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Schnorr Signatures And Segwit Recovery Exemptions Launched By Bitcoin Cash In Latest Upgrade
- Bitcoin Cash implemented upgrade with Segwit recovery and Schnorr signatures.
- With the next upgrade, users may see a 25% reduction in storage space required with each transaction.
Though the progress of Bitcoin Cash has taken a little time, the firm announced the completion of another upgrade on May 15th. This upgrade included two features being added to the platform are Segwit recovery and Schnorr signatures. The Segwit recovery helps users on the network to recover their funds if they accidentally send it to Segwit addresses, using an exemption to the CLEANSTACK rule that was previously impossible with the upgrade in November.
The feature that many people are excited about is the Schnorr signature, which makes it possible to engage in complex signing. This signature was designed by Claus Schnorr, and developers have been wanting to add this scheme for quite a while, but they were up against patents that kept them from accessing it.
Now, the patent is expired, opening the door for the BCH developers to use the idea and add in Schnorr signatures to their blockchain. Developer Mark Lundeberg spoke with news.Bitcoin.com last week, saying that using the signature protocol reduces transaction storage by 4%. The scheme can ultimately allow for public signature aggregation with the next Schnorr-related upgrade, along with other sign-to-contract concepts.
Other improvements with Schnorr could make it possible to transact with multi-party aggregation schemes. The signatures use 64 bytes, unlike the ECDSA signatures that take up 70 bytes. With other upgrades, this space could be reduced by at much as 25% or more. Combining Schnorr with pay-to-public-key-hash addresses and similar concepts will allow for more benefits to be added to the transactions. According to news.Bitcoin.com, some of these benefits include decision-based smart contracts and improvements in privacy.
Due to the implementation that is presently on the BCH platform, developers will be able to create:
- Payment channels that look like ordinary payments.
- Atomic swaps that look like ordinary payments
- Payment channels that work in a similar way to the Lightning network.
- Secure chains with multiple parties for unconfirmed transactions
To commemorate the upgrade, the community and developers celebrated with the processing of the first Schnorr signature transactions on the main network, handled by programmers like Mark Lundeberg and Gabriel Cardona. As of 12:10pm EST, the Bitcoin.com news website stated that 26 blocks have already been processed with the new consensus rules.
Hours before, it looks like there was an attempt by an unknown user to create invalid transactions. While there were several Bitcoin ABC clients impacted by this exploitation attempt, a patch has since been integrated to correct the issue. Developers explained that the consensus upgrade did not cause the exploit, and the mining pools were immediately notified.
To further understand Schnorr signatures and how they impact the platform, two BCH developers created the articles below.
Presently, Bitcoin Cash is trading at
Bitcoin Market Price Chart in RealTime


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Toyota Establishes a New Hydrogen Fuel Cell Joint Venture with Chinese Auto Firms
【Summary】Japan’s Toyota Motor Corp is doubling down on its commitment to the development of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. The automakers announced a new venture on Friday with Chinese automakers FAW Group, Dongfeng Motor, Beijing Automotive, GAC and hydrogen fuel cell developer Beijing SinoHytec. The joint venture will primarily focus on the development of fuel cell systems for commercial vehicles in China.
Japan's Toyota Motor Corp is doubling down on its commitment to the development of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. The automakers announced a new venture on Friday with Chinese automakers FAW Group, Dongfeng Motor, Beijing Automotive, GAC and hydrogen fuel cell developer Beijing SinoHytec.
The joint venture is named United Fuel Cell System R&D (Beijing) Co., Ltd. (FCRD). FCRD's primary business will be the development of fuel cell systems for commercial vehicles in China.
Each company, including Toyota Motor Corporation and Beijing SinoHytec Co., Ltd. will invest in the joint venture. The joint venue will focus on the development of low-cost, competitive fuel cell systems and related components required for the widespread adoption of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) for commercial applications.
The total investment from Toyota will be about 5.02 billion yen ($46 million). The company said in a statement that it will hold a 65% share of the new joint venture.
"FCRD is a company that holds tremendous significance for Toyota's global fuel cell strategies. There is no other automobile market with such a sense of speed, and I am extremely confident that we will gain partners we can work with toward the shared target of expanding the use of FCEVs in China," said Shigeki Terashi, Operating Officer of Toyota.
Instead of relying on a rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack to power electric motors, FCEVs combine hydrogen in a fuel cell to produce electricity. The hydrogen travels to the fuel cell stack where it goes through a chemical reaction with oxygen in the air, creating electricity.
The electricity produced in the fuel cell is used to power the vehicle's electric motor(s). Hydrogen-powered vehicles produce zero emissions—the only byproduct of the process is water.
In accordance with the 2016 Technology Roadmap for Energy-Saving and New Energy Vehicles announced by China, the government wants to register 50,000 new FCEVs for public transit by 2025 and up to 1 million FCEVs for public transit, commercial transportation and private use by 2030.
"FAW seeks to advance fuel cell technologies and collaborate with partners that share its vision to create win-win relationships with all stakeholders in accordance with the principle of making maximum efforts to preserve the global environment," said Vice President of FAW, Wang Guoqiang.
The FCEV market in China, primarily for commercial vehicles, is growing at a pace not seen anywhere else in the world, Toyota said.
As most global automakers focus on electrification of their model lineups, Toyota has never fully abandoned its fuel cell plans for passenger vehicles. The company has been working on fuel cell technology since the 1990s. Toyota's hydrogen-powered Mirai was released in 2014.
South Koren automaker Hyundai also introduced a fuel cell vehicle called the NEXO which went on sale in 2019, Hyundai said its the world's first fuel cell SUV. Toyota rival Honda Motor Co also offers a fuel cell version of its Clarity sedan.
In January, Toyota unveiled the second generation Mirai sedan, which includes technical design improvements. The redesigned Mirai was first shown as a concept vehicle at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show.
With the launch of the redesigned Mirai, Toyota is also supporting the development of hydrogen fuel infrastructure in major metropolitan areas worldwide, so drivers can refill their FCEVs just as easily as drivers of gas-powered vehicles.
However, there are not many places for drivers of passenger vehicles to fill up with hydrogen currently, with the exception of California, where hydrogen filling stations are slowly being added to existing gas stations. Honda leases the Clarity fuel cell sedan only to drivers living near hydrogen filling stations.
Many industry analysts believe that FCEVs are better suited for commercial vehicles such as long-haul trucks, as the larger vehicles can store more hydrogen onboard and the hydrogen fill stations can be more easily installed along busy highway corridors.
Last Summer, China opened the world's largest hydrogen filling station in Shanghai. The station is the largest hydrogen fueling station in the world with enough capacity to refill 600 fuel cell cars per day.
GM is Suspending Bolt EV Production Until at Least Oct 15 Following Latest Recall Over Battery Fires
Electric Truck Startup Rivian Plans to Raise up to $8 Billion in its Upcoming IPO
Volkswagen’s ID.4 Pro SUV Awarded an EPA Estimated Range of 249 Miles, Edging Out the Ford Mustang Mach-E
Tesla Challenger XPeng to Officially Launch the P5 Sedan, its 3rd Electric Model, on Sept 15
Toyota Cuts its Annual Production Target by 300,000 Vehicles Due to Semiconductor Shortages
UPS Acquires Technology Platform Roadie to Facilitate Same Day Gig Deliveries
General Motors Extends Production Shutdown of the Chevy Bolt EV Until Sept 24 Due to Battery Recall
Tesla Sells 44,464 China-made Vehicles in August, Local Deliveries Surge 49.5% Compared to July
- Electrify America Adds Smartphone Compatibility To Help EV Owners Find Chargers
- Tesla Challenger XPeng Reports Record July Deliveries, its 2nd Consecutive Month of Record-Setting Growth
- Ford to Double its Production Target for the Electric F-150 Lightning Due to Strong Demand
- Silicon Valley Startup Sonatus to Partner with Hyundai on the Development of Software Defined Vehicles
- XPeng Launches its New & Improved G3i SUV in China, a More Affordable Alternative to the Tesla Model Y
- A Closer Look at Tesla’s Nvidia-powered Supercomputer for Training Deep Neural Networks
- UPS Acquires Technology Platform Roadie to Facilitate Same Day Gig Deliveries
- General Motors to Add 5G Connectivity to its Model Lineup in Partnership With AT&T
- General Motors to Suspend Production at 8 Plants in North America Due to Ongoing Chip Shortages
- General Motors Invests in Oculii, a Startup Developing Advanced Radar Software for Autonomous Vehicles

domain: news


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A Reddit thread has exposed an iPhone security bug that allows a simple text message sequence to shut down a person’s phone (video below).
The recently discovered security vulnerability has many iPhone users worried their phones will be easily manipulated. If someone sends the particular string of text to an iPhone user, the phone itself will, in most cases, automatically shut down.
On May 27, Twitter users we sharing that their phones were being shut off by friends who sent them the text message, or that they had been nonstop sending the text to friends to prank them.
“Next time someone with an iPhone pisses me off, I'm going to send them that effective power text,” one Twitter user wrote.
“And…. stuff like this is why I’m leaving Apple for good,” another user wrote on The Blaze. “Goodbye, and good riddance!”
Some commenters claim their phones haven’t shut off after receiving the text message, but others seem to have experienced the issue firsthand.
So far, it doesn’t appear Apple has fixed the bug.
Photo Sources: The Blaze, Gizmodo


