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Toni Morrison, 88, winner of the 1993 Nobel Prize in Literature and the 1988 Pulitzer for fiction, died on Monday night at the Montefiore Medical Center in New York. Robert Gottlieb, Morrison’s longtime editor at Knopf, said in statement, “She was a great woman and a great writer, and I don’t know which I will miss more.” Sonny Mehta, chairman of Knopf, said: “Toni Morrison’s working life was spent in the service of literature: writing books, reading books, editing books, teaching books. I can think of few writers in American letters who wrote with more humanity or with more love for language than Toni. Her narratives and mesmerizing prose have made an indelible mark on our culture. Her novels command and demand our attention. They are canonical works, and more importantly, they are books that remain beloved by readers.”
Leslie Davisson is joining the Simon & Schuster special markets sales team as national accounts manager, based in Portland, OR and reporting to Jennifer Grojean. She succeeds Helen Griffin, who has accepted a position at Ryland Peters & Small. Davisson was most recently sales and marketing director at Pomegranate Communications.
At Random House Children’s, Anika Bates has joined the licensed and proprietary brands marketing team as marketing coordinator. She previously worked as a publicity and promotions coordinator for Allied Global Marketing. Michelle Kim had joined as designer for the brands and licensing team. She most recently worked at Scholastic as a designer in the educational resource group. Jocelyn Lange has been promoted to director of international rights and proprietary publishing.
Emily Dyer has been promoted to associate marketing manager at Macmillan Audio. Tom Mis has been promoted to producer. At Macmillan Podcasts, Becky Celestina has been promoted to producer and Michelle Margulis to ad operations specialist.
In the UK, Claire Bayliss has been appointed group ceo of The Book People, succeeding Simon Mason who took over the role in January. She has worked since 2012 for private equity firm Endless, which owns The Book People.
Simon & Schuster will publish Hillary Clinton and Chelsea Clinton‘s THE BOOK OF GUTSY WOMEN, about “women with the courage to stand up to the status quo, ask hard questions, and get the job done,” on October 1.
Harper Focus, the “separate entity” housed within Harper Christian in Nashville, is launching a nonfiction imprint, Harper Horizon, to be led by Andrea Fleck-Nisbet, former director of content acquisitions at Ingram Content Group (who spent 15 years at Workman prior to joining Ingram). The line, debuting in spring 2020 and aiming to publish 15 to 20 books a year, will focus on titles that “encourage readers to live life by embracing values such as: integrity, optimism, patriotism, family-values, community, respect, sacrifice, creativity, hard work, wisdom and inspiration.” Fleck-Nisbet says in the announcement: “At this point of social inflection, readers are hungry for stories and information that speak to the fundamental principles that unite and drive us: family, work, self-discovery and community. I am eager to put books into the hands of readers that will inspire, entertain and encourage them to fully realize their potential. Harper Horizon is well-positioned from a cultural and geographic perspective to do just that.”
Endeavor Group has postponed its planned IPO at least until September, the WSJ reported. Sources said the company will close an another glamorous acquisition first, adding a purchase of of hospitality and live-events company On Location Experiences, for as much as $700 million. “Also behind the delay, the people said: Endeavor wants to be able to tout its second-quarter results and renegotiated contracts for soccer events, which it hopes will help achieve a higher public valuation.” But as this week’s trade-related market plunge has shown, the timing of an IPO can be delicate and if the market continues to turn the company may need to change their plans further. Also complicating matters is that Endeavor “recently disclosed a material weakness’ in its internal controls over financial reporting. People close to the company say this issue, which Endeavor is taking steps to address, wasn’t the catalyst for the delay.”


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Second-generation of Mazda's Rav4 rival promises striking design and engaging road manners.
Standard all-wheel drive could help you keep that extra power in check, but only until you hit Drift Mode.
Nissan's special-edition half-ton NP200 Ice is so cool it comes out of the factory wearing shades.
Merc's flashier alternative to the Hilux will reach South Africa in early 2018. Here's what to expect.
Totally new, yet evolutionary SUV has some interesting gadgets, including one that'll find your lost belongings.
Developed with the help of Volvo, Geely's new car brand promises something of a smartphone on wheels.
Certainly its pricing has accelerated but for that you get new engines, a smoother, quieter ride, new trim and a raft of new features.
