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Hyundai to launch 4 new models in China amid sales slide
SEOUL, June 14 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Hyundai Motor Group said Wednesday it will launch four new models in China later this year to help revive sliding sales in the world's single largest automobile market.
Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp. the two flagships of the world's fifth largest automotive conglomerate by sales, have struggled with weaker sales in China since late last year due to the diplomatic row between the two countries over the deployment of an advanced U.S. anti-missile system in South Korea.
In the January-May period, Hyundai and Kia sold a combined 376,895 vehicles in China, down 43 percent from a year earlier.
If their sales continue to fall in the neighboring country, analysts expected they won't achieve this year's overall sales target of 8.25 million units. They sold 7.9 million last year globally.
In the second half, Hyundai plans to launch the all-new ix35 sport-utility vehicle, a localized model developed based on the Tucson SUV, and a new subcompact sedan in China, a company spokesman said.
Kia also plans to introduce the fully revamped K2 Cross compact SUV and the new Pegas subcompact sedan into the rapidly growing market later this year, he said.
In addition to the new cars, Hyundai said it will introduce the Chinese version of the latest Sonata sedan and an all-electric Elantra, sold as the Avante in South Korea, compact in the neighboring market.
Hyundai Motor Group is not only introducing new or upgraded models in China but also making extra efforts to revive sales in the world's most populous country.
Hyundai Motor has recently hired Volkswagen China's design director Simon Loasby, 49, in a move to better appeal to Chinese customers.
Loasby, an expert in the Chinese market, will join Hyundai as executive director this week and will lead the carmaker's design strategy and development in China, the spokesman said.
He is the latest designer scouted by Hyundai, following former Audi designer Peter Schreyer and former Volkswagen designer Luc Donckerwolke who joined in 2006 and 2015, respectively.
Moreover, Hyundai will work with Chinese technology giant Baidu, Inc. to develop a navigation system for its vehicles that will be sold there.
Hyundai and Baidu will jointly develop "Baidu MapAuto" and a voice recognition system called "Duer OS Auto" so the two systems can be incorporated in the carmaker's two new models to be launched in China later this year.
The carmaker didn't provide details about the two "connected" vehicles but said the systems will also be applied to upcoming models next year.
China is the biggest export market for Hyundai and Kia but their sales there have been hit hard by Seoul's decision to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system on its soil.
China has opposed the THAAD installation in South Korea as it claimed the battery system's powerful X-band radar system could spy on its military. Seoul has maintained the anti-missile system is aimed at countering missile threats from North Korea.
"The THAAD deployment is not an issue to be tackled by an individual company. But we will do whatever is possible to minimize the impact (of the row) and ride out the current hard times," the company's representative said.
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(6th LD) S. Korea successfully launches space rocket Nuri in major milestone for space program
N. Korea's aircraft maintenance activity at 'unusual' level: 38 North
(LEAD) Asiana Airlines plane's door opens right before landing at Daegu Airport
S. Korea to send delegation to Europe for talks on stronger economic, biz ties
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Man who opened plane door says he wanted to get off quickly: police
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(LEAD) S. Korea steps up diplomatic efforts to win U.N. Security Council seat
(LEAD) Man who opened plane door says he wanted to get off quickly: police
Court to question man who opened plane door mid-air


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Tesla TSLA shares have been on a downward spiral since the start of November and this week, the electric vehicle stock price broke through the psychological $200 mark for the first time in over 18 months.
The recent bear run has led analysts and investors into a Twitter-wide opinion battle over the future of the automaker led by Elon Musk.
On Tuesday, shares from the company crossed another psychological threshold: losing more than 50% in value since January.
Gary Black, managing partner at The Future Fund, summarized the ongoing “bulls vs. bears” battle to his almost 250,000 Twitter followers.
“What are institutions saying?” Black wrote.
1: “$TSLA looks cheap.”
This bullish thought is in line with most analyst ratings for the company. After Tesla released its third-quarter earnings report Oct. 19, every analyst picked up by Benzinga’s platform maintained their previous bullish rating.
While most analysts lowered their price target for the EV company, one-year projections released after the third-quarter call stayed between $300 and $355, far above Wednesday’s price.
2: “Positive revisions coming with big China 4Q,” Black said.
The fund manager is referring to a 5% price cut that Tesla announced for cars manufactured in its Chinese factory, which, according to Citi analyst Jeff Chung, has spilled over into cancellations for other competing EV makers in the Chinese market.
3: “2023 with Cytruck catalyst could be like 2020 with Model Y,” wrote Black.
Production for the Cybetruck — Tesla’s futuristic-looking, battery-powered, light-duty truck — will begin in mid-2023, and presales have already started. As the car starts to come out on the road, analysts are expecting the company to experience a similar push as when Model Y came out in early 2020, causing the stock price to significantly ramp up, doubling from $30 to $60 in less than two months, only to get cut off by the Feb. 20, 2020 stock market crash.
4: “Elon will have to put more $ into TWTR as advertisers flee.”
On the other side of the ring, Tesla bears are expecting Elon Musk’s Twitter acquisition to cause the tycoon to divert more resources into keeping the social media giant afloat, which could indirectly affect Tesla’s operations.
This could mean putting some of his own capital in (and away from Tesla), but the problem doesn’t end there.
According to CNBC, Musk’s workload went from 78 hours a week to about 120 since he became the new CEO of Twitter. Such a diversion could take a good deal of his energy away from the automaker.
Twitter is also cannibalizing Tesla on the human capital front. Musk has allegedly asked about 50 Tesla employees, mainly software engineers from the company’s Autopilot program, to split their hours supervising code for Twitter.
5: “I’ll wait until TWTR noise dies out.”
On a similar front, Black echoes more conservative Tesla bears who are expecting the company’s stock price to improve after the Twitter acquisition ceases to have such a strong presence in the headlines.
While this position is not arguing against Tesla’s fundamentals, it recognizes that the Twitter purchase has negatively affected the company’s share price and Musk’s reputation, which are more often than not tied together.
Read next: ‘Boy Who Cried Wolf:’ Tesla Bull Says Elon Musk Losing Credibility As He Keeps Selling Shares Despite Promising ‘He Is Done’

domain: news


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Wilbur Ross' International Automotive Components Group has purchased a Japanese auto supplier that makes instrument panels, cockpits and other interior trim.
With its acquisition of Mitsuboshi Belting Kaseihin Co. Ltd., Ross called IAC the first Western auto supplier to buy a major Japanese maker of auto interiors.
Ross did not specify how much IAC spent on Mitsuboshi, but in a Sept. 12 news release noted the firm spent $305 million to buy both the Japanese company and BST Safety Textiles GmbH, a German air-bag fabric maker.
Mitsuboshi employs 742. Its headquarters and two plants are in Komaki, Japan, with another plant in Yokosuka, Japan. It licenses technology to Tong Yang Industry Co. Ltd. in Taipei, Taiwan, for the Chinese auto market.
Financier Ross backed the creation of the New York-based IAC, which also includes Collins & Aikman Corp.'s former European operations and more than 50 percent of Plascar Indústria de Componentes Plasticos Ltda., a Brazilian auto plastics company.


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Last week, London commuters were introduced to the world’s first mattress vending machine, as Silentnight's ‘Dream Machine’, located in the capital’s King’s Cross station, dispensed boxed mattresses to winning visitors.
The bedmaker's recent research revealed that 32% of British adults are sleeping on a mattress that is "well past its best", and that 75% of adults agree "you can’t put a price on a good night’s sleep", and 80% consider a decent mattress to be a sound investment. But despite acknowledging this, 40% of the 2000 adults polled said they do not prioritise quality sleep enough.
Furthermore, the study also found that 18% have a mattress which is older than the recommended shelf life of seven-10 years.
Jason Mcilvenny, senior brand and customer insights manager at Silentnight, which commissioned the OnePoll research to launch its new Just Sleep collection of rolled-and-boxed mattresses, says: “Brits know a good mattress plays a key part in getting a good night’s sleep. Despite this, our study suggests they might not be prioritising this as much as they perhaps could – with millions putting up with tired mattresses.
“So, we launched the ‘Dream Machine’ to remind time-strapped commuters of the importance of a good mattress for getting a good night’s sleep, and how easy and convenient it can be – whilst giving them the chance to pick up a comfy new mattress for free in an instant.”
When asked why they have not replaced their mattresses, 25% said they simply had not got around to getting a new one. More than one in 10 (12%) said they "can’t be bothered" to purchase one, and 12% admitted they were overwhelmed by the choice of mattress options available.