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Christmas Eve — what a lovely time for this Netflix watcher to be tuned away from Kansas City.
I, and surely many other regular Internet TV watchers, were able to avoid what could have been a devastating black-out during the online video streaming service’s outage earlier this week while visiting cable TV-friendly homes.
While the Netflix devoted were stranded on Monday, I was visiting my in-laws in Pennsylvania, embracing an all-but-forgotten activity — channel surfing.
Without this walk down memory lane, I may have never voluntarily been exposed to the likes of the Discovery Channel’s Amish Mafia, which coincidentally was filmed a short drive away from my rural Christmas locale. I also wouldn’t have been so happily shielded from the knowledge of the Netflix blunder.
I am part of the growing crowd that regularly bypasses cable television for Internet-based TV options.
I swing from Netflix to Hulu on a daily basis for my video content. Between the Internet and my mailed DVD subscription through Blockbuster, which many techies might consider old-school, I rarely come up dry for something to watch. What’s more important, I get to watch my shows and movies on my schedule, although the process is admittedly a bit clunky.
Something has to be said for the simplicity of sitting down and flipping through channels.
My weak thumb felt out of shape as I perused the Netflix-free cable TV lineup, which offered no sign of skipping or buffering.
Just like an adult rediscovering an old childhood toy, I was ecstatic to see one of my favorite holiday movies, “Scrooged,” airing Christmas morning. Nevermind that I have it on DVD — catching it on TV somehow made it more special.
I didn’t find out about the Netflix blackout until reading an online newspaper report on my tablet.
The glitch, reportedly tied to issues with Amazon, caught the attention of analysts who don’t typically bat an eye at Netflix.
Telecommunications industry analyst Jennifer Fritzsche of Wells Fargo Securities, who regularly follows Overland Park-based Sprint Nextel Corp., wrote in a Friday note that the outage, which lasted roughly half the day on Christmas Eve, may speed up Netflix’s approach to its own content delivery network.
Netflix welcomed me with open arms upon my return to Kansas City, however. Everything appears to be back to normal.
I’m not sure which is more surprising — that my holiday travels were perfectly timed to block me from the rare Netflix outage or that an entire so-called reality TV show is centered around a guy called Lebanon Levi and his not-so Amish henchman.


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The iconic American brand turned down a $23 billion cash and stock bid from its sometime rival, which included an offer to keep the company's headquarters in Hershey, Pennsylvania. An acquisition would have immediately given Mondelez a strong position in the U.S. chocolate market.
Currently, the company has a strong international presence with its Cadbury line, Milka chocolate bars, and its upscale Green & Blacks products, which contain no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. In the U.S., it has limited exposure in the mainstream chocolate market, but it does own Oreo, Chips Ahoy!, and Dentyne gum.
In a press release, Mondelez CEO Irene Rosenfeld explained why her company wanted Hershey and what happens next:
Our proposal to acquire Hershey reflected our conviction that combining our two iconic American companies would create an industry leader with global scale in snacking and confectionery and a strong portfolio of complementary brands. Following additional discussions, and taking into account recent shareholder developments at Hershey, we determined that there is no actionable path forward toward an agreement. While we are disappointed in this outcome, we remain disciplined in our approach to creating value, including through acquisitions, and confident that our advantaged platform positions us well for top-tier performance over the long term.
That's a very diplomatic way to say, "You don't want our money. Now we're gunning for you." Hershey saying no to a deal blocked Mondelez's easy path to the American chocolate eater and now the company has elected to take the hard road.
What is Mondelez doing?
Like trying to show up the girl or boy who would not go out with you by losing weight, buying better clothes, and dating someone even better looking, Mondelez wants to show up Hershey in its home market. To do that the company will be relying on one of the familiar brands it owns in order to introduce one which most Americans will not know.
The company, the second-largest confectionery company in the world, said earlier this week, that it plans to bring its Milka Oreo chocolate bars to the U.S., Reuters reported. Already sold in more than 20 countries, Milka Oreo is targeted at the mainstream segment of the roughly $14 billion U.S. chocolate market, Mondelez said.
In addition to using Oreo to launch Milka, Mondelez also plans to expand its Green & Blacks product line in the U.S. and around the world.
Overall, the global company is not just targeting Hershey in its home market. Mondelez also plans on "strengthening its sales and distribution operations, enhancing in-store execution and chalking out better routes to market, especially in emerging markets," according to Reuters. It expects to also grow its e-commerce snack business to $1 billion in revenue by 2020.
This is going to be a fight
Hershey pretty emphatically turned down Mondelez and now it must fend off an aggressive new competitor. It will take time for any company to challenge Hershey's U.S. dominance, but pairing Milka with Oreo could lead consumers to try the new brand. That might be enough for Mondelez to begin building awareness for its chocolate line.
This will not be a short battle. Hershey owns an array of iconic products that Mondelez cannot easily counter simply by leaning on Oreo or its other brands. This battle should lead to increased innovation, more choice for consumers, and maybe a new player emerging in the U.S. chocolate market.
That may happen, but right now Hershey dominates the market while Mondelez merely has a good gimmick to try to wedge the door open. Whether that can lead to it building a major brand in the US. remains to be seen.


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The world’s first synthetic sports flooring produced with carbon dioxide has been installed at the field hockey facilities of a renowned sports club in Krefeld in western Germany.
The CO2 for the subfloor is contained in a binder – or more precisely, in one of its components, a so-called polyol. So far, the new CO2-based material called cardyon, developed and marketed by Covestro, has been used to produce soft polyurethane foam for mattresses and upholstered furniture, which is already being marketed. The further development for use in sports is now the next step in the expansion of the range of applications.
Using CO2 and saving oil
"The use of carbon dioxide as a new raw material is a promising approach for making production in the chemical and plastics industries more sustainable," explained Dr. Markus Steilemann, CEO of Covestro. "This way, we use CO2 in a closed-loop process and save oil. On this basis, we want to offer a comprehensive product portfolio for as many areas of application as possible – in line with our vision of making the world a brighter place."
The first customer for the new binder produced with CO2 is the globally active sports flooring producer Polytan. The company from Burgheim, Bavaria, which belongs to the Sport Group, uses the material to produce elastic underfloors together with rubber granulate. "We attach great importance to using sustainable raw materials and are always on the lookout for ecologically more sensible alternatives to conventional products. Ideally, even the quality of the product can be improved. Covestro guarantees exactly that with cardyon", said sport group purchasing manager Daniel Klomp.
The first CO2-based floor is now in use at the "Crefelder Hockey and Tennis Club". The traditional club maintains one of the leading field hockey facilities in Germany, which repeatedly serves as a venue for international matches and championships. The subfloor was laid on a 99 x 59-meter playing field and serves to cushion the effect of a new, bright blue artificial turf, also from Polytan. "Sport is not just healthy, it can also contribute to sustainability. We are proving this with the newly equipped hockey field, which will certainly make our club even more attractive," explains club manager Robert Haake.
The use of CO2 as a raw material for plastics is made possible by a particularly environmentally friendly technology that Covestro has developed together with its partners. CO2 is used as a supplier of the important element carbon – instead of petroleum-based raw materials. Up to 20 percent of traditional fossil raw materials can thus be replaced by carbon dioxide. Covestro produces the new CO2-based polyols at its Dormagen site near Cologne. The carbon dioxide comes from a neighbouring chemical company, which produces it as a by-product.


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The Supreme Court on Monday announced that it will not hear a challenge to President Donald Trump's tariffs on steel imports into the United States.Politicsread more
Sen. Bernie Sanders will announce a plan Monday to forgive the country's $1.6 trillion outstanding student loan tab, intensifying the higher education policy debate in the...Personal Financeread more
The major indexes have stretched to all-time highs and are riding one of their best first halves in decades.Trading Nationread more
Six women are running for president. Five of them are career politicians. Then there's Oprah-approved self-help guru Marianne Williamson.2020 Electionsread more
McDonald's said Monday that it gained market share in the informal eating out category for the first time in five years, thanks to its nationwide launch of fresh beef.Restaurantsread more
As candidates from Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders to John Delaney jockey for position in the 2020 Democratic primary, business issues will come up in the first debates.2020 Electionsread more
The brokerage says that the globe is "one step away" from recession as the world's two largest economies head to the G-20 summit.Marketsread more
President Trump issues an executive order that would pressure insurers, doctors and other providers to disclose more information about health-care prices.Health and Scienceread more
J.P. Morgan analyst Stephen Tusa is sticking to his guns when it comes to General ElectricInvestingread more
The planet of Batuu is now open to all Disneyland theme park guests, but that doesn't mean visiting this galaxy far, far away is going to be easy.Entertainmentread more
A bipartisan team of senators introduce the Dashboard Act to make social media companies disclose the value of user data.Technologyread more
Musk announced plans for a Tesla pickup truck as far back as April 2017, saying in a Twitter post that the vehicle would be unveiled "in 18 to 24 months" — he later followed up to say the truck would be made "right after" the firm builds its Model Y SUV.
Now, Musk has come out with some more details about the vehicle, telling Recode's Kara Swisher during a podcast that it will be "like a really futurist-like cyberpunk, 'Blade Runner' pickup truck."
It's the product the Tesla CEO is "personally most fired up about," he said in his interview with Swisher.
Asked about whether the vehicle would fly with consumers, Musk said: "You know, I actually don't know if a lot of people will buy this pickup truck or not, but I don't care."
He added: "I mean I do care, eventually, you know. Like sure, I care. We wanna get gasoline, diesel pickup trucks off the road."
Musk said the pickup truck is "something I've been wanting to make for a long time." He said that, if the vehicle only finds favor with a small number of customers, "I guess we'll make a more conventional truck in the future."
Tesla's boss also spoke about the company's upcoming four-seater sports car, the Roadster, boasting the vehicle would be "the fastest sports car on every dimension."
"It's important to have an electric sports car that's faster than the fastest gasoline sports car," Musk said. "And it helps address that halo effect that gasoline sports cars have. So I think it's important to do that to show that, you know, electric is the best architecture."


