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One of Britain’s best loved breakfast cereals has been gobbled up by the American cereal giant Post Holdings in a £1.4bn deal.
The US maker of Golden Crisp and Cocoa Pebbles was tipped as the frontrunner in the race to buy Weetabix last month, and the long-awaited deal was finally confirmed on Tuesday.
The UK’s second biggest cereal brand was put on the blocks by China’s Bright Food, five years after the Shanghai-based company bought a majority stake for £1.2bn.
The Telegraph reported late last month that Bright Food had been hoping to fetch £1.5bn for the 84 year old business, but industry experts said that the sale process had been “challenging” given the cereal company’s recent declining sales and profits.
The last available accounts show that Weetabix sales fell by 2pc to £346.4m while profits slumped by 13pc to £94.3m.
The company has attempted to diversify by launching a breakfast drink to tap into an increasing trend for smoothies and protein-shakes. Meanwhile its range of biscuits have already been pulled after dismal sales.
Associated British Foods, which owns Jordans cereals, had also expressed an interest in buying Weetabix, while the Italian pasta maker Barilla was in the running along with Nestlé, whose cereal brands include Cheerios, and General Mills through their existing Cereal Partners Worldwide joint venture.
Giles Turrell, the chief executive of Weetabix Food Company, said: “Today’s deal is great news for the team at Weetabix and all those who love our brands. The past five years have seen us increase our branded sales at home and overseas.
“Post is a leader within its markets and shares our commitment to providing great tasting nutritious products for the whole family. I’m confident they will help us open doors for continued expansion.”
Jonathan Buxton, the head of retail and consumer at Cavendish Corporate Finance, said: “Weetabix fits very nicely with Posh Holdings, the third largest cereal company in the USA. Post already has a presence in the UK via its iconic Grape-Nuts cereal brand and its expertise in marketing and distributing a range of cereals make it a strong contender to be custodian of the various Weetabix brands.
“Importantly, the $1.8bn takeover of Weetabix will give Post both a significant UK presence and a greater share of the North American market.
“Post has been highly acquisitive in the past and an acquisition of Weetabix could mark the start of a spending spree on UK assets, making the most of its dollar-denominated spending power.”
By Jillian Ambrose and Sam Dean
Source: The Telegraph
The Coca-Cola Co. has promoted Evguenia (Jeny) Stoichkova to president of global ventures, effective Jan. 1, 2023. Ms. Stoichkova joined Coca-Cola Bulgaria in 2004 and was most recently the president of the company’s Eurasia & Middle East division, a role she has held since 2021.
US-based Perfect Day, is partnering with Onego Bio, which specializes in creating animal-free eggs, aiming to accelerate the timeline to bring the eggs to the market. The business, with the use of its technology, plans to commercialize animal-free ovalbumin, the most abundant egg white protein extracted through precision fermentation.
Food waste costs the EU €143 billion per year (US$141.7 billion), with a report by Feedback EU raising the alarm of how it’s vital to reduce waste from farm to fork 50% by 2030 and the only way this will be achieved is by enforcing a mandatory directive forcing the food industry to do better and retailers to pay a tax of food waste.


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Target’s chief financial officer told a U.S. Senate panel Tuesday that the company was “deeply sorry” for the recent mass theft of customer data from its computer network and has invested $100 million to beef up the security of its payment systems to prevent future breaches.
In addition to describing an “end-to-end review” of its network, Target CFO John Mulligan testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee in Washington that the company is fast-tracking upgrades to its cash register terminals and REDcard-branded credit and debit cards to outfit them with so-called chip-and-PIN technology — considered more secure than the ubiquitous magnetic stripe payment card.
The Senate committee and others in Washington are investigating the breach at Target that compromised the payment accounts of some 40 million customers over the holiday shopping season. Large breaches at other retailers were subsequently reported.
Also testifying Tuesday were other retail executives, data security experts and members of the Secret Service and other federal agencies that are investigating.
Mulligan said Minneapolis-based Target expects all of its roughly 1,800 U.S. stores to be outfitted with the new payment terminals by the end of this year and its REDcards to be replaced with chip-and-PIN cards by early 2015 — more than six months earlier than originally planned.
Mulligan said the technology is already installed in about 300 Target stores.
Chip-and-PIN cards have an embedded physical microchip, instead of the familiar magnetic stripe, and require the consumer to enter a personal identification number (PIN) at the point of sale.
Mulligan’s testimony also revealed that Target discovered an additional 25 point-of-sale terminals infected by malicious software on Dec. 18. The company earlier had said that it had removed all the malware from its system by Dec. 15.
The recent data hackings at Target, luxury retailer Neiman Marcus and arts-and-crafts chain Michaels Stores “compromised the privacy and security of millions of consumers,” said Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., the panel’s chairman.
Senators pressed Mulligan and Michael Kingston, senior vice president and chief information officer at Neiman Marcus Group, about how quickly they notified customers of the breaches.
Mulligan said the company was first notified by the Justice Department of “suspicious activity involving payment cards used at Target stores” on Dec. 12.
Over the following three days, an internal investigation determined that hackers had installed malware on the point-of-sale devices, potentially compromising customer information, at which point the company began removing the malware.
The company did not make any public statements about the breach until Dec. 19, when it announced that the accounts, including those of non-Target cards, had been compromised. By then, the information had been leaked and widely reported and consumers were seeing fraudulent charges appearing on their accounts. Target said the breach was ongoing from before Thanksgiving through Dec. 15 — the height of the holiday shopping season.
Then, last month, Target said personal information from up to 70 million customers also had been compromised.
Since then, banks and credit card companies have been replacing the accounts of people who made Target purchases. Target has said no fraud has been detected on its REDcard accounts.
Mulligan’s testimony was the first public appearance by a Target executive addressing the breach. Target CEO Gregg Steinhafel discussed the breach last month in an interview on CNBC.
Kingston, from Neiman Marcus, said a processing firm told the department store chain of a problem Dec. 13, and the company’s investigators made a report on Jan. 2. Customers were notified Jan. 10.
The malware causing the breach appeared to have been operating in many Neiman Marcus stories between July and October, Kingston testified.
Also testifying were Fran Rosch, a vice president at cyber-security firm Symantec, and Delara Derakhshani, policy counsel for the Consumers Union. A later panel included federal law enforcement officials.
Senators questioned Rosch and Derakhshani on whether a federally mandated data security standard would be effective in thwarting cyber criminals, noting that the criminals’ tactics are constantly evolving.
“The key word here is flexibility,” Rosch said. “I think what we have to recognize is that this is kind of an ongoing war. The types of threats are changing all the time.”
One security measure that committee members and witnesses largely agreed upon was the chip-and-PIN payment card technology, which has been commonly used in Europe for years.
Minnesota Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken, both of whom serve on the Judiciary Committee, asked why U.S. banks and merchants have been slow to adopt chip-and-PIN payment cards.
“We think the answer comes down to money,” Derakhshani said. “It’s expensive to update the technology at the point of sale, it’s expensive to reissue cards.”
Mulligan pointed out that without widespread adoption of the new technology by all retailers, banks and credit card issuers, shoppers will still be vulnerable.
“We need to move together collectively so the whole system is employing chip-and-PIN technology.”
Senators were also interested in the potential effectiveness of federally mandated consumer notification requirement for all companies that collect consumer data — banks are already required to notify their customers in the event of a data breach, but merchants are not.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., is co-sponsoring legislation that would establish such a requirement; she noted that there has been resistance to it among retailers.
“I believe that if someone has an account, or uses their credit (card), at your institution and their data is breached, they should be notified so they can protect themselves,” Feinstein said.
Associated Press contributed to this story. Nick Woltman can be reached at 651-228-5189; follow him on Twitter at @nickwoltman.

domain: news


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We recently wrote about the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi partnership investing heavily in new mobility in China. Two things here: new mobility and China.
“Bumper cars,” my son asserted when seeing the picture. “No, first mile/last mile transport. Autonomous nogal,” I replied. Enter EZ-Pod, Renault’s electric vehicle concept designed to carry people from here to there. The first/last mile.
The Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi partnership is investing big money in new mobility. Why are they doing this, and what is new mobility?
New mobility in this sense means cars, specifically the big disruptive changes that will transform the face of motoring. Predictions are that cars and driving will see a revolution in the next five to ten years that would dwarf the evolution of the last five decades. Their investment will guarantee the Partnership a seat on this rollercoaster.
The Renault Alaskan double-cab bakkie, which is based on the Nissan Navara platform, has had a facelift and it looks pretty impressive. Adding to that, Renault has also confirmed that the Alaskan leisure bakkie and Duster Oroch will be available in South Africa.
Toward the latter part of 2018, there were several reports of a facelifted Renault Kwid heading to South Africa. That rumour has been confirmed as an updated version will be on sale in October.
The Renault Kwid first launched in India as far back as September 2015 and reached our shores in November 2016. Since then, the Renault Kwid has become a popular choice for many taking 3rd place overall of South Africa’s top 10 best-selling passenger cars in February 2019 with 1 069 units. On top of that, they have sold over 20 000 vehicles since its November 2016 debut.
The new Renault Megane RS Trophy-R has been spotted at the Nürburgring in a likely attempt to reclaim the title for front-wheel drive hot hatchbacks. While Honda currently holds the record, the new Renault Megane RS has apparently shed some weight to set an even quicker time around the track.
A new potential merger of mammoth proportions could be on the horizon as Renault SA is set to restart merger talks with Nissan Motor Co within 12 months. This will be the first step toward creating an even bigger auto conglomerate involving both companies bidding for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV.
According to the Financial Times, a new alliance board with Renault chairman, Jean-Dominique Senard, at the helm will add further confidence to both sides to continue with the merger plans. On the face of it, Renault, Nissan, Fiat and Chrysler joining forces will create an automaker that could really compete with global competitors like Volkswagen AG and Toyota Motor Corp.
Groupe Renault has started a new trial allowing drivers of electric vehicles to give energy back to the grid while recharging at public power points. The V2G trial scheme is taking place in the Dutch city of Utrecht with 15 Renault ZOEs that are specially modified to accept a reverse charge. This will allow them to can send power back to the grid during peak usage times while aiding the strained power networks at busier times.
The 2019 Seoul Motor Show revealed the Renault Samsung Motors XM3 Inspire Concept and from the onset, it was clear that the XM3 had a lot in common with the Renault Arkana which debuted at the Moscow International Auto Salon in Russia last August.
This one is for all the James Bond fans who will fondly remember Roger Moore in 1985’s A View To A Kill. Who can forget the scene along the River Seine where 007 chases an airborne Grace Jones with a Parisian Taxi? Well, that 1984 Renault 11 TXE stunt car is for sale through the Orlando Auto Museum.