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The United States government has demanded that Apple take an unprecedented step which threatens the security of it's customers.
The FBI, is demanding that Apple build a "backdoor" to bypass digital locks protecting consumer information on Apple's popular iPhones.
We the undersigned, oppose this order, which has implications far beyond the legal case at hand.
#Westandwithapple - Matthew Kick
Full letter: Https://www.apple.com/customer-letter/


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Insurance companies say they have a way to help you deal with your fears of identity theft.
And face it: ID fraud is a scourge that should be feared. Some 12.7 million adults in the United States fell victim in 2014, according to a recent report from Javelin Strategy & Research.
If you think your identity has been compromised, check your credit report for unusual activity. Get your report for free at myBankrate.
But what about identity theft insurance? It’s offered as a way to help ease consumers’ anxiety about identity fraud. However, it’s a frequently misunderstood product.
What identity theft insurance covers
The term “insurance” may lead some consumers to believe identity theft policies will reimburse them for any funds that are stolen as a result of identity fraud, similar to the way other types of insurance make you whole after a loss.
But while ID theft policies are in fact insurance products, they often don’t conform to what consumers traditionally think of as insurance, says Michael Barnett, the former executive director of the Identity Theft Protection Association. In his opinion, ID theft policies are more like “expense reimbursement programs” than insurance.
Denis Kelly, CEO of IDCuffs.com, says it’s different from auto insurance, which would cover damage to your car and your injuries in a car crash.
“Identity theft insurance doesn’t pay for the costs to fix your identity or the injuries you suffered as a result of being victimized,” Kelly says. “Rather, it pays the equivalent of the cost to have your car towed and possibly the shipping costs of a new bumper.”
Identity theft insurance may cover expenses such as phone bills, lost wages, notary and certified mailing costs, and even attorney fees, according to Michael Barry, a spokesman for the Insurance Information Institute.
Where can you get ID theft insurance?
You have plenty of options for purchasing an identity fraud policy. They’re sold through insurance agents, credit bureaus, identity theft protection companies, credit card issuers, banks and credit unions, Barnett says.
In most cases, your home insurance or renters insurance will cover theft of cash up to $200 or credit cards up to $50, and often those policies now include coverage for identity theft as well, Barry says. If identity theft insurance isn’t included with your homeowners policy, it might be added for about $25 to $50 per year.
How does it work?
Identity theft insurance will reimburse a policyholder for expenses incurred to restore his or her identity, up to the limits stated in the policy. Coverage limits can range from $10,000 to $1 million, says Barnett, the ex-leader of the Identity Theft Protection Association.
While such high limits may sound generous, it pays to scrutinize the coverage terms. “Informed consumers must … carefully read the fine print to understand the terms, conditions and exclusions,” he says.
Some important considerations:
- Are any other services included? Even if an identity theft insurance policy will reimburse or offset the costs involved in resolving the incident, it won’t reduce the time and hassle required to rectify the situation. Ask if the insurer will provide help with any of the recovery work.
- Is there a deductible? A significant deductible, such as $500 or more, is not unusual for identity theft insurance, Barnett says. If the costs to repair the damage to your identity are less than the deductible, you may not get any help with those bills.
- Does the policy cover legal expenses or lost wages? Legal expenses and lost time from work may not be covered under identity theft policies, or payouts might be limited and preapproval may be required. Because identity theft can be so costly, a policy that specifically provides reimbursement of lost wages or legal fees may be worth the premium, Barnett says.
Other options for ID theft protection
Aside from identity theft insurance policies, consumers have other options for protecting themselves against ID fraud, such as credit monitoring services. However, these services may not detect certain forms of ID theft.
Most credit monitoring services will not alert you to several types of activity that could be related to identity theft, Barnett says, such as someone obtaining a driver’s license, birth certificate, Social Security card, or other such documents or identification in your name.
Another way to protect yourself from identity theft is to obtain and review your credit reports. The federal Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act allows you to receive a free copy of your credit report from each of the national credit reporting agencies once a year. You may also want to consider a credit freeze to keep ID thieves from accessing your accounts or opening new ones in your name.
“Consumers have many risk-management resources available to them, both free and fee-based,” Barnett says. “Many consumers fall victim to identity crimes through absolutely no fault of their own, but it is critical that you remain vigilant and take care to safeguard your personal information at all times.”


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As the world continues to deal with a global pandemic, toilet paper shortages rage on and people are urged to avoid group events, staying home is turning into one of our best options. Thus, it’s a good thing that this month will bring with it the release of not one, but two widely anticipated games, both of which will help stave off boredom. Of course, one of those games just so happens to be DOOM Eternal.
Today, the long-awaited shooter received its anticipated and just-as-badass-as-expected launch trailer. We’ve embedded it below this line of text, for your viewing pleasure.
DOOM Eternal will hit Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Stadia and PC on the 20th, which just so happens to be next Friday.


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Tim Schafer has said that Double Fine Productions will be splitting the release of upcoming crowd-funded adventure game Broken Age into two parts and that money raised from the first chapter will be used to fund development of the second.
With an initial target of $400,000, Broken Age managed to rack up $3.3M on Kickstarter in early 2012, but Schafer sent a note to backers saying the increased scope of the game meant that the studio now required more money to finish the project. "Even though we received much more money from our Kickstarter than we, or anybody, anticipated," said Schafer, "that didn't stop me from getting excited and designing a game so big that it would need even more money."
"I think I just have an idea in my head about how big an adventure game should be, so it's hard for me to design one that's much smaller than Grim Fandango or Full Throttle. There's just a certain amount of scope needed to create a complex puzzle space and to develop a real story. At least with my brain, there is."
The team at Double Fine looked into initially releasing just the first half of the game, but the team's predictions showed that this wouldn't be ready until June 2014, with the final build of the game not being finished until sometime in 2015. "My jaw hit the floor," said Schafer.
"This was a huge wake-up call for all of us. If this were true, we weren't going to have to cut the game in half, we were going to have to cut it down by 75%!"
Broken Age's original release date was aiming for October 2012, but after increasing the scope of the game, the release was then pushed back to January 2014.
Schafer continued, saying that the studio would need to find more money to finish developing Broken Age in its current form and without any major cuts. "You guys have been very generous in the tip jar (thanks!) but this is a larger sum of money we were talking about. Asking a publisher for the money was out of the question because it would violate the spirit of the Kickstarter, and also, publishers. Going back to Kickstarter for it seemed wrong."
The team then decided to release the first half of the game--with some "modest cuts," adds Schafer--in January 2014 using Steam's Early Access program, which allows developers to charge for software that is currently in development.
"Backers still get the whole game this way - nobody has to pay again for the second half," asserts Schafer, adding that the game's design is now "100 per cent done… and it's not going to get any bigger."
"With this shipping solution I think we're balancing the size of the game and the realities of funding it pretty well. We are still working out the details and exact dates, but we'd love to hear your thoughts," concluded Schafer.
Double Fine Productions' second Kickstarter project, Massive Chalice, recently ended after raising $1.2m. The turn-based strategy game is being developed simultaneously alongside Broken Age, and the project is being headed up by Iron Brigade lead developer Brad Muir.


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Trendspotter Chris Byrne, president of Byrne Communications, looks at the top categories that have emerged during the pandemic, and what companies should be doing to keep the success going.
Puzzles were the breakout star of the pandemic-related lockdowns. US data from market research firm The NPD Group shows that the puzzle super-category posted 42% year-to-date growth there in September 2020. In the UK, meanwhile, NPD reports the games and puzzles segment had grown by 31% year to date in November. With families stuck at home, it makes sense they turned to traditional play patterns that encourage creativity and quality time. But can puzzlemakers keep that momentum going in 2021?
“Historically, when you see a big bump like that, it will slowly plateau,” says Byrne. “We’re still not doing much other than watching TV, so I don’t think it will be a precipitous drop. But I just don’t think as many people will be scrambling for puzzles in the same way.” That hasn’t deterred LEGO (pictured, above), which is looking to expand its puzzle range to keep families engaged. The brickmaker bowed new 1,000-piece puzzles last year, with three hitting shelves ahead of the holiday season.
With live and location-based brand extensions shuttered during lock- downs, many families turned to outdoor toys to keep spirits high last summer. The NPD Group reported that the outdoor and sports toys super-category posted 31% year-to-date growth in September in the US. In fact, the segment represented 36% of all dollar gains for the first nine months of the year with nearly US$3.5 billion in sales.
“You could not get a swing set or a bicycle at the end of the summer. Things that were typically big-ticket fourth-quarter items were selling insane numbers over the summer,” Byrne says. “Money was going into these categories that previously was going into travel or other forms of entertainment outside of the home, and that will continue this year.” Scooters and hoverboards from New York-based Jetson Electronics (pictured, at top) were listed on a number of top holiday toy lists as NPD reported that sales for the skate/skateboards/scooters subcategory grew by 107% during the height of the pandemic.
ARTS & CRAFTS
Another category that made huge gains last year was DIY. Arts & crafts projects that kids could do at home started trending on social media, which led to families around the world investing in items like paints, beads and tie-dye kits. “We live in a culture where, between TikTok and YouTube, trends can go around the globe in 24 hours. That happens because people still want to feel connected, even though they’re not physically together,” Byrne says.
LA-based Yulu launched its Swirl & Style Tie Dye Studio Maker (pictured, above) in spring 2020. Designed for kids ages six and up, the self-contained orb keeps mess to a minimum. The key to maintaining the momentum from 2020, according to Byrne, is to focus on creating a community. “You need to take that opportunistic bump, and turn it into a community of people with a shared interest,” he says. “And they likely won’t buy three products a week [the way they might have during the lockdowns], but they might buy one a month, and that’s one more sale than you were getting before.”


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51 - 60 of 204 results for "commerce ministry"
Most searched keywords
51. news | 04 Dec 2013
» India on Wednesday rejected a proposed World Trade Organization package, casting a cloud over a high-stakes conference meant to revive faltering efforts to liberalise global commerce.
52. news | 29 Oct 2013
» Exports will grow by only 1.3% overall this year, the lowest in four years, with the total value now estimated at US$231.73 billion, Ath Pisalvanich, director of the International Trade Studies Centre at the University...
53. business | 15 Nov 2013
» Rakuten Inc, Japan's biggest e-commerce site, is preparing for a complete rebranding of Tarad.com, which it took over four years ago.
54. news | 04 Dec 2013
» The US foreign trade deficit narrowed to $40.6 billion in October on a strong rise in exports, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday.
55. news | 29 Nov 2013
» The Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) has offered to mediate talks between the authorities and anti-government protesters to find a solution to ongoing political turmoil.
56. multimedia | 03 Dec 2013
» Mobile traffic surged on what's known as Cyber Monday- as shoppers spent money on the go- and e-commerce retailers continued their winning streak against brick and mortar competition. Bobbi Rebell reports. - REUTERS
57. news | 07 Nov 2013
» The Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) dropped again in October to 76.6 points, from 77.9 points in September, the Economic and Business Forecasting Centre at the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce reported on Thurs...
58. news | 13 Oct 2013
» Thai investors hope strong ties between Thailand and China will spur the economic growth of both nations, the Thai-Chinese Chamber of Commerce said yesterday.
59. news | 27 Oct 2013
» Police suspect the large stash of foreign money, worth almost 120 million baht, which led to the killing of the crew of a boat carrying the cash off the coast of Pattani early this month, may be connected to illegal comm...
60. news | 03 Dec 2013
» The Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) fell to 75.0 points in November, from 76.6 points in October, Thanavath Phonvichai, director of the Economic and Business Forecasting Centre at the University of the Thai Chamber of Co...


