in production but we have found their first ever video sample from the project team.
According to a new report titled 'Our Mobile Planet: Understanding the Mobile Consumer', 43% of Irish people now have smartphones while 61% have used smartphones every day for the past 7 days.
75% of us don't leave our homes everyday without our smartphone.
For anyone who grew up before the invent of Facebook, Bing, or even MySpace, the image above will be quite familiar. Old ASCII style interface.
But this is actually a proper Google search - it's called the Google BBS Terminal - developed by Masswerk and it's an amazing and retro version of the search engine.
The home page even returns the latest news stories, accessible by pressing…yes, pressing a key - no clicks allowed!
You can check it out for yourself by visiting the Masswerk site, or else, have a look at the video below.
We all use Google Maps - it's a fantastic tool. The introduction on Streetview a few years ago was an equally impressive step forward. You could visit anywhere you wanted - at any time.
However, the latest idea now is to move in from the street inside. Go to Google Maps, type in 'White House' and then click on the Streetview person - drag them onto the White House - and go exploring!
Google Maps have partnered with The White House in order to let the world take the tour - from the comfort of their own computer screens.
The White House YouTube explains...
Search giant google announced this week that they have acquired the highly popular and successful social media management platform 'Wildfire Interactive'.
Foursquare have now unveiled a new update service which lets business owners target repeat customers with special offers, deals and news.
Social networking and checkin site Foursquare has today announced changes and a revamp of its iOS and Android apps.
According to Foursquare's Head of Search Andrew Hogue, the checkin site has 'evolved into a life-logging tool' which knows you 'like an old friend'.


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Cryptocurrencies come and go, and not all the coins that we see on trading platforms today will still be around in a year or two. Although several cryptocurrencies become obsolete each year, there is no denying that the coins and the underlying technology that runs them are here for the long term. Blockchain is expected to grow even bigger as the years go by.
People are into the popular cryptos like Bitcoin and Ethereum, and yet, they pay very little attention to a bigger fish—blockchain technology. Introduced by Satoshi Nakamoto in 2009 along with Bitcoin, the technology is slowly making its way into mainstream popularity as companies are digging deeper into how it could be utilized to create a safer network for the Internet of Things (IoT).
Investopedia defines blockchain technology as “a digitized, decentralized, public ledger” for cryptocurrency transactions. In essence, blockchain is the backbone of transactions, and many consider it as a safer and more private network. Blockchain’s unprecedented growth is causing numerous ventures into the sector, but what does it mean for the IoT, an entity which itself is rapidly growing as well?
To cut to the chase, blockchain isn’t out to replace the IoT; the former exists to supplement the latter. Forbes notes that there are a few benefits from combining the two technological wonders.
For one, blockchain can be used to find loopholes and weak links in internet transactions. Blockchain transactions can be tracked and analyzed by anyone with the authority to do so, and if there were any problems like leaks or hacks, it would be quick for people to find the root cause. It’s a freedom not felt on the internet as there are select organizations that can access the ledgers on the IoT.
What blockchain really brings to the IoT are privacy and security upgrades. People are now more discerning whenever they click on a website as the threat of being attacked by a malware is always present. Although blockchain will not completely remove these threats, the additional layer of security provided by a block will make it harder for hackers to get through.
Because of its potential, more companies are beginning to understand why blockchain is the future of the internet and one of those that truly understand the importance of the growing tech to the internet is Global Blockchain Technologies (OTCMKTS:BLKCF, TSXV:BLOC).
Global Blockchain could launch more blockchain startups this year at FFCON 18
The company is one of the catalysts for the growth of blockchain as it centers its endeavors on providing investors access to assets and startups in the industry’s space that have potential to become one of the leading innovations.
Through the various blockchain startups it houses in its incubation programs, Global Blockchain guarantees that the technology will be here to stay and innovate the way the internet functions. The company has made some amazing contributions to the technology, but it is far from done.
In a recent announcement, Global Blockchain revealed that it will be a media partner for the upcoming FFCON 18: VELOCITY to be held on March 5 and 6. The event will be attended by the latest innovations in blockchain. By being one of the media partners behind the event, Global Blockchain is gearing itself for a fantastic performance this 2018.
Global Blockchain’s recent announcement means a lot for the technology as the company could discover more amazing innovations at the event. It continues to rally behind the technology that is set to provide a better and safer internet. What this means is that we can expect to have more privacy and security online in the near future thanks to companies like Global Blockchain.
This article may include forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “become,” “plan,” “will,” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks as well as uncertainties, including those discussed in the following cautionary statements and elsewhere in this article and on this site. Although the Company may believe that its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, the actual results that the Company may achieve may differ materially from any forward-looking statements, which reflect the opinions of the management of the Company only as of the date hereof. Additionally, please make sure to read these important disclosures.
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Qualcomm outlook weighed down by weak smartphone demand
[SAN FRANCISCO] Qualcomm Inc gave a downbeat fourth-quarter sales forecast, indicating lingering weakness in smartphone demand while consumers wait for devices with the next generation of wireless technology.
Fiscal fourth-quarter revenue will be US$4.3 billion to US$5.1 billion, the San Diego-based company said Wednesday in a statement. That compares with an average of analysts' estimates of US$5.72 billion, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The forecast projects a decline in sales of 12 per cent to 26 per cent from the period a year earlier.
Phone makers have largely given up on releasing new high-end phones based on current technology and consumers are delaying their purchases until the debut of fifth generation, or 5G, cellular services, chief executive officer Steve Mollenkopf said. That's making the near-term outlook for phones look "soft," but only temporarily ahead of an expected surge in demand for new devices, he said.
"They've all cut and run toward 5G," Mr Mollenkopf said in a phone interview. Carriers are heavily deploying new network equipment and the forthcoming phones are as slim and light as their 4G predecessors, he said, meaning the market will rapidly accelerate at the beginning of 2020.
Qualcomm shares fell about 5 per cent in extended trading after closing at US$73.16 in New York. The stock has gained 29 per cent this year, keeping pace with advances by other semiconductor-related shares.
Net income rose to US$2.1 billion, or US$1.75 a share, in the fiscal third quarter, from US$1.2 billion, or 81 cents, a year earlier. Earnings were boosted by a one-time payment from Apple to settle their dispute and the resumption of royalty payments. Excluding certain items, profit was 80 cents, compared with an average estimate of 76 cents. Adjusted revenue declined to US$4.9 billion from US$5.6 billion a year earlier. Analysts on average had predicted US$5.1 billion in sales.
On a conference call, analysts questioned Qualcomm's confidence that the current period's shortfall will be reversed once the new networks are in place and the phones are on sale. The company has reduced its prediction for the total size of the market this year by 100 million units. Some analysts said they are concerned the numbers reflect little future growth for the industry regardless of what technology is in the phones.
"The market's saturated now. People buy phones when they break," said Stacy Rasgon, an analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein. "It's bad all around. It's going to be a while."
The chipmaker is also still struggling to work through legal challenges that threaten its right to charge royalties on the technology for all phones used on modern networks, Qualcomm's main source of profit.
Qualcomm's licensing customers are nonetheless continuing to pay licensing fees, Mollenkopf said. The chipmaker is still in dispute with Huawei Technologies over the terms of a new agreement. The Chinese company had been making partial payments, but those will stop as they try to finalise a deal, he said.
Huawei, which is not a major customer of Qualcomm's semiconductor unit, has been pushing heavily to boost its share of the market for smartphone chips in China, Mr Mollenkopf said. Huawei's increasing presence has cost Qualcomm business among other Chinese device makers that are big users of Qualcomm's chips.
While Qualcomm settled its broad-ranging legal dispute with Apple Inc. and the iPhone maker agreed to resume using its chips, the company lost a US Federal Trade Commission case that alleged unfair business practices. US District Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose, California, ordered Qualcomm to renegotiate patent licenses. Qualcomm is appealing the decision and seeking a stay on Judge Koh's decision so that it doesn't have to immediately start those renegotiations.
Investors have been waiting to see Qualcomm, in its projected fifth year of revenue declines, parlay its claim of leadership in 5G wireless technology into sales growth. The new services are debuting this year with handsets from Samsung Electronics that will take advantage of the faster downloads and response times offered by the upgraded networks. Most analysts expect wider availability next year.
Qualcomm is unique in the chip industry because it gets the bulk its profit from licensing patents that it says cover the fundamentals of all modern phone systems. The majority of the company's revenue comes from selling chips that run phones and connect them to cellular networks.
Growth in the smartphone market has stalled, leading some analysts to conclude that it's reached a saturation point worldwide. In response, Qualcomm is trying to push wireless technology into new areas such as automobiles, personal computers and everyday devices that connect to the internet.
Smartphone shipments declined 2.3 per cent in the second quarter to 333.2 million units, IDC said Wednesday. While the market contraction hit all regions, the slowdown in China "was less severe," than it has been, the market researcher said.