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Iphone 32gig Coming!
If you are trying to decide on what phone to get this summer you may want to wait until June or July. It has been leaked on an Austria website that a 32gig iphone will be coming out. This cannot be confirmed but the image above should speak volumes.
In Canada, Boy Genius has stated that Rogers should be coming out with 2 Iphone models. A 16GB and 32GB model withthe addition of new Ipod Nanos. The rumours are beginning to heat up as the summer nears especially with the Worldwide Develpers Conference coming. Will you buy the new iphone or will you try out the new Palm Pre or Google Android phones?


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Singapore Wednesday unveiled the theme and design of the Singapore pavilion for World Expo Shanghai 2010.
According to a statement released by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), the theme of the pavilion, Urban Symphony, pays tribute to Singapore symbolizing its harmony of culture, progress and sustainability. The 3,000 square-meter Singapore pavilion is designed to demonstrate the viability and benefits of urban planning in building sustainable cities.
The design of the Singapore pavilion resembles a musical box looking from afar, and it incorporates elements such as water fountains, an audio and video interplay, and a roof-top garden landscaped with tropical flowers.
"Here visitors will get a first-hand feel of Singapore as a garden city," the STB said in the statement.
"Cities of tomorrow must understand nature's ways of building structures and communities, and change the mind-set of urban dwellers from exploiting the environment to being more in tune with nature," said Ken Low, assistant chief executive of the marketing group of the STB.
"We hope to help translate Singapore's eclectic urban tempo into an environmentally-friendly message to share with the world based on its compilation of cultural influences, thriving within a well-orchestrated environment," he added.
World Expo is a 150-year-old global and non-commercial exposition aimed at developing world economy, culture, science and technology, promoting the exchange of ideas and strengthening international relations. Themed "Better City, Better Life", World Expo Shanghai 2010 will center on innovation and interaction, exploring the full potential of urban life in the 21st century.


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HP has reported a 7% drop in second quarter revenues to $25.5bn, managing to beat Wall Street predictions.
According to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), HP’s net earnings dropped by 21% to $1bn.
The company’s earnings per share were forecast at 86 cents, but the company managed to beat those estimates by making 87 cents per share.
HP’s overall revenue slumped by 7% in a year-on-year comparison.
Revenue of its overall PC unit was down by 5% to $7.7bn when compared to last year. Sales from its consumer PC unit fell by 2%, and a 7% drop was recorded in sales of its commercial PCs.
However, the company achieved a 19% increase in Notebook sales on a unit basis.
When compared to Q2 2014, revenue of HP’s Enterprise Group fell by 1% to $6.6bn, and revenue of its Printing unit also fell by 7% to $5.5bn.
Back in October 2014, the company announced its intention to split in two, with Hewlett-Packard Enterprise responsible for cloud, server, and software, while HP Inc will focus on personal computers and printers.
Separately, HP has also announced the sale of its 51% stake in China-based H3C Technologies to Tsinghua Unigroup for $2.3bn. H3C will operate as a subsidiary of Unisplendour, a publicly traded operating subsidiary of Tsinghua Holdings.
The company will form a partnership with Tsinghua Holdings to make it a leading server business in the country.
According to HP, H3C is expected to become one of the leading converged infrastructure solutions and technology service providers in China, offering IT solutions including networking, servers, storage and services.
HP CEO Meg Whitman said: "HP is making a bold move to win in today’s China.
"Partnering with Tsinghua, one of China’s most respected institutions, the new H3C will be able to drive even greater innovation for China, in China.
"The combined company will build upon an extensive and valuable patent portfolio, best-in-class products and customer focus, and Tsinghua’s world-class research capability."


text: NRF PROTECT is where more than 2,500 retail security professionals go to learn from industry leaders, gain real-world knowledge and explore new products. The event will offer 2 1/2 days of educational sessions, networking opportunities, and an extensive expo hall. Attendees come rom a range of industries, including loss prevention, cyber security, asset protection, internal audit, ORC investigators, risk management, food retail, law enforcement, and more. The 2019 event will feature more than 90 speakers, 200 exhibitors, and 300+ brands. Featured speaker James Mullan, senior vice president of GDR USA, will return this year by popular demand.


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Railway launches food menu app for travelers
Most people in India travel by trains as the railway network is spread across all parts of the country.
To make travelling comfortable, railways has been making lot of positive changes in its services.
The food served in trains and its pricing has been of questionable quality over the years.
The railway department has tried to make the food better. Many passengers complain of being charged more for food items by the railway staff.
Now an app has been launched that will make the pricing of the railway menu transparent for the travelers.
“Menu on Rail” application will ensure that the passengers know the exact price of a food or drink item being served by the railway.
The application was launched by Railway Minister Piyush Goyal this week.
‘Menu on Rail’ will display the menu to passengers travelling in Mail/Express, including Humsafar Train, Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duronto, Gatiman Express and Tejas Express.
The menu list the details under four categories namely, beverages, breakfast, meals and a-la-carte.
Passengers can also book a complaint using the app.


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US-based convenience store chain Love’s Travel Stops and Country Stores (Love’s) is extending its $2 (£1.63) hour pay increase, Covid-19 (Coronavirus) related sick pay and free employee meals for 26,000 store employees.
Free employee meals will now be available until the end of May 2020, the pay increase will be extended until 2 June 2020, while the Coronavirus sick pay benefit is being extended through to 31 July 2020.
The business will also pay a $200 (£162) bonus to employees who work during the month of June 2020.
Customer-facing employees at Love’s hotels, Speedco and Love’s Truck Care are also eligible.
The businesses first launched these benefits in March 2020 and then announced an initial extension in April 2020, before extending the time period again.
Jenny Love Meyer, executive vice president and chief culture officer at Love’s, said: “Our team members continue to work hard to help get professional truck drivers back on the road quickly.
“The importance of their work isn’t going unnoticed by us or by our customers. We’ll continue to support them as they support those who are delivering essential goods across the country.”


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A recent healthy diet score survey conducted by the CSIRO has confirmed that Australians are eating three times more than the recommended daily intake of junk food, and not enough fruit.
More than 40,000 Australians participated in the survey, which has ranked the Australians average health to be well below desirable levels, scoring only 61 out of possible 100-points.
Accredited practising dietician and spokesperson for the Dieticians Association of Australia, Maria Packard said that this can cause many issues for people’s health.
“Junk food contains high amounts of saturated fat, as well as added salt and added sugars,” Ms Packard said.
“These types of elements are associated with an increased risk of obesity and an increased chance of developing chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, Type 2 Diabetes and has even been linked to some forms of cancer,” she said.
Ms Packard said that being prepared is the best way to ensure people are consuming the two daily recommended servings of fruit.
“Having canned fruit in the cupboard or freezing fruit while it is in season is a really good back up plan,” Ms Packard said.
Ms Packard said that whole fruit is always the best choice to take if possible, due to fruit juices being low in fibre, which can as a result effect digestion.
“Fruit juice does not provide the benefit of the fibre which is great for your digestive system and prevents things like constipation,” she said.
Resident Medical Officer at Nambour General Hospital, Adam Stafford has seen an increase in health related diseases.
“There is an ongoing increase in diabetes and heart disease, both largely related to but not inclusively due to diet,” Dr Stafford said.
Life coach and personal trainer, Shane Trujillo believes that if you want someone to change their diet, you need to motivate them from within and take a holistic approach.