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For those who have not been following the legend of Crypto Currency, Bitcoin and Litecoin, it may come as a surprise that currencies without any intrinsic worth remain an unpredictable product for financiers. For those who have been staying up to date with conversion rates for digital currency it is clear that the really volatility that has defined pseudo-currency is what is keeping investors thinking about this field. Current modifications in the worth of such currency along with the insolvency of one of the greatest platforms in the world exchanging Bitcoins has actually brought into question the future of this digital cash. However, professionals reassure those who want to use Crypto Currency, Litecoin and Bitcoin that the “trend” that led to digital cash is most likely here to remain.
download ethlargementpill of Bitcoin, Litecoin and Crypto Currency
Bitcoins or Litecoins can be exchanged for “real” currency at a provided rate. Experts were concerned that Bitcoins and other digital currency may be used for prohibited activity as they are much simpler to exchange and “launder” than other forms of cash.
The worth of these currencies has actually also been the topic of debate. Bitcoin values rose 90-fold in 2013, creating a “Bitcoin bubble” that deflated quickly in 2014. The sudden drop in value by about half has actually caused speculation that the pseudo-currency field is passing away and soon will go the method of the dodo.
Nevertheless, is it too soon to state Bitcoin and Litecoin a failure? Experts disagree on the subject, however some claim that there is a location in tomorrow’s financial market for digital currency.
Bitcoin Issues and Solutions
The recent bankruptcy of Mt. Gox, the Tokyo-based exchange for Bitcoin and the biggest Bitcoin exchange platform worldwide, took most financiers by surprise. Much more perplexing was the news that the equivalent of $400 million worth of coin had gone missing out on.
Nevertheless, even the disappearance of six percent of the total Bitcoins in the world does not seem to have actually slowed the huge currency down much. Bitcoin continues to fight certain business such as Apple due to the understanding that the currency might not be legal, however a growing number of apps and programs accept Bitcoin without any issue.
Some specialists see the personal bankruptcy of Mt. Gox as a step forward for Bitcoin. The underlying software is unchanged and numerous suppliers are eager to enter into the business of buying and selling utilizing the digital currency. Further, these suppliers claim that Mt. Gox was the problem which the majority of the illegal activities connected to Bitcoin stemmed from this company, not from legitimate vendors and clients.
Check Your Values
No matter what takes place in the future with Bitcoin, Litecoin and other forms of digital currency, something will not change: the requirement to find an immediate response to the question, “How much is my cash worth?”
In order to discover this crucial truth, customers will have to have access to a reputable platform that updates the worth of Bitcoins, Litecoins and other kinds of Crypto Currency in real time.
For those who have actually not been following the legend of Crypto Currency, Bitcoin and Litecoin, it might come as a surprise that currencies with no intrinsic value remain an unstable product for investors. Recent changes in the value of such currency as well as the insolvency of one of the most significant platforms in the world exchanging Bitcoins has called into question the future of this digital money. Professionals assure those who want to use Crypto Currency, Litecoin and Bitcoin that the “trend” that led to digital cash is most likely here to remain.
Bitcoin values rose 90-fold in 2013, creating a “Bitcoin bubble” that deflated quickly in 2014.


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Snap Shares Tank After Poor Quarter - Windows Phone Users Luxuriate In Schadenfreude
Snap's only been public for one trading quarter and what a disappointment that's turned out to be. Half a billion dollars lost and less than $200m in revenue. The share price has been tanking - now sitting around half of it's post IPO high of $27.
For Windows Phone users who remember Evan Spiegel and his efforts to ensure no Snapchat client came to Windows Phone - not even Rudy Huyn's excellent 6snap - there's some black pleasure in seeing the company run into some rough water.
Windows phones may be dead and buried, but the distaste for Snap's snub will linger on.


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Australians cheated out of more than $100 million amid ‘huge’ COVID-19 scam surge
Australians have been cheated out of more than $108 million dollars so far this year, as scams surge during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Deputy Chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, Delia Rickard, said there has been a “huge increase” in the number of people falling victim to scams.
“They’re the same old scams dressed up in lots of different ways,” she told Neil Mitchell.
“Lots and lots of scams at the moment are attaching themselves to covid-times.”
Ms Rickard said the surge has been driven by scams pretending to be from government agencies.
“What we’re seeing a huge amount of, that we don’t normally see nearly as much of, is government impersonation scams,” she said.
“Whether they’re pretending to be Australia Post, the ATO, Home Affairs, myGov, Services Australia … they’re usually phishing for your personal information.”
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Transcript for TechBytes: Dell, Samsung Watch
In today's tech -- and Dell unveils its new line of venue tablets the lower priced android models range in size from seven to eight inches. And start at 150 dollars the -- devices come loaded with windows eight point one and start at 300 dollars. And Samsung has begun selling its galaxy years Smart watch device is designed to help users quickly check their messages and answer calls. But ABC tech editor Joanna stern says it doesn't live up to the -- The battery life isn't that good -- last about a day and a half so the idea that -- constantly charging this watch it hasn't really always make a lot of sense. And then on top of that this software has a couple of -- the apps don't work that well. The galaxy -- retails for 300 dollars. And a new iPhone app lets diners view and pay their bill right from -- Smartphones cover is currently being tested at several New York City restaurants may be worth a try. Those are tech -- I'm Diana Perez had a great day everyone.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.


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Election, War Delaying CAFTA
First there was NAFTA. Will there be CAFTA?
The Central American Free Trade Agreement, touted as the key to making Central America competitive with China in apparel making, is on life support.
The free-trade observers who thought Congress would pass the historic trade agreement this spring had not counted on the Iraqi war and election politics getting in the way.
“I am not hearing good things,” said Kevin Burke, president and chief executive of the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), a trade organization representing apparel and footwear manufacturers that supports CAFTA.
The uncertainty surrounding the Central American accord is playing havoc with apparel companies that soon must decide where to place their Spring 2005 orders. Central American factories are concerned, too. According to an AAFA study last year, unless CAFTA is passed, Central America will likely lose significant U.S. market share in big-volume categories such as cotton knit shirts, cotton and manmade-fiber woven shirts, and cotton trousers and shorts when quotas are removed at the end of 2004 for World Trade Organization members.
“People who are doing Spring  production are placing orders between now and July,” said Bruce Berton, director of international business consulting at Stonefield Josephson Inc., an accounting firm in Santa Monica, Calif., that advises apparel and textile companies. “They are wondering, ’Should I place those orders in China or in Guatemala?’”
If those orders are placed in China or other Asian countries, it could be difficult for Central American factories to win back business, international business experts observed.
Many are predicting that CAFTA, modeled after the 10-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement—which commercially links the United States, Mexico and Canada— won’t be passed until at least after the presidential election in November.
That is dangerously close to the date when apparel quotas from China and other WTO members will theoretically disappear: Jan. 1, 2005.
CAFTA stipulates that goods made in Central America with U.S. fabrics and yarns return to the United States duty- and quota-free.
On Feb. 20, President George Bush notified Congress that he intended to sign the agreement with Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras and Costa Rica. Trade between the United States and these five countries totaled $23.2 billion last year.
On March 25, the Bush administration gave notice that it would also sign the agreement with the Dominican Republic, which joined CAFTA late.
At the earliest, Bush could sign CAFTA on June 24 before sending the pact to Congress for approval.
But now the long-suffering trade agreement has become a political football in an election year when few U.S. representatives or senators want to be accused of sending apparel and textile jobs out of the country.
“CAFTA is dead in the water,” said Lloyd Wood, spokesman for the American Manufacturing Trade Action Committee, a lobbying group representing U.S. textile mills opposed to the trade accord. “Basically, with the agreement you are talking about giving away 500 million to 700 million square meters of production to China through various loopholes in CAFTA that would allow thirdparty yarn and fabrics [to be used in Central America].”
John Kerry, the Massachusetts senator who is the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, said he opposes CAFTA as it is currently worded because it does not contain sufficient labor or environmental protections.
U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, a Republican from North Carolina, where 13,600 textile jobs were lost last year, said she would not support CAFTA in its current form if it comes up for a vote this year in the Senate.
Trade experts who would like to see CAFTA passed before the election know they are being optimistic.
“I think there are a number of [U.S.] representatives and senators who would like to move CAFTA forward, but as we get caught up in the election cycle, there are issues with moving it forward,” said attorney Tom Travis, a managing director in Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, a Miami law firm that specializes in international trade and customs law. “However, I am optimistic it will be enacted, if not before the election, then after the elections.”
All this talk of delaying CAFTA approval is worrying some Los Angeles textile companies. Last year, Twin Dragon Marketing Inc.—a Gardena, Calif., manufacturer of denim, twill corduroy and woven stretch fabric— opened a fabric finishing and sewing plant in Nicaragua. The new plant can produce 60,000 to 70,000 apparel units a week but is not working even close to capacity.
The Popular Textile Corp.—which knits, dyes and finishes goods at its plant in Vernon, Calif.—is planning to open a huge knitwear and sewing factory in Nicaragua this fall on 6.6 million square feet of land, the equivalent of a small golf course. The company had been counting on CAFTA being approved by the end of 2004.
“We are working with many manufacturing companies to do business with CAFTA and NAFTA program countries,” wrote Song Ho Kim, Popular’s chief executive officer, in an e-mail sent from Nicaragua. “Delaying CAFTA will further hinder the positioning of the market share by manufacturing companies in the USA and North and Central America.”
Numerous provisions and loopholes
Central America was incorporated into the U.S. free-trade world in 2000 under the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act, an extension of the Caribbean Basin Initiative. Currently, apparel made in Central American and Caribbean countries can enter the United States quota- and duty-free if it is made from U.S. cloth and yarn. Knitwear can come in duty-free as long as it is made from U.S. yarns.
CAFTA, whose benefits are retroactive to Jan. 1, 2004, would expand on those benefits.
Under the new accord, Central American apparel makers would be able to use Mexican and Canadian yarns and fabrics and still receive duty- and quota-free treatment. This is known as “cumulation.”
U.S. textile manufacturers feel this would discourage Central American manufacturers from buying U.S. yarns and fabrics.
Central American apparel makers could also use certain fabrics and materials considered to be in “short supply” in the United States and Central America and still get dutyand quota-free status. That means they could import some yarns and fabrics from countries such as India, Pakistan or China.
U.S. textile manufacturers contend that this provides a loophole for Asian countries to flood the United States with textiles and apparel— particularly brassieres and boxers— via Central America.
But backers of CAFTA wonder whether the U.S. textile industry is being too myopic.
“CAFTA keeps textile use in this region,” noted Kevin Burke of the AAFA. “If the apparel industry moves out of Central America, who are the American textile manufacturers going to sell to? Without CAFTA, they’re dead.”