S-Class Cabriolet, launched in South Africa this week, is the first convertible luxury four-seater from Mercedes-Benz since 1971.
Mercedes-Benz was blessed with a perfect Cape spring day for the long-awaited South African launch of its new convertible range.
It's not often you get something for nothing from a car company: Renault updates its B-segment SUV without increasing prices.
Honda is adding a third vehicle to its compact crossover line-up in the form of the sporty-looking WR-V.
Just 200 examples of the 368kW / 600Nm M4 DTM Champion Edition track day special will be made, at the equivalent of R3.34m each.
Toyota's latest Avanza update is not something you can see, but it will cost you an extra R4400. Think of it as cheap insurance.

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When Steve jobs announced the launch of the iPad it was been called the savior of publishing. Wired magazine launched their digital edition to great acclaim and ended up selling nearly as many copies of its digital magazine on the iPad as it did on the rack. Over a 100,000 copies. This was fantastic news and everybody rushed to get an iPad edition ready for the app store.Now six months on the euphoria has gone and it seems that publishers are been left with disappointing results.Most are finding it difficult to break even after their investments. While the first Wired edition sold over 100,000 copies, they worked along with the Adobe team to produce this digital magazine, a lot of man hours were put in. After the fanfare died down and the dust settled, It seems that the readers are been turned away by the high prices and the static experience.
Here are some figures from leading publishing companies:
– After the success of their 100,000 issues Wired Magazine sales fell by 70% to average around 30,000 an issue
– Elle magazine had 20,000 downloads of its debut publication in October
– Men’s Health is averaging just under 3,000 an issue
– Maxim is averaging around 25,000 an issue but that figure is spread over both their iPhone and iPad sales
–Popular Science is averaging around 14,000 per issue
Not great for publications with the audiences that they have but what percentage of these do you think are new customers? You would have to imagine that most of these readers are been taken away from their print sales.
This data was collected by Nielsen who surveyed 5,000 tablet users & while it found that over half had paid for content, magazines were eight in the top paid app category lists. Part of the problem is not only the hefty price of the digital editions (the new Yorker charges $4.99) but also they have not been able to figure out how to sell subscriptions.
“In the grand scheme of things, there’s a chunk of eyeballs, but if you’re looking for mass awareness, the iPad isn’t the vehicle yet,” said Rich Ting, ecd of the mobile and emerging platforms group at R/GA.
The apps themselves are also missing the mark.
“These apps suffer from a product design problem,” said Khoi Vinh, a former lead designer at NYTimes.com. “They are designed around the wrong product vision, one that doesn’t realize people won’t read content in this way over the long haul.”
Media Week says “Publishers would be wise to take their cues from Flipboard, a publication built specifically for the iPad. Read an article on Flipboard and you’ll see the social commentary around it, a far cry from the solitary interface of most publisher apps. The empty experience of publisher apps shows up in the stats. According to app analytics company Flurry, media iPad apps average less than two minutes per session.”
By 3D Issue


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Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal Announces Passage of First-in-the-Nation Menstrual Product Ingredient Labeling Bill in both Assembly and Senate
Albany, NY Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal (D/WF-Manhattan) today announced passage of her first-in-the-nation legislation to require ingredient labeling on the packaging of all menstrual products, including tampons, pads and sanitary napkins, in both the New York State Assembly and State Senate. If signed by the Governor, New York will become the first state in the nation to require menstrual product ingredient labeling to empower millions of menstruators to make informed decisions about which products they choose to leave inside or on their bodies.
I know whats in my toothpaste and my shampoo, I should know whats in my tampons, said Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal. Menstruators have a right to know the ingredients in products that they put in and on some of the most sensitive parts of their bodies 24 hours a day, for seven to 10 days a month every month for as many as 40 years. For years, menstruators have been stigmatized, their periods shrouded by shame. This legislation helps to smash the stigma surrounding menstruation and helps empower menstruators to make educated decisions about the products they use on their most sensitive body parts.
Menstruators use tampons and related products for up to a week each month for 40 years or more during the span of a lifetime. This prolonged exposure creates unique and not well understood or studied opportunities for absorption of chemicals and toxins into the individuals body. Reports on the ingredients found in many different brands have shown the presence of several undisclosed volatile compounds, including known reproductive toxins, like carbon disulfide and methylene chloride. Further, the percentage of organic to synthetic materials in menstrual hygiene products often fluctuates with changes in the price of cotton, and yet consumers are not informed of these changes in product composition.