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Second-Home Market Surges in May
The luxury home market outpaced the overall market in price growth and listing views online in May 2020, according to realtor.com®’s Luxury Housing Report, and of particular interest for this segment of buyers was second homes. These buyers were looking at smaller, less populated markets, rather than dense, urban metros.
“Unlike prior downturns, the luxury market is leading the recovery,” said realtor.com® Chief Economist Danielle Hale. “Stay at home orders and social distancing have put a new value on the extra space. We’re seeing this in the luxury market as well, which could mean there is renewed interest from high-end buyers to find a second home that is within driving distance from their primary residence.”
The report said that “upper tier” home price growth outpaced the overall housing market, and online views for homes over $1 million increased 7.3 percent annually.


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October was the worst month for stocks since 2009, but DHX bucked the trend and posted big gains.
Taking the extra time to get all the details right makes it worth the wait.
These three dividend stocks have reasonable valuations, are backed by dependable businesses, and could help fund your desired lifestyle in retirement.
Adding these three large companies could do great things for your portfolio over the long term.
STMicrolectronics stock sold off as the market soured on the outlook for the semiconductor industry.
The cybersecurity company posted double-digit gains last month, but has lost ground amid broader market sell-offs in October.
The semiconductor equipment manufacturer's share price has taken a hit due to a weakened outlook for its core segment.
A weaker outlook for one of the memory-chip company's key product categories prompted the drop.
Despite recent gains, Frontier Communications trades down more than 40% over the last year.
Viewership for gaming-video content will continue to climb, but will Huya prove to be a long-term winner?
Poor earnings results from one of LCI's biggest customers sent shares tumbling last month.
Shares are well off recent highs, but the market could still be too bullish on the gaming-headset company.
Cirrus's sales outlook suffered another setback last month.
Rising uncertainty in the social media industry, a challenging competitive outlook, and negative analyst coverage have sent Snap stock to record lows.
Th cloud-software company reported impressive quarterly results in September and followed them up with a promising merger.
Uncertainty spurred by an internal review prompted USA Technologies stock to post its worst month in more than a decade.
The e-signature specialist has seen sharp declines despite posting solid earnings results last month.
The camera company's stock enjoyed a double-digit bounce on a positive report by an analyst, but shares are still down roughly 75% over the last three years.
The online retail revolution is still young, and these e-commerce platform providers could be long-term winners.
Looking for high-quality growth investments? These three stocks could deliver in big ways.


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Ford is taking evasive action, becoming the fourth automaker to scrap Takata airbag inflators. Honda, Toyota and Nissan did the same earlier, following a disastrous round of nearly 20 million recalls attributed to the inflators, which can fling shrapnel-like shards of metal into the passenger compartment.
“Ford Motor Company products currently in development will not be equipped with Takata airbag inflators that use ammonium nitrate,” Ford spokeswoman Kelli Felker said in a prepared statement, Automotive News reported.
Ford has recalled about 1.5 million vehicles, including Mustangs and Ranger pickups, that contain the troubled part, blamed for at least eight deaths and hundreds of injuries.
Felker said the company may continue to buy other parts from Takata, which also makes seat belts.
Takata has agreed to pay a $70 million fine imposed by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It is liable for an additional $130 million if it is found to violate its consent order with NHTSA or violates other safety laws.
Despite the expense and excitement the recalls stirred up, the actual pace of the attempt to recall and replace the faulty inflators is not exactly neck-snapping.
Of the 23.4 million inflators recalled on 19.2 million vehicles sold by 12 automakers, it's estimated that only 22.5% had been replaced by Oct. 9, the Detroit Free Press reported.
The delays are blamed mostly on the sheer number of recalls, a shortage of replacement parts, and the complexity of the procedure.


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The University of Essex is bringing together pioneering Essex researchers on Wednesday 14 July 2021 from 10am to 12.30pm to provide cutting-edge insight from industry thought leaders as they unpack some of the latest trends and challenges in logistics and supply chain innovation.
The University explain: "We’re building an ecosystem of ambitious logistics and supply chain partners to collaborate and innovate with. Come and join us to hear how accessible project funding is when you work in partnership with Essex.
"We’ll be welcoming three expert industry speakers alongside University of Essex academics, as they explore leadership, change and innovation in logistics and supply chain management across industry sectors."
Alan Shaoul, Chief Financial Officer at DP World UK
Trevor Scott, Managing Director at Simarco International
Michele Tedaldi, Sales and Marketing Manager at Returnloads.net
Professor Niraj Kumar, Strategy, Operations and Entrepreneurship Professor at Essex Business School, University of Essex
Professor Matthew Allen, Strategy, Operations and Entrepreneurship Professor at Essex Business School, University of Essex
Dr James Fowler, Management and Marketing Lecturer at Essex Business School, University of Essex
Dr Shabneez Bhankaraully, Strategy, Operations and Entrepreneurship Lecturer at Essex Business School, University of Essex
Dr Xinan Yang, Reader for the Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Essex
Joshua Arrowsmith, KTP Associate at The Finishing Line


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Comments on: CSR Unveils Enhanced Data Rate Bluetooth Chips
CSR PLC today launched a fourth generation of its Bluetooth silicon, designed for Enhanced Data Rate (EDR) Bluetooth. The new chips will deliver data rates three-times faster than current v1.2 Bluetooth devices, with lower power consumption and backwards compatibility.
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India is slowly catching up with the need for staying connected always. Recognising this need for Internet-on-the-go, Tata Docomo is focusing and working towards providing Wi-Fi services in public places. It aims to be a leader in promoting the concept of ‘Smart Lifestyles’ in the country. We spoke to Avinash Gabriel, COO-Wi-Fi Business at Tata Teleservices to get an understanding about various aspects of public Wi-Fi services. Find the conversation below:
Early last month Tata Docomo launched free Wi-Fi in partnership with Delhi Municipal council? How is the implementation so far?
Response- The provision of public Wi-Fi access at Connaught Place has been a fulfilling experience for us at Tata Docomo. The partnership with NDMC has been truly supportive – finding solutions to unique connectivity challenges associated with the large spread of the CP area. From the impromptu live streaming of video at the launch ceremony by Smt. Meenakshi Lekhi, Member of Parliament, to the heartening response we are receiving from early adopters; the experience of establishing public Wi-Fi services at CP has been encouraging.
Do you see a rise in the demand of public Wi-Fi services? What is driving this demand?
Response- According to a report by market research company Informa Telecoms and Media, public Wi-Fi hotspot numbers are set to grow from 1.3 to 5.8 million globally in the next four years.
The recent explosion of data usage coupled with affordable mobile devices leading to the desire of constant connectivity is the main drivers of public Wi-Fi services. With over 2.4 billion Internet users across the world, of which nearly 1.5 billion access the Internet through mobile devices either as a primary or a supplementary device; studies have indicated that globally 70 percent of smartphone traffic rides on Wi-Fi.
Due to this millennial attitude of being constantly connected, the generation supersedes all expectations when it comes to sharing and using the internet. The world’s ‘exhibitionist’ class; everything is shared, endorsement and validation is actively sought for – virtually – every activity for the millennial generation.
Driven by these changing trends of a whole new customer experience enabled by ubiquitous mobility and constant connectivity, the demand for public Wi-Fi services is showing a steady rise.
What kind of potential do you see for public Wi-Fi services in India?
Response- While globally public Wi-Fi services have been at a steady rise, it is still at a nascent stage in India. However, the signs of the growing penetration of public Wi-Fi services across the country have been promising. Of the 160+ million Internet users in India, 86 million access Internet using their mobile devices.2 Mobility is driving the desire for internet-on-the-go, a demand that is fulfilled largely by public Wi-Fi services. Moreover, with Wi-Fi airwaves being freely available, public Wi-Fi is an alternate proposition for connecting to the internet. The millennials happen to be the largest generation alive today, 1.8 billion globally (out of 7 billion world population) and will comprise of 75 percent of the workforce by 2025 ; making this generation an important point of focus for all business operations in the world while also making concepts like sharing, which are part of their DNA, unavoidable. Presently, 71% of smartphone users in India use Wi-Fi services to access data and these numbers will only grow in the coming years. Recognizing these changing trends, we at Tata Docomo constantly endeavor to provide services to fulfill the changing requirements of customers.
How secure it is to use public Wi-Fi?
Response- As a reliable provider of public Wi-Fi services, one of the main concerns is data security. While any customer can access the Internet via Tata Docomo’s public Wi-Fi hotspots, the company has to ensure that this access to the Internet is in a safe and secure manner without any misuse of the services.
This is where the need for customers to provide their contact details while signing up to access Tata Docomo’s public Wi-Fi services comes into play. One has to provide details such as name and contact number to complete the registration process post which one can avail of the services. This allows for a high level of security to be provided while customers use public Wi-Fi services.
When users signup for free Wi-Fi, data like their phone number and email id is collected. How is this data used?
Response- When users first latch-on to the Tata Docomo public Wi-Fi network, they have to provide their details such as name and contact number to complete the registration process. Post successful registration, customers will receive a one-time password (OTP) that will allow them to latch-on to Tata Docomo’s public Wi-Fi services to access data.
When a repeat customer latches-on to the service at a later date, one will not have to register again but simply receive a new OTP and be able to use the public Wi-Fi services seamlessly.
How dependable is public Wi-Fi? What kind of speed one can expect during peak hours?
Response- Tata Docomo offers public Wi-Fi speeds starting from 512kbps up to 10 Mbps.
From establishing strong signal strength to maintaining constant high speeds, it is the continuous endeavour of Tata Docomo to provide customers’ with a quality data experience that not only satisfies their data connectivity needs but also delights them even during peak hours.
How do you monetise the Public Wi-Fi services and what are the revenue models?
Response- Public Wi-Fi hotspots are slowly emerging as one of the most preferred services for data access for on-the-move customers on their mobile devices.
Apart from the traditional revenue generation model of paid usage beyond the first 20 minutes, Tata Docomo is also exploring alternative revenue streams by offering value added services to its customers.
Do you see a shift in strategy, earlier the focus was on providing Wi-Fi at events and now it has moved to providing Wi-Fi at public places?
Response- Events and Wi-Fi access at public spaces are complimentary. They are both being fuelled by the millennial generation’s growing need for hyper connectivity. Wi-Fi is the “new oxygen” for millennials and we will continue to deliver to satisfy this need of theirs.
Our installation of public Wi-Fi services at events such as the Auto Expo Motor Show in February 2014 and the Chinnaswamy Stadium for the Royal Challenger’s Bangalore in May this year are complemented by our Wi-Fi implementation at some India’s most emblematic including Wankhede stadium in Mumbai, Indira Gandhi International Airport and Chinnaswamy Stadium.
How is the competition in this field? What innovations do you bring in to outdo competition?
Response- Supported by the company’s wholly-owned national fiber backbone, Tata Docomo is one of India’s leading Wi-Fi service provider. Tata DoCoMo’s Wi-Fi provisioning has also helped to connect some of India’s most emblematic public spaces, including Wankhede stadium in Mumbai, Indira Gandhi International Airport and Chinnaswamy Stadium.
In addition to infrastructure, Tata Docomo delivers support services, security and a range of revenue models and value-added services to support these Wi-Fi zones in anticipation of the exponential growth of Internet usage on the back of year-on-year doubling of smartphone devices in India.
If you look at different verticals including hotels, retail chains, airports etc., are the implementations similar or do they throw different challenges?
Response- While the basic requirements in establishing public Wi-Fi services are similar across different verticals, the differences in the details arise due to varying factors such as location, layout, regulations, footfall, peak load and expected user internet behaviour. Every location is unique.
In terms of future plans, what are the other verticals that you are planning to expand public Wi-Fi services into?
Response- Currently, Tata Docomo has Wi-Fi hotspots at footfall-heavy areas such as airports, retail chains and malls across India. We have aggressive hotspot acquisition plan across the country in coming years given the increase in Wi-Fi enabled devices and data usage.