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From the outside the premises of Kremer Signs in Newbury looks like any other industrial unit. But when you go inside you will see where the signboards for 70 per cent of all sales and lettings branches across the UK are manufactured, in its 15,000 sq ft of quiet industry.
On the day we visited there were boards being made for Hamptons, Felicity J Lord, Strutt & Parker, Belvoir, Mann Countrywide and a host of small independents all staring out from the factory’s flat-bed printers.
Kremer Signs has approximately 6,500 branch customers but despite making boards for so many different brands, the company’s Sales Manager, Tom Cummuskey, says innovation is still at the heart of its business.
Last year the company acquired its current premises on the outskirts of Newbury in Berkshire at a cost of £1.45 million. Within it are three Inca Spyder printers which produce about 45 boards each an hour as well as a new £750,000 Canon Oce Arizona capable of producing 110 boards an hour, which will soon be joined by another very soon.
“We’re expecting our order book to carry on growing so we’re getting ready for that,” says Tom. “Last year we manufactured half a million signboards.”
One aspect of the Kremer Signs factory is that it’s a noticeably hands-on production process requiring skills and well as expensive machinery. “Before printing on to the Correx boards we prime them with a special solution that clears it of any dust.
After going through one of our eight-colour printers it’s passed through a UV light – a process other signboard suppliers don’t use – which strongly bonds the Correx and the ink together to maximise durability.
“This means that, although our boards are slightly more expensive than our competitors’, agents don’t need to replenish their boards as often because the boards can be used over and over again. That’s one of the major factors that has made us the market leader.”
One perception among the public is that signboards are yet more plastic waste to go into landfill. But not so. The Italian-made Correx that Kremer Signs uses is 100 per cent recyclable.
“After the boards come to the end of their lives we collect them for recycling and last year we recycled 480 tonnes of Correx. It’s something we take seriously and nobody else does. It’s all about trying to make them last as long as possible for the agent,” says Tom.
Small things mean a lot in the world of signboards. For example, Kremer Signs heat welds boards together instead of using double-sided tape. The Boards are also UV treated, pre drilled on rigs for alignment to suit posts, slips and fittings and produced with a unique ‘black out’ Correx.
“We have worked for 30 years making signboards, pushing the boundaries with materials and production techniques” says Tom. “These simple but effective processes mean that all boards will be made to suit the customer’s specifications and last the test of time.”
The biggest innovation, trialled in 2011 was the use of NFC technology, which was used by Strutt & Parker, Northwood and Sheldon Bossley to name a few. “The concept is very ‘forward thinking’ but unfortunately the smartphone technology has not been rolled out on all devices, so this is something to look out for in the future,” says Tom.
Two other recent innovations that have proved popular are its mirror vinyl which enables boards to have a metallic surface onto which artwork is then printed, and reflective vinyl, which lights up at night when car headlights shine on it – like a safety vest.
“We’ve also developed double-sided board that prevents ‘show through’ – which is when sunlight shines through a white board and makes it difficult to read due to the post shadow in the middle or dark text on white backgrounds, the ‘grey back Correx’ is particularly useful for agents with predominantly white board designs.” says Tom.
But it’s not just Kremer that is innovating. Agents are too. Many are realising that signboards are a blank canvass that they can use for other purposes and play around with, says Tom.
“Using boards to say something other than ‘For Sale’ or ‘To Let’ is becoming very popular because you get your boards up for longer and into areas that you might normally get boards into,” he says.
“Every year now we have a huge influx of requests for eventbased boards particularly during Easter, Summer (during the school fête season) and Christmas. It’s become a recognisable sub-sector of our business.
“This year we had an agent – Southernbrook Lettings – who added a Christmas hat made of Corex to their boards. Another asked for their boards to be made into the shape of a rabbit to use during the Easter weekend.
“Also, James Edwards in Boston, Lincolnshire had their boards redesigned into a football kit shape during the most recent World Cup. Agents are always phoning me up and asking ‘what can I do that’s different’ with their boards.”
WOULD EWE GO THIS FAR?
If you were hoping that winner of the Innovation award at The Negotiator Awards 2015, Glenn Ackroyd, co-founder of hybrid estate agency EweMove was sheepish about his in-your-face ovine-based For Sale boards then you’ll be disappointed.
The company sources them through the Besley & Copp trade portal and they are printed by Signboard but it’s how EweMove uses them to generate new business that is unusual.
After a property is sold the company then takes a picture of the vendors next to the board and adds the photo to the company’s Facebook news stream with a humorous sign-off. The company says it proving to be a highly effective way to get instructions.
Glenn decided to base most of his company’s brand identity around humour, so you won’t be surprised that he’s officially the firm’s Head Shepherd not its Managing Director. Its boards and website follow this woolly theme but there’s a serious intent underneath the light-hearted mirth. But you could say it’s a bit of a gambol.
The sheep iconography is playful and fun, it removes people’s preconceptions of an estate agent.
“Our model is very much the best of traditional agents – which means local people on the ground but without a high street presence – and then allowing technology to do all the bookings and use innovation to take it to a whole new level,” he says.
“When we brainstormed the play-on-words name and sheep iconography we wanted to get away from the traditional image of agents and instead use something that was playful and fun.
“We believe this removes peoples’ preconceptions of an estate agent which is the same idea behind CompareTheMeerkat.com for insurance brokers, for example and give people something they can relate to much more easily.”
Glenn also recently signed up TV presenter Carol Smilie, most famous for her 1990s BBC show Changing Rooms, to promote the brand. “We’ve had a massive increase in conversion rate since we started using Carol because she’s widely recognised among the 35-year-old to 65-year-old demographic that use us,” says Glenn.
DOING THE MATHS
Before the days of online data being available on every angle of business, estate agency managers used to tour their patch to see how many boards their competitors had, compared to their own listings. The results could lead to drinks in the pub on a Friday night or a severe pep-talk in the MD’s office.
Now your market share is available to you without moving a muscle, but the data is also used to great effect to measure national and regional market changes – and it’s not just about prices.
A leader in this field is Agency Express. Working with almost all of the national chains and many independents, Agency Express handles well over 4000 board movements every working day.
It’s a challenging task, which is managed by their SignMaster 3 system that gives clients the online facility to book all their board changes and view their current status as well as a complete history of all the company’s board movements, giving them an instant insight to their success on the streets.
All this information is used to create a monthly Property Activity Index in both sales and lettings. The March Sales activity report, for example, showed that the number of property ‘Sold’ signs erected during March showed a fall of 10 per cent, while newly erected ‘For Sale’ signs dropped by 4.7 per cent. Regionally, however, ‘Sold’ signs erected in the North East increased by 20.3 per cent, while Wales recorded a drop of 19.3 per cent for the same month.
The Agency Express Lettings report shows even more dramatic changes, with their February report showing a sharp drop of 8.1 per cent in new boards across the UK, with the worst figures again coming from Wales, recording a drop of 28.2 per cent in new listings.
For agents, the combined services of top quality affordable sign manufacture, simple, economic board management systems and first class specific market reports are invaluable.


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Admittedly, it is easier for parents to encourage healthy eating habits if these healthy patterns were already established during their teens' younger years. Ideally, by the time children reach adolescence they should have already learned to enjoy a varied diet consisting of nutrient dense foods. However, the good news is that it is never too late to adopt a healthy lifestyle.
Victorian government portal for older people, with information about government and community services and programs. Type a minimum of three characters then press UP or DOWN on the keyboard to navigate the autocompleted search results. Unfortunately, many Australian teenagers have an unbalanced diet.
Allison Aubrey. Despite all the efforts to get kids to eat more healthfully, the rate of fast-food consumption hasn't budged in the past 15 years, the CDC finds. Fast food is an undeniable part of American culture.
Verified by Psychology Today. Sleep Newzzz. Important news for parents of teens: the latest headlines in the sleep literature say teens who sleep less eat more. All of which can send a roaring teen metabolism on vacation and open the door to weight gain and obesity.
Kids and teens were more likely to choose healthy foods once they understood how food companies have designed ads to manipulate them. Of course you do. Do you eat it anyway?
Let friends in your social network know what you are reading about. A link has been sent to your friend's email address. A link has been posted to your Facebook feed.
Previous research suggests that fast food intake is associated with higher calorie intake and poorer diet quality, which may increase their risk of weight gain. In adults, fast food intake is associated with weight gain according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. And adults with excess body fat are at increased risk for many common cancers, including post-menopausal breast, colorectal and liver.
Amanda Hermes has been a freelance writer since She writes about children's health, green living and healthy eating for various websites. She has also been published on EdutainingKids. Teenagers need more calories per day than any other age group because they're active and growing quickly, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
T he received wisdom about adolescents is that they are plump junk-food consumers with no inclination to eat with their families or skills for cooking except by microwave. Some jokes on the subject are: "They're afraid of nothing, except a healthy meal", "They don't know which side their bread is peanut- buttered on" and "They want to save the planet but not wash the dishes. Adolescence seems as much about food as anything, possibly more so.