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The dangers of artificial sweeteners are not on the minds of people who believe that these are healthier options than regular sugar. But will these sugar substitutes really serve as your gateway to a world filled with sweetness but devoid of consequences?
The Common Artificial Sweeteners And Their Known Effects
Aspartame is a substance that is present in many artificial sweeteners sold today. A growing number of scientific studies have shown that aspartame can cause several adverse effects on human health. Nevertheless, the consumers continue using artificial sweeteners that contain aspartame even though several studies have repeatedly demonstrated that aspartame can cause lymphoma, leukemia, and tumors.
These studies used laboratory rats. As in other laboratory rats, researchers believe the health results of aspartame on animals can be correlated to human health. And these results are sufficient for people to avoid aspartame. There is also evidence that proves that aspartame can worsen an individual’s insulin sensitivity. This is bad news to people with diabetes who were led to believe that artificial sweeteners can be their safe alternative to sugar.
There was a study conducted on severely obese people who were not regular consumers of artificial sweeteners. It resulted in higher blood sugar peaks after the subjects drank sucralose beverages.
Additionally, the researchers also found out that sucralose consumption causes insulin levels to increase by 20%.
Splenda, a well-known brand of sucralose, was downgraded from being classified as “safe” to “caution.” This happened after an Italian study showed a significant link between sucralose consumption and the development of leukemia. It is for this reason that researchers state that pregnant mothers and children should not consume sucralose.
This prohibition must be observed until appropriate studies and significant results show that sucralose is safe and is not a cancer-causing substance,
… says Dr. Morando Soffritti of Ramazzini Institute in Bologna, Italy. Unfortunately, the United States FDA had already approved the use of Splenda as a tabletop sweetener.
During the 1970s, saccharin was a subject of great controversy. Why? The scientists linked it to bladder tumors in rats. However, in 2000 the FDA allowed selling saccharin without a warning label. The FDA approved it because of a study conducted in 1977. This study did not show any significant link between saccharin and bladder tumors. This study also claimed that laboratory rats had been fed very high doses of saccharin.
Nevertheless, in 2008 another study was conducted on the use of saccharin. Here the experts discovered that rats fed with saccharin gained more weight.
Today, there has also been speculation about the link between Alzheimer’s disease and saccharin consumption. Some researchers also claim that saccharin may not be safe for pregnant mothers because it may harm the fetus.
Consider The Dangers of Artificial Sweeteners And Make Your Own Decisions
The proclaimed charter of the FDA is to protect human health. However, its the FDA base their approvals on the science of the day. Many approved products have been subsequently revoked. Many health researchers also believe that approval of a product by the FDA is no guarantee of safety. Therefore, if you are concerned about your health, you should perform your own research.
Yes, excessive sugar consumption is detrimental to human health. However, if you substitute sugar with artificial sweeteners, you may end as bad or even worse. At the end of the day, our human bodies can’t deal with an overload of sweeteners. Our ancestors did not eat sugary foods at all.
Therefore, you will do much better if you train your tastes. You need to switch to healthier food sources for your health’s sake.


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Construction firm Stepnell has delivered a new £2.2 million scheme for global, budget supermarket chain Aldi in the East Midlands.
The new 1,315 sq. metre retail store, located in Edwalton, Nottingham, is the second Aldi store that Stepnell has delivered in five years – with the first store opening in Kettering in 2015.
The brand-new store, which opened its doors to the public earlier this month, was completed in under a year and features a modern interior with a concrete slab floor, concrete block internal walls, curtain walling and an entrance canopy, as well as a new entrance road, car park and external landscaping works.
Designed by national architects The Harris Partnership, the single storey supermarket also comprises of a steel frame, insulated cladding and roof insulated cladding.
Tom Sewell, East Midlands regional director at Stepnell, said: “We are really pleased to have recently completed our second project for Aldi. The scheme showcases our ability to deliver high-quality, contemporary supermarkets on tight schedules within a short timeframe, and also highlights our strong track record in delivering challenging projects in retail construction.
“During the building phase, we were challenged with a busy garden centre opposite the site, which we had to overcome by forming a pull in and turning area to allow delivery vehicles to manoeuvre straight off the road and reduce traffic congestion. As a considerate constructor site, we also had to install parking signage to deter contractors from other sites parking in the garden centre entrance.
“We also complied with government policy to remain on site throughout lockdown and were forced to consider new ways of working for our staff and subcontractor partners to keep the site safe so we could ensure it stayed open.
“As a complete construction partner, we have worked closely with Aldi to deliver a high-quality contemporary build, using local construction workers and suppliers throughout. The new Nottingham scheme is a testament to our excellent working relationship with Aldi and we hope to partner with them on further stores in the future.”
Wayne Hanley, senior architectural technician from The Harris Partnership said: “The whole construction team kept working throughout lockdown, which is amazing given the unprecedented situation. This made it even more rewarding to work on this scheme for Aldi which has generated real employment opportunities for local people, in a difficult climate. Each scheme presents its own challenges, and we are proud that we delivered the required solutions to ensure this store was completed to a high standard.”
The newly opened supermarket will benefit the local economy through the creation of 45 new jobs for the area, promised by Aldi as part of its investment in local communities across the UK. The discount supermarket also plans to create 4,000 jobs next year as part of the expansion plan to have a portfolio of 1,200 stores by 2025.
More than a 100 customer car parking spaces have also been created by Stepnell as part of the external works, including seven disabled spaces and six parent and toddler spaces. Ten cycle hoops have also been installed.


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Lawyers lose more disputes as angry clients win two-thirds of complaints
Nearly two-thirds of complaints about shoddy solicitors and lousy lawyers are being upheld in favour of angry clients.
Some 7,455 cases were investigated in the year to April 2012 by the Legal Ombudsman, its annual report reveals. In the majority of cases, it agreed the legal service given to customers fell short.
The ombudsman can award up to £30,000 compensation for anyone who feels they’ve been poorly treated by a solicitor, conveyancer, legal executive or barrister.
Legal service: The most frequent complaints include family law, such as a difficult divorce, and residential conveyancing
The most common complaint is about cost, which featured in a quarter of cases.
The most frequent complaints include family law (18 per cent), such as a difficult divorce, and residential conveyancing (15 per cent), where a house sale has fallen through because of unreasonable delays. These are followed by probate (12 per cent), personal injury and litigation (both 10 per cent).
The Legal Ombudsman is set to publish its first list of Britain’s worst solicitors. It will highlight poor treatment including ludicrous fees, horrendous delays and other unacceptable behaviour.
For years, most complaints protected the solicitor’s anonymity. This left others exposed to the risk of receiving the same rotten service.
Lodging complaints about the legal services industry has always been problematic. Fear of expensive legal action often deters people from even criticising a solicitor.
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Police are investigating an electrical vehicle company in China following claims that car data was tampered with following a fatal collision.
On August 12, 31 year old Lin Wenqin was using the driver assistance feature on his Nio ES8 when he was involved in a fatal car crash. Chinese state-owned media Global Times reported Lin’s car had collided with a construction vehicle on the Shenhai Expressway.
On August 17th, Lin’s family reported the data from the crashed vehicle had been tampered with by representatives of the car manufacturer, Nio. The family gave police audio and video recordings of the EV company’s employees admitting to having contact with the seven-seater SUV after the crash.
According to Sina Tech, the Sanjiangkou Police in the eastern Chinese city of Putian are now investigating the EV company for assisting in the destruction and forgery of evidence.
Nio, called Weilai in Chinese, has denied the allegations.
“In order to ensure the battery safety of the car after a high-speed collision, Nio’s service personnel on the same day performed a cut-off in the parking lot where the car was parked, but that operation would not cause a data loss,” reads a Nio statement.
The vehicle company calls itself a premium EV pioneer and is one of China’s most valuable electric vehicle companies. The automaker designs, jointly manufactures and sells smart and connected EVs. The ES8 is its first volume-manufactured EV. The Navigate on Pilot system for the model lands in the level-2 autonomous vehicle category, meaning the driver is ultimately in charge and should be alert.
The carmaker’s Q2 2021 earnings showed an increase in vehicle deliveries of almost 112 per cent year-on-year and 9.2 per cent from Q1 2021.
Last week the company saw its stock decline by double digits. It is unclear what caused the dip, and it is currently not unusual for Chinese stocks to decline sharply amid Beijing’s rolling crackdowns on tech companies and big businesses that sought listings on stock exchanges outside the Middle Kingdom. ®


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What you need to know
- Yeelight announces its Matter integration with its wide range of products.
- New products with CSA certification are launching soon.
- These include the smart home lighting series under the Yeelight moniker.
- Yeelight Pro products will be compatible with Matter via an OTA update.
Yeelight is the next smart lighting company to integrate with Matter — the new communication standard protocol for connected devices across brands.
The new Matter 1.0 spec was introduced last month. On November 3, a Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) event was held in Amsterdam wherein several smart home device makers, including Yeelight, came under one roof to announce their upcoming products and updates.
With Matter integration, the Yeelight joins the bandwagon alongside Nanoleaf, Philips Hue, Samsung, and Amazon smart home products. Yeelight, in a blog post, says that it is bringing the first set of CSA-certified products to consumers encouraging seamless connectivity across devices.
The smart lighting company comprises the Yeelight and Yeelight Pro product lines for consumer and professional lighting solutions, respectively. The former includes classic Home lighting series, and the company is releasing a new product portfolio called Yeelight Fun that is aimed at entertainment and gaming and is set to support Matter integration.
The first product in this series is dubbed Yeelight Cube Smart Lamp, which is said to be launching soon. The series is Matter compatible and is set to be among the first to hit the market.
"This is an entertainment-oriented smart lamp that can be built and designed like Lego bricks," s Yeelight. It is further said to add a refreshing dynamic look to desktops. Yeelight also implies expecting a series of Matter-compatible Home series products as well.
Yeelight is among many Matter-associated companies that are planning OTA updates for existing products to support the new standard. For Yeelight, this will apply to its Pro line of products.
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The company's latest Matter integration for its smart home lighting solutions will make the best of Yeelight products more approachable. Meaning irrespective of the digital assistants that you use, like Google Home, Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, or Samsung's SmartThings, Matter makes it convenient to connect Yeelight products seamlessly for consumers.
Over the past few years, Yeelight made its way as an affordable smart lighting solution in the industry. Yeelight typically has a broad portfolio of products, including Staria Pro (a bedside lamp with wireless charging) and Monitor Light Bar Pro (a desktop accessory that reduces eye strain from monitor lighting).
Vishnu works as a freelance News Writer for Android Central. For the past four years, he's been writing about consumer technology, primarily involving smartphones, laptops, and every other gizmo connected to the Internet. When he is away from keyboard, you can see him going on a long drive or chilling on a couch binge-watching some crime series.