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Before the start of the fall term at Cornell University, Prof. Joan Piggott is expected to drop off at the university bookstore revisions to "Readings in Classical Japanese History," the text for one of the courses she teaches.
The volume, which was 353 pages long for the fall term last year (but may well be longer -- or shorter -- this fall), is an example of a growing phenomenon on college campuses. Standard texts are being supplemented or replaced by custom books -- usually assembled from chapters of academic texts and articles from scholarly journals and the popular press.
Professors have long used photocopied materials to supplement textbooks. But plateless short-run printing -- which came into being in recent years with the development of high-speed digital printers and ancillary equipment like scanners and mass data storage devices -- is beginning to nudge textbooks aside, to the consternation of some publishers. Indeed, the custom book, or course pack, is the only text Professor Piggott uses in her class.
With a digital printer like the Docutech machine from the Xerox Corporation or the Lionhearted model from the Eastman Kodak Company, books can be produced as needed, with press runs ranging from a single copy on up. Digitization therefore reduces waste. This is a big deal to college bookstores, because standard textbooks can be returned to publishers for credit, but every unsold course pack means a loss of the costs of its production.
With digital technology, the often cumbersome process of securing copyright permission and making royalty payments is also being simplified. Xerox, the hardware leader in the college custom publishing market, has developed Packbuilder. This software keeps track of copyrighted material, generates permission letters and calculates the payments owed.Continue reading the main story
Managers of the Cornell bookstore say that with digital storage, which is part of the system, revising Professor Piggott's textbook will be easy. Last year's version has been stored on optical platters, which resemble big compact disks, in a jukebox-style storage device. New material can be scanned and added to the files and unwanted sections deleted.
Another advantage to digitizing the basic material is that this allows print center operators to clean up documents that may be third or fourth generation copies.
If Professor Piggott's Japanese history class has 30 students registered to attend, the bookstore will print the pages for 25 to 27 course packs on its Docutech. The machine, which costs about $250,000, will print 135 pages a minute, collate and bind them and attach paperback covers.
The books are priced at $32.85 each, which is typical for course packs. If they all sell but there is more demand, additional copies can be produced within 48 hours. By contrast, in offset printing, reprints are an expensive proposition. Metal plates have to be remounted at huge labor and time costs, making press runs of fewer than several thousand economically unfeasible.
For the moment, course packs do not have four-color illustrations; full-color machines are too slow for production work, producing about seven pages a minute. And the quality of printing does not match that of traditional presses, although digital printers can sometimes produce custom books that are indistinguishable from standard ones.
This fall, though, the Cornell bookstore will stock 350 custom titles along with 4,500 traditional ones.
"This whole thing is being driven by the faculty and endorsed by the students," said Richard W. McDaniel, director of Cornell Business Services, which runs the university bookstore. He noted that the content of courses has been changing more rapidly than in the past, and traditional textbooks have not kept pace.
Mr. McDaniel, a former president of the National Association of College Stores, said sales of traditional texts have been dropping for the last three years, while the use of course packs has been rising.
"Not only have sales been declining, but utilization has been declining as well," Mr. McDaniel said. "If there are 30 chapters in a book, a professor might assign 15 to be read and test on even less, which is what is relevant to students."
Course packs are now so popular on the nation's campuses that, according to a study commissioned by the higher education division of the Association of American Publishers, sales of such books during the past academic year were 32 percent higher than the year before. The study, which was released in June, also found that custom books accounted for about 4 percent of the $2-billion-a-year textbook business.
Right now, said Bernard J. Hayden, director of management information services at Yale University, "the biggest problem we face is copyright."
There is the problem of royalty fees. Publishers have increased the royalty fee for copyright material from less than 5 cents a page to 7 cents. (For a traditional textbook, the total production cost is about 12 cents a page.)
In addition, for every copyrighted chapter or journal article in a course pack, the bookstore or print shop must send a letter or fax seeking reprint permission from the copyright holder or agent as well as information on the per page cost. Then the bookstore or print shop must keep track of the number of course packs sold, calculate the royalty and send payment.
The Packbuilder software from Xerox, which has a list price of $2,500, is intended to ease the administrative burden.
"The whole idea is to see that publishers get paid with as little overhead as possible," said Glenn Alexander, manager of education industry marketing at Xerox. To make it unnecessary for custom printers to ask for reprint permission or cost, Xerox is working to incorporate in Packbuilder a list of publishers' requirements that will essentially serve as preapproval.
Meanwhile, the proliferation of custom books would seem to be a pleasant development for publishers, which are getting paid for material that was often copied in the past without any regard for copyright infringement.
"This is mostly found money for the publishers," noted Mr. Hayden of Yale. For example, $13.70 in royalty payments were built into the $32.85 price of last year's edition of "Readings in Classical Japanese History."
According to the recent study conducted for the publishers association, about 15 percent of the material in course packs was from the standard introductory textbooks that are at the heart of the college publishing industry. The study reviewed more than 2,000 course packs, standard textbooks and laboratory manuals used on 41 campuses, ranging from large research universities to small liberal arts colleges.
But the use in some instances of as much as 50 percent of standard textbooks has roiled the textbook industry. Publishers will usually allow the reproduction of 10 to 20 percent of a text at a reasonable rate. They suggest that people using 50 percent or more should buy the book.Continue reading the main story


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1165 North Clark Satreet
Chicago , IL 60610 US
As Seen In Modern Machine Shop
Orderfox Platform Now Free of Charge
As companies across all industry supply chains are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Orderfox offers its digital marketplace for the CNC industry free of charge.
Metalworking News of Note: November 2019
Orderfox.com adds an RFQ service for its users, Sandvik Coromant begins construction on new tech center in North Carolina, and other news from the metalworking industry.
Orderfox.com Launches Free RFQ Service
The service takes a “hands-off” approach, providing management and feedback services for the user.
Industry News of Note: May 2019
NIMS partners with Festo to develop Industry 4.0 skill credentials, an annual Siemens event now invites non-users, and more industry news.
Orderfox Collaborates with CNC Jobs Inc. to Launch Career Center
The Career Center is meant to increase the ability of companies to find qualified people to fill vacant positions within their companies.
Orderfox Launches Career Network on Site
The career center feature is expected to encourage members and potential applicants to post and apply to jobs in the CNC industry and manufacturing sectors.
Celeritive Technologies Joins Orderfox.com as Strategic Partner
As part of the partnership, new registrants to Orderfox.com can use a promo code to get a free year-long license to VoluMill Nexion Essentials CAM software.
Manufacturing News of Note: August 2018
Shop tours during IMTS, a pre-show tool grinding contest and other industry news.
Orderfox.com Launches Machinery Exchange Feature
Orderfox.com’s Machinery Exchange feature enables members to research, advertise or buy CNC metal or woodworking machines from the free online platform.
Manufacturing News of Note: July 2018
Successful tests of computer-aided manufacturing with barrel-nose cutters, Siemens PLM switches to new distribution regime for NX software and other industry news.
Orderfox.com, Autodesk Collaborate on Integrated Software
The collaboration allows Autodesk CAD users to use Orderfox.com from within the software.
Orderfox.com Launches New Website Features
The website now includes a global event calendar with information on trade shows and events, and a Knowledge and Trends section with trade press articles, research and industry information.
Orderfox.com Launches Website Tailored to United States
The move is part of an effort to “localize” the platform to meet the specific linguistic, market and measuring system differences between the various countries in which its users are based.
Online Marketplace Helps Shops Stay at Maximum Capacity
Orderfox.com provides a global database connecting buyers and sellers of CNC machining services.
Orderfox.com Helps Shops Compete in an Online Marketplace
Orderfox.com is an online platform for the CNC industry, connecting CNC manufacturers, buyers and their suppliers on a global scale.