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Entertainment giants have made traditional pay TV “unaffordable,” the chief financial officer of cable powerhouse Charter Communications told investors on Monday.
Speaking at the virtual Bank of America Securities 2021 Media, Communications and Entertainment Conference, Chris Winfrey said: “The programmers have made this product unaffordable for a large part of the population despite the fact that we tried to find ways to get valuable product that customers can afford into their hands.”
That likely means continued cord-cutting, he argued. “To the extent that programmers continue to increase their rates in a way that is … higher than customers can afford, you are going to see continuing losses, maybe even accelerating losses” of pay TV subscribers, he argued. Winfrey added that Charter is “not actually able to pass through everything that is coming through to us” in terms of higher prices for programming.
Charter has outperformed its peers in this environment though to stay “essentially flat, while everybody else has been losing significant amounts of subscribers,” not just because the company has been selling “skinny” content packages, but also because it has been “finding ways” to reach consumers with new offerings, including SVOD, direct-to-consumer and other packages, the CFO said.
Winfrey argued that content giants have been affected by a dilemma. “The programmers have not been able to get out of the prisoners’ dilemma of taking the additional rate increases and insisting on carriage and forcing multiple channels and cross-bundling requirements,” he said.
Winfrey concluded that to help the health of the pay TV ecosystem, the sector would either need lower programming prices and/or increased flexibility for distributors like Charter “to package these products in a way that they can actually drive penetration.”
Charter CEO Tom Rutledge has in the past also criticized programming firms for pushing for carriage fee increases for their networks while also pushing their own streaming services.
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The traditional defensiveness of the pharmaceutical business model has come under severe pressure in recent years due to the steadily expiring patents of blockbuster drugs, combined with the aggressive approach of generic medicines manufacturers based in emerging markets. So, investors will be even more aware that 2011 brings the industry's looming patent cliff in 2012 a step closer, but there are still grounds for optimism.
At the large-cap end of the sector, this year is likely to bring more evidence of a change in business model for all the UK's large pharmaceutical companies that emphasises the diversification of products, the substitution of revenues hit by patent expiries, cost savings to guarantee dividends, a push into more specialised treatment areas (a Shire Pharmaceuticals speciality) and expansion into emerging markets. Small-cap biotech could also be worth following in 2011 after a series of consolidating takeovers and a renewed round of fundraising gave smaller companies some new year's cheer.
In some ways, looking at the pharma industry in its UK context is too restrictive when the vast majority of revenues are generated across the globe. If the likes of GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca are to succeed in overcoming their patent issues then both sets of management may need to look closely this year at their corporate strategy. GSK has arguably made the quickest start in diversifying a creaking business model, but the overall picture is still of an industry still groping its way towards an uncertain future.
Product diversification has been a significant theme for GSK and this is set to continue into 2011. In a move to bolster its consumer healthcare division, the company recently bought Europe's largest manufacturer of exercise supplements for body builders and gym fanatics, Maxinutrition, for £162m; this came hot on the heels of a buy-out of Chinese medicine maker Nanjing MeiRui for $70m (£44m). Also the type of deals the company is doing suggests it is trying to limit losses on drug development to the cost of a licensing deal. For instance, GSK's agreement with Impax Pharmaceuticals to develop a Phase III Parkinson's drug for $186m is an obvious attempt at boosting the productivity of its R&D pipeline; if the drug fails then GSK has a quantifiable loss it can book, rather than the annual cost of employing expensive R&D researchers.
These bolt-on acquisitions set the template for chief executive Andrew Witty's diversification strategy and it is doubtful that mega-mergers will emerge in the UK pharmaceutical industry this year, but that is equally true of the international market. The departure of Pfizer's chief executive Jeffrey Kindler, the architect of deals such as the $68bn takeover of vaccines-maker Wyeth could be a sign that investors have finally woken up to how value destroying such deals can be; Pfizer has underperformed the rest of the S&P 500 by almost 10 per cent in the last year.
The activity at the small-cap end of the biotech market in the UK could also start to pick up next year. Several companies, among them Reneuron and Oxford Biomedica, have succeeded in raising significant sums of money from the market, while BTG has started to establish itself as a major mid-cap pharma company after ending the year with a takeover of Biocompatibles.
BTG aims to enter the US market, where it is funding the late-stage development of its varicose veins treatment Varisolve, and Biocompatibles has a number of products in the US that could be sold through BTG's US marketing channels. This year will be a make or break for an entry into the US market. Overall, the drastic consolidation of the small-cap biotech sector has left a number of companies sharing common characteristics: marketed products, regular income and cash on the balance sheet. With many of the also-rans already gone, the small-cap sector looks its healthiest in years.
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Japanese manufacturer Toyota has seen its profits plummet by a massive 77% in the last quarter because of disruption caused by the recent devastating earthquake and tsunami, with net profits falling to 25.5bn yen (£192.7m $315.5m) between January and March.
However for the fiscal year ending in March Toyota’s income doubled revealing that at least it had been enjoying a recovery before the quake hit.
In a further positive note Toyota also announced that production will pick up from June, after previously saying that improvements in output would not begin until July.
Toyota’s President Akio Toyoda said he expects the company’s car manufacturing in Japan and overseas to recover to 70% of its capacity before the earthquake, in June.
Toyota and other car manufacturers have been dealing with parts shortages because of the damage caused by the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on 11 March and as a result the world’s biggest car manufacturer has curbed production at its factories in Japan and abroad.
Source: BBC News


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Danish Grakom is establishing a new forum for packaging
The Danish industry association Grakom launches ”Emballageforum.” The association hopes the new initiative will gather and strengthen the Danish packaging industry.
Emballageforum will be an organization for everyone with an interest in packaging products.
“Many of Grakom’s members are already active within the packaging industry. At the same time, we believe that a real industry community for the packaging companies is missing in Denmark. We are now creating that by establishing Emballageforum.
Thomas Torp, CEO of Grakom
At the time of launch, Emballageforum consists of more than 40 companies that are working with packaging.
“We see many synergies between the packaging industry and our other members. We are already advising companies on environmental requirements on food packaging,” says Torp.
Danish Grakom, has more than 500 member companies withing the fields of graphic communication, media and marketing.


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Coverage of the digital transformation around selling a vehicle, from the use of software tools and social media to reach buyers to creating a showroom-free online sales experience.
Automotive Ventures had hoped to raise as much as $50 million for its DealerFund, but economic trends left investors more cautious.
Tekion, which last raised capital in 2021, has investors to think about as it looks to grow dealership management system market share.
The auto industry, just like the news business, involves many deadlines. Publicly traded companies are required to disclose earnings at specific intervals. Dealers impose deadlines to turn inventory. And the industry as a whole is driven by deadlines to meet consumers' demands.
The vehicle listings company predicts CarOffer will break even or become profitable by mid-year. CarGurus also could move ahead with a full acquisition of the wholesale digital trading platform.


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“Every time I think I’ve got something done, some other lobbyist pops up.” — Sen. Amy Klobuchar
From Adam Cancryn and Emily Birnbaum’s “In private, vulnerable Senate Dems back off tech bill” posted Thursday by Politico:
A bipartisan legislative effort to rein in the nation’s largest tech companies is facing fresh resistance from a faction of Senate Democrats over complaints the measure could threaten their chances of holding their slim majority, 10 people familiar with the matter told POLITICO.
The internal opposition comes as Democratic leaders are pushing for a vote on the bill by summer, in an effort to pass what has become a central element of the party’s broader antitrust agenda.
Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) — would ban major tech firms like Amazon and Google from favoring their products over their competitors. For example, the legislation would bar Amazon from promoting its own private-label products over rival items on its e-commerce platform. The bill marks the most serious attempt at tightening oversight of the tech industry in years and passed the Senate Judiciary Committee with support from both parties earlier this year…
“We should be focused on items that will help consumers deal with rising costs,” said one Senate aide who criticized the legislation as a “pet project” with little political payoff. “Nobody can quite figure out why it would be a priority.”…
Over the past year alone, Google, Amazon, Apple and Meta have shelled out tens of millions of dollars in lobbying spending and advertising campaigns arguing that the bills would harm national security and aggravate consumers who rely on products like Google Search and Amazon Prime.
“It’s like the game of whack-a-mole,” Klobuchar told POLITICO earlier this year. “Every time I think I’ve got something done, some other lobbyist pops up.”
My take: Lina Khan helped write the bill and Elizabeth Warren supports it. What could go wrong?