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Using Criminal Courts to Coerce Payments from Vulnerable Families
In states across the country, the rent-to-own (RTO) industry is abusing the criminal system to extract payment from low-income consumers who have fallen behind on payments on abusive contracts. Under little-known laws often written years ago by the industry lobby, RTO companies are able to turn a dispute over a furniture set into threats of arrest, felony theft charges, and even incarceration. The objective of these efforts is not to discourage intentional theft, but rather to compel low-income consumers to make payments they cannot afford on predatory RTO contracts.
This report examines this practice and the statutes that authorize it. According to the National
Consumer Law Center’s (NCLC) review, every state except three has a law that could be used to criminalize the failure to return rental property at the end of the lease term. As a result, vulnerable families on tight budgets who have lost the ability to keep up with onerous payments—due to common misfortunes like loss of income, rent increases, an accident or illness, divorce, or the need to care for a family member in distress—face devastating criminal consequences. This is true even in cases where the customers have already paid thousands of dollars on predatory contracts that are designed to escape important consumer protections.


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We already know that the much-loved Pontiac G8 may be rebadged as a Chevrolet Caprice. We actually found some additional details while digging through our notes from the live chat with Bob Lutz that we participated in earlier this week.
When asked if he would elaborate on potential plans to keep the Pontiac G8 and rebadge it as a Chevrolet Caprice Maximum Bob Lutz said: “The G8 has finally been discovered by a broader percentage of the buying public. The owners are ecstatic about them, many calling it the best sedan they’ve ever driven. We consider it too good to waste. So we’re studying the feasibility of bringing it in as a Caprice for both law enforcement and the public.”
So – would you rather be pulled over by a Dodge Charger, Chevrolet Impala, or a Pontiac G8 wearing a Chevrolet Caprice costume?
Let us know in the comments section below and check out our full review of the Pontiac G8 GXP and learn why everyone loves this American/Australian sedan so much.
2009 Chevrolet Caprice (Middle East):
– By: Omar Rana


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NFT (non-fungible token) marketplaces are willing to shut down their services on Apple’s App store due to a 30% tax with strict rules.
Non-fungible tokens have been a messiah for creators and investors since its inception. The crypto community welcomed the NFT space and aimed to expand it to the next level. But there are hurdles in the road for NFTs with tight crypto laws and regulations. Apple is not behind adding more troubles for the NFT space as the giant has recently imposed a 30% commission on in-app purchases (NFT sales) and other tight rules for the industry.
NFT Trading Apps Are Dead On Apple App Store
The NFT market is evolving and giving optimistic returns and job positions to investors and creators of the cryptocurrency industry. However, the NFT industry seems to face a failure ahead as marketplaces are unable to utilize the NFT boost on the app store.
NFT startups and firms are unwilling to offer their services on Apple’s App store due to a 30% commission on all NFT trades, making it untenable. Moreover, the tax sometimes exceeds 30% depending on several circumstances and developers are often forced to pay a significant amount to run their search ads as Apple places ads even on individual search pages.
The founder and CEO of Epic Games, Tim Sweeney, said, “Apple is killing all NFT app businesses it can’t tax, crushing another nascent technology that could rival its grotesquely overpriced in-app payment service.” A report stated, “So far, though, most see some obstacles, including the up to 30 per cent commission Apple charges on in-app purchases, as well as pricing conventions that are difficult to apply to volatile digital assets.”
Huge Loss For NFT Marketplaces
An NFT marketplace charges nearly 3% on every transaction, and according to Apple’s policy, the in-app purchases must be executed in dollars as Apple does not accept crypto, making it nearly impossible for the developers of marketplaces to set a fixed price in dollars as the price of crypto always keeps changing.
Arthur Sabintsev from blockchain company Pocket network said, “Makes it really hard to price it because you have to program all these values in dynamically.” This step from Apple has stopped popular NFT marketplace Magic Eden from offering its services on the app store even after the tax was reduced to 15% for firms making a revenue below $1 million annually.
Alexei Falin, CEO of NFT startup marketplace Rarible, said, “It feels like the position is that Apple doesn’t really want [App Store] users to be able to purchase or sell NFTs. It is almost impossible because it’s fixed subscriptions or fixed prices.”
According to Juniper Research, daily NFT transactions will likely rise from 24 million in 2022 to 40 million by 2027. The report further stated that Metaverse-linked NFTs will become the fastest-growing NFT sector in the industry over the next five years, increasing from 600,000 transactions in 2022 to 9.8 million by 2027.
However, Apple seems to ignore all these optimistic results of the NFT industry as it made a tough deal for NFT trading apps to continue their offerings in the app store. However, Apple did not make any comments regarding the criticism in the crypto space; instead, it said that 500 reviewers check 90% of apps within 24 hours, as Rarible claimed that it took several months to start their business on the app store.


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Hiring employees has become difficult for many garment and footwear makers with many workers returning to their hometown and choosing not to come back.
Many employees have also quit their jobs and turned to other vocations like online selling, industry insiders say.
Workers in a textile factory in Tan Do Industrial Park in the southern province of Long An.
The textile and footwear industries are recovering after a Covid-19 impacted year. Textile exports in the first quarter rose 1.4 percent year-on-year to $7.21 billion, while that of footwear rose 14.8 percent to $4.79 billion, according to the General Department of Vietnam Customs.
However, even as the number of orders rise, textile and footwear companies are struggling to find workers. The average salary that companies offer their workers in HCMC and the southern province of Binh Duong ranges from VND5-12 million ($217-512) per month, along with lunch and social insurance. A textile company has said it is not able to find workers even for salaries of VND15 million per month.
“Workers have quit their jobs in HCMC, returned to their hometowns and found jobs there. Many provinces are now focusing on industrial development, thus there are plenty of opportunities for workers in their hometowns,” said Pham Xuan Hong, Chairman of the HCMC Association of Garments, Textiles, Embroidery and Knitting (AGTEK) said.
Pham Van Tuyen, deputy director of Binh Duong’s Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, told VnExpress that textile and footwear makers in the province need to hire around 11,000-13,000 workers.
“But companies are unable to recruit enough workers to meet the production demand,” he said.
Tuyen said the reasons for companies struggling to find employees include rising demand for labour as many new enterprises enter the industries, and people having other choices than being factory workers.
“They opt to be online sellers instead”, said Nguyen Thi Tuyet Mai, deputy general secretary of the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS).
Nguyen Hoang Tien, CEO of venture capital firm Seedcom, said around two million online shoppers became online sellers last year.
Vietnam’s textile industry now has 7,000 enterprises with three million workers. In the first 9 months of 2020, around 90 percent of textile companies reduced working hours, while 11.1 percent laid off 20 percent of their workers, according to VITAS.
Now that the industry is reviving and the number of orders are rising, the companies are fighting with other sectors to hire workers.
“Foreign investment is pouring into Vietnam, thanks to the free trade agreements. Many enterprises have been established and the demand for workers is growing, thus it is threatening the textile and footwear manufacturing industries, which are labour intensive industries,” Mai said.
Localities are carrying out several measures to address the shortage of workers.
The Binh Duong Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs has requested the provincial Employment Service Center to publicize recruitment news, ensuring that the employers and job seekers are connected in the fastest and most effective way.
Meanwhile, Hong recommends that both industries focus on automation to replace workers, besides implementing training programs for workers to improve productivity.
“Another solution is to negotiate with the workers to work overtime. But the overtime work has to comply with Vietnam’s labour laws,” he added.


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LAS VEGAS — LoveNuts claims on its site it is “ready to rescue a woman in any kind of emergency.”
LoveNuts is a newly designed vibrator — but it’s also a flashlight. Really.
LoveNuts CEO Donald Hsu recently told TechCrunch that the invention was created because his friend, Salena, had “a problem.”
“She lives in the same house as her mother-in-law and was horrified she would discover that she had a sex toy," Hsu said. "So she asked me for a solution.”
So Hsu figured it out — design a vibe that doesn’t vibrate unless you “unlock” it using your bluetooth phone or tablet. Until you unlock it, it is just a flashlight.
The product, when it hits store shelves, will offer vibrations controllable from a smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth, Hsu said.
“Our next step is crowdfunding. We are trying to decide whether we should do a Kickstarter or an Indiegogo campaign,” Hsu said.
Hsu suggested that the company will be running a campaign before the end of the year.


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Uber Eats appears to be down for some people this morning, leaving dozens of customers hungry.
Social media users have taken to Twitter to complain that the popular delivery app is "down".
A tracking website suggests that around 70 people have reported problems with the service.
In response to a post on Twitter, Uber Eats said: "Please be advised that there's a known issue about the app.
"Our team is already aware of this and working to fix it as quickly as possible. Thanks for your patience."
Got a story? Email email@example.com.
One person said: "Uber eats is down and I wanna cry I’m so hung over I just need maccies breakfast."
Another added: "UBER EATS IS DOWN. Right when I’m about to order."
Uber Eats, based in California, was launched in 2014 by Uber.
Delivery apps have seen a surge in usage amid the coronavirus pandemic as people have been forced to turn to takeaways.
Orders on Uber Eats jumped by 160 per cent during the first lockdown last year, according to City A.M.
The number of new restaurants on the company's UK platform also almost doubled over a four-month period in 2020 to a total of 17,000.
This was as smaller independent venues aimed to take the place of larger chains that were forced to close, the publication said.
Convenience stores also joined the platform as people needed essential items to be delivering, further increasing the app's usage.
And the surge was not just confined to Uber Eats, with the Guardian reporting that Just Eat had seen orders soar due to lockdowns across Europe.


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The UK arm of Toys R Us reputedly trebled former director Roger Mclaughlan’s pay package in the past three years.
Analysis by The Sunday Telegraph of what it describes as a “web” of 17 Toys R Us subsidiary companies has revealed that payments to its UK boss increased from £356,000 in 2014 to £1m in 2015 and £1.3m for the year ending 30 January 2016.
That director is believed to be Roger Mclaughlan who led the retailer over the period and now heads garden centre business Wyevale. The steep remuneration awards were made despite Toys R Us’s UK business making an operating loss in seven of the eight last years.
The news about Roger Mclaughlan’s remuneration comes just days after a bankruptcy judge in the US granted permission for Toys R Us to pay $14m (£10m) in bonuses to 17 senior staff. Toys R Us said the awards were necessary to motivate them to hit earnings targets over the peak Christmas trading season.