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The Swiss-headquartered multinational flavour house has updated its proprietary trendscaping tool, developed over 15 years ago to help food manufacturing make sense of the ever-evolving landscape.
Working with consumer insight agency Canvas8 for the first time, Givaudan’s 2023 FlavourVision report has identified five consumer macro trends that have the potential to turn market disruption into opportunities.
As the benchmark consumer trend platform in the industry, the FlavourVision update serves as a tool to help producers decipher and understand how consumer behaviours and product development may be affected.
The report is founded on over 70 global drivers of change based on data from 33,000 consumers in 25 markets articulating changes in society, politics, economics, environment and technology and their implications for consumer attitudes and behaviours.
In addition to gathering data from around the globe, the 2023 release draws on the expertise of five trend ambassadors from outside the world of food and beverage.
Each macro trend was analysed, explored and developed by an expert using their specific experience within the fields of design, anthropology, futurology, holistic-wellbeing, sustainability and sensorial research. To ensure relevancy, the macro-trends were then validated and futureproofed with the help of experts and futurists from the F&B industry.
The top five trends of tomorrow
The company’s research identified five key trends driving developments in food and beverages:
Green for me
Consumers are rapidly turning to eco-actions that feel personal and relevant, and products that deliver on the promise of ‘better’ - in terms of cost, convenience, quality and sustainability - are gaining traction.
Greater knowledge and declining trust in traditional healthcare institutions means people are looking for holistic and personalised health and wellness solutions. They are adopting a more intuitive approach to their health.
With global distrust and instability, people are finding comfort in familiarity - whether that’s in localised identifies, ideas of the past or digital connections. They are looking for a sense of stability and continuity and are leaning on hyper-local and me-first mindsets.
Consumers want to ‘feel’ more and, as such, are seeking out products that will expand the boundaries of what is expected and possible. They want multi-sensory, immersive experiences that provide a sense of escapism or greater engagement.
Developed in consultation with cyborg anthropologist Amber Case - one of the most influential women in technology - this trend details the many ways consumers are seeking to leverage technology to help navigate the frenetic demands of daily life. They are looking for proactive and personalised digital tools that will optimise life in creative and convenient ways.
Depth of insight
The other experts drafted by Givaudan for the 2023 FlavourVision report were Julia Scott (integrative health) - noted for her insight in the BBC’s documentary series on the future of food and health, called ‘Follow the Food’; Dr Patsy Ramirez-Arroyo (sustainability and eco-food trends); sensorial specialist Dr Barry Smith and design consultant and consumer trend practitioner Xiaojing Huang.
“This new edition builds on the success we’ve had with the FlavourVision programme since it was established over 15 years ago,” said Thomas Ullram, global marketing director at Givaudan Taste & Wellbeing.
“The depth of insight in this new update is remarkable and provides such valuable knowledge that will really help in co-creating innovative food experiences.
“A culmination of extensive global research, data analysis, and vast expertise, FlavourVision acts as a guiding light for partners and customers, empowering them to transform confusion and disruption into certainty and opportunity in line with consumer needs and desires.”
Using these insights, Givaudan works closely with customers to turn vision into reality, decoding the trends and drawing on the latest ingredients and taste technologies to generate successful innovations that connect with consumers and their evolving needs.


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There’s officially a new taco spot in town: The Taco Stand. This California-based eatery has brought its Baja-inspired fare to Wynwood, where guests can enjoy tacos, burritos, quesadillas and other appetizing bites to satisfy their Mexican food cravings.
February 16, 2018
Each Friday, we compile South Florida food-related news and events that we couldn’t fit on the site earlier in the week, as well as other local news that piques our interest. Want to be included in next week’s roundup? Shoot us an email at firstname.lastname@example.org.
Here’s your weekly dose of nom.


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Aid, but no comfort
Reduced food aid to Africa is a positive, but limited, step
By The Economist | WASHINGTON
One suspects that if a foreign government heavily subsidised one of its domestic industries, shipped the output of that industry to America where it was sold at rock bottom prices in markets that struggled to produce similar products, and called such behaviour charity, then the American government might be inclined to disagree. Yet for years, American agribusiness interests have argued that the heavy subsidies received by growers are wonderful intruments of humanitarian aid, providing as they do millions of tons of cheap agricultural products to struggling economies in Africa.
Now, according to the New York Times, some charitable organizations are looking to stop participating in programs delivering American surplus product to poor nations, due to fears that the flow of cheap goods has undermined progess in African agricultural economies. Despite the fact that sales of the subsidised food net the charity some $45 million annually--money typically plowed back into efforts to promote entrepreneurship in the developing nations--the humanitarian organization CARE has decided to cease its involvement in such sales. And rightly so; it seems bizarre to sell cheap food into an economy and then use the proceeds from the sale to help local growers find ways to compete against the cheap imports.
But while a shift in charitable strategies (and a reduction in American farm subsidies) could prove beneficial for African nations, it won't solve the deeper issues involved in African poverty. Subsidised food imports should make African workers even cheaper than they already would have been, improving the competitiveness of African exports on world markets--if only African export industries were at all functional. As long as institutional weaknesses prevent developing nations in Africa from turning their cost advantages into sustained growth, changes in aid strategies can only do so much.
Many children are still persecuted as alleged witches in Africa for similar reasons
The bloc of big emerging economies is surprisingly good at keeping its promises
Whether a sudden sharp decline in asset prices amounts to a meaningless blip or something more depends on mass psychology