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There are many ways to enjoy your morning cereal, but have you tried it with potato milk yet? DUG, the first potato drink brand, just launched their potato-based milk earlier this year. And, people have been eager to try this ultimate sustainable alternative milk ever since.
Before we dive into the nutritional facts and benefits of potato milk, let’s first talk about potatoes. Potatoes, (yes, the vegetable) are, in fact, healthy. Potatoes contain a good mix of fiber, potassium, vitamin C, minerals, and carbohydrates. Some types of potatoes even contain as many antioxidants as blueberries and blackberries (it’s time to put potato instead of blueberries in your morning smooth).
Although potatoes are healthy, that doesn’t mean potato-based milk has the same nutritional benefits. Like other alternative milk, only a small portion of the milk is made from the “main” source. Potato milk is made up of a combination of ingredients that make them sell in “milk” form.
Brands often add other plant-based proteins, oil, sucrose, sugar, and flavors to create vegan milk. That’s one of the reasons why some nutrition experts are concerned about the health impact of consuming milk alternatives as a substitute for regular dairy. Even though potato-based milk is not the most nutrient-rich milk on the market, it does avoid many common allergies and dietary restrictions such as nuts, gluten, soy, and animal products. It’s the ultimate allergy-friendly product in the dairy category.
Environmental Impact and The Potato Power
Compared with the popular oat and almond milk, potato-based use about half the land it takes to grow the same amount of oats and requires less water than almond milk.
It takes 16 gallons of water to make one glass of almond milk! It takes 56 times less water to grow potatoes than almonds on the same land size. Potato milk is also more sustainable than dairy milk since vegetables have a significantly lower environmental footprint than dairy foods.
Researches from Carbon Cloud AB shares that “The climate footprint of potato drink is significantly lower. In fact, switching to a potato-based alternative reduces the climate impact by about 75%.”
DUG’s Potato MILK
DUG is the Swedish brand that launched the world’s first potato milk this year. Currently, their potato drink is available to purchase at stores around Sweden and the UK. The company said the brand had also launched in China, with the idea of expanding across Europe in the coming months. Earlier this year, DUG was awarded winner for the Best Allergy-Friendly Product award at the World Food Innovation Awards 2021.
As the company’s chief executive, Thomas Olander, said: “Our choice to use potatoes as a base means to have a super-sustainable drink.” The company is not aiming to simply provide sustainable alternative milk, but a SUPER-sustainable one.
“You can cultivate potatoes almost anywhere, and they don’t need much at all to grow. One hectare can yield over a quarter of a million portions of food, with a very low carbon footprint,” their website reads.
To make its potato drink, DUG’s scientists at Lund University take the pure dried potato and mix it with other ingredients, including pea protein and chicory fiber, before heat-treating it. One key ingredient is rapeseed oil, which improves the liquid act like milk. The combination of oil and plant protein is the key to creating the milky texture of dairy.
The brand currently offers three different versions of their potato drink: Original, Barista, and Unsweetened. All three flavors are vegan-friendly and free from lactose, milk, soy, gluten, and nuts.
As one of the most environmentally friendly options on the market today, potato milk could become the new and perfect milk alternative for many consumers. Yet, some customers may see the expensive price tag as a block. The three-liter sample pack costs 7.5 Euros or almost $9, making it much more expensive than dairy, almond, or oat milk.
Just like almond and cashew milk, potato-based milk has a similar disadvantage with its lack of protein. DUG’s alternative milk only contains one gram of protein per serving/100ml. In their most recent report, the global market research company Mintel shows that “High protein” is the most important attribute when people purchase dairy and milk alternatives. It shows the competitive advantage of containing high protein in milk.
The Future of Milk
Environmental concerns are one of the reasons why plant-based diets and products are becoming more and more popular. Consumers are demanding more understanding and knowledge about the environmental impact of their purchases.
Even though dairy milk remains the dominant category in the total milk market, the popularity of dairy milk has declined for years, while milk alternatives have gained more interest. Mintel shows that only 19% of the total shares of the milk market were held by alternative milk in 2021. The research company predicts the dairy alternative milk category will keep its growth momentum in the near future.
Potato milk has shown us some big numbers on lowering its environmental impact compared with other alternative milk or dairy milk. It’s exciting to see the super-sustainable potato drink join the party. Whether or not it will become mainstream in the milk category is still questionable. We will see the results after more and more people have tried it (with their morning cereal, of course!).


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2008 is half way over and its been a very difficult six months for most automakers. GM which saw its sales decline 16.3 percent so far this year may be thinking about cutting even more jobs and possibly selling off some of its brands.
Spokesman Renee Rashid-Merem said that she could not confirm if GM is actually going to do any job cuts or sell off brands, but she did confirm that GM would look at these options if the US market gets worse. Last month GM announced the closure of four truck and SUV plants and that the automaker is going to boost production of several existing car models. Further job cuts will be discussed by GM’s board of directors early next month.
Currently GM has $24 billion in cash and $4.6 billion in credit. According to JPMorgan analyst Himanshu Patel, GM will burn through $18 billion in 2008 and 2009, but the automaker doesn’t need to raise money immediately.
It’s already been confirmed that HUMMER is on the auction block, but GM will not confirm if any of its other brands could soon be joining HUMMER.
Full Story: msnbc


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By Kosaku Narioka
Mitsubishi Electric Corp. and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. said Monday that they planned to merge their power-generator businesses in a bid to improve market competitiveness.
Mitsubishi Electric is expected to be the majority shareholder of the new combined company and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is expected to be the minority shareholder, the companies said.
Mitsubishi Electric and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries are aiming to strengthen their market competitiveness by integrating their respective businesses and combining their technologies and assets, they said.
Efforts to achieve carbon neutrality are accelerating around the world, while electricity demand is expected to increase due to economic growth, mainly in emerging countries, and awareness of energy security has increased, they said.
Mitsubishi Electric and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries said they plan to sign a definitive agreement in late May 2023 and complete the merger of their power-generator businesses on April 1, 2024.
Write to Kosaku Narioka at EMAIL
(END) Dow Jones Newswires


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Narrow your search
The electronics titans square off in a tangled tale of mobile technology, centered on Apple's iPhone
The company said previously that the vast majority of Macs were "safe by default" from the new security vulnerability known as the Bash or Shellshock bug.
Apple says users of its OS X operating system are "safe by default" from the new security vulnerability, which has been described as bigger than Heartbleed.
The US radio show retracted a report on working conditions at Apple’s Chinese factories, after it emerged that several of the claims made were ‘falsehoods’.
Samsung's head of marketing in Australia says that when the company launched ads mocking Apple fanboys, it was "a tipping point." He loves seeing fanboy wars.
Is Apple turning into one of China's most hated companies? That seems to be the intent of a state-orchestrated media campaign.
It's been established that Microsoft believes the iPad has many, many flaws. Now Redmond would like you to know that the Samsung Galaxy Tab isn't all that either.
Despite financial disappointments, Microsoft has offered a new, more aggressive stance toward competitors. Instead of telling people that Apple is bad, should Microsoft start telling people why it's good? Or is that too hard?
During the Emmys broadcast, Samsung intends to turn up at people's houses and offer gift bags. Or, more precisely, curved TVs.
Extending its accusation that iPhone owners are "wall-huggers," Samsung plans to advertise around power outlets at airports.
In a curious attempt to kick those already a little down, Samsung decides that it's not enough to whack at Apple. It must bash Canada's finest smartphone, too.