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In 2017, a Texan resident bought a home entirely in Bitcoin in Austin Texas marking the first ever Bitcoin real estate purchase. The Russian real estate firm, Kalinka, was hired in the same year to sell a client’s home for $8 million worth of Bitcoin. In June 2021, a $22.5 million Miami Beach penthouse was purchased entirely in cryptocurrencies, making history as the largest crypto real estate purchase ever. As of 2021, mortgage lending company Milo accepts Bitcoin mortgages in the U.S. and California based escrow company Glen Oaks Escrow, used Bitcoin as collateral in refinancing a home. The use of cryptocurrency in the real estate market continues to increase.
What is cryptocurrency?
Cryptocurrency is a digital currency that uses blockchain technology to secure payments, identities and record all transactions in a public ledger. Blockchain coupled with cryptographic algorithms make it nearly impossible to hack cryptocurrencies. Cryptocurrencies are decentralized. Decentralized currencies exist outside the control of government or central authorities. Its value is based on supply and demand much like that of a security or stock.
Is it good, bad, legal…?
Cryptocurrencies are resistant to inflation, have lower fees, faster transactions, require no third party to transfer funds and can self-generate profit. However, cryptocurrencies are a high-risk investment, take significant time to learn the trade, have a volatile price and suffer from occasional cybersecurity issues.
The legality of cryptocurrency depends on the country. For example, Bitcoin is legal in the United States, Canada and U.K. Cryptocurrencies themselves are nearly impossible to hack but exchange sites are susceptible to cyber-attacks. Forbes keeps a current listing of the best exchange sites. As of June 2022, Binance is ranked as the best and most secure site. Most cryptocurrencies users have “hard wallets” as further protection to store their cryptocurrencies in a more secure offline platform. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) also seeks to regulate cryptocurrencies more closely in recent years.
- Coin: a digital form of money that is created and based in a blockchain; its purpose is to store value and be a medium of exchange.
- E.g., Bitcoin
- Token: a digital asset that represents something that can be assigned a price; usually represents physical or intellectual property.
- E.g., Non-Fungible Tokens (“NFT”)
Real Estate & Crypto. The way of the future?
The real estate industry is slowly starting to expand its horizons with the use of cryptocurrencies. Certain agencies accept coins and tokens as payment for homes, rent and financing. Some require the use of a third-party vendor to verify the tokens or coins and then turn the tokens or coins into dollars upon transaction. Some accept split payments of USD and Bitcoin while others will take Bitcoin directly. When buying or selling a property in cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin Magazine recommends finding a real estate agency and other professionals that have experience with using cryptocurrencies to make transactions.
The increased usage of cryptocurrencies has proved useful for people who have made it big with investing in cryptocurrencies. They are looking to diversify their portfolio by putting some of their cryptocurrencies into tangible assets. Companies such as Property Markets Group (PMG) and Caruso have locked into this clientele and are opening doors for future opportunities.
Per a Los Angeles Times report from April 2021, Rick Caruso of the Caruso real estate developer agency, announced they would accept Bitcoin for rent at the Grove shopping center and other Caruso owned properties. Caruso partnered with Gemini, a cryptocurrency exchange site, to make this advancement possible. He compared bitcoin and blockchain to credit cards and how they revolutionized the way we buy. Caruso “believes bitcoin and blockchain are going to be doing the same in the future… we want to be ahead of the curve.”
In late 2021, PMG partnered with cryptocurrency exchange site FTX. PMG is accepting cryptocurrencies for deposits, pre-sales and for-sales condos in its E11EVEN residences and in the Waldorf Astoria Miami. Upon purchase, the buyer’s cryptocurrencies are exchanged through FTX. Once FTX confirms the cryptocurrencies value, it then records the transactions and proceeds to convert the “coins” into cash.
PMG managing partner, Ryan Shear says,“ blockchain and digital currencies expedite the purchasing process and reduce barriers international buyers face, which is a key tool for us when developing in a growing international city such as Miami. International buyers in particular can quickly purchase a condo while avoiding international fees and bank wires, and crypto allows for the opportunity to quickly move assets from international banks and exchanges to secure American investments.”
Companies like PMG and Caruso are leading the market but are not alone. Agencies in Mexico, Russia, Portugal, and Brazil are starting to accept cryptocurrencies as payment. Government legislations are catching up to this growth and seek to prepare for future crypto investments.
This blog is available for informational purposes only and does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice on any subject matter. By viewing this blog, the reader understands there is no attorney-client relationship established between the reader and Wilson Bradshaw LLP. Readers are urged to consult legal counsel regarding any specific legal questions about a specific situation.


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29th October, 2014
The Consul-General of the People’s Republic of China in Lagos, Mr Liu Kan, on Wednesday said that the trade volume between Nigeria and China in the last seven months hit a record N1.7 trillion ($10.3 billion).
Liu told NAN in Lagos that Nigeria was currently China’s third largest trading partner in Africa.
“The momentum and zest for trading between China and Nigeria is unstoppable, and is by the day, waxing stronger.
“At present, Nigeria is the third largest trading partner of China in Africa, while China is the largest source of imports into Nigeria.
“According to the statistics of Chinese Customs, in the first seven months of this year, the trade volume between our two countries rose by 42.8 per cent to $10.3 billion, the highest in history.
“The value of exports from Nigeria to China sharply increased by 147.5 per cent to $1.9 billion,” he said.
The envoy said that there was currently a growing rate of economic cooperation and development between Nigeria and China.
The consul-general expressed optimism that both countries were bound to record “bumper harvests’ in their growing economic cooperation.
Liu restated his government’s commitment to promoting bilateral relations with Nigeria.
“In order to further promote the bilateral trade, my office will continue to create more trade facilitation with Nigeria.
“We now issue more business visas to Nigerians. So, more and more Nigerian businessmen now have the opportunity to visit China and do business,” he added.


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The dairy industry seems to feel udderly upended these days. Almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk, hemp milk, cashew milk: As consumers move beyond the bovine in our coffee and on our cereal, the industry and its supporters are feeling so threatened that they’re pushing the federal government to crack down on moo-free milks.
More than 30 members of Congress — led by representatives from Idaho and Vermont, both major dairy-producing states — are urging the FDA to take action against plant-based milk manufacturers for calling their beverages, well, milk.
Got irony? The industrial dairy industry usually works to keep government away from its business. The Milk Producers Council, for example, is currently opposing caps on climate-changing methane emissions from California’s industrial farms. The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) has fought legislation that would require reporting of antibiotics use. The industry even opposes government intervention in other agricultural sectors: When the egg industry and humane community joined together in urging Congress to protect laying hens from abuse, the NMPF stood in the way.
Standards that protect animals, the environment, and consumers? Dairy producers say the government has no business weighing in. But squeeze a bean and call it milk? Now that apparently warrants federal intervention.
Why does the industry so desperately want this action from the feds?
“With plant-based diets all the rage in the U.S. currently, milk alternatives — and particularly those from almonds — are seeing strong sales growth and increased innovation, while sales of dairy milk are contracting,” Food Navigator reported last year. “In the past five years, sales of almond milk have grown 250% to more than $894.6 million in 2015 … [while] the total milk market shrunk by more than $1 billion.”
So dairy profits are declining as people drink more almond milk and the industry is, in a nutshell, freaking out.
But plant-based milks are more animal-friendly and often healthier for humans and more sustainable. (Of course, all consumables — including beverages like almond milk — have their own environmental impacts, but the eco-foodprint of plant-based milks is smaller than that of dairy milks.) And consumers obviously prefer an array of choices.
Smart dairy industry leaders are embracing this market shift instead of fighting it.
“At the end of the day, the plant-based model is a lower-cost model because the cow is a relatively inefficient converter of grain into protein,” said Gregg Engles, former CEO of the mega milk processor Dean Foods. “The cost advantage of plant-based over dairy, we believe, will continue to grow.”
When Engles was at its helm, Dean bought WhiteWave Foods — which makes the ubiquitous Silk brand of soy and other plant-based milks — then built the company up and eventually spun it off. Now WhiteWave is in the process of merging with Danone, another major dairy producer. Vermont’s own Ben & Jerry’s recently launched four flavors of plant-based ice creams made with almond milk instead of cow’s milk, and Stonyfield Farms offers a line of soy yogurts.
Other animal agribusiness industries are making similar shifts. Tyson Foods, one of the world’s largest meatpackers, recently created a $150 million venture capital fund to, among other things, explore plant-based proteins that can replace meat. Kraft Heinz may own Oscar Mayer, but it also owns Boca, maker of veggie burgers and other meat-free products. The former CEO of McDonald’s now sits on the board of plant-based meat maker Beyond Meat, while Burger King’s former chair started his own plant-based food company, Sweet Earth Natural Foods.
Dairy producers would be wise to follow these leads. Rather than pressing lawmakers for federal intervention against successful plant-based milk makers, industry leaders ought to move into the 21st century by embracing consumers’ evolution toward incorporating plant-based beverages into their diets.
In other words: Stop crying about spilled almond milk — sell it instead.


text: Google has just launched a digital magazine called The Current, which aims to “explore today’s digital threats and solutions.” This review gives it a thumbs down. "In all, The Current has the feeling of something Google’s marketing department cooked up in a hurry. If it were a presentation for ninth-grade civics class, it would get high marks. But for something produced by a $900 billion company that purports to have high-minded goals, it’s pretty weak tea. It deserves a C+ at best."