Make no mistake about it, product labeling is a vital consumer protection, but a package with ingredients clearly labeled is also a signal to menstruators that their bodies and their experience matters, said Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal.
We deserve the right to know whats in our menstrual products, said Kathy Curtis, Executive Director of Clean and Healthy New York and Co-leader of the JustGreen Partnership. Thanks to this first-ever menstrual product labeling requirement, New Yorkers will no longer have to guess what ingredients are in products they use in and on the most intimate parts of their bodies.
This bill makes sure that people are informed about the ingredients in the products that they need to manage their period, said Amber Garcia, Executive Director, Womens Voices for the Earth (WVE). It builds on WVEs work to ensure that people are able to see what is in their products, and that toxic chemicals are not present in the products that we all use in our everyday lives. No one should have to worry that their period products will cause harm to their health or future fertility. This legislation is an important first step, Garcia added.
For years women's health has been at the mercy of the companies making period products because they've not been required to disclose any of the toxic chemicals they intentionally add like nanosilver, said Cecil Corbin- Mark, Director of Programs at WE ACT for Environmental Justice and Co-Leader of the Just Green Partnership. People who menstruate, especially those who live in communities of color where there are disproportionate levels of toxic exposure, have a fundamental right to this information especially considering the health risks some ingredients like nanosilver pose.
Finally, through new disclosure requirements, we will be better informed about ingredients in period products that may be linked to breast cancer and other chronic diseases," said Laura Weinberg, President of The Great Neck Breast Cancer Coalition. "The Legislature has taken an important step to arm people with the information they need to make safe purchasing decisions, making this a major win for all New Yorkers.
New York State is addressing the issue of menstrual health, head on, said Karen Joy Miller, Huntington Breast Cancer Action Coalition, Inc. The passage of this legislation is an important step to protect New Yorkers from unnecessary exposure to toxic chemicals in period products, many of which have been linked to serious health problems. We have a right to know whats in the things we buy, and this legislation will give consumers the power to make better, safer choices."
Until now, companies did not have to disclose whether they were using nanosilver or other intentionally added ingredients. People who menstruate have a fundamental right to this information especially considering the health risks some ingredients like nanosilver pose said Lubna Ahmed, Director of Environmental Health at WE ACT for Environmental Justice, and Co-Leader of the Just Green Partnership.
"Phasing out harmful and unnecessary toxic chemicals in menstrual products will have a lasting effect on both the health of the New Yorkers who use them and the environment," said Caitlin Ferrante, Conservation & Development Program Manager for the Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter. "Ultimately, these chemicals find their way into the environment, be it through the air, water, or when these products eventually end up in the landfill. The Sierra Club applauds the Legislature for taking this much needed action to ensure New Yorkers are one step closer to a toxic-free future."
The bill, which passed the State Senate earlier this session, was sponsored by Roxanne Persaud.


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Forget the supposed benefits of olive oil, fresh fish and the Mediterranean diet. If health-conscious Brummies want to live to a ripe old age they should copy the eating habits of a former Iron Curtain country not normally noted for its fine cuisine.
That was the advice given yesterday by the city council’s deputy leader Paul Tilsley, who said it was significant that men and women in Leipzig lived on average to 78 - two years longer than their Birmingham counterparts.
Coun Tilsley (Lib Dem Sheldon) said he was mystified by the longevity statistics, but assumed the difference might be accounted for by the austere lifestyle imposed on people when Leipzig was part of communist-controlled East Germany between 1945 and 1990 and rationing was commonplace.
“Maybe they didn’t have the pleasure of chocolate or other consumables for many years. They had a staple diet instead.
“It’s quite amazing and it just goes to show that the Mediterranean diet isn’t always the healthy way,” he told a scrutiny committee.
Coun Tilsley said he was horrified by the amount of uneaten food thrown out and wasted by many families in Birmingham, most of it discarded because supermarket sell-by dates had been marginally exceeded.
He admitted: “I can live on out of date stuff in my fridge, no trouble at all.”
Describing wasted food as one of the greatest issues facing the world today, Coun Tilsley added: “Having worked in the food industry myself, it is something that concerns me a great deal because I know the amount of time and effort that goes into producing fresh produce.