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|| Print ||
|Archives - January 2007|
|Monday, January 01, 2007|
Portland clothing company Nau plans to build its future on social responsibility.
By Oakley Brooks
In late 2004, the handful of people starting outdoor clothing company Nau faced a tossup. Founder Eric Reynolds, who started the legendary Marmot outdoor brand, wanted the company located in Boulder, Colo., where he lived. CEO Chris Van Dyke, a former Nike exec, wanted it in his hometown of Portland. Van Dyke won out because he stood firm on two things: He wasn’t moving to Boulder, and as he puts it, “this is an Oregon company.”
Nau (pronounced “now”) is a bold venture looking to set a new standard for corporate citizenship in the high-profile apparel industry — an effort so concerted that even the Nau clothing color palette is chosen for longevity to prevent wastefulness. For that, “this is a better place,” Van Dyke says, sitting in Nau’s headquarters in Portland’s Pearl District. “There’s a thoughtfulness here. And as a brand, being from Oregon is a huge plus.” Indeed, the company’s image and the look of its clothing seems to be springing from the sophisticated-yet-outdoorsy culture that has come to define Portland. (It also hasn’t hurt that there’s plenty of creative apparel minds around town.) “The identity of the place is really something to be celebrated,” says Ian Yolles, Nau’s vice president of marketing.
IF A STARTUP’S FUTURE SUCCESS were based solely on a management team’s experience, Nau would seem headed for the stratosphere. Soon after Reynolds (who’s since left Nau) talked to Van Dyke about the company idea in mid-2004, Van Dyke assembled a seasoned group of eight interested folks drawn from his days as a top marketing executive at Nike and Patagonia.
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Cycling to work is all the rage. But not everyone wants to arrive at the office messy, sweaty — and unfashionable.
Thursday, April 23, 2015
BY JASON NORRIS | GUEST BLOGGER
There are winners and losers with a strengthening U.S. dollar.
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
BY LINDA BAKER | OB EDITOR
The big news at Oregon Business is we’re getting a ping pong table. After reading the descriptions of the 2015 100 Best Companies to Work For in Oregon, a disproportionate number of which feature table tennis in the office, I decided it was time to bring our own workplace into the 21st century. It was a tough call, but it’s lonely at the top, and someone has to make the hard decisions.
Wednesday, April 01, 2015
BY LINDA BAKER
Leaders in Oregon's ag sector gathered this morning in Portland’s Coopers Hall winery/taproom to discuss the role of the region as an export gateway, impediments to exporting products and solutions to containerized shipping challenges.
Wednesday, April 08, 2015
BY JACOB PALMER | DIGITAL NEWS EDITOR
The Wilsonville-based company is targeting GoPro enthusiasts with its latest release. Is spy gear poised to go mainstream?
Friday, March 27, 2015
BY AMY MILSHTEIN
As baby boomers sell their businesses, too many forget the all-important succession plan.
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
BY KIM MOORE | OB RESEARCH EDITOR
A partnership of a grassroots environmental organization and a youth group is striving to build community and business support for carbon price legislation.
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A new report highlights how Oregon bankers are giving back to their communities.
Since 1932 Tidewater Transportation & Terminals (operating as Tidewater Barge Lines and Tidewater Terminal Company) has operated a multicommodity transportation and terminal company based in Vancouver, Washington. The friendly expression on the company’s shipping containers reflects the attitude of about 330 safety and community-conscious employees but belies how complicated the barge business really is.
The Port of The Dalles has run marine facilities since the 1930s, but they are part of a larger mission to strengthen the local economy. They focus on regional economic development with a strong bent toward adding good-paying jobs in high tech, manufacturing and other industries.
Thinking about an MBA? Join us for our upcoming Wine & Cheese Information Session to learn more about Concordia University's MBA program.
Providing attendees with unique taste of the Northwest Reception.
CFM Strategic Communications turns 25 this year and is celebrating with a revamped website, special events for firm alumni and clients, a special-label wine and a list of 25 stories about its client work over the past quarter century.


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Karaikal Port Private Ltd (KPPL), on Wednesday, announced that Standard Chartered Private Equity (Mauritius) II Limited has invested Rs.130 crore, by way of primary and secondary investments, in MARG Karaikal port for a minority stake.
The primary subscription funds will be used for the expansion plans of the port, which will enhance its capacity from 21 million tonnes to 28 million tonnes per annum, a release said. KPPL is a subsidiary of MARG Ltd.
Rahul Raisurana, Managing Director, Standard Chartered Private Equity, said the present scenario in which several ports in the country were facing capacity constraints or other logistical and infrastructural challenges presented a “solid opportunity for newer and modern ports such as Karaikal”. He will join the KPPL board, the release said.


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Indian fashion is as varied, promising, and stunning as the subcontinent itself. By 2030, the world’s most populous country could be one of the world’s top three economies. The era of Western aesthetics, long dominated by the British, has ended. Young Indian designers are extremely popular worldwide. They combine exceptional craftsmanship with innovative ideas.
Rahul Mishra, a designer, was recently celebrated in Paris. His most recent collection at the Spring/Summer 2024 Haute Couture Week was a success. The Indian designer is a frequent attendee at prestigious fashion industry events. We met Rahul Mishra exclusively behind the scenes at his show in Paris last summer and in his workshop near Delhi.
The textile industry is a source of national pride and has long been linked to India’s struggle for independence. Mahatma Gandhi’s fight for India’s independence is associated with handwoven fabric. People in the country continue to discuss the thread that led to freedom. The spinning wheel is still depicted in the centre of the Indian flag.
During an exclusive visit to India’s Fashion Queen Ritu Beri’s home in Delhi, she discusses the significance of the textile and fashion industries for India’s self-confidence and progress to this day. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently convened a commission comprised of the country’s most prominent designers to promote the country’s image globally through Indian fashion.


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Adyson Edwards is an Eccles Ambassador who recently visited the home office of Wal-Mart in Bentonville, Arkansas. She shares her Eccles Experience there and the opportunities she was able to take advantage of while on the excursion.
The Eccles Ambassadors had the unique and exciting opportunity to travel to the home office of one of the largest businesses in the world, Wal-Mart.
In class, students have spent the semester working on a case study involving the production and sourcing of produce within the company. What is the process of getting the produce from a seed into the hands of the consumer? After visiting a tomato greenhouse in Mona, Utah, we were ready to head to Wal-Mart itself.
This trip would not have been possible without the amazing alumni of the University of Utah. Andrea Thomas, senior vice president of marketing at Wal-Mart and an alum of the University of Utah, was able to set up an amazing day of presentations to teach us more about the sourcing process. Not only did we learn about the great things Wal-Mart has underway regarding produce, store layouts, and humanitarian efforts, but we also were given incredible networking opportunities that are already beginning to pay off.
When sitting in the conference room, one speaker working in the data analytics and operations department asked the room who had taken a computer class in college yet. Everyone proceeded to raise their hands. He then asked who enjoyed the course, everyone put their hands down aside from myself. This led to him inviting me o


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INTERNATIONAL RIDERS IN ANTI-HUNGER CAMPAIGN WEAR MADE IN SA BRAND, CIOVITA
High-profile politicians were there, sporting personalities, writers and entrepreneurs too, joined by regular riding enthusiasts from around the world. They numbered 3 500, many kitted out in Ciovita indoor cycling gear. Pedalling to fight hunger, they were on their bikes for at least 67 minutes each, to honour the legacy of democratic South Africa’s first president, Nelson Mandela.
South African participants included national Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa; author and entrepreneur, Letshego Zulu; professional rugby player, Tendai Mtawarira and CEO of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, Sello Hatang.
The occasion was Zwift’s Ride4Hope, a virtual ride to raise awareness and funds for the Nelson Mandela Foundation’s #Each1Feed1 project that collects and distributes food for the food-insecure. Held 18 July, on what would have been Madiba’s birthday, the ride drew cycling enthusiasts from many parts of the world in a bid to combat the escalating hunger that’s been precipitated by the pandemic.
It has become customary for members of the public in South Africa, as well as further afield to give 67 minutes of their time for a social cause on Nelson Mandela Day to mark the 67 years he dedicated to fighting for human rights and social justice in South Africa.
Ciovita, which takes its name from a mix of Italian and Latin, and means life in motion, is an international cycling kit company headquartered in Cape Town. CEO Andrew Gold says: “It’s been almost eight years since Madiba died but it is incumbent on us all to keep his humanist and humanitarian values alive. For Ciovita, life in motion means more than physical activity. It means responding to movements and changes in the world, and that includes the impact wrought by the pandemic. We are immensely proud to have been a part of this important initiative that could attract so many riders.”
Gold says that much of the kit worn by the participants has been designed specifically for indoor training and virtual racing. “The gear includes indoor base-layers, as well as indoor bib shorts, that are the first in the world of their kind. So, for us it was also a great opportunity to get rider feedback, as we continue to innovate.”
He adds that the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) identified online training as the new top trend in fitness for 2021. “It’s totally understandable given the times. Available 24/7 via live-streaming or pre-recording, online training gives people the flexibility they need and want in these volatile and uncertain times. We know South Africans and many others have embraced working out this way too. That’s why we have created gear that works in this context. It’s lightweight, breathable, gives good support, aids temperature control and ease of movement.”
Zwift is a leading digital app within the cycling fraternity and has 2,5 million uses worldwide with 30 000 users on the platform at any given time.
Note to the editor:
Ciovita designs and manufactures leading-edge, high-performance premium cycling apparel from rigorously tested imported fabrics for the South African and international markets. It places innovation at the heart of its brand, with kit developed from concept to the final stitch in-house. Visit www.ciovita.co.za for more.