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Cheeky Nissan has managed to trick us in terms of the new Maxima. When we got our first look at the concept version of the next-generation Nissan, the automaker refused to confirm that this was actually it! While now the truth came out. In a 2015 Super Bowl commercial, the manufacturer teased us with a glimpse of the vehicle in question.
Nissan is staying tight-lipped and still hasn't revealed any specific information about its 2016 Nissan Maxima but judging from the touching and full-of-emotion "With Dad" ad, which came out during last night's Super Bowl, the new sedan implements the latest language design. From what we can see, the exterior of the vehicle is an amalgamation of a healthy dose of audacity and ambitiousness which perfectly match the stylish look of the Maxima.
From a mechanical standpoint, the car is supposed to be fitted with a V6 3.5-liter engine that is capable of producing at least 260 HP (194 kW). Yet, nothing has been officially confirmed so far, so we will have to wait little bit longer until that happens.
As if trying to compensate the lack of information, Nissan introduced its seductive and aggressively-looking GT-R LM Nismo in the short video too. The racer will take part in the LMP1 class at Le Mans.
Have a look at the commercial and share your opinion regarding the highly-anticipated Nissan Maxima.
Source: Nissan via Youtube


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Are Amazon & Salesforce Ditching Oracle?Are Amazon & Salesforce Ditching Oracle?
Both Amazon and Salesforce are looking to get away from Oracle, according to a report from The Information.
January 3, 2018
Mom always told us if you say mean things about the other children, they won't want to play with you. Larry Ellison, Oracle's feisty founder, is learning that lesson, if a report on The Information is true.
Oracle Corp. (Nasdaq: ORCL) trash-talked both Amazon.com Inc. (Nasdaq: AMZN) and Salesforce.com Inc. last year -- particularly Amazon -- and now both companies are looking to cut their extensive investment in Oracle databases, according to a report on The Information Tuesday, attributed to anonymous company insiders.
Ellison singled out Amazon in particular for verbal abuse last year, but Salesforce got its share. In an earnings call last month, Ellison said, "Amazon continues to buy Oracle technology to run their business," spending $50 million during the quarter. And Salesforce "runs entirely on Oracle," he said. (See Oracle Cloud Revenue Bursts 44%, Oracle's Ellison: We'll Beat Amazon Cloud Pricing by Half, 'No Facts, Wild Claims & Lots of Bluster'; Amazon Hits Back at Oracle's Ellison and Oracle's Ellison: Amazon & SAP Use Our Database Because We're Better.)
"But Mr. Ellison's comments about Amazon and Salesforce don't tell the whole story," notes The Information, in an article by Kevin McLaughlin. "In reality, both companies are actively working to replace Oracle software running on critical business systems with open-source database software alternatives, and have made significant progress toward getting off Oracle entirely, according to people familiar with the matter."
Keep up with the latest enterprise cloud news and insights. Sign up for the weekly Enterprise Cloud News newsletter. Amazon began exploring Oracle alternatives in the early 2000s. Its retail unit has switched two internal internal databases that power its ecommerce business from Oracle to NoSQL, McLaughlin says. Salesforce has been developing an Oracle database replacement, with the delicious code-name "Sayonara" (which is of course Japanese for "goodbye") and is ready to deploy it internally. Salesforce expects to be completely off Oracle in 2023, McLaughlin says. Oracle declined to comment, and Amazon did not respond to a query from Enterprise Cloud News. As for Salesforce: "We don't comment on rumors," a spokesperson said in email. "But I can tell you that Salesforce is focused on delivering the most trusted, reliable and resilient infrastructure available and we do that with a multi-vendor approach." Amazon and Salesforce may be motivated by cost, as Oracle is very expensive, and Oracle aggressively enforces licensing, which is confusing and easy to violate, McLaughlin notes. Larry Dignan, writing at Between the Lines, presents an alternate theory: that the two companies are tied to Oracle; they just want Ellison to shut up about it. And, indeed, the development efforts inside of Amazon and Salesforce could all just be a matter of getting leverage over Oracle. By preparing alternatives to Oracle -- and leaking news about it too -- Amazon and Salesforce could simply be building muscle to negotiate a better deal with the big red database provider. On the other hand: Amazon is stepping up its database service offerings to compete with Oracle, while Salesforce and Oracle compete on applications. Does it makes sense for two companies to rely on a competitor for vital infrastructure? (See Microsoft, Salesforce Dominating SaaS Market, Report Finds.) Related posts:
Oracle Buying Construction Specialist Aconex for $1.2B Oracle Cloud Revenue Bursts 44% AWS Draws Disney in as Cloud Customer Oracle OpenWorld: The View From the Show Floor – & Beyond — Mitch Wagner Editor, Enterprise Cloud News
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Organizers of the popular Salem Saturday Market will bring their farmers market to Keizer three times this summer in hopes of expanding to running every week in 2013.
The Keizer Friday Market is scheduled to be held at the Keizer Civic Center on July 20, August 17 and August 31. Hours will be from 4 to 8 p.m.
“The new Friday Market will make same high quality and variety of products seen at the popular Salem Saturday Market,” said Tina Schneider, a member of the board. “Customers who want fresh produce, flowers and other local products to enjoy over the weekend will now be able to purchase them on Friday.”
Schneider said that Keizer is a great place for a Farmers Market. “The community is very supportive of local food producers and artisans,” she said.
The Keizer market is slated to set up in the public park around the splash fountain at the Civic Center. It will be easily accessible for neighbors by foot or bicycle.
New vendors are encouraged to apply for the new Keizer market. To receive an application or to get more information call 503-585-8264, or e-mail [email protected]


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Men's Wearhouse to Jos A. Bank: We're Suited for Each Other, and Here's $1.5 Billion to Prove It With its stock at a five-year high, men's apparel retailer Men's Wearhouse has decided to turn the tables on its smaller rival.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Clothing retailer Men's Wearhouse made an offer of about $1.5 billion today to acquire competing men's outlet Jos A. Bank, less than two months after rejecting an offer from Jos A. Bank to buy Men's Wearhouse.
All's fair in love, war and acquisition offers, including a move called the Pac-Man defense, which is what Men's Wearhouse is using here. First seen in the 1980s, the tactic involves offering to buy a company that has attempted to buy you in a hostile takeover. Competing takeover attempts can make for contentious negotiations, to say the least.
In this case, the Men's Wearhouse offer is the only potential deal on the table, since the retailer rejected Jos A. Bank's $2.3 billion acquisition bid last month without entering discussions, according to published reports. At the time, it said the offer was too low.
Now Men's Wearhouse is seeking to tie the knot with its former suitor for $55 a share. But while that was a nice premium on Jos A. Bank's stock as of Monday's market closing, it's now below the stock price of more than $56 a share. Both companies have seen their stocks rise in recent weeks as a result of the offers, reflecting market confidence that a deal can be reached. Eminence Capital, the largest shareholder of Men's Wearhouse with a nearly 10-percent stake, is reportedly pushing for a deal.
The resulting company would be the fourth-largest men's apparel retailer in the U.S., with more than 1,700 stores and expected sales of more than $3.5 billion. "Together, we can create the premier men's apparel retailer, with enhanced scale and a broader best-in-class offering for our valued customers, which we expect to drive significant shareholder value," Doug Ewert, the president and chief executive of Men's Wearhouse, said in a statement.
One man who won't have a say in the proceedings is former chairman George Zimmer, who founded Men's Wearhouse in 1973 and grew it into a multi-billion-dollar company in the decades that followed. Men's Wearhouse unceremoniously booted Zimmer this past June despite climbing profits and stock price. In a statement, the board of directors accused him of having "difficulty accepting the fact that Men's Wearhouse is a public company" and said he "expected veto power over significant corporate decisions."
In turn, Zimmer wrote a public letter accusing the board of "eroding the principles and values that have made The Men's Wearhouse so successful for all stakeholders." Since his ouster, however, the company's stock has continued to climb -- despite a temporary dip in September -- and is now trading above $51.50 a share, its highest price in more than five years.


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(WXYZ) - Chrysler has announced that they will add 1,100 jobs to the Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit.
The workers will be used to add a third crew to the facility. Both the Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Dodge Durango are produced at Jefferson North. The facility currently employs just under 3,000 people.
The automaker isn't currently accepting applications for the new positions, since the jobs won't be added until early 2013.
Chrysler will also expand production of the Jeep Grand Cherokee line be adding a diesel version that will be built in Detroit beginning next year.
The automaker is also reaffirming plans to add 150 jobs by reopening the Connor Avenue Assembly Plant. The facility will be used to build the new SRT Viper sports car.
“Our future, like the history of our brands, is interwoven with the City of Detroit,” said Chrysler Group Chairman and CEO Sergio Marchionne. “Detroit long has been home to renowned innovators and craftsmen. So it is in the Motor City, home of our industrial heritage and a resilient people, that we are entrusting the manufacture not only of the ultimate American sports car, the SRT Viper, and the Jeep Grand Cherokee – the most awarded SUV ever – but also a diesel version of the Jeep Grand Cherokee for North American markets.
“We believe that investing in Detroit is not only the right thing to do, but it is a smart thing to do as we work to write the next chapter in our shared history,” Marchionne said.
“We are pleased to have Chrysler Group acknowledge the contributions of the UAW here in the Motor City by relying on our workforce to produce two of its most acclaimed vehicles,” said General Holiefield, UAW Vice President-Chrysler Department. “Our workers nationwide have had a rough couple of years along with the American auto industry and we are proud to be partners in building a future of success starting right here in Detroit.”
Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Latest Auto News
General Motors product development chief Mary Barra has been named the company's new CEO, the first female head of a U.S. car company.
General Motors announced today that Dan Akerson will step down as chairman and CEO on January 15, 2014.
It’s easy to see why the Ford Escape is one of the Blue Oval's best sellers. It’s sporty, rugged and with the Titanium package the small-sized SUV packs a lot of luxury.