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Email management firm Xobni has released a tool designed to help organisations manage and deploy the company's namesake plug-in for Outlook which allows users to easily find information in their inbox.
Available immediately, Xobni Enterprise is a web-based portal that lets administrators easily customise and deploy Xobni across the business, according to the firm.
Using the portal, customers can manage user profiles, groups and access to Xobni Extensions. It also links with corporate LDAP or Active Directory services to retrieve user profile information.
Xobni itself is a free download that extends Outlook 2003 or 2007 by offering search tools, conversation threading and a social networking platform. The software is aimed at professionals who need a faster and more effective way of sifting through their inbox to find the information they require.
According to Xobni, the average user can save more than 30 minutes a week, and the tool has consequently found its way into 80 per cent of Fortune 500 companies.
"With Xobni Enterprise, companies of all sizes can dramatically increase the productivity of their workforce," said Xobni chief executive Jeff Bonforte.
Xobni Enterprise also ships with a framework that allows organisations to create their own custom extensions to link with other systems such as customer relationship management or company web portals. Licensing is expected to start at about $30 (£18) per user per year.
BT wants to make the public switched telephone network history within eight years
Personal data being purloined by third parties via Facebook Login API
MacOS and iOS are better off apart, says CEO Tim Cook
Or they'll no longer be entitled to updates and bug patches


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OTTO Motors raises $29 million to take its robots global
AMRs enhance worker safety while keeping supply chains afloat
OTTO Motors announced it successfully closed $29 million in Series C funding in a continued quest to expand its autonomous mobile robot (AMR) platform.
The investment was led by Kensington Private Equity Fund and included participation from BMO Capital Partners, Export Development Canada (EDC), iNovia Capital and RRE Ventures. The funding will help the company satisfy its customers’ needs during and after the coronavirus pandemic, according to Matthew Rendall, CEO of OTTO’s parent company Clearpath Robotics.
As coronavirus-related worker shortages loom over manufacturing and warehouse facilities, OTTO has swooped in to assist businesses as they accelerate the rollout of mobile robots. Citing growing demand for AMRs, Rendall claims: "Mobile robots are no longer a luxury in the workplace; they are a necessity.”
"In a post-COVID world, AMRs enhance worker safety and bring resiliency to supply chains. As enterprises adapt, AMR demand will accelerate globally. This investment will enable us to grow to meet the evolving needs of the factories and warehouses of the future anywhere in the world,” Rendall explained.
OTTO is ready to take on this demand surge, according to Rendall. The company already boasts big-name clients like GE, Nestle, Toyota, Berry Global and more.
OTTO has already helped Berry Global satisfy increasing customer demand despite facing labor shortages at its Kentucky-based plant. To combat these labor shortages while addressing customer demands, Berry Global deployed 19 OTTO AMRs to operate 24/7.
"Our mission to ensure a safe and productive work environment, along with the challenges of persistent labor constraints, has led us to increase investments in creative automation solutions," said Scott Spaeth, director of corporate automation at Berry Global. "The OTTO vehicles address those challenges and deliver improved operations reliability while enhancing the working environment for our employees."
Since launching in 2015, OTTO Motors has emerged as a leader in its industry. It’s installed 70% of its AMRs in Fortune Global 500 companies according to the company.
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Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance Inc. (AAPA) awarded Akebono Brake Corp. its 2018 Supplier Award for Outstanding Shipping Performance.
The Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance Inc. promoted John Carlson “JC” Washbish to vice president of marketing. He will continue to lead the marketing efforts for the Alliance including promotions, branding, communications and events.
The Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance Inc. has a new Auto Value shareholder owner, Distribuidora De Autopartes Pescador S.A. (DAPESA).
BCA Bearings has received the 2018 Lone Star Award for outstanding service from the Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance Inc.
Cloyes Gear & Products Inc. has received a 2018 Supplier Award for Outstanding Shipping Performance from Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance Inc.
The Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance Inc. reports its Alliance Aftermarket Jackpot Convention made history last week with a record number of Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper customers crossing Las Vegas Boulevard together to attend the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX).
Tenneco Inc. hosted the Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper 2018 Fall Service Center Advisory Council (SCAC) meeting in Dearborn, Mich., October 8-11, 2018.
Eight customers of Federal Mogul Motorparts will enjoy the 2018 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show and Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) in Las Vegas, Nev., as winners of the top prize in the “Stay Cool With Wagner” promotion.
Fifty grand prize winners of the Race to Charlotte Sweepstakes sponsored by Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper stores enjoyed a weekend of racing, special guest appearances, dining and entertainment.
BBB Industries LLC will host Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance members at its booth during the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX), to be held at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas.


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Quanta steps up notebook production in Taiwan amid outbreak
Aaron Lee, Taipei; Willis Ke, DIGITIMES
Taiwan notebook ODM Quanta Computer is reportedly moving to accelerate volume production at its new assembly lines in northern Taiwan to fulfill rush shipments to US brand vendors amid the coronavirus outbreak, according to industry sources.
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Columbia City Council has hired a specialized lawyer to intercede in zoning cases that deal with alcohol sales, sometime siding against the city board that authorized the sale.
A municipality hiring lawyers to fight decisions by its own administrative offices appears to be almost unheard of in South Carolina.
“No one in our office is aware of a precedent,” said Scott Slatton, field director for the Municipal Association of South Carolina, which represents the state’s 270 towns and cities. “But surely, it has happened in the past.”
The move is part of an effort by City Council to widen Columbia’s zoning law for “special exceptions” so that the Board of Zoning Appeals may consider the impact of businesses, including those that sell alcohol, on neighborhoods, said Krista Hampton, Columbia’s director of planning and development services. Council is likely to vote in September to codify the change, she said.
Hampton, a 16-year veteran of city government, said she believes there has been one other example in the Capital City prior to the two recent cases for which council hired a Rock Hill attorney to oppose efforts to open liquor stores in residential areas.
“It’s uncommon, but not unheard of,” Hampton said, adding that she could not recall the earlier case.
The attorney hired by council is land-use and municipal-law specialist Chaplin Spencer of Rock Hill’s Spencer & Spencer law firm. He said he is being paid an hourly rate of $225.
Spencer said council wants to “rein in” special exceptions for businesses that sell alcohol.
He agrees with Hampton that retaining private lawyers to fight actions of its own boards is “not common.” But with his firm’s 100-plus years of service as Rock Hill’s city attorneys, Spencer said, “I have definitely seen it before.”
So far in Columbia, he has represented council in persuading the city zoning appeals board earlier this month to reject one store. He also is taking to court a board decision in April to allow another store to sell liquor.
The earliest of the cases involves One Love Food Mart, a store on the 3900 block of Beltline Boulevard, where the convenience store owners wanted to open an adjoining liquor store. One Love received an exception in April, allowing the sale of liquor. Spencer is appealing that case to court on behalf of City Council, Hampton said.
In June, Spencer argued against authorization for Seven Days Food Mart, in the 5000 block of Fairfield Road, to add a liquor store. The appeals board denied the store owner a special exception, and the owners have about a month left to decide whether to take the issue to court.
Council seemed ready this spring to use public money to hire a private lawyer to represent a downtown neighborhood in a case in which the board approved the sale of beer and wine at a convenience store in the 2100 block of Main Street, near Elmwood Avenue.
“I would be more than comfortable in hiring counsel on behalf of the neighborhood association,” Mayor Steve Benjamin said during an April 30 council meeting after Cottontown neighborhood president Ellen Cooper asked for public legal representation at an Administrative Law Court hearing. No council member at the meeting objected.
Main’s Best, near Alcorn Middle School, had been granted permission from the zoning appeals board to sell beer and wine for off-premises consumption.
The city did not have time to hire a lawyer for the residents and still meet the court’s timetable for a hearing in that case, scheduled for eight days after Cooper’s request, Hampton said.
Cooper argued the case herself, telling council, “I’m going to go up there and play the little old lady role.”
Judge Tripp Anderson sided with the neighborhood, whose residents said there are four other beer and wine retailers within a block of Main’s Best. Anderson overturned the city’s board, ruling the liquor store would have a detrimental effect on the surrounding community.
City attorney Ken Gaines balked at Cooper’s request. Columbia could face exposure by weakening its protection from liability under the state Tort Claims Act, Gaines advised council. He said he would take a closer look at applicable law.
Slatton, with the municipal association, said it is common for cities to hire private attorneys who have expertise in specific areas of the law. But hiring them instead of in-house lawyers to oppose actions of their own governments is rare.
“The city attorney would have a conflict because he can’t litigate against himself,” Slatton said, referring to a city attorney’s role of advocating for the city that employs him.
Told of what Columbia is doing in alcohol cases, Slatton said, “I’ve never heard of it before. Interesting. Interesting.”
Under city zoning-appeals law, anyone with a “substantial interest” of any “officer or bureau” of city government has standing to file an appeal in court. City Council is an officer of city government, municipal officials said.
Another private attorney hired by the city, Danny Crowe, will help rewrite the special exception provisions, Hampton said. The goal is to broaden the interpretation of how zoning changes can affect a neighborhood.
“It is far too narrow,” she said of the current standard.
Reach LeBlanc at (803) 771-8664.