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How did Clicks – and so many other brands – get it so wrong?
In the aftermath of the Clicks hair product advertisement debacle, one of the biggest questions is how and why do such adverts keep happening, and how can this be stopped?
South Africans were outraged when retailer Clicks, on its website, showed a TRESemmé advert depicting a white woman’s hair as “fine & flat” and “normal” while a black woman’s hair was described as “dry & damaged” and “frizzy & dull”. How did one of South Africa’s biggest retailers get it so wrong?
“Representation is important and it matters … Black women have been subjected to European aesthetics of beauty for centuries,” said Nelisa Ngqulana, the managing director of PR Trendz ZA.
“We are now in a moment where African beauty in all its forms has its rightful places … For a brand that sells to black women to not know that, portrays a sense of tone-deafness and disrespect for the dignity of black people,” Ngqulana told Daily Maverick.
When asked about the impact of the images, Ngqulana said that, “They take us back. They put us in a position where we must constantly explain ourselves and why we deserve respect … We shouldn’t have to be subjected to this. It is not our place to constantly educate.”
Soon after the outrage started on social media, Clicks issued a statement on 4 September: “We would like to issue an unequivocal apology. We have acted swiftly to remove the images, which go against everything we believe in at Clicks. We do not condone racism of any sort and are strong advocates of natural hair,” the statement (published on social media) read.
Over the past few days, a senior executive responsible for the advert has resigned, while the other individuals who were on the team from Clicks have been suspended and are awaiting disciplinary action.
All this while the EFF has protested at Clicks stores nationwide. The company has been locked in meetings with the political party over the images. In the aftermath, Clicks has removed the TRESemmé range from its shelves and has committed to replace it with locally sourced hair products.
On 8 September, Clicks wrote in a statement: “In addition, Clicks has been involved in extensive discussions with the departments of Labour and Trade and Industry over the past few days and will be working closely with them to help develop the local beauty market in South Africa.”
TRESemmé and its parent company, Unilever, have since apologised, and the Shoprite Group (Shoprite and Checkers), Dis-Chem, Woolworths and Pick n Pay have all removed TRESemmé products.
Clicks is but one of a number of companies berated for poor representation.
In 2018, the popular Swedish clothing brand H&M apologised after pictures showed a black boy wearing a T-shirt that read “coolest monkey in the zoo”. In South Africa, the EFF took offence to this, labelling it as racist, and protests turned violent at stores. At the time, branding and advertising expert Thebe Ikalafeng told News24 the ad was unacceptable as the word ‘monkey’ had been used against black people “derogatively to dehumanise them”. H&M issued an apology and said, “We agree with all the criticism that this has generated – we have got this wrong and we agree that, even if unintentional, passive or casual racism needs to be eradicated wherever it exists.”
Retailer #HM has apologized for using a black child to model a hoody with the slogan #coolestmonkeyinthejungle after it was accused of racism. Social media users pointed out that white children were used to model 2 other tops from the same line. The top is still available online pic.twitter.com/NoRavnBunr
— Voice of the Cape (@VOCfm) January 9, 2018
In 2017, beauty brand Dove came under fire. The brand (coincidentally also owned by Unilever), released a marketing campaign showing a black woman “turning herself white” after using Dove Body Wash. The social media advert showed Lola Ogunyemi, a dark-skinned model, taking off her shirt to reveal a white woman underneath.
The advert received global backlash, with Dove offering what many considered as a frivolous apology: “An image we recently posted on Facebook missed the mark in representing women of colour thoughtfully. We deeply regret the offence it caused.”
The ad was swiftly taken down. This wasn’t the first time Dove had missed the mark. In 2011, a print advert for another body wash product showed three women standing in front of “before” and “after” boards: the black woman was the “before”, the white woman was the “after”.
Popular alcohol brand Savanna came under fire in August 2020 for an advertisement that didn’t feature black women, although they are considered Savanna’s primary consumers. The brand quickly responded with this tweet:
— SavannaCider (@SavannaCider) August 27, 2020
Savanna apologised quite quickly and replaced the advertisement with a new one.
Gail Schimmel, CEO of the Advertising Regulatory Board, told Daily Maverick the board had received 10 complaints about the Clicks website advert.
“The Advertising Regulatory Board has as its primary purpose the protection of consumers. To that end, when we find that an advertisement is misleading or offensive, we will order the advertiser to remove the advertisement to prevent future harm. Providing they cooperate, we do not issue further sanctions,” said Schimmel.
She told Daily Maverick that because Clicks had removed the advert, issued an apology and taken steps to address the problem, “there is therefore no need for the Advertising Regulatory Board to intervene further, as the advertisement is no longer running and we would not be in a position to issue further sanctions”.
Schimmel said, “I … think the sheer stupidity of the ad has outraged people – it is so clearly a case of thoughtlessness, perpetuated by a team of people.”
When asked if there could be any changes made in the advertising industry, Schimmel said, “From our perspective, we are looking at what training we can do on what the rules actually are. I feel strongly that knowing the rules – knowing that there are actual rules about this sort of thing – will empower people to speak up and to stand up when ads make them feel uncomfortable at the conception stages.”
Bongani Gosa, the creative director of BWD advertising agency, said clients need to hold advertising companies accountable for diversity and representation. Gosa is part of Black Agencies, a directory where potential clients can seek out black-owned and black-run agencies in South Africa. The directory lists black-owned or black-run agencies that have more than five full-time employees and contactable details. It also provides information and support to these, whether through potential projects or teaming up for bigger joint projects.
He said in the recent Nikon case, where the camera brand ran an advert featuring a predominantly white set of influencers, bar one black influencer, Gosa and other creatives went to the company and told them Nikon would be boycotted until the issue was resolved.
Read in Sunday Times: Black creatives call for boycott of Nikon over lack of diversity in new campaign
“One of the other guys who met up with the CEO spoke to the CEO and told him that this is wrong and the issue was fixed,” said Gosa, adding, “we tackle these issues as they arise.” Gosa said these issues, like the Clicks one, arise when power is not transformed properly – where black people are juniors in advertising and marketing firms, but at top level, executive decision-making remains with white people.
Weighing in on the topic, creative consultant and former executive creative director at Hero Marketing, Jabulani Sigege, said effective diversity lies in ensuring that all voices are listened to: “If their presence isn’t properly acknowledged or they’ve been placed there for the wrong reasons, then what is the point?”
When asked if marketing and advertising executive agencies are unable to detect that they have humiliated or offended black people, Gosa said, “You’ve seen gogos with sunglasses for MAQ [a popular washing powder brand], people dancing for pap … It happens all the time, when black people are made to look stupid.”
Gosa added that, “advertising has been predominantly white, but over time, things have been slowly changing”.
He said that while there has been transformation in the industry, there has been resistance, but admitted there was a “lack of will to transform the industry because remember, transformation needs to be led if we have to be frank and honest”.
Gosa said transformation needed to be led from the client’s side – asking if there are black senior executives at agencies and also, within their own companies. “You are giving power and control to the agency, and also you are almost forcing the agency to transform. If you don’t do that, then nothing changes.”
Regarding the effect of poor transformation on black women, Ngqulana said, “Black women are often invisible in boardrooms. Meaning that we may sometimes be present around the table, however, our voices aren’t heard or taken seriously.” DM


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Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) the parent company of leading search engine Google has been slapped with a 207 billion won ($176.64 million) fine by South Korea’s antitrust regulator, Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) for blocking the customized version of Android Operating System which it also owns.
KFTC claims that according to the contract terms between Google and smart devices manufacturers, this act amounted to abuse of Google’s market dominance position which restricted competition in the smartphone operating system market.
“The Korea Fair Trade Commission’s decision is meaningful in a way that it provides an opportunity to restore future competitive pressure in the mobile OS and app market markets,” said KFTC’s chairperson, Joh Sung-wook.
In its response, Google said it will its planning to appeal the ruling by the commission faulting the commission for ignoring benefits offered by the compatibility of the Android OS with other programs. Google also accuses the commission of overlooking advantages enjoyed by consumers.
The commission further banned Google from forcing device manufacturers to sign anti-fragmentation agreement (AFA) allowing the manufacturers to adopt modified versions of Android OS on their devices.


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Disney's D23 fan club has just soft launched its new app.
The app, which is available now for free download on the Apple App Store and on Google Play, offers a calendar of upcoming D23 events, plus stories from the D23 magazine and every episode of the D23 Inside Disney podcast, which drops new episodes weekly.
But the biggest advantage for fans might be the app's ability to deliver push notifications about tickets going on sale for D23 events. With some of these events selling out quickly, getting immediate word when tickets are available can make the difference between getting in and having to sit out.
Other app-exclusive features include a digital membership card for D23 club members and a "D23 Fan Cam" that can add Disney stickers to your digital photos.
The next big D23 event is the sold-out Destination D23 at the Walt Disney World Resort on November 19-21 which will celebrate 50 years of Disney World while also looking ahead to upcoming projects at the Disney Parks worldwide, which will be announced by Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Josh D’Amaro. Other recent events for D23 Gold Members have included a preview of the new Remy's Ratatouille Adventure ride at Epcot and movie premieres at the historic El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood.
The D23 app is available at the following links: App Store and Google Play.
Other official Disney apps of use to theme park fans include the official Walt Disney World "My Disney Experience" and Disneyland apps, as well as the Play Disney Parks app, which is required for interactive experiences inside the Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge land as well as the upcoming Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser at Walt Disney World.
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Disney has inexplicably region-locked this app. I’m in New Zealand and it’s not available in the App Store here. So dumb.
D23 went US only 3 years ago. It was too much of a hassle for them to have it internationally.
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Until D23 goes back to full force, it’s not worth it being a member at the moment. The appeal of D23 were the tours, screenings, Halloween and Christmas parties at the Disney Lot, lunch with Disney legends, a priority access to panels at D23 Expo. But since the last 2 years put a stop to it, it’s not worth paying over $100 for it.


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Micro Focus posted better than expected results as it pressed on with reshaping its business two years after its troubled deal to buy Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s (HPE) software arm.
The Newbury-based software company, Britain's second largest listed tech firm, aimed to ease investor concerns that teething troubles over the $8.8bn (£6.9bn) deal were coming to an end.
Micro Focus posted a 12-month revenue decline of 5.3pc, slightly better than estimates. In its full-year results, the company said it would extend a $400m share buy back programme by another $110m. Shares jumped 11pc on the announcement.
Despite the bumper deal for HPE's software assets in 2017, Micro Focus endured a difficult 12...
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Grasshopper Manufacture's upcoming game, PlayStation 4-exclusive action-survival title Let It Die, will be free-to-play and completely online, according to CEO Goichi Suda.
While Suda could not reveal details about the game's premise, plot or objectives, he did say that players will take on the role of the nude man who features prominently in the game's announcement trailer (above). Starting out as a man in his underwear wearing a gas mask, players will have to find their enemies, beat them up and take their weapons and gear. Players can then put those items on themselves and "build" their character by collecting items from enemies.
Suda told Polygon the studio decided to take the game online to leverage its parent company's expertise in the field. Gungho Online Entertainment, the company best known for the Ragnarok series and mobile game Puzzle and Dragons, acquired Grasshopper Manufacture last year. Gungho's most successful titles are free-to-play. Suda said Let It Die's monetization strategy is yet to be determined, but the game will not be pay-to-win, and microtransactions will likely revolve around the game's items system.
Suda also said the game has to be online because when the player's character dies, the data from that character becomes part of a data pool from which new enemies are generated. "That player data becomes the enemy data," he said. "So you're basically going to be fighting against human data. They're going to look different, they're going to fight different, and it's going to be different every single time."
Let It Die will be a departure from previous Grasshopper games. According to Suda, this will be the first game from the "new" Grasshopper. This means instead of following the format of its past games, which all involved quirky lead characters who followed a path and fought boss battles, Let It Die will place greater emphasis on the game's online component. The game will still feature flamboyant characters, though, like the Grim Reaper on a skateboard.