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Chalk this one up to bad timing. Syracuse takes on Temple at the Linc today in Philadelphia, with an 11 a.m. start. While playing games later in the day on Black Friday can often provide a bit of prime-time exposure for programs, playing a game while the shopping craze is still ongoing doesn't look to be working in the Owls' favor. Add in the fact that Temple is no longer bowl eligible, and you're going to have attendance problems.
It's pretty desolate right now.


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The next major release for WordPress, version 4.1 is due to be released on December 15 2014.
You can read some (work in progress) information about the new release on the WordPress.org website.
We will be reviewing and testing WordPress 4.1 as soon as it’s released and then start our upgrade process for all our hosting customers shortly thereafter.
Notable changes / additions for WordPress 4.1 include:
- New default theme “Twenty Fifteen“
- WordPress Admin:
- A new distraction-free writing mode for the editor
- Inline formatting toolbar for images embedded into posts
- For developers: A new and better way to handle theme Title Tag
All WP NET customers should be on v4.1 before Christmas — a nice little present from WordPress!


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Vuori still believes in physical retail.
The California activewear brand, which operates six stores in its home state, is planning to double its retail footprint by the end of next year. Vuori just opened a unit in Manhattan Beach, Calif., and will add another in the Malibu Country Mart in Malibu on Nov. 20. Beyond that, units are expected to be added on Abbot Kinney in Venice, Calif., in the first quarter of next year, followed by another in Studio City in the second quarter, as well as a unit in San Jose.
Soon after, the brand expects to jump beyond California and seek locations in other key cities. In the past, Kudla has identified such places as Scottsdale, Ariz.; Denver and Boulder, Colo.; Austin, Tex.; Seattle and Portland, Ore.; Chicago, and even New York as being on his wish list.
Founder Joe Kudla, who created Vuori in 2015 to fill a void he saw in the men’s activewear market for shorts that worked in the gym or out to lunch, said he remains “bullish on vertical retail.” Although the bulk of Vuori’s business continues to come from its direct-to-consumer efforts — which represent some 60 percent of the brand’s sales, believed to be in excess of $50 million — physical stores remain at “the heart of our vision. We want to inspire people to live healthy and happy lives. That’s a lofty goal, but there’s no better way to connect with people than in a physical world.”
Fashion and Car Collaborations Throughout the Years
Vuori founder Joe Kudla.
Kudla said he’s “very fortunate” that Vuori’s comfortable, yet sophisticated pieces performed well during the pandemic, even though its stores were closed. Now that they’ve reopened, he said, “They’re very profitable and they’re still comping positive even though they were closed for two-and-a-half months.”
Kudla attributes that in part to looking at four-wall profitability differently than most traditional retailers and carefully selecting locations where he knows his customers live, work or play. The stores have hosted yoga classes, boot camps, art shows and other activities that remain the core of the brand and have managed to build a community of like-minded customers.
When physical gatherings were impossible, Kudla said Vuori quickly launched an online Active Club to replace those in-store events. So far those classes have amassed more than one million views, he said, and they will continue even after things return to a post-pandemic normal.
Catherine Pike, who joined Vuori as senior director of retail in January after more than a decade at Lululemon and other fitness brands, said: “None of us knew what to expect when shoppers returned to stores, but we found that people were craving connections and our customers were happy to be back. So even in this incredibly difficult time, home is the store and they want to be part of it.”
During the height of the pandemic in the spring, Pike spearheaded a program to train the staff in the stores to become “omni associates” who can work not only on the sales floors but also online. “The pandemic pushed us to that, but it’s been a huge win,” she said.
Kudla added: “One of our goals as a business is to enhance the customer experience. When we had to shut our stores, we redeployed our 50 retail employees and our customers are happy with the service.”
What they’re also happy with is Vuori’s take on lifestyle apparel, particularly performance and performance loungewear, Kudla said. In addition, outdoor apparel and outerwear, particularly an eco-friendly coat made from recycled materials, along with a travel/commute collection, has been popular. “Travel has been put on hold, but we’re seeing the category resonate with customers for its versatility,” he said, adding that the collection takes the lessons learned from activewear and applied them to sportswear.
Women’s wear, which the company expanded into last year, has been growing significantly and now accounts for 40 percent of total sales and 50 percent of online sales. “We expect in the next two years, it’ll be 50-50 overall,” he said.
Vuori, which counts former Neiman Marcus chief Jim Gold as an investor, received $45 million from Norwest Venture Partners last summer. Gold has predicted that it can become a $1 billion brand. Kudla, a California native, athlete and one-time model, founded Vuori after taking up yoga to help alleviate years of chronic back pain that he’d playing football and lacrosse.
In addition to its own stores and e-commerce site, Vuori has a strong wholesale business with more than 500 specialty accounts in the U.S., Canada and Japan, including Equinox, Nordstrom, and REI as well as outdoor specialty stores and fitness clubs.
Source: Read Full Article


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Youth turnout is notoriously low in political elections.
A whopping 75% of young people that voted in the EU referendum wanted to Remain, though only around a quarter of them actually turned up.
Perhaps if the UK had followed Japan’s lead they wouldn’t have received a disappointing result.
Tsujiri, a successful Japanese company that’s been flogging tea for more than 150 years, is offering customers substantially discounted matcha green tea flavoured soft serve ice cream as encouragement to go vote.
Last month, legislation passed in Japan to lower the voting age from 20 to 18.
So Tsujiri’s campaign is to encourage engagement in the Upper House election.
To receive the Senkyo Wari (election discount) and be able to purchase the green tea ice cream for the reduced price, customers must simply present their proof-of-voting form to locations in Fukuoka Prefecture including, Colette, Kyomachi and Uomachi.
The firm advise: ‘For the first time, 18 years old can vote in national elections election.
‘Think of the future of Japan’s young people.’


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Aiming to lead its digital innovation agenda into 2021, and with an early focus on the development and rapid delivery of innovative products, platforms and services in key areas such as healthcare and data, UK telecoms products and services provider BT has announced the creation of a new digital technology unit.
Effective from 1 April 2021, the new digital unit, BT Digital, will include accountability for IT, digital innovation, BT-wide business transformation, and data and product strategy.
There will be a continued focus on network leadership and partnership with customer-facing units on converged services and experiences, and BT has said the unit will use the strength of its networks to differentiate its services for its customers. Product strategy, business transformation, data and artificial intelligence (AI), will form part of the new digital unit.
BT regards the move as an important statement of intent, designed to enable it to go further with opportunities in digital services that presented themselves in 2020.
The company added that the creation of BT Digital will enable it to focus on the areas where it believes it can have the greatest impact, delivering digital platforms it claims will bring together “best-in-class” services for customers.