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Tuesday, November 22, 2022
The Rhode Island real estate market is a paradox.
The number of single-family homes on the market decreased by 7.9% year-on-year.
Median prices for single-family homes remained close to record prices as inventories were scarce. The price is up 7.3% year-over-year and is now $405,000.
Rhode Island has grown 100% in the last seven years.
Ben Scuungio of Mott & Chace Sotheby’s International said: Even in more than feeder markets like Boston, Connecticut, and New York, prices remain high because there aren’t enough homes to sell. “
20% lower sales activity
Sales activity was down 20.1% year-on-year, and pending sales (sales with contracts but not through the October closing process) were down 40.9% year-on-year. Pending sales are a leading indicator of near-term sales activity.
“We are seeing an interesting property market right now. On the one hand, sales activity has fallen to roughly the same levels seen during the 2020 economic shutdown. The good news is that inflation started to come down last month and if this continues we should see interest rates fall and the market will be active again. But we still have to fix the supply problem before we can see a balanced market again.” Bryant Da Cruz, President of the Rhode Island Real Estate Association.
Multifamily and condominium trends
In the condominium market, the median sales price increased 18.5% from October 2021 to $319,900. However, listings decreased by 22.3% and closed sales decreased by 26.2%. Pending sales decreased 43.4% year-on-year.
In the investor-favorite multi-family market, median selling prices rose to $437,500, up 15.1% and down 25.3% in listings from 12 months ago.
Economic uncertainty also contributed to the sharp decline in multifamily sales, which plummeted 44.7%. Pending sales are also down 43.6% from 12 months ago, indicating that the slowdown will continue over the next few months.
- RI home sales fall 6.9%, median price jumps to $280,000, highest since 2007
- RI RI median home prices rose 12.3% in 2020
- For the record: the average single-family home price in Rhode Island is now $420,000
- RI median single-family home prices fall for second month in a row
- Buyer Relief – RI Single-Family Home Median Price Falls, But Sales Decrease
- RI Real Estate: Median $405,000, Low Inventory, Average Mortgage Payments Up 53% Over One Year
- RI Home Prices Soar in Q2 – East Side Median $682k, BI $1.28m
- RI median prices for single-family homes finally fall
- Out-of-state buys RI, single-family home median price hits $390,000
- RI Home Median Prices Are Freezing Buyers — See Top 10 Most Expensive
- Will Rhode Island median home prices head for $400,000?
- Average single-family home price in Rhode Island was $384,000 in July, up 16% from 2020
- Comedian and SNL alum Norm Macdonald dies at 61
- The cost of buying a home has jumped 55% in a year – median RI $416,000 as interest rates rise
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After a breakneck few months building his new brew house in Chicago, Lagunitas founder Tony Magee says the major equipment is finally installed and the first test batches should begin in December.
Magee has been particularly busy because he and his team basically had to redesign the brewery on the fly over the last year, almost doubling the intended capacity because nationwide demand has surged so much. He had originally planned to open the Chicago facility producing about 150,000 barrels of beer per year, with a maximum capacity of about 750,000. Now he plans to open making 250,000 barrels in the first year with an eventual capacity of a whopping 1.7 million. For some perspective, the Petaluma brewery can churn out about 480,000 barrels every year, maybe 500,000 if they really push it hard.
The new plant is intended to supply the Midwest and East Coast, positioning the company for nationwide distribution and saving the expense and environmental effects of trucking all that beer all the way across the continent. But as the first equipment was being installed earlier this year, Magee realized that he was thinking too small, leading to his hasty up-scaling.
“I didn’t want to build the wrong sized brewery, like I did in Petaluma,” he said last week.
The company’s growth is indeed dizzying; production has more than doubled since 2011, from just 161,000 barrels (still pretty large by craft brewing standards), to around 480,000 or a little more now. That could land the company among the top three or four craft brewers in the country when the Brewers Association makes up its 2013 list; Lagunitas was 17 two years ago and 6 last year. Magee is now poised to challenge titans like Sierra Nevada Brewing in capacity. (But don’t forget that these numbers, huge as they seem, are dwarfed by the mass market brewers. Even the largest craft brewer in the country, Boston Beer Company, maker of Sam Adams, produces just a tiny puddle of beer every year compared with big boys like Budweiser. The Anheuser-Busch plant in Fairfield, for example, produces more beer every year that Sam Adams and Sierra Nevada combined, and that’s just one of something like a dozen AB breweries in North America)
Tony says he expects it to take about five years to ramp up the Chicago facility to full capacity, but he has been known to underestimate how fast things will grow before, a fact that he cheerfully admits. He’s certainly planning for strong growth: he says he’s told the company that his making his huge stainless steel fermenting tanks to deliver a new set every three months until he tells them to stop.
While the Chicago brewery will start spitting out beer by late next month, it will probably be January sometime before you can actually drop by and hoist a pint. Amid all the hectic design and construction of the brew house, he said, he wasn’t able to turn his attention to doing the paperwork for the tap room; he’s only just getting around to that now, so the taproom will be at least a month behind the plant itself.
With most of the work done in Chicago, Tony will be back in town next week as the headliner at the first ever conference on Sonoma County’s booming trade in craft beer, cider, and spirits.
– Sean Scully


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Significant growth opportunities are expected for Admiral & Lemmen through their recent acquisition by Sun Capital Partners.
Sun Capital Partners Inc., a private investment firm, has announced that one of its affiliates has completed the acquisition of Admiral Petroleum Co. & Lemmen Oil Co.
Admiral, which had been family owned and operated since 1905, is headquartered in Coopersville, Mich., and includes 130 Admiral-branded gas and convenience stores, as well as nine Lemmen-branded gas and convenience stores across Michigan and Indiana. Admiral was one of the first pioneers of the milk, bread and egg concept in gas stations, which eventually became an industry standard. Admiral currently employs approximately 1,400 people.
Industry veteran Jeff Turpin, who has more than 20 years of experience in the convenience store industry, will lead growth initiatives at Admiral as CEO. Turpin previously served as chairman and CEO of VPS Convenience Store Group, a former affiliated portfolio company of Sun Capital.
“Admiral has been an innovator in the convenience store sector, and we look forward to building on the business’ strong reputation as it explores new growth opportunities,” said Marc Leder, co-CEO at Sun Capital. “We’re excited to once again partner with Jeff Turpin, whose proven track record in this industry is second to none. I’m confident his deep experience and operational know-how will be invaluable as Admiral charts an exciting course forward.”
“At Sun Capital, we understand the unique dynamics facing convenience store owners and operators today,” said Sun Capital principal Jared Wien. “Over the course of more than a century, the Lemmen family successfully built an enduring business. We look forward to collaborating with Jeff and the Admiral management team to help the company reach its full potential through operational enhancements, organic growth and strategic acquisitions.”
Sun Capital has strong expertise in the convenience store and retail sectors through its investments in a number of past and current affiliated portfolio companies. These include, VPS Convenience Store Group, a leading operator convenience stores, Shopko Stores, an operator of 361 retail stores in 24 states and The Limited Stores, a specialty retailer offering upscale branded women’s contemporary American casual and working apparel in over 235 stores throughout the U.S.


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Wow! I am really excited about this brand new menu that will debut in just a couple days! It’s a far cry from the old menu. What do you think?
New Menu Items
Disney has taken the reopening as an opportunity to change a lot of things. One of the biggest changes Guests have noticed is the menus at restaurants across the parks and resorts.
Of course, many of the restaurants we love are closed, but many are slowly beginning to reopen.
Just recently, three new dining locations reopened at Magic Kingdom alone!
Guests can also dine with Minnie and friends at Hollywood and Vine, and ABC Commissary reopens in two days.
With all of the reopenings, Disney has taken the opportunity to pare down the food offerings at many restaurants. They’ve also added some new food items – including one I’m really excited about!
New Menu at ABC Commisssary
We recently shared that ABC Commissary would reopen on October 8. It is a quick-service dining location that offered the typical burgers, chicken tenders, and salads.
The chefs took the reopening as an opportunity to recreate the menu. It looks like they did a fantastic job!
Curry Rice Bowl with Shrimp, Chicken Clubs, and Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwich are all new items.
Other additional offerings include Shrimp Tacos and Pork Carnitas Tacos! Yum!
If you need plant-based options, ABC Commissary has you covered there, too. You can choose from a Curry Rice Bowl with Tofu or California Burger (plant-based meat).
Sides include Black Beans, Steak Fries, and Mexican Rice. You can also grab an Arugula – Farro Salad!
The kids menu still includes staples like Turkey Sandwiches and Uncrustables. However, if your young one prefers Pork Tacos, they can grab that, too!
The prices are all still reasonable – between $10 and $14 for each entree. This makes the quick-service option a great opportunity to experience more unique food without breaking the bank.
Seasonal Offerings at ABC Commissary
ABC Commissary will also offer seasonal treats upon reopening!
Choose from Frozen Apple Cider (with or without Crown Royal), Box of Bones Chocolate Eclair Cake, or both! Of course, those won’t stick around forever. We will likely only see these through the end of the Halloween season.
Be on the lookout for festive treats to arrive just in time for Christmas! Remember, the holiday season officially kicks off on November 6!
Of course, Character Locator has the full menu for ABC Commissary and all other open restaurants at Walt Disney World!
Are you excited about this new menu? Which item are you looking forward to trying? Let us know on Facebook!


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AT&T Drops Contract Requirement for Home Phone Service
AT&T today made its home phone product more appealing by adding a pre-paid option to the service. AT&T Wireless Home Phone lets homeowners port their old landline to AT&T's wireless network, allowing them to keep their home number, but use it as a wireless device. Wireless Home Phone costs $9.99 per month when added to an existing FamilyTalk plan, or $19.99 per month for unlimited nationwide calling. Wireless Home Phone handsets are free when purchased with a new two-year contract. The new pre-paid option, available beginning March 22, allows consumers to pay $99.99 up front for the Wireless Home Phone device, and then provides two calling plan options. The pre-paid plans offer unlimited domestic calling for $20 per month, and 1000 minutes of international calling to Mexico, Canada, and 50 other countries for an additional $15 per month. AT&T Wireless Home Phone includes voicemail, caller ID, and call waiting.
Google's Fiber Phone Bridges Home and Mobile Service
Google today announced the Fiber Phone, a home-phone service for its Google Fiber internet customers. The service includes unlimited nationwide calling, caller ID, voicemail, privacy controls, spam filtering, and do-not-disturb tools.
Google Home Gains More Home Automation Powers
Google today expanded the number of third-party smart home apps that can be controlled by its Google Home product. Owners of Google Home can now control Belkin Wemo and Honeywell smart home products via Google Home.
Verizon Wireless Tweaks International Calling Options
Verizon Wireless today announced the Unlimited Together - World calling plan. The monthly add-on provides unlimited minutes to landlines in over 70 countries, unlimited minutes to cell phones in nearly 40 countries, and discounted calling to an additional 160 countries.
ZTE Debuts Mobile Hotspot, Home Phone on Sprint
ZTE today announced two new connected devices for Sprint. The ZTE Warp Connect (pictured) is a mobile hotspot.
Cricket Dials In Unlimited Calling to Canada
Cricket Wireless today upgraded its $50 and $60 monthly plans to include unlimited international calling and messaging to Canada. Customers won't have to take any steps to activate the feature, Cricket is doing so automatically for all new and existing subscribers.
Wireless Home Phone
Cell service is just fine.
I've been with two wireless...