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【Daily】2 Nov. Brief of Pak BizNews
KSE 100 46,974.78 ▲ 1.71%
KASB Tech Index 467.41 ▲ 2.67%
· The KSE 100 index skyrocketed to intra-day high of 47,252 points by midday over news reports on the potential resumption of the IMF program. However, the announcement of a surge in October’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) erased some of the gains and the market succumbed to profit booking as the investors pulled the market below the 47k level.
· The cement sector emerged as the top performer, contributing 151pts on expectations of strong earnings in light of rising cement prices and falling coal prices
· The technology sector topped the charts with a turnover of 129mn shares.
Jul-Oct trade deficit swells 104pc YoY
ISLAMABAD: The country's trade deficit has swelled by 104 percent to $ 15.525 billion during the first four months (July-October) 2021-22 from $ 7.617 billion in the corresponding period of financial year 2020-21.
July-October: Govt suffers around Rs203bn revenue loss on PL, GST
ISLAMABAD: Federal government has suffered a cumulative revenue loss of around Rs 203 billion on account of Petroleum Levy (PL) and general sales tax (GST) during the first four months (July-October) of financial year 2021-22.
Oct CPI inflation up 9.19pc YoY
ISLAMABAD: The Consumer Price Index (CPI) witnessed an increase of 9.2 percent on year-on-year basis in October 2021 as compared to an increase of nine percent in the previous month and 8.9 percent in October 2020, says the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
Completion of MEFP terms in IMF review: Deadlock on execution timeline remains a hurdle
ISLAMABAD: The deadlock on the timeline of implementing the qualitative and quantitative conditions contained in the Memorandum of Economic and Financial Policies (MEFP) remains a hurdle in the successful completion of the 6th review under the $6 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF).
Prices of domestic, commercial LPG cylinders increased
ISLAMABAD: The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) on Monday has raised the prices of domestic and commercial LPG cylinders by Rs 13 per kg for November when demand of the fuel increased manifold.
FFC wins award
RAWALPINDI: FFC won best Corporate Excellence Award in Fertilizer Sector for Seventh consecutive year as adjudged by Management Association of Pakistan (MAP). Brig Asrat Mahmood (Retd), the Company Secretary, and Syed Imran Rizvi, Head of Shares, received the award.
Xiaomi partners with Air Link to manufacture smartphones in Pakistan
In another boost to Pakistan's mobile phone manufacturing capability, Chinese giant Xiaomi has partnered with assembler and distributor Air Link Communication Limited to manufacture Xiaomi mobile phones in Pakistan.
Fourth successive gain: Pakistan's rupee closes at 171.29 against US dollar
Pakistan's rupee maintained its strength against the US dollar, appreciating for the fourth successive session to close at 171.29 in the inter-bank market on Monday.
Commodities and Currency: 1-Day Change


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Walmart looks to boost Jet.com with a big makeover—and partnership with Nike
Walmart is updating its Jet.com site with faster delivery, new merchandise offerings, more personalization and other enhancements as its looks to strengthen its defenses against Amazon.
The online retailer on Thursday debuted an updated website that features an array of new and improved offerings, with a shopping experience tailored to specific needs of urban areas, starting with New York City. (Jet will open a new fulfillment center in the Bronx this fall.). The changes are designed to expand Jet’s appeal to its target audience of affluent, urban-dwelling consumers.
“I’m personally thrilled with this evolution of Jet,” said Marc Lore, Jet founder, and president and CEO of Walmart eCommerce US. “It’s the next generation of shopping for city dwellers, and really brings the personality of their city and local favorites to life,” And, focusing Jet on customers in the major metro cities perfectly complements our overall e-commerce portfolio strategy.”
The changes include a bigger emphasis on localization. Starting with New York and rolling out to other major cities over time, Jet.com will feature iconic, localized imagery and messages on the home page and throughout the site. In addition, smarter product recommendations that prioritize shoppers’ preferences and timely re-order suggestions that predict needs to restock will provide more intelligent personalization. And iOS consumers will be able to use voice activation to build shopping lists on Jet’s mobile application.
Other changes include faster delivery. Most New York City customers will be able to arrange three-hour scheduled delivery windows for their groceries and other select merchandise. Upon checkout, customers will be able to add customized delivery instructions (e.g. “leave the package with the doorman”). Delivery will be offered through Parcel, the same-day, last-mile delivery company Walmart acquired in 2017.
Jet is also partnering with New York-based brands and small businesses to offer a more localized product assortment. New Yorkers, for instance, will be able to order local and craft beer for same-day and next-day delivery in the coming months.
NIKE: Jet also plans to add more brands to its site, including Nike. In October, Jet and Nike will partner to offer consumers Nike and Converse products in a fully branded experience. The initial assortment will include hundreds of products across apparel, footwear and accessories for men, women and children, including essentials for running, training and sportswear.
Jet was launched in 2015 and acquired by Walmart for $3.3 billion in 2016, Jet is the shopping destination for city consumers.
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Walmart expands last-mile delivery capabilities with new acquisition
Walmart is enhancing its online grocery delivery capabilities south of the border.
The purchase is intended to ramp up multi-platform capabilities in the region, and follows similar investments in China and Japan.
The discounter has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Cornershop, an online marketplace for on-demand delivery of food, health & wellness and packaged goods from supermarkets, pharmacies and specialty food retailers in Mexico and Chile, for $225 million.
Under the terms of the agreement, Cornershop will remain an open platform that will continue to deliver from a variety of retailers. Its three founders — Oskar Hjertonsson, CEO; Daniel Undurraga, COO; and Juan Pablo Cuevas, chief technology officer, and their teams — will continue to lead the business.
“Cornershop’s digital expertise, technology and capabilities will strengthen our successful businesses in Mexico and Chile and provide learning for other markets in which we operate,” said Judith McKenna, president and CEO of Walmart International. “Combining Cornershop’s innovative, crowdsourced delivery platform with Walmart’s unique assets will allow us to accelerate growth for both companies, delighting our customers by saving them both time and money.”
Closing of the transaction is subject to regulatory approval and is expected by the end of the year.
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Saudi Arabia: Inflation inches down in August
September 11, 2015
In August, consumer prices rose 0.38% over the previous month, which was slightly above the 0.30% increase registered in July. The monthly print mainly reflected higher prices for food and beverages, transport as well as for housing, water, electricity and gas.
Inflation came in at 2.1% in August, which was a notch below the 2.2% tallied in July. As a result of the declining trend observed since the end of 2014, inflation remains at historically low levels. Annual average inflation stabilized at July’s 2.3% in August, thereby remaining at the lowest rate since November 2006.


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COMPANY NEWS; LVMH BUYS 33% SHARE IN THE MICHAEL KORS FASHION HOUSE
Published: February 17, 1999
The Paris-based LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton S.A., the world's largest luxury goods company, said yesterday that it had bought 33 percent of the American fashion house Michael Kors L.L.C., but did not disclose the terms of the transaction. The remaining ownership will be shared in equal parts with the designer Michael Kors, co-president and artistic director of the fashion house, and the co-president and managing director, John Orchulli. LVMH has shown interest in acquiring Armani and Gucci Group.


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Electronic Arts (EA) will retrace its production to the world of Middle-earth after a hiatus of several years.
(Photo: Ian Forsyth/Getty Images)
SCARBOROUGH, ENGLAND – APRIL 09: A man dressed as Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings film queues at a cafe on the first day of the Scarborough Sci-Fi Weekend on April 09, 2022 in Scarborough, England.
“Next Big Thing”
The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth will be EA’s next big thing for its mobile platforms, the publisher announced on Monday. It will be a “collectible role-playing game” that is expected to roll out in a limited, regional beta test this summer.
Developed by EA Capital Games, production of the new mobile game will be based in Sacramento, California – which happens to be the same studio that created the highly successful mobile collectible RPG, Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes.
EA detailed on Monday that it has renewed a partnership with Middle-earth Enterprises; they will both be working on the Lord of the Rings mobile game with another company.
Malachi Boyle, Vice President of Mobile RPGs for Electronic Arts, said they were thrilled to partner with The Saul Zaentz Company and Middle-earth Enterprises to lead the next generation of mobile RPGs.
The VP also revealed that the team is made up of Lord of the Rings fans and The Hobbit to bring the magical world of JRR Tolkien into an immersive experience for players.
“The combination of high-fidelity graphics, cinematic animations and stylized art immerses players in the fantasy of Middle-earth where they will face off against their favorite characters,” she said in a statement with Business Wire.
Deeply inspired by their appreciation of the world of Tolkien, Middle-earth Enterprises said it will be dedicated to working with companies that create quality products that adhere to green and sustainable business practices such as equality, fair trade and d other ethical acts.
Also read: EA Sports NFT games could be coming as agency job postings mention blockchain and non-fungible tokens
“Conquering the Great Evils”
Heroes of Middle-earth will feature immersive storytelling, in-depth collection systems, turn-based combat, and a large roster of characters from across the worlds of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.
Players will have the chance to take an epic journey, encountering iconic stories from Tolkien’s literary works and the classic “conquer the great evils” lurking in Middle-earth.
It should be noted that EA has already released several Middle-earth games, such as The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers released in 2002, and The Lord of the Rings: Conquest in 2009, which was available for Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3, Windows. PCs and Xbox 360.
They also released the tower defense title of 2010’s The Lord of the Rings: Defense of Middle-earth.
In terms of mobile games, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment also created five of the last six Middle-earth games found on Android and iOs.
The official release date for the new game has yet to be announced.
Related article: EA Play now available for Xbox Game Pass PC Edition: what games could you play?
This article belongs to Tech Times
Written by Joaquin Victor Tacla
ⓒ 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.


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As I previously reported in October, CVS Health (NYSE: CVS – $71.02) said it has agreed to acquire Aetna, Inc. in a transaction valued at about $69 billion. Under the terms, CVS will acquire all of Aetna’s outstanding shares for a consideration of $207 per share, consisting of $145 in cash and 0.8378 CVS common share for each Aetna share. Including the assumption of Aetna’s debt, the total value of the transaction is $77 billion, the largest acquisition announcement this year. The pact pulls together two titans from opposite corners of the healthcare space. CVS has $178 billion in annual revenues via its drugstores and sizable pharmacy benefits management arm, while Aetna is the third-largest U.S. health insurer, with more than 22.2 million members and $63 billion in annual revenues. CVS said it expects “low- to mid-single digit accretion (to earnings)” in the second full year after the close of the transaction, and $750 million in near-term synergies. The deal is expected to close in the second half of 2018, subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals – which is far from certain – and other customary closing conditions. While clearly a vertical integration of two disparate companies, regulators will be combing through the details of this combination, especially since both companies are engaged in providing Part D Medicare benefits.
As part of the acquisition, CVS is planning to significantly expand health services at its retail pharmacies if the deal is completed. The move could save more than $1 billion annually in cutting back emergency room visits for Aetna’s 23 million members by directing them to CVS’s expanding MinuteClinic walk-in centers operating in 1,100 of the company’s 9,700 retail pharmacies. The collaboration should further extend into the community through CVS’s Omnicare’s senior/long-term care pharmacy solutions and Coram’s infusion services.
The shares of CVS are trading 4.7% lower on the news, as investors are concerned about the price being paid for Aetna and questioning the potential savings.CVS, along with its peers, are fighting drug pricing concerns and pending competition from Amazon.com, thus needing to find ways to stay ahead of the healthcare curve. Personally, I favor the deal and believe the shares, yielding 2.7%, are undervalued at 11 times estimated 2018 earnings of $6.34 per share. Positions in CVS Health can continue to be held for eventual long-term recovery.