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President Biden has signaled his intent to be a labor-friendly president who advances the rights of workers. Here’s what he can do to fulfill that promise.
Undocumented workers in the U.S have been targeted by the Trump administration. The Biden presidency has the potential to reverse that trend.
A surge in online holiday shopping during the COVID-19 pandemic meant companies like Amazon prioritized worker productivity over safety.
The UAW has played an instrumental role in helping automotive workers and the auto industry recover from losses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Employees have been fired for speaking up about working conditions during the pandemic. Here’s how unions protect workers during Covid-19.
The holiday shopping season is here, and shoppers can support unions and workers by choosing to buy products that are union-made in America.
The holiday season is a time for unions to give back to the communities that support them. Here are four ideas for just how to do that.
By following these eight suggestions for keeping everyone safe, union leaders can still host union meetings during the pandemic.
Young workers were hit hard by the pandemic. Now is the time for unions to connect with these workers and show them the benefits of union membership.
Is return to school going as planned? What does the rest of the semester look like? These are two top concerns for schools as the fall semester continues.
Colleges are struggling with COVID-19. Lower enrollments and higher expenses have left leaders exhausting all avenues to survive the pandemic.


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Mastercard’s chief tosses Facebook’s Libra under the bus
The credit card firm’s CEO, Ajay Banga, said compliance concerns were the reason he pulled out of Facebook’s stablecoin project
Mastercard’s chief executive said the company pulled out of Facebook’s Libra stablecoin project due to concerns about the association’s commitment to compliance with financial regulations and how it would make money.
Ajay Banga told the Financial Times on Monday that important members of the Libra Association wouldn’t give a firm commitment to follow local laws, including know your customer and anti-money laundering regulations, in all circumstances
While the leading Libra members said they would follow all laws and regulations, Banga told the newspaper, “[e]very time you talked to the main proponents of Libra, I said, ‘Would you put that in writing?’ They wouldn’t.”
Mastercard and six other firms withdrew on Oct. 8, after two senators sent a letter threatening to increase regulatory scrutiny of the entire business of financial companies’ participating in Libra. The exodus was just seven days before the association’s formal launch on Oct. 15, and the threat was widely assumed to be the reason at the time.
Along with Mastercard, members Visa, Mercado Pago, eBay, Stripe, and Booking Holdings withdrew. PayPal was the first defector from the original 28 members four days earlier. The withdrawals left the project without a US payments processor.
Beyond the compliance concerns, Banga said he did not see how the Association members would make money. But, he didn’t position that as a concern about a return on investment. Instead, he said, he was concerned that money “could be made in ways you don’t like.”
Reached by email, the Libra Association declined to comment on Banga’s comments.
The Libra Association’s stated plan was to have the governing council of members share the interest from the basket of currencies that will back the stable coin. Telecoms giant Vodaphone’s withdrawal on Jan. 21 left the group with just 19 members out of the 100 it hopes to attract.
Banga also criticized Facebook for building the proprietary Calibra wallet for the cryptocurrency. Calibra head David Marcus has said that Facebook’s wallet would not be exclusive.
Of course, as an alternative payments system, Libra would be in direct competition with Mastercard.


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Cheeseburgers, chicken burritos and other meat products had the highest phthalate/plasticizer content, with much higher DEHT levels detected in burritos than in burgers.
On the upside, cheese pizzas were among the least contaminated foods, while French fries were found to be DEHT-free.
Because not all of these chemicals have been thoroughly studied, the precise harm they may pose to human health is not entirely clear, the team acknowledged.
But Edwards cautioned that until researchers get a better handle on the risk involved, consumers should know that “it is not only [about] processed foods” at fast food chains — any food that’s handled in any restaurant setting can be exposed to such chemicals, she noted.
With that in mind, Edwards said better oversight is needed, adding that she hopes “our work can be used by policymakers to help create stronger regulations to keep phthalates and replacement plasticizers out of our foods.”
Meanwhile, one thing that people can do to limit potential risk is to “eat lower on the food chain.” That, said Edwards, basically means limiting meat intake.
“However, we recognize that this strategy to reduce exposure is not always accessible to everyone,” she added. So, she and her colleagues point to their own prior research, which suggests that home cooking is the safer bet, since people tend not to use problematic plastic gloves, packaging and the like when prepping food in their own kitchen.
That’s a strategy echoed by Lona Sandon, program director of the department of clinical nutrition at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
“Many fast food chains rely on meats, chicken and fish or other foods that are preformed, partially cooked, then frozen, packaged in plastic, and shipped to the restaurant site to be finished at the time of order,” Sandon noted. “This gives plenty of time for these foods to sit wrapped in plastic.”
And even relatively healthy food options are not immune to plastic exposure, she added, noting that “organic or not, the risk persists if the food is stored in plastic that has these chemicals.”


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The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) said on Thursday that trade facilitation and compliance to border routes in the West and Central African region would enhance revenue generation.
The Controller-General of NCS, Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the World Customs Organisation (WCO) Conference in Abuja.
“The aim is to combat smuggling and compel importers to pass through the approved routes like the boarders, sea ports and air ports.
“When the people comply, the revenue generated by the countries will go up,’’ he said.
Dikko reiterated that allowing smuggled goods through illegal routes would not be in the economic interest of the region.
“ If you allow smuggled goods to enter, really, it will harm the whole of West and Central Africa region.
“So it is better we ensure that whatever we do is right.
“Then we can also look inward, basically to be patriotic and make sure that the federation account gains more than the individuals, ’’ he said.
He said that the NCS had partnered neighbouring countries, to ensure smuggled goods seized from unapproved routes were handed over to the customs concerned.
He said that the region had approved border routes for the movement of goods but the challenges had been the proliferation of illegal routes by smugglers in the region.
Dikko urged customs in the region to collaborate and ensure every smuggled good was passed to the appropriate customs according to the international transits procedure.
“And every country should have a landing certificate, indicating that such a good does not slip out of hands,” he added.
Dikko stated that the Nigeria Customs, in 2014, successfully prosecuted about 28 economic saboteurs and rewarded 179 traders, who maintained high level of compliance and integrity.
Copyright Ships & Ports Ltd. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit given to www.shipsandports.com.ng as the source.


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Worms Revolution coming to PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 sometime in fall
Team 17 has released a new video of the upcoming Worms Revolution video game which will be available on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 sometime during fall.
Not many details of the game have been revealed but more information will be available as we come closer to the launch. The game will features a bunch of new levels and will also include some of the classic weapons. The company has also mentioned that the game is based on a completely new engine.


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Nittan Europe is pleased to announce the launch of its Nittan Elite Distributor programme.
The programme has been developed to acknowledge and reward a select group of distributors that have shown commitment to promoting the Nittan brand and have undertaken product training to a high level in order to ensure the uppermost standards of customer service.
The first companies to be awarded Elite Distributor status by Nittan are:
EU Fire & Security, Rochdale; Acorn Fire & Security, Blackburn; Detection Supplies, Fordingbridge; and Haes Systems, Uxbridge.
“Nittan has built an enviable reputation for first class fire detection products, but it’s essential to back that up with quality support” states Lee James, General Manager – Product Marketing, Nittan Europe. “Our new Elite programme identifies those installers and distributors that demonstrate loyalty to Nittan and have taken the time to invest in the brand by undertaking rigorous training on the full product range. As a manufacturer our end user contact is minimal, these customer facing companies are often the first experience people will have of Nittan so their product knowledge and commitment to Nittan is exceptionally important and deserves to be recognised. The key benefit for Elite members is that we can direct new customer enquiries to them as we know they are a safe pair of hands!”
The launch of the Nittan Elite Partner and Elite Distributor programme is part of the company’s ongoing commitment to providing the best support possible for customers and comes close on the heels of the opening of a new Training Centre at Nittan Europe’s Head Office in Old Woking, Surrey.
Nittan shall continue to monitor and promote others to Elite status once certain milestones have been achieved.