“I am of an age when it wasn’t uncommon to go to bed hungry and to see food being thrown out offends me. We need to do all we can as a society to ensure that food is used properly.”
Committee member James Hutchings, a Conservative councillor for Edgbaston, said the amount of food routinely thrown away by large institutions and supermarkets left him speechless. He added: “I eat lots of things that are years out of date, it’s never harmed me.”
Coun Tilsley went on to admit that the council has no plans to respond to a suggestion from environmental groups that it should introduce household composting collection services.
Referring to his own arrangements, he added: “I chuck it in my composter at the bottom of the garden, but I know that is not practical for everyone.
“There are some councils that do collect compostable material, South Shropshire on a much smaller scale for instance, but it is not something that is on the immediate horizon in Birmingham. Perhaps it might be the next but one thing we do.”
He is concentrating instead on rolling out to all homes the council’s kerbside recycling service, which collects green waste, paper, cans and other household recyclables.
Coun Tilsley said he hoped soon to be able to offer the service to people living in flats and apartments, where he said private sector developers had failed to introduce recycling arrangements.
By the end of this year the council expects recycling to be available to 95 per cent of properties in Birmingham. The council is also involved in a £39 million partnership with health trusts to promote the importance of healthier lifestyles.
Coun Tilsley added: “We are very serious about this because health inequalities between people in the centre of Birmingham and the outlying areas is a major issue. It is something we have to address.”


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Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt and a panel of senators agreed to disagree over whether the search giant favors its own properties over competitors.
Schmidt's testimony before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust boiled down to trust us. Schmidt referenced Microsoft as a company that looked unbeatable 20 years ago, but ultimately missed the curve on mobile and other trends.
The message: "The Internet is the ultimate level playing field," said Schmidt, who portrayed Google as a company working to put consumers first over profits. "We focus on loyalty not lock-in."
In other words, Schmidt's testimony boiled down to trust us.
The early fireworks appeared when Sen. Michael S. Lee (R-UT) produced data that showed that Google's owned and operated properties often were among the top links. Schmidt said that Google aimed to give answers quickly and sometimes engineering dictated that a stock quote from Google Finance was faster than the "10 links answer." That rationale from Schmidt also applied to Maps and other areas.
Lee asked Schmidt whether Google products and services are subject to the same search ranking algorithm process as all organic search results. He was intimating that Google favors its own "secondary" product in search result. Schmidt explained that if Google knows the answer to a query, "it is better for the consumer for us to answer the question," and use its our data resources. "I am not aware of any boosts or bias" in the search results, Schmidt said.
Lee gave an example of a product search where the result appears to include a result from Google consistently high up on the first page of results. "You've cooked it so you are always third," Lee charged.
"Senator, I can assure you we have not cooked anything," Schmidt calmly said.
Google's overall message is that the company is different because it operates in an open Internet where consumers are a click away from another service. Schmidt believes that the huge base of Google users provides a kind of governance that makes the company trustworthy "The ultimate correction against any mistake is how consumers behave," Schmidt said. "People have choices…our customers want quick and accurate answers, and the way we correct ourselves is if they switch."
Schmidt's point on users switching leading to how Google treats its search results seems to assume that its hundreds of millions of users are sophisticated enough to understand the intricacies of search results and any favoritism Google may be lending to its own products and service.
However, Schmidt is right that Google is compelled to make it easy for searchers to find good answers, but the product search above shows that it gives its own product database a more favorable treatment, if not rank.
Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wisc.) said that an investigation of Google's business practices had to boil down to trust but verify. Schmidt noted that he could go with that. "I agree with trust, but verify," said Schmidt. "We live in great fear that consumers will switch."
Other highlights from the hearing:
Schmidt opened up his testimony with a reference to Microsoft and how it looked unbeatable 20 years ago.
Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) said he was shocked by some of generalizations in Schmidt's answers. "If the chairman doesn't know this who does?" said Franken, who had a big beef with the lack of specifics from Schmidt.
Franken also noted that he found Yelp's testimony about Google's business practices troubling.
Charles Schumer's (D-NY) 7-minute questioning period equated to a monologue about technology in his state and an appeal for Google to expand there.


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Tabasco has practically been his middle name since newly named CEO Harold Osborn was eight years old.
He started out in the family company by punching the prices on canned goods and stocking shelves.
“One of my most prized possessions is my first paycheck which was fifty cents an hour,” says Osborn. “I worked the whole summer and I made fifty dollars.”