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Aluminum-clad Ford F-150 to Debut in Detroit Next Month, Could Approach 30 MPG HWY
December 27, 2013 9:39 AM
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Ford Atlas Concept
Switch from steel to aluminum bodies is a major change for Ford
The F-150 truck is a very important vehicle for Ford, as it is the company top seller and a huge source of profit. The next generation of the F-150 is making a move to aluminum for portions of its structure in an effort
to shed about 700 pounds
and become more fuel-efficient.
The key for Ford is apparently to show F-150 fans the aluminum used in the truck has more in common with military vehicles that puny Coke cans. Ford has reportedly asked aluminum provider Alcoa to provide some military grade aluminum for its display at the Detroit auto show where the truck will debut.
“This is already the most significant debut at the auto show,” Joe Langley, a production analyst for researcher IHS Automotive, said in a interview with
. “Everybody’s going to be dissecting that thing for a long time, especially since Ford will be taking such a big gamble.”
The F-150 is a huge moneymaker for Ford and if fans of the truck don’t feel comfortable with the truck's new aluminum material, it could mean a big profit slump for Ford. The F-150 has been the best selling pickup line for 36 years and the bestselling vehicle in the country for 32 years.
Ford is looking at about six weeks of downtime for its truck building plants to switch machinery, tooling, and robots to facilitate the move from steel to aluminum bodies.
The huge weight savings are expected to help push the F-150 to nearly 30 mpg highway in its most efficient trim levels (there has been talk of possibly adding a 2.7-liter, six-cylinder EcoBoost engine to the powertrain mix). The most efficient model in the current F-150 lineup only musters 23 mpg highway. And it's almost guaranteed that the next generation F-150 will
feature start-stop technology to improve city fuel economy
The new F-150 is expected to resemble the
Atlas concept that was unveiled earlier this year
This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
12/31/2013 10:48:04 AM
That would be a sweet vehicle, in either the pre-77 model or the later ones. But then they would just make it some kind of luxury vehicle instead of a really good off road vehicle and set the price above $50k which would be a real shame.
12/31/2013 8:40:30 PM
Yeah they'd land-rover-ize it, which would suck.
capable, practical, affordable
, easy to maintain... Those are What I remember Broncos most for.
Leather, electronic gadgets, fuel efficiency, aerodynamics...
No... Broncos are for taking to the mountains(insert favorite hard to reach place) where none of that junk matters.
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text:
NEW ZEALAND: Interbrew signs ten-year Stella deal with LN
Stella Artois has tripled in growth over the past three years in New Zealand and Julian Davidson, managing director of Lion Breweries said: "The contract is indicative of the productive relationship between Lion Breweries and Interbrew. The 10-year duration signals the level of commitment from Interbrew to continue working with us."
"We are very pleased with the support our premium brand, Stella Artois, has received in New Zealand." says Dieter Ammer, Interbrew regional president Germany, Southern Europe and Export. "In New Zealand Stella Artois has gained momentum both in on-premise and off-premise distribution. We feel confident this will continue with the support of our long term partnership with Lion Breweries."
The global roll-out of InBev's Brazilian beer, Brahma, adds a third premium brand to the global brewer's international portfolio but some observers have suggested it's an unnecessary step which threat...
Interbrew is to place a £1m support package behind its Czech brand Staropramen in the UK....
Lion Nathan has confirmed that it is in talks with an Australian wine distributor....
InBev has announced that the deadline for the receipt of acceptances for the recommended offers of US$33.41 for the remaining Class A (non-voting) shares in SUN Interbrew, along with Class A Securitie...
SUN Interbrew is looking to buy into a Siberian brewer, according to local press reports....
Interbrew UK has announced plans to launch a new speciality beer....
Lion Nathan has posted a leap in profits for the first half of this year....
InBev has extended the deadline for the receipt of acceptances for the recommended offers of USD33.41 in cash for the remaining shares and Securities that it does not already own in SUN Interbrew (SIL...
- Analysis - Remy's Cognac "dead-cat bounce"
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- Heineken to stay "active player" in beer M&A - CFO
- Diageo's future brighter than present suggests
- Focus - Heineken's Q3 Performance by Region
- Moët Hennessy unveils first Travel Retail outlet
- United Spirits sees Q1 net loss
- Beam Suntory, Edrington part ways in Travel Retail
- Diageo puts Beckham centre stage in Haig Club ad
- Smirnoff Ice gets India launch


text:
NEW DELHI: Samsung Galaxy S21 FE the much-awaited Galaxy S21 series smartphone is expected to launch early next year. Now a new online report reveals that the smartphone maker is planning to launch the smartphone around the same date in India as the global launch.
Samsung is expected to launch the smartphone during the CES 2022 . According to a report by 91Mobiles, Samsung is said to launch the smartphone at the same time in India. The report reveals that the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is said to launch in January in India. The smartphone was earlier expected to launch at the October Galaxy Unpacked event.
The report also claims that the smartphone will be available in limited quantities initially due to the ongoing global chip shortage. The online report further suggests that the smartphone could come in four colour options — black, white, pink and green.
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE expected specifications
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is said to come in both the Snapdragon 888 and Exynos 2100 variants based on the markets, just like the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE. The smartphone is said to have up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage.
The device is expected to have a 6.4-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate, the report claims. It is also said to have Corning Gorilla Glass layer and a center-positioned punch-hole selfie camera. The front side is also said to have an in-display fingerprint scanner.
When it comes to cameras, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is said to sport a triple camera setup at the back with a 64MP primary sensor paired with an ultra-wide sensor and a depth sensor. At the front, the device is said to have a 32MP camera for selfies and video calling.
The report further claims that the smartphone will feature a 4500mAh battery with support for 15W fast-charging.
- Samsung Galaxy S21 spotted on certification in India
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- Samsung Galaxy S21 series full specs and features get leaked
- Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, Galaxy S21+, Galaxy S21 specifications leaked ahead of rumoured January 2021 launch
- Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, Galaxy S21 design and battery specs leaked; launch tipped for January 2021
- Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra likely to support QHD+ resolution with 120Hz refresh rate
- Samsung Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+ and Galaxy S21 Ultra key specs leaked
- Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra leak points to a camera sensor upgrade
- Huge Samsung Galaxy S21 leak covers just about every spec
- Here's why the Samsung Galaxy S21 is set to launch so early in 2021
- Samsung Galaxy S21 screen leak says it'll be remarkably different to the Galaxy S20
- Samsung Galaxy S21 and Fold 3 may support S Pen, while the Note might be dead
- Samsung Galaxy S21 might be powered by a new Exynos chipset
- Leaked specs of the Samsung Galaxy S21 suggest the Ultra model will support S Pen
- Galaxy S21's Snapdragon 875 model seems to beat the Exynos version in benchmarks
- Samsung Galaxy M42 expected to launch in India soon
- (Updated) Infinix Zero 8i with MediaTek G90T SoC, Six Cameras, 90Hz Display launching in India on December 3
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Samsung Galaxy S21 FE expected to launch in January in India: Report have 608 words, post on www.gadgetsnow.com at December 4, 2021. This is cached page on TechNews. If you want remove this page, please contact us.


text:
Online transactions grew by 19% during the 2017 holiday season. But fraud increased even more — by 22%, according to benchmark data from ACI.
Fraud attempts were the highest on Thanksgiving day — 1.94%, up from 1.78% in 2016. And they hit a rate of 1.78% on Christmas Eve compared with 1.48% in 2016.
According to ACI, the fraud uptick was driven by shipment cutoff, consumer traffic and buy-online pickup in store transactions.
Despite this increase, fraud accounted for one out of every 85 transactions in 2017, down from one out of 97 last year and one out of 109 in 2015.
Overall purchase volume recorded increased from January to October, by 14%, compared to the same period in the prior year.
ACI studied hundreds of millions of transactions, using its ReD Shield technology.
“The consistent, alarming uptick in fraudulent activity on key dates is a signal that merchants must be proactive in their efforts to identify weak points across the omnichannel payment process — and define the short- and long-term strategies necessary to improve security and enhance customer experience,” states Erika Dietrich, Director of Risk Management, ACI Worldwide.