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Footwear sources have welcomed the sale of Jones Bootmaker to private equity firm Endless, arguing that its new owners are more likely to give it the investment it needs.
Drapers understands Endless expressed interest in acquiring the footwear retailer back in 2015, before it was snapped up by rival private equity business Alteri.
A source close to the situation said Endless has a good track record of investing in its acquisitions.
“It’s not surprising that they came back to the table,” he added. “They have a longer term view than Alteri, who just wanted a quick turnaround. Endless seems to have more patience and that’s what Jones needs. It needs a three- to five-year turnaround programme.”
The source suggested thathe tnew owners should “invest heavily” in Jones’ stores and “expand the online opportunity” in the UK and abroad.
“Jones is an established British brand so it should do well overseas. I suspect they will look at expanding abroad, through franchise stores or flagships in key markets, once the business stabilises in the UK.”
Endless has completed more than 70 acquisitions and 45 sales of UK businesses since it was formed in 2005. This includes Marks & Spencer footwear supplier Peter Black, which it sold to a subsidiary of global sourcing firm Li & Fung in 2007, making a three times return on its investment.
“Although a lesser known private equity firm in the retail world than others, it seems legit and a better option for Jones than Alteri,” said another footwear industry source. ”They have had success with footwear in the past with Peter Black and they seem to have done a good job with turning around other businesses.”
He pointed, for example, to art retail chain The Works, which Endless acquired in 2009 and has successfully turned around.
KPMG was appointed administrator of Jones on 24 March. Later that day, Endless acquired 72 Jones stores in a pre-pack deal, securing around 840 jobs in the UK. The sale excluded 25 underperforming stores and six concessions, which closed immediately, resulting in 262 job losses.
The deal occurred two days after Jones’ former stablemate Brantano collapsed into administration, after a search for a buyer failed.


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HP did quite the number on Palm’s critically lauded smartphone platform; after buying Palm, killing the Pre and WebOS as a mobile device platform, and finally use WebOS in (of all things) printers, it seems that HP finally found a buyer for the hamstringed operating system – LG.
In a report from TheNextWeb, LG purchased various patents and the source code for WebOS from HP for an undisclosed amount, effectively taking the operating system out of its grave and giving it a new lease on life. If you’re getting excited about the possibility of new LG handsets powered by WebOS, don’t. LG’s plans for WebOS appear to be limited to use in their lineup of smart TVs. There is a small caveat; LG has announced that it will continue to support Palm users.
Looks like this year’s Mobile World Congress will offer some unexpected surprises after all.


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WORCESTER - The Massachusetts Department of Transportation says the RMV anticipates the opening of the new Worcester service center to happen this summer.
The RMV is moving their Worcester branch from 611 Main St. to Southwest Commons plaza at 50 S.W. Cutoff inside the space previously occupied by Big Y Supermarket. The move was initially planned to take place last fall.
They signed a lease agreement in early 2021 for the space.
MassDOT said a specific opening date isn't available right now, as it will be dependent upon the receipt of equipment that is currently backordered due to supply chain issues.
When it does open, all transactions available at the downtown RMV location will be offered at the new location. There are roughly 250 parking spaces at the new location.


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KAMPALA – Ride hailing company Uber has again increased transport fares as the company struggles to stay afloat in the market amid rising competition and credibility issues.
In June last year, Uber increased the transport fares, citing high operating costs. In October, they increased the fares higher after their drivers went on strike.
But in a statement issued on Tuesday, January 28, 2020, Uber said that the latest price hike is as a result of a thorough review of their operations.
“While we have always tried to keep prices as low as possible, we need to be aware of the increased costs for driver-partners. This comes after implementing an in-depth earnings review to ensure that the Uber app continues to be a reliable economic opportunity for driver-partners, as well as an affordable option for riders,” the company said in a statement.
According to the new fares, a trip per kilometer has been increased from Shs700 to Shs850 while a trip per minute fare has been increased from Shs100 to Shs130.
The base and minimum fares have remained at Shs1,250 and Shs6,000 respectively.
Uber also explained that they have made significant investment in technology that will improve safety of its clients following reports that some of their drivers have robbed the users.
“You are able to select up to five loved ones as ‘Trusted Contacts’ and can choose to be prompted to share trip details with them during every ride – with a single tap,” the statement added.


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For the last 6 years, Samsung and Hyundai collaborated numerous times. This year, their whole relationship even bigger through the collaboration for electric cars. Samsung already provides Exynos chipset and OLED screens for Hyundai. Now, they are reaching out to the tech company for batteries for its electric cars. Besides, the officials and heads of both companies met last week for making the new move official.
After all, some tests for the batteries are already completed inside Samsung. The flagship-level batteries are specially made and used for Hyundai electric cars. Hyundai has plans to launch its fully electrical Genesis G80 in 2021. So, Samsung batteries served for this model along with Kia’s plug-in hybrid vehicle in the initial state.
More About The Collaboration
According to the developers, the promised range of cars in a single charge is 500km. Beyond all, the cars will use level-3 autonomous driving technology developed by both companies together. Now, Hyundai uses batteries from Sk Innovation and LG Chem for its popular electric car models. It may changed and Samsung’s lithium square batteries used instead.
The officials of both companies confirmed the collaboration for electric models. Even though, much details about models or final batteries announced yet. After all, the new steps will surely increase the relationship strength between both companies. So, the automobile industry can expect much more from them in the coming years. More details about the batteries and products expected to announced by two firms.


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John McNally 0000-00-00 00:00:00
American Standard names Gould president and CEO American Standard Brands’ growth phase includes a change at the top of its management structure.The company recently named Jay D. Gould its new president and CEO. Gould replaces Don Devine, who left to pursue other opportunities. Gould most recently was president of the Home & Family Group of Newell Rubbermaid and previously held senior executive roles with The Campbell Soup Co., Coca-Cola and General Mills. “American Standard successfully weathered the challenging business environment over the past several years, emerging as an even stronger business and now prepares for a more assertive growth agenda,” Gould said. American Standard Brands Chairman of the Board Tom Taylor praised Devine’s work, which included successful mergers of American Standard, Crane Plumbing, Eljer Plumbing, Safety Tubs and Decorative Panels International. “While Don has done an outstanding job in building and repositioning the company, Jay will lead the next phase of the company’s development, which will focus on growth,” Taylor said. Briggs is purchased by its own management Bob Robison and other U.S. executives with Briggs Plumbing Products saw the opening and seized it. Six months later, the management team completed a deal with Santiago, Chile-based Cisa to purchase Briggs Plumbing, making it a fully American-owned company. “We realized there was a huge opportunity and we started to pursue it,” Robison told Supply House Times. Robison, Briggs’ vice president of sales and marketing, said it was a “constant struggle” over the last 14 years with Briggs being owned by a foreign company. Briggs’ success and market share was at the mercy of the South American market, he noted. “The biggest (problem) was when business in South America was going well, they weren’t going to give us as much product,” Robison said. “That limited us many times.” Briggs plans a major new product launch, a freedom Robison and President/CEO and co-owner Chuck Dockery said they find refreshing. “We truly are a new company focused on new products, quality and service,” Dockery said. PEOPLE ON THE MOVE American Supply Association Education Foundation hired Doug Dillon as its director of professional development. Dillon will be responsible for formalizing the new education and training advisory model for the Foundation, as well as overseeing the Branch Manager Certification Program. Affiliated Distributors promoted Jack Templin to president of its industrial supply division and hired Jeffrey S. Beall for the new position of president of PHCP divisions. The National Kitchen & Bath A s s o c i a t i o n appointed Alan W. Zielinski to president. Zielinski currenly serves as president and CEO of Niles, Ill.-based Better Kitchens. Knoxville, Tenn.- based Modern Supply hired Rob McInturff as its Johnson City, Tenn., branch manager. Madison, Wis.-based First Supply named Ted Meyer general manager of the company’s facilities in Dubuque and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Platteville, Wis. LA-CO Industries/Markal Co. Named George Bowman its new president. PVF distributor Deacon Industrial Supply hired Shawn DeLuca as an industrial account executive. He will develop Deacon’s presence and build new and existing customer relationships in the Marcellus Shale region. BrassCraft promoted George Werner to vice president of retail sales. Werner began his career with the Masco Corp. family of companies in 1994 as a sales manager at Alsons Corp. Bradley Corp. appointed Bryan, Erik and Christopher Mullett to the company’s board of directors. It’s the fifth generation of the Mullett family to have board roles with Bradley. Bryan Mullet is the president of Bradley Fixtures; Erik Mullett is vice president of Division 10 sales; and Christopher Mullett is regional sales manager of Division 22. OBITUARIES Mike Bales, president of Salem, Ore.- based Prier Pipe and Supply, died Jan. 3 at the age of 58. Former A. O. Smith chairman and CEO Thomas I. Dolan died Dec. 25 at the age of 84. Edward R. Hardison, the former president of Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating, died Dec. 15.
Published by SupplyHouseTimes. View All Articles.
This page can be found at http://digital.bnpmedia.com/article/Down+The+Pipe/966391/99299/article.html.