From hauling barrels of aging hot sauce to business management, since that first summer, Osborn has worked in just about every job on Avery Island. He’s seen the McIlhenny Company expand while sticking to its homegrown roots.
“We follow the same recipe that my great-great-grandfather did 150 years ago,” Osborn adds.
And he doesn’t just mean the hot sauce recipe. The Tabasco brand was built on tradition and family. The company has grown to reach almost 200 countries, but it maintains less than 300 close-knit employees.
“We’re one big family out here. We don’t just consider family being the McIlhenny family,” says Osborn. “It’s the people that work here. We have people that are second, third and fourth generation workers.”
Like his predecessors, Osborn plans to be hands-on in his new role.
“I’ve known a lot of the presidents from being a youngster here. It wasn’t a lot of talk, it was a lot of action,” he says.
Osborn will even continue the task of tasting each batch of Tabasco Brand hot sauce before and even more so after production.
Osborn is the great-great-grandson of Tabasco’s founder, Edmund Mcilhenny. He succeeds Anthony Simmons, who is retiring from the family business after 19 years with the company.


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The April 2015 issue of Meat & Poultry Magazine features an article titled “Aggie-Style meat education” and highlights industry education offered through workshops, courses and camps hosted by the meat science section in the Department of Animal Science.
Writer Kimberlie Clyma writes, “In 1989, the Texas Beef Council was looking for a way to educate its staff about the beef industry. The council was responsible for marketing beef, but many members of the staff didn’t really understand the process of how beef got from farm to fork. It approached Texas A&M University, which is know as having one of the country’s top meat science collegiate programs, and requested a special program to educate its staff on the basics of the beef industry — and Beef 101 was born.”
Source: Article highlights meat science educational program | Animal Science


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Flickr: benandbarnet the us-china business council has released its survey on member companies' experience doing business in china this year you can check out the full uscbc 2011 china business. Just read a really good article in the china business review by william edwards, a global franchise consultant, entitled, the pros and cons of franchising in chinaas its title implies, the article is on franchising in china, but the part i liked most has universal applicability for those looking at doing a consumer business of just about any kind in china. These five dimensions, which will provide our window for a more effective and productive perspective on doing business with companies in china, are the following: power distance, individualism vs. The china australia free trade agreement (often referred to as chafta) will ease the process of doing business in china for australian organisations by opening up unprecedented access and opportunity across a wide spectrum of industries, that want to embrace the opportunities in the world’s most populous nation.
Cc-china-doing business in china-030211 market overview china’s economic and demographic scale make it a cannot miss market for many companies, but the country faces growing economic headwinds and american companies report increased pessimism about their prospects in the market. The three main challenges for doing business in china are to overcome the obstacles in obtaining market information, to decide strategic positioning issues—including a firm's location, prc policies, and the role of local partners—and to conduct the negotiation process. Doing business in china , is a risky venture , generally , companies hire professionally skills staff , to cut cost , but generally , management should be from home , but also consider , doing. China is 12 to 13 hours ahead of the eastern time zone (there is only one time zone in china and no daylight savings), it has a very ancients and different history, language, culture and on top of that it is a communist country.
The 2017 world bank’s doing business report ranks china 78th in the world for overall “ease of doing business” and according to the world economic forum china ranks 28th on the global. Doing business in china –implications of rmb internationalization for multinationals for corporate clients i n d u s t r y i n s i g h t asia pacific 2011 has had its fair share of major events, politically, economically and environmentally. Payroll taxes and employee benefits are a major add on to payroll costs in china payroll taxes may vary from one area to the next for a representative look at the types of taxes and rates, see payroll taxes. Benefits of doing business in india india’s location can make it a good strategic alternative to china for manufacturing and shipping to africa, the middle east, and southeast asia honeywell manufactures turbochargers in pune, and hyundai makes automobiles in chennai for the african and european market.
Us business service franchises, such as alphagraphics, inc and sir speedy, inc, began entering china in the 1990s, mainly to serve the increasing number of foreign representative offices in eastern cities. Despite the fact that china has modernized a great deal over the last 25 years, it can still be difficult to understand for an american doing business there for the first time. Perspective, about doing business in china should you have more specific questions about your supply and value chain in china still offers many benefits as a part of a regional and global strategy, the focus for businesses has clearly shifted from 6 and doing business and investing in china business china market.