text:
Proposed rule changes aim to make recalls easier
Beijing is trying to make it easier to pull unsafe food products from the shelves with tough changes to the country's recall regulations.
A draft put out for public consultation on Monday by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine tries to plug loopholes in regulations from 2007.
The amendments also make it easier to recall problematic food items. At present, food products can be recalled only when found to be harmful to health, contaminated or if they have gone bad.
And procedures to begin the recall process are complicated. Authorities must determine and classify the severity of the problem, with different procedures to be applied in each category. The amended regulations stipulate that food products should be recalled if they do not meet safety standards.
Under the amended regulations, the food safety watchdog or the food producer would begin the recall, which must start within three days.
The draft also spells out that recalled items cannot be reused for food production or resale after the toxic elements are removed. This is not mentioned in the existing regulation.
These stricter standards and simplified procedures come after a string of food scandals that have shaken public confidence in food on the mainland.
They also aim to bring recall regulations into line with the Food Safety Law put into effect in June 2009.
In 2008, the mainland was hit by one of its worst food-safety scandals in decades. At least six children died and 300,000 others fell ill with kidney problems after drinking melamine-tainted baby formula. The dangerous industrial substance was added illegally to artificially make protein levels seems higher. Some 22 dairies were involved in the scandal. They were ordered to recall their products and destroy any tainted milk powder.
But more contaminated dairy products have since surfaced.
The latest discovery came last month in Chongqing, where authorities seized 26 tonnes of melamine-contaminated milk powder. Last year, authorities confiscated and destroyed more than 27,000 tonnes of recycled melamine-tainted milk powder.
Food scares such as these have added to pressure on the government to step up food safety measures.
Food producers would be required to report the results of recalls within seven days of completion under the new regulations. That includes the amount recalled and how it was handled. The records would have to be kept for at least two years.
Prosecutors have this year begun investigations into 57 government employees involved in food safety scandals, Xinhua reported yesterday, citing Qiu Xueqiang, the deputy procurator-general of the Supreme People's Procuratorate.
Eighteen of those allegedly took bribes in 17 cases, while the other 39 are being investigated for dereliction of duty in 20 cases, the report said.
The number of sets of laws and regulations that deal with food safety on the mainland


text:
During the holiday season, Starbucks Coffee will donate five cents from the purchase of select beverages to help finance AIDS programs in Africa.
A debate about the campaign is playing out on YouTube, proof that promoting a philanthropic endeavor can spur as much discord as selecting a coffee blend.
This week in digital, we said goodbye to Facebook Exchange and Post-it wars, as we welcome TAG's latest anti-fraud development, Shift, and maybe Siri integrations?
This week at Shift 2016, Andres Sosa, Executive Vice President of the online retailer TheOutnet.com, gave a talk on innovation and content-creation. It reminded ... read more


text:
Greggs sales growth hit by ‘softer’ conditions on the High Street
9 May 2016
- From the section Business
Bakery chain Greggs has seen sales growth slow in the beginning of 2016 after weaker High Street conditions in March.
In a trading update, the company said it had seen like-for-like sales rise 3.7% in the first 18 weeks of 2016.
However, that compares with a 6% increase this time last year.
Greggs said conditions on the High Street had been “softer” in March, but that they had recovered in recent weeks.
Those conditions were reflected in their own performance, the company said.
Despite that, Greggs said it had made a good start to the year.
It said that an improved product range – such as hot sandwiches, an extended breakfast menu and the introduction of the “flat white” coffee – had helped to increase sales.
“Input cost inflation remains low despite increased wage costs and, with a strong pipeline of product initiatives and plans to invest in our shops and supply chain, we expect to make progress in line with our previous expectations,” the company said in its statement.
In a move designed to appeal to the more health-conscious customers, Greggs also said it had broadened its range of fresh fruit on sale and upgraded a range of salads, as well as introducing new products such as “Teriyaki Chicken Noodle” and “Falafel with Houmous”.
Source: BBC Business


text:
A Michigan-based silicon products company says it's making permanent the layoff of 400 workers at sites in Michigan and Tennessee, a move forced by a supply glut and trade conflicts with China.
Hemlock Semiconductor Corp. announced the layoffs in January and now says they'll be permanent. They affect 300 employees at a site in Clarksville, Tenn., and 100 at its home base in Saginaw County's Thomas Township, near Saginaw.
Spokesman Jarrod Erpelding said that there's no sign of resolution of the trade disputes that led to the job cuts.
"The last few months have been extremely difficult for the Hemlock Semiconductor team, as a lot of talented, hard working employees are leaving the company," said Andy Tometich, president of Hemlock Semiconductor. "Moving forward, our Michigan site will continue to align its production with current customer demand and our Tennessee facility will focus on safely maintaining the site for eventual production."
Impacted employees are being offered a severance package which includes access to health benefits and outplacement services.
The company makes high-purity silicon materials for use by semiconductor and solar ingot/wafer manufacturers.
Copyright 2013 WNEM (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.


text:
Carlsberg is bidding to become a central communication point on the
Internet by placing its digital postcard system at the heart of its
revamped Website and extending the system to two of the Web’s most
The company, which has offered the postcard facility on its own site for
more than a year, is this week making it available on both Future
Publishing’s FutureNet and the Microsoft Network.
Cmail was initially created by Carlsberg’s Web specialist agency, CHBi,
as part of the brand’s new-media presence during Euro 96. Each card has
the Carlsberg logo on the top right-hand corner and will now also carry
either Future or MSN’s branding, according to which site the user
accesses the system from.
Recipients of Cmail cards are alerted by an e-mail. They can then access
the Cmail, the Internet equivalent of a picture postcard, from
Chris Bland, account manager at CHBi, said: ’Carlsberg has been keen to
offer an online service that underlines the sociability of the
Cmail is now a sub-brand that is credible enough to be exploited via
other high-profile sites on the Web.’
CHBi has not ruled out the possibility of involving other partners, such
as football sites.


text:
Home > News > Altair Nanotechnologies Announces New Preclinical Testing
February 5th, 2004
Altair Nanotechnologies Announces New Preclinical Testing
Altair Nanotechnologies, Inc., a developer and manufacturer of innovative nanomaterial products, announced that it is planning to conduct new preclinical testing of its drug candidate, RenaZorb. The test will use an animal model directly comparing RenaZorb with existing and proposed drugs for phosphate control in patients with End Stage Renal Disease undergoing dialysis. The testing is expected to be initiated within 30 to 45 days. The company also announced that it plans to file an IND application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Researchers create vaccine for dust-mite allergies Main Page Content: Vaccine reduced lung inflammation to allergens in lab and animal tests July 22nd, 2014
NIST shows ultrasonically propelled nanorods spin dizzyingly fast July 22nd, 2014
SentiMag® Now Available in Australia and New Zealand July 21st, 2014
More than glitter: Scientists explain how gold nanoparticles easily penetrate cells, making them useful for delivering drugs July 21st, 2014


text:
Anti-dumping ruling drags down exports
Passed by the US Department of Commerce in November, the preliminary ruling announced anti-dumping duties of 28-46 per cent on TV sets exported by four Chinese TV makers - Sichuan Changhong Electric Co, Xiamen Overseas Chinese Electronic Co (Xoceco), Konka Group Co and TCL Holding Co.
Fearing cost hikes, local TV makers exported significantly fewer colour sets in recent months.
South China's Guangdong Province, which manufactures about half of the country's TV exports, has been the preliminary ruling's biggest victim.
The province exported a total of 210,000 sets in December, the month immediately following the announcement of the preliminary ruling. That is in stark contrast to the 450,000 exported in September.
"The export decline comes as a matter of course," said Xoceco spokesperson Sun Guangrong, adding that the ruling increases export costs for manufacturers.
To minimize losses, some experts have advised Chinese TV makers to step up efforts to enter the US high-end TV market and pointed to Hisense's recent success in doing so.
Hisense, China's major digital TV (DTV) producer, remains optimistic as its mainstay products, DTVs, are excluded from the US anti-dumping ruling.
The Qingdao-based company recently started to export another 10,000 digital televisions to the United States, which is said to be the largest batch of TVs exported by domestic TV manufacturers this year.
Company sources said the firm will push sales of its DTV sets and equipment in hopes of gaining a bigger presence in China's fledgling, but rising, DTV sector and tapping international markets.
"We will continue to concentrate on developing and marketing DTVs, which we believe are more profitable than traditional CRT (cathode ray tube) ones,"Hisense spokeswoman Han Weifan told China Daily.
Long-time price wars have eaten away at profits in the low-end TV business, market observers have suggested.
"It is the high-end markets that are of interest to us," Han stressed.
She added that Hisense has done a good job in this regard, referring to the company's approximate US$100 million exports of DTV products in 2003.
"Hisense made big inroads into the world DTV market beginning last year," Han said. "Our products sell well at BestBuy and K-mart chain stores in the US."
And Hisense's confidence of becoming a DTV giant has been boosted by its success in signing a co-operative deal with US Digital Television (USDTV) a month ago.
According to the financing and manufacturing agreement, Hisense will export more than 400,000 receivers to USDTV every year. Hisense said the agreement did not set a time limit for the co-operation, adding that the scale of exports may be further adjusted to meet demand.
"The first batch of 100,000 digital terrestrial set-top boxes will soon be exported to the US," Han said.
The "victory," as Hisense terms the deal, came after "years of efforts," company sources said.
The 35-year-old TV manufacturer established a research and development centre in Silicon Valley three years ago, and has been tracing US market changes for years.
"Finally, Hisense won the deal with its strong technological power," Han said.
However, a senior observer cautioned, this "high-end" approach cannot help Chinese TV makers shrug off the current slump "completely."
"Domestically, the demand for DTVs is still very low," said Luo Qingqi, senior director of Pully Consulting, which has long been monitoring the household electric appliance industry.
"We will have to wait until the sector becomes mature as a set of uniform DTV standards are still pending, and DTV programmes are poorly supplied now," Luo said.
In fact, he explained, "internationally, our products, like DTVs, are not as competitive as many have imagined."
In the long run, Chinese TV makers should attach greater importance to industrial restructuring and technological innovation in meeting strong competition and anti-dumping rulings, he said.


text:
AGRA, India (Sept 21): India's palm oil imports in 2022/23 could jump 9% from a year earlier on a rise in domestic consumption and as competitive prices allow the tropical oil to regain its share in the world's biggest market, a Reuters survey showed on Wednesday.
The higher buying could help top producer Indonesia in bringing down ballooning inventories and support benchmark Malaysian palm oil prices, which have nearly halved from record highs earlier this year.
MUMBAI, Sept 19 — Farmers across Asia are busy planting trees to boost palm oil production but nurseries are struggling to keep up with demand for sprouts and seedlings, risking a delay in the industry’s recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.
The seedlings shortfall could slow plantation, capping production growth and keeping palm oil prices FCPOc3 elevated, industry officials said, as the world already grapples with lofty inflation. Asia produces more than 90 per cent of the world’s cheapest edible oil used in cooking, baking and cosmetics.