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- Apr 12, 2001
Mac game publisher Aspyr is celebrating its 20th anniversary this week, and to mark the occasion, the company is discounting all of its games and DLC on both the Mac App Store and Steam.
Games deeply discounted include Borderlands 2, Civilization V, Bioshock Infinite, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Sim City 4, Roller Coaster Tycoon 3, Sims 2, and many more.
Aspyr also plans to give away free Steam and Mac App Store game codes on its Twitch stream through 9/16, and it's running a contest on Facebook to win an iMac and the complete Aspyr game catalog.
Article Link: Aspyr Celebrates 20th Birthday With Massive Sale


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After two decades at their location on Clark and Beneva, Shaner’s Pizzeria and Sports Bar has relocated to 1923 Ringling Boulevard, the space once occupied by Horse Feathers Lounge.
“I really felt like downtown was starting to kick in,” said owner Shane Rawley. “There are so many nice places downtown, and it felt like a sports and family focused restaurant downtown would be a smart business decision.”
A number of factors went into the decision. The rent at their original location had increased in recent years. The recession had put a strain on their lunch business, which largely consisted of blue collar and working class diners.
“Our lunch business [at the original location] was almost nonexistent,” said Rawley. “A lot of plumbers and drywallers and tradesmen are struggling and it really bit into our lunch business. It was a really tough decision, as we have a lot of regulars that have been coming for years, and we feel really bad about that. But it was a business decision.”
Rawley says he began considering the move about six months ago, but only became serious about it in July. The original location closed on July 31; the new location opened its doors last Tuesday, August 16. If that seems like a short period of time to move an entire restaurant, it’s because it is.
“The space was in great shape,” said Rawley. “It had been changed from a restaurant into a nightclub, so basically we just changed it back. It was pretty well built out. We did some painting and added some new pieces of equipment, and a bunch of TVs. There’s a tremendous amount of parking in the garage just steps away. I think it’s a bit of an upgrade and a better fit for our type of restaurant.”
Rawley, a former Major League Baseball player -- and National League All-Star -- has brought much of his original location, a place dear to many Sarasotan’s hearts, over to the new space. The restaurant will still have all the big games, from NFL and MLB to the Big Ten and even Wisconsin Badgers' games, on 14 television screens.
“We still have the original tables from 1991,” said Rawley, “with baseball cards from that year. We brought six of those from the bar area. We felt it was important to have something from the original. We brought our fish tanks over, too.”
Expecting more business than at the original location, Rawley increased staff by 15 members. Rawley says Shaner’s will be open “at least until midnight.” The new location retains about 85 percent of the old menu, with a focus on thin-crust Wisconsin-style pizza, as well as wings and burgers.
“We added some upper-tier items,” said Rawley. “We have a rib eye steak and a bunch of great salads. We want something nice and affordable for families to enjoy. And our price point is still the same. There really isn’t anything like it downtown. It’s very family friendly and sports minded and the food is good.”


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SEOUL -- Samsung Electronics has enlisted some of pop culture's biggest names from the worlds of music, fashion and sports in a bid to gain the attention of consumers in a smartphone industry where it is becoming harder and harder to stand out.
Last month, Samsung released Adidas-branded wireless Galaxy Buds earbuds, targeting design-focused young consumers. The 6,000 limited-edition pairs have already sold out in South Korea.
With smartphones and accessories showing symptoms of the commodification that has plagued TVs and other electronics, product differentiation has taken on an increased importance for South Korea's top tech company if it wants to fend off Chinese rivals while winning the hearts of staunch Apple fans.
Besides Adidas, the industry leader also teamed with New York-based fashion brand Thom Browne to offer a range of products from a Galaxy phone and earbuds to a smartwatch, all featuring the designer's trademark stripes.
Limited editions offer fat profit margins. Despite the hefty price of 3.96 million won ($3,500), the 5,000 units of the Galaxy Z Fold 2 Thom Browne edition sold out days in South Korea, the U.S., Thailand and China.
Closer to home, Samsung joined hands last year with BTS, the South Korean boy band that has become a global phenomenon. The BTS-inspired Galaxy S20 special model came in purple, the color that came to symbolize the band and its fans, and sported the band's logo on the back. BTS members helped drum up interest in the phone through social media.
Samsung has said it is seeking collaborations to excite consumers. Creating new value has become essential in getting consumers to buy a new phone at a time when memory, processors, displays and other hardware have grown similar across the industry.
With the market dominated by a handful of giants, consumers have fewer options. The top five companies controlled 71% of the global smartphone market in 2020, up from 54% just five years earlier, according to research company IDC. Samsung held a 21% share last year, followed by Apple at 16%.
Just last month, LG said it was shutting down its smartphone operations. The No. 4 brand in the world at one point, the company has struggled in its home market of South Korea, where Samsung dominated more than 70% of sales.
Apple, its biggest rival, has maintained a strategy of updating its flagship iPhone every autumn along with three to four more affordable phones. The U.S. company has succeeded in keeping loyal fans with its powerful brand as well as its proprietary iOS operating system and apps.
Samsung phones use Google's Android OS, and this makes it easier for users to switch to Android rivals such as China's Vivo, Oppo and Xiaomi. Without special branding, Samsung risks being buried in a field of undistinguishable devices.


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Devolver Digital always delivers the best E3 event, no reason to suspect this is going to change this year.
Devolver Digital, though not associating with E3 2024 specifically, is bringing back its showcase/direct/conference/whatever this year for another episode of corporate madness only it can produce. Actually, this year’s event is called MaxPass+, and it kicks off today at 1:30pm PT, 4:30pm ET, 9:30pm UK.
The show will be livestreamed on the main Twitch Gaming channel (embedded below), as well as Summer Game Fest’s YouTube and Twitch channels.
Devolver is promising a look at eight of its games, in-between segments of biting commentary, of course. Confirmed games so far include Flying Wild Hog’s stunning Shadow Warrior 3, which we hope gets a release date today. The recently-revealed Death’s Door is getting a release date, and so is Phantom Abyss – we may even get one for BoomerangX.