• the benefits of doing business in a country are a a senior manager at a us automobile company with the job of deciding whether to invest in production facilities in china, or germany these facilities will serve local market demand evaluate the benefits, costs, and risks associated with doing business in each nation. The main advantage of doing business in china is the fact that china has emerged as one of the world’s strongest economic forces, driven by the shear number of people that china has and the moderization movement that china is currently undergoing. Doing business in india has advantages, with growing attractiveness according to a study by goldman sachs, the indian economy is expected to grow at the rate of five percent or more through the.
In hong kong, english common law is prevalent and the legal system is separate from that of mainland china hong kong is commonly seen as the best route to begin doing business in china for western countries. The pros and cons of doing business with china are often worth the risk, but you need to perform your due diligence before signing a deal or sending money over without enough research, you might find yourself taking an unexpected loss. China has more than 13 billion people, making it one of the largest markets in the world its economy has grown rapidly over the past two decades while these facts make china appear attractive to foreign businesses, they present only one side doing business in china also has several disadvantages.
Based on my 35 years of doing business in china, i would like to share with you some observations that might help you in the risk prone china market • understanding the culture: you don’t have to be fluent in mandarin but you must have some sensitivity to the chinese culture and how it impacts business. It’s important for westerners to understand that guan xi, or relationships, can make a huge difference in doing business in china the chinese prefer doing business with people they are familiar. Introduction – doing business in china 8 conducting business in china 13 taxation in china 18 audit and accountancy 32 human resources and employment law 34 trade 38 a number of benefits and incentives towards overseas investors in particular industries, of which we set out a brief list as follows.
China is one country that has stepped up to capitalize on these benefits according to china's commerce ministry, fdi in 2010 surpassed $100 billion for the first time. Doing business in china china is the great economic success story of the past 30 years it’s now the world’s largest economy and a huge and expanding market for uk businesses. Harnessing these benefits when doing business in china is only possible if international organisations have the skills and know-how necessary to navigate the many geographic, linguistic, religious and cultural differences present in chinese culture. By christina nelson two recent prc government policies will increase the cost of doing business in china, a top concern of many us companies the recently passed social insurance law will soon require foreigners working in china to participate in china’s social insurance system.


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South Africa’s poultry association (SAPA) believes more than 30,000 local jobs could be created if the government blocked chicken imports.
The impact of imports on the industry was best illustrated in 2017, when RCL, the company that owns Rainbow Chicken, sold 15 of its 25 farms in Hammarsdale, KwaZulu-Natal, retrenching 1350 workers.
Other heavyweights in the industry, Country Bird and Mike’s Chickens, dismissed 1500 and 1000 workers respectively.
Izaak Breitenbach, general manager of SAPA’s broiler organisation, says statistics show that chicken imports reached a record high last year totalling 538,434 tons- up from the previous high of 528,108 tons imported in 2016.
“Every ton of import represents South African jobs lost or not created. We have worked out that we could create 30,000 jobs by replacing imports, which were worth R6 billion last year. We cannot understand why the government has allowed the wholesale “dumping” of imported chicken when South Africa ranks among the top producers of chicken in terms of cost and quality” Breitenbach adds.
Referring to the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy report, which was released last week. Breitenbach highlights the country’s competitiveness on within the broiler industry.
“The report showed that we were the fifth most competitive producer of poultry in the world. The chicken industry in countries that ranked higher than us, like the US and Brazil, were subsidised by their respective governments. They receive subsidies for maize and soya feed in those countries; after all, feed represents 70% of the input cost to raise chicken. South Africa is a semi-desert country. Therefore, it is more expensive to produce maize and soya, which affects production costs”.
That Brazil is currenty the largest exporter of chicken to South Africa.
The EU has banned imports from 20 Brazilian chicken producers because of salmonella fears. Last year, 348,155 tons of chicken was received in South Africa from Brazil.
“We are unable to physically test all of the containers of chicken. My concern is that exporters are capitalising on this and offering us meat that is possibly contaminated, at very low prices.
“Therefore, we’ve asked the Department of Agriculture to ban all Brazilian import”. Breitenbach says.
Marthinus Stander, chairperson of Country Bird, one of the top three chicken producers in the country, says the proliferation of imports is a “crying shame and missed opportunity”.
“We’re not scared if whole