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6Webs.com is the consumers' choice for unbiased and independent home security systems reviews.
Pittsburgh, PA (PRWEB) December 02, 2012
6Webs.com is the nation’s leading home security system review website that educates consumers on how to secure their home as well as how to pick the best home security system for their family. 6Webs.com conducts annual reviews of the top home security companies in the industry and makes them available on their website in a side-by-side comparison.
The latest home security reviews of SafeMart and Alarm Zone have been posted to their website where consumers can see the pros and cons of purchasing their home security products and services.
Tim Smythe the senior editor for 6Webs.com stated, “During the SafeMart reviews the team discovered that they offer GE Equipment for an affordable monthly price however when compared to companies like LifeShield Security and Protect America, SafeMart’s upfront equipment fees are significantly higher.”
Consumers wanting to know the how the SafeMart home security reviews compare to the other home security companies can visit 6Webs.com. In addition to the review of SafeMart, an Alarm Zone review was conducted by the 6Webs.com home security expert team. The review team found a lack of information available on the home security company’s website when compared to the competition and discovered they are not accredited with the Better Business Bureau. There was also a lack of Alarm Zone customer reviews online from the 6Webs.com team’s research. Alarm Zone does offer five different home security packages and 24x7 monitoring services.
For consumers who are interested in deciding which home security system is best for their family can use 6Webs.com as a tool to both educate themselves as well as compare the features, monitoring services and prices of the leading home security companies. 6Webs.com has helped thousands of consumers compare the pros and cons of the most popular home security companies.
6Webs.com is dedicated to providing consumers with the latest information on home security products and services. They pride themselves in offering an easy to consume reviews of the nation’s leading home security system providers.


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2020 threw us an early curveball, ushering in a "new normal" that continues to affect every aspect of our daily lives. Amid adversity, Filipinos have always been known as resilient people — always finding creative ways to cope and survive. However, this pandemic brought us to unfamiliar territory with everyone not knowing what to expect next.
With the end of this global health crisis nowhere in sight, never has there been a more appropriate time for us to re-examine the things that are important to us. If COVID-19 has taught us anything, it has highlighted the lack of convenient access to essential services and how moving toward a digital economy solves this.
The use of internet and online services is not a foreign concept to Filipinos. It is even considered as a great equalizer, cutting across all social classes and systems. Digital services give us the opportunity to do more as we continue to complete our daily tasks safely in the comfort of our homes. As an example, online education is something I heavily focus on especially because I have two kids. The pandemic shouldn’t put on hold their continued learning, whether it is academics or new hobbies they want to pursue.
Indeed, the demand for digital platforms is suddenly seeing a fast rise as it becomes more relevant. From online food delivery to digital groceries, virtual storefronts and cashless fund transfers — all are experiencing huge volume surges. GCash is at the forefront of enabling this emerging need for digital services.
Demand & relevance increasing exponentially
“ In the first three months of lockdown, we experienced an exponential increase in transactions, breaking records and milestones as the days go by. Compared to this time last year, we have ballooned by 700 percent — driven by relevant services like online payments, bank cash-in and sending money. ”
The shift of focus towards digitalization has put the spotlight on our pioneering financial technology (fintech) platform with many realizing GCash’s true relevance in this pandemic.
We have strengthened our position as the top financial app in the country with more people downloading and registering to GCash, doubling the velocity month on month prior to COVID. In the first three months of lockdown, we experienced an exponential increase in transactions, breaking records and milestones as the days go by. Compared to this time last year, we have ballooned by 700 percent — driven by relevant services like online payments, bank cash-in and sending money.
Where there has been growth in the number of online shops and food deliveries, users have largely turned to digital wallets for payments. As the pandemic forced businesses to move online and affected job security, GCash has been a haven for merchants and “social sellers” by offering more accessible cashless payment acceptance.
Realizing that my home will now indefinitely be my office, I am finding ways to make this space a bit more conducive for both work and play. Whether it be creating a mini-gym for workouts or purchasing plants for a more calming environment, GCash has given me access to a wide range of merchants to fit my new normal.
At a time where the public is discouraged to leave their homes, many turned to GCash as a way of sending money. This is a perfect example of Filipino resourcefulness, as many are making the most of this service by sending money to small businesses as payment for goods, pabili payment for family members already out of the house, and donating to those who need it the most.
Recognizing our capacity to impact the growth of the digital economy, we urgently stepped up to the plate by upgrading our system to ensure seamless and secure experiences for our users. Working with Ant Financial, which runs the world's largest digital wallet Alipay, we migrated our system to its A+ platform, future-proofing us for scale in the coming years.
Not just an option, a necessity
Personally, GCash is my lifeline during this pandemic. It allowed me to safely conduct my recurring errands of grocery shopping and paying bills at the comfort of my home. I’m sure this experience is not something unique to me, but to many more Filipinos who deserve more convenient alternatives. The volume of transactions and the increasing popularity of GCash only shows that it is no longer just an option, but has become a necessity.
The pandemic has acted as a catalyst in this shift, making people aware of the importance and role of digital finance in society today. Even among the younger generation, research shows rising interest and searches for topics related to financial security, literacy, savings, and wealth management.
Our vision at GCash is to provide finance for all. We believe that financial services like savings, credit, investment and insurance are products not meant only for the rich. We have been working towards enabling democratized access to these services as every Filipino deserves to live better every day.
Admittedly, with the surge in growth, our workload has been crazy. But our spirits have never burned brighter — the energy to evolve and grow our platform in order to help the country in this fight against the virus motivates us in our journey toward our purpose: to help make sure every Filipino has access to financial services, anywhere and everywhere.
Still a lot left to do, but we can do it together
There is a lot we don't know about what the future holds, but what we do know is that working together is the way to go. All hands on deck are needed, as we fully support the government in its digitalization efforts to help ensure every Filipino survives this pandemic.
Both LGUs and national government agencies have recognized the need to use digital wallets in streamlining the distribution of emergency cash aid to Filipino households. The pandemic has made distributing cash unsafe due to the higher risk of infection with the exchange of bills, on top of the huge manpower needed and tedious liquidation process.
Makati City, a long-time GCash partner for their Makatizen city ID program, tapped us to assist in cash disbursements to their own citizens affected by the community quarantine.
Following Makati’s lead, more LGUs like Quezon City and Taguig, as well as DSWD and LTFRB, are going digital and are also currently using our disbursement platform. So far, GCash has helped disburse over P1.8 billion in financial aid to 350,000 beneficiaries of financial aid programs.
Last June 30, we were awarded the disbursement of the second tranche of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) by the DSWD, under the newly minted Bayanihan to Heal as One Act. We will be disbursing around P16 billion to 2.4 million beneficiaries who are in urgent need of cash assistance.
As we continue to pool our efforts, GCash has also aided initiatives by NGOs and private individuals who have stepped up to help disenfranchised Filipino workers, providing them a platform to receive and send donations.
It is in gestures like these that empower GCash to do better, to deliver on our promise and continue to provide services that are essential in this new normal we're experiencing.
Despite all the breakthroughs we have made in digital financial services, there is still room to grow to create a greater impact on Filipino lives. We will continue to work and collaborate with private businesses, financial institutions and the public sector to achieve the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ vision of a cashless society, in line with GCash’s vision of Finance for All.
Edited by Rica Delfinado


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The World Health Organization has said that a batch of contaminated India-made cough syrup has been found in the Marshall Islands and Micronesia.
The WHO said that the tested samples of Guaifenesin TG syrup, made by Punjab-based QP Pharmachem Ltd, showed “unacceptable amounts of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol”.
Both compounds are toxic to humans and could be fatal if consumed.
The WHO statement did not specify if anyone had fallen ill.
The latest alert comes months after the WHO linked other cough syrups made in India to child deaths in The Gambia and Uzbekistan.
Sudhir Pathak, managing director of QP Pharmachem, told the BBC that the company had exported the batch of 18,346 bottles to Cambodia after getting all due regulatory permissions. He said he didn’t know how the product had reached the Marshall Islands and Micronesia.
“We did not send these bottles to the Pacific region, and they were not certified for use there. We don’t know under what circumstances and conditions these bottles reached the Marshall Islands and Micronesia,” he said, adding that his company has sent a legal notice to the firm that exported the batch of medicines to Cambodia.
The WHO statement said that the product, which is used to relieve chest congestion and cough symptoms, was tested by Australia’s drug regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration.
The syrup was marketed by Trillium Pharma, based in Haryana state. The BBC couldn’t reach a Trillium representative on the phone. The Indian government has not reacted to the latest alert.
The statement added that “neither the stated manufacturer nor the marketer have provided guarantees to WHO on the safety and quality of these products”.
( Source BBC)


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NRSC Website Had Complex Malware Installed, Credit Card Info Stolen
According to the National Republican Senatorial Committee, its storefront contained malware that stole credit card information that was used since March 2016.
The same criminal group has targeted the NRSC as well thousands of other e-commerce sites – perhaps nearly 6,000 sites.
Williem de Groot, a Dutch security researcher, first broke the news about the malware. He said the attackers was able to install malware on sites using the sites’ weak passwords and other vulnerabilities.
de Groot said roughly 630 stores have updated their securities and removed the malware – that translates to one in ten e-commerce sites.
While the exact number of credit cards stolen during the six months is not known, the 30-day estimate suggests that 330,000 people visited the store.
de Groot said the malware can go undetected – is persistent – for a long time. He said 754 stores were skimmed since 2015. de Groot said to the untrained eye, the malware looks like a webpage code. Since the wiretap code runs on the page, it can run on the secure HTTPS pages, which is why no one suspects a thing.