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You’ll Never Believe Why These 10 Countries Banned McDonald’s
But just because they’re hugely popular in every corner of the globe it doesn’t mean that everyone wants the undisputed king of fast food to come into their country. And while you’ll find McDonald’s restaurants in some pretty unique locations — like the spaceship-shaped version in Roswell, New Mexico and the sole Cuban outpost in Guantanamo Bay — you won’t find one in every country on Earth. Some nations have said, “No way,” to those golden arches.
Ahead, discover the 10 countries where McDonald’s executives either don’t see a customer base or where they’re expressly forbidden from opening a restaurant.
There were three McDonald’s restaurants in the capital city of Reykjavik prior to the 2009 currency collapse. But even when finances stabilized, city officials didn’t invite franchise owners back with open arms.
As one of the healthiest countries in the world, Iceland doesn’t exactly fit in with McDonald’s core clientele. The Icelandic government is working on building a local chain that’s focused on regionally sourced ingredients rather than reinstating the failed fast food restaurant.
Next: Having a McDonald’s in this country could inspire acts of terrorism.
McDonald’s is fairly picky about which countries they venture into, and they only operate in places that are deemed economically viable. Yemen doesn’t fit the criteria.
The unstable economy is the biggest reason why there aren’t any McDonald’s restaurants in Yemen, but safety is also a factor. There’s a real concern that any American establishments in this region would become automatic targets for terrorist attacks.
Next: This island’s residents might be too snobby for McDonald’s.
When McDonald’s attempted to open a restaurant on this island nation in 1996, the residents went on the offensive, effectively instituting a law that prohibits franchisees from going here.
As local Phyllis Harron said, “It is not Bermudian. McDonald’s cheapens wherever it goes.”
And it’s not just McDonald’s — there are no fast food restaurants permitted to cross onto their idyllic shores. Bermuda also bans neon signs and billboards.
Next: They don’t have McDonald’s, but their leader smuggles in Big Macs on a regular basis.
4. North Korea
It should come as no surprise that one of the most restrictive and controlling countries in the world won’t allow McDonald’s to break ground on their soil.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is not a fan of the United States, but when it comes to McDonald’s burgers, he’s willing to make an exception … at least for himself. Sources say he regularly has Big Macs flown in from China so he can indulge his personal McDonald’s cravings, even if no one else in the country is allowed to.
Next: The fast food behemoth pulled out in 2014 thanks to abysmal sales figures.
It’s not that McDonald’s isn’t allowed to operate in Bolivia — it’s more that no one wants it there.
At least, that’s what the sales are saying. The last restaurant in this South American nation closed up shop in 2014 following sub-par performance that had them operating at a loss.
Bolivians aren’t enamored by the existence of fast food in general. As their president Evo Morales said in a speech, “They [McDonald’s] are not interested in the health of human beings, only in their earnings and corporate profits.”
Next: The McDonald’s locations here closed because of a fight.
There used to be seven McDonald’s restaurants in Macedonia — at least until an epic fight between the head of McDonald’s European offices and the Macedonian franchisee owner.
Once their agreement was terminated in 2013, all restaurants were shut down immediately, ending a 16-year-run concentrated in the capital city of Skopje.
Next: This country’s residents can’t afford the dollar menu.
McDonald’s was never ordered to stay away from the African country of Ghana, but they’re unsure that the citizens can afford the “luxury” of fast food. That’s because the average income is only $1,340 per year.
Still, steady economic growth thanks to offshore oil interests has some experts anticipating a McDonald’s opening in the capital city of Accra in the coming years. City residents make more money on average, and the KFC in town is a huge success.
Next: People talk about opening a McDonald’s here, but so far it hasn’t happened.
McDonald’s started the process of opening franchises in Zimbabwe’s capital of Harare more than 10 years ago, but when the economy collapsed, the conversations came to an abrupt stop.
The talks started up again in 2010 and local fast food places prepared themselves by rebranding in anticipation of the competition. So far they still haven’t made good on the promise.
Next: The trailer-based McDonald’s did good business until they had to leave.
The only McDonald’s in Montenegro operated out of a trailer and did decent business until its closure in 2003. Officials forced the fast food restaurant out for good, citing health concerns for citizens.
Next: This is the biggest country without a McDonald’s.
This Asian country has the distinction of being the largest to ever say “no” to hosting a McDonald’s restaurant. However, their strict stance may be changing.
A new shopping mall is slated to open soon in the capital city of Astana and sources claim it will have the nation’s first McDonald’s. For now, however, the residents are living without the benefit of fast food fries and milkshakes.
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So, yesterday in the thread, the Gameforge team delved into the differences between the two closed beta tests of the upcoming MMORPG Swords of Legends Online. Two tests, one of which ended last week and the other will begin today, June 1, will allow players to jump into the upcoming MMO and test its content before the official launch this summer.
SOLO streams have been a rich source of information before, as the team has delved into the specific mechanics of each class, showcased their class areas, and even completely broken down their game store. Yesterday, the stream, which began at noon Pacific Time/3 p.m. Eastern Time, reviewed the changes that players can expect to see in the upcoming beta test, which is scheduled to air today, June 1. Tune in and watch as game designer “Atmorph “and community manager” Phaendar ” discuss the changelog for the upcoming second beta phase. Next to some small adjustments and a first look at the partial voice acting, there might even be a little surprise about the upcoming events! In addition, some final beta keys will be issued to give a few lucky ones the chance to experience these changes first-hand.
We have another Swords of Legends Online live stream coming up! Join us on Monday to go over the changes between Beta 1 and 2.
Additionally, some final beta keys will be given away!
— Swords of Legends Online (@PlaySoLOnline) May 28, 2021
The next beta version of Swords of Legends Online will go live today, and a pre-download is available now. For those who participated in the closed beta last week, you should also have access to this round to pick up where you left off when the first test closed. If you were unable to participate, today’s broadcast may be your chance to get the code, as the Gameforge team will distribute them live during the presentation. You can watch the broadcast today on the official Twitch channel, as well as on their YouTube and Steam pages.


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Consumer protections among Bergen County government priorities for 2022
Bergen County government will move forward with new projects including consumer protections, the installation of broadband internet across all 70 municipalities and a new effort to solve bottlenecks on Route 17, the county executive said.
In a prerecorded State of the County address this week, County Executive Jim Tedesco said county government will change its focus from the pandemic to addressing new issues facing county residents — including rising inflation, supply chain disruptions, product shortages and price gouging.
"After two years, I am here to tell you that we are no longer going to make every decision through the lenses of COVID," Tedesco said in his remarks. "Instead, as we enter endemic status, we are moving Bergen County forward and getting back to prioritize what we paused when the pandemic hit."
Among the priorities Tedesco outlined were:
With an increase in price gouging and counterfeit products, a new consumer protection initiative called Bergen Fights Back launched this month, Tedesco said.
If Bergen County residents believe they were victims of consumer price gouging, illegal pricing or counterfeit products, they may call a hotline: 201-336-6400.
This year, a new economic development program will begin to help small "mom and pop" businesses compete and thrive in the post-pandemic economy.
The county has secured an $850,000 grant to "jump-start" what Tedesco described as a solution to the bottleneck on Route 17. The Route 17 bottleneck is the portion of the highway that drops to two lanes in each direction just south of the Route 4 interchange and north of Essex Street and Route 80 in Maywood, Paramus and Rochelle Park.
The county will embark on a large-scale broadband internet upgrade that will connect all 70 towns with high-speed internet, including at borough halls and libraries, the county executive said. Tedesco said the upgrades will reduce internet bills and add Wi-Fi service in public places.
Other projects to keep an eye on this year include the construction of the new Career and Technical Education school in Paramus, the Riverside County Park revitalization project, and the $16 million modernization project at the Law and Public Safety Institute in Mahwah.
Kristie Cattafi is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.


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The company had supplied 16,111 vehicles to dealers in April, 2021.
The Seltos model accounted for the highest share of 7,506 units in Kia’s total sales. On the other hand, Sonnet and Carnival sales stood at 5,404 and 355 units respectively. Introduced in mid-February, sales of the caravans stood at 5,754 units.
Hardeep Singh Brar, Vice President and Head of Sales and Marketing, Kia India said in the statement, “Kia India has averaged 20,000 units per month in 2022 and it has been a good year for us.”
He said that the company is getting huge demand for its vehicles. The company is striving to optimize the supply of vehicles and production to reduce waiting times.


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The yuan became the most widely-used currency for cross-border transactions in China in March, overtaking the dollar for the first time, official data showed, reflecting efforts by Beijing to internationalise the use of the yuan.
Cross-border payments and receipts in yuan rose to a record US$549.9 billion in March from US$434.5 billion a month earlier, according to Reuters calculation based on data from the State Administration of Foreign Exchange.
The yuan was used in 48.4 per cent of all cross-border transactions, Reuters calculated, while the dollar’s share declined to 46.7 per cent from 48.6 per cent a month earlier.
The volume of cross-border transactions covers both the current and capital accounts.
China has long been promoting the use of yuan to settle cross-border trades as part of efforts to internationalise the use of its currency.
The yuan’s use in global trade finance remains low, though it has shown steady increases.
Data from SWIFT showed that the yuan’s share of global currency transactions for trade finance rose to 4.5 per cent in March, while the dollar accounted for 83.71 per cent.


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Queensland is well placed to leverage its clean, green image and reputation for high-tech, high-quality produce to enter the premium end of the Taiwanese agtech market.
As the world faces the challenge of feeding the global population, the need to apply technology to agriculture to improve sustainability, efficiency and productivity throughout the supply chain will increase.
In Taiwan, opportunities for Queensland businesses are linked to emerging technologies that can provide solutions to challenges posed by labour shortages, extreme weather patterns due to climate change and a shortage of farmland.
Opportunities for Queensland businesses in Taiwan’s agtech market is the latest of TIQ’s international market reports, which aim to uncover global opportunities and help Queensland businesses explore prospects in new markets.
- Taiwan agtech industry profile
- key trends, drivers and challenges
- Taiwan’s agtech developments
- local market procurement channels and market entry
- Ceres Tag: a case study
- opportunities for Queensland businesses
- available government support.
Opportunities for Queensland businesses in Taiwan's agtech market
29 April 2020 | pdf, 3.7 MB