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Speaking at the recent in-cosmetics Korea trade event, James Jangsuh Noh of the Korea Institute of Halal Industry outlined a proposal from Selangor State, Malaysia for a ‘Global Halal Hub’ to be set up in the country, in partnership with Korean beauty developers.
The idea, dubbed the Korean Halal CBC Park Project, would see the partnership develop specially designed facilities in a large manufacturing facility, intended to offer “value adding, packaging and rebranding facilities that will ensure a 24/7 halal assurance service and certification compliance”, according to the proposers of the project.
Noh suggests the Korea-Malaysia collaboration model could see Korea step forward on the global halal beauty stage, coming at a time when the trend is tipped to be a major driver of future beauty growth.
Malaysia, a muslim majority country, is already a dominant player when it comes to halal beauty in Asia: indeed, several of the key brands in the region are from the country, including Ivy and Simplysiti.
The relationship between Malaysia and Korea is already strong; of all the muslim majority countries to which Korea exports beauty, Malaysia is number one, taking 44% of Korean exports to Islamic countries. In general, Korean exports to Islamic countries have been on the rise, up 18% year on year in 2014, and 15% in 2015.
Speaking recently to Cosmetics Design, market analyst Kunal Mahajan from Kline explained the ongoing rise of halal beauty.
“As the economies of countries in Asia, which have sizeable Muslim populations, have grown, consumers, especially those who are Muslim, have started demanding higher quality products,” he said.
The officials in Selangor State have said that their proposed collaboration will encourage a closer and mutually beneficial relationship between Malaysia and Korea.
They note that it will offer “synergistic participation with various stakeholders within the HIS Trade Procurement Nexus, Information Repositories E-market Nexus and the Halal Technical Competent Person Platform Projects.”


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Sheepmeat exports from New Zealand during November 2015 reached their highest level for the month since 2000, according to AHDB.
Overall volumes shipped in the month were up nearly a quarter on the previous year at 27,400t, AHDB found.
This is the highest level shipped for November in 15 years.
Volumes to China were up by 19% at 10,200t, while shipments to the UK were up by 77% at 6,000t, it stated.
Much of this increase to the UK was due to higher shipments of lamb, with lamb volumes up 84% at 5,600t, AHDB stated, while shipments of mutton to the UK actually fell.
Sheepmeat exports to New Zealand’s third largest market, the US, were up by 12% at 2,048t, according to AHDB.
This leaves total shipments in the first two months of New Zealand’s lamb season at 48,000t – 20% up on the previous year.
Despite volumes of sheepmeat being higher in November, AHDB said that the average unit price actually fell by 4%, leaving the overall value of sheepmeat exported from New Zealand in November up 19% at NZ$221.3m.
Slaughterings have also been well up in the first two months of the season, with numbers of lambs slaughtered in November up 24% on the previous year at 1.6m head.
Slaughtering has been higher following drought conditions, particularly on the south island that have led to producers marketing their lambs earlier than normal, according to AHDB.
AHDB has said that this, combined with the already high stock levels, has driven prices in New Zealand lower.
These factors, along with weakness in the New Zealand Dollar, has increased the competitiveness of New Zealand product on the world market and therefore led to higher levels of exports.
However, with a smaller lamb crop reported in New Zealand, earlier slaughterings may lead to a tightening of supplies as we move into the second and third quarters of this year, it stated.


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BMW has revealed its fastest series-production BMW road car ever - the M4 GTS - will be priced at £121,770 OTR.
Limited to a production run of 700 cars, with only 30 coming to the UK, these M-badged cars deliver what BMW describe as 'the ultimate in sports-oriented design, power with efficiency and precise driving dynamics'. The M4 GTS is focused on track use, but meets all global regulations for use on public roads.
The fastest production road car the brand has ever offered to customers was developed and tested extensively at the Nurburgring, where it recorded a lap time of 7mins 28 secs - almost 30 seconds quicker than a standard M4. Engineered to provide an authentic motorsport-derived driving experience, agile and potent, BMW also says it offers precision handling and 'unprecedented levels' of feedback.
The German brand has added unique exterior design elements to 'demonstrate the performance credentials' of the car, which includes the world premiere of BMW's Organic Light with LED (OLED) lighting technology on a series-production model. Inside, the rear bench has been completely removed to save weight, leaving two front carbon-fibre sports seats.
Under the bonnet is an enhanced version of the 3.0-litre six-cylinder twin-turbo petrol engine, tuned to deliver 500hp. The result is a car which accelerates from 0 to 62mph in 3.8 seconds, and has a top speed limited to 190mph, while returning up to 34mpg on the combined cycle. With its lightweight design, the new BMW M4 GTS has a kerb weight of only 1,510kg.
The UK sales of 30 units equates to four per cent of the total, making Britain the fourth-largest market.
The M4 GTS will make its world debut at the Tokyo Motor Show on 28 October before production begins in March 2016, with launch scheduled for June 2016.


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Australian retail giant Coles Myer is determined that it will turn around its loss-making department stores after the company failed to improve on its reduced profit forecast.
The company has reported an annual net profit of A$353.8m (US$193.2m), which meets its previously stated forecast of $350m. The posted net profit is up 6% from the year earlier value.
Coles’ shares rose by 5% to their highest closing value in more than two months, after experiencing a 29% drop in value since February.
The company’s sales increased by 8.7% in the last year, to $25.5bn. Coles Myer is Australia’s largest retailer in terms of sales, but the company’s main rival in the Australian retail market, Woolworths, has been making up ground, closing the gap between the two retailers’ sales figures to just $1bn.
Coles Myer said its Kmart and Target discount stores are gradually improving, but its department stores remain the weak link in the chain. For the first time in five years, Kmart reported a sales increase and an expansion of its market share. It is hoped that Coles’ Myer Grace department store division will achieve a similar turnaround this year.
The problems of the company’s boardroom split still remain, with chairman Stan Wallis due to leave the company after the 20 November annual meeting. The board has yet to decide on Wallis’ successor, reported Reuters News.


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The global economic crisis that started in late 2008 has led to a sharp a short-term 20 percent decline in the value of global agricultural trade, according to a new report from the USDA’s Economic Research Service. After slowing, global agricultural trade will continue to grow in the future, according to the report. The crisis is leading to a realignment of exchange rates, and the ultimate resolution of the crisis will depend on adjustments in the exchange value of the U.S. dollar. The
The economic crisis is transforming the global financial system, according to ERS, and likely leading to a permanent restructuring of the international economy. In the short term, with negative growth in world gross domestic product, trade will decline and agriculture as a heavily trade-dependent sector will have to adjust accordingly.
The volume of global trade in 2009 will decline for the first time since 1982, according to projections from the World Bank. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects that the volume of goods imported by developed countries will decline by 3.1 percent this year and the emerging and developing countries will experience an unprecedented 1-percent decline in the volume of their exports.
These projections appear to be conservative, as current information indicates that the decline in the value of merchandise trade in the first quarter of 2009 is 20 percent or more according to the ERS report. The value of
The value of merchandise imports of the European Union, South Korea, Mexico, and the United States declined by 30 percent during the first several months of 2009 in comparison to the previous year.
The discrepancy between the IMF estimate of the percentage decline in trade and the reported declines in value of trade indicate that a substantial part of the decline in value is due to falling prices. This suggests that consumption is not falling as sharply as the decline in the value of trade.
Preliminary results show that there will be short-term declines in agricultural trade. This decline will result in lower agricultural prices and reduced farm incomes around the world.
The worsening of global economic conditions is also creating the potential for much more serious food-security challenges in traditionally food-insecure developing countries, as well as in some countries that have not experienced major food insecurity in recent years. Declines in export earnings for some countries as well as fewer remittances returning to those countries’ economies from their citizens working abroad are eroding purchasing power while food prices, despite declining agricultural commodity prices, remain higher than they were before the 2008 price spike.
Click here for the full report.


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Meta has introduced new AI-based features for image editing on Instagram, writes Engadget.
We’re talking about the new “restyle” and “backdrop” tools. The former resembles a powerful AI-based filter that allows you to modify existing photos and give them a different look. The second tool allows you to work with the background of an image.
It is not yet known when these AI tools will be introduced on the platform. But Meta indicates that this will happen soon. Posts created with the help of new features will have a corresponding informative mark. This will avoid confusion about the authorship of the content.
In addition to editing tools, the company showed new stickers that can be created using artificial intelligence. The option will be available on Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Facebook Stories. Users will be able to create them using text prompts.
By the way, Meta may offer users in Europe a paid subscription option on Facebook and Instagram that will be ad-free. This idea could be a way for the tech giant to avoid conflicts with European regulators over data privacy, as social media advertising is based on user data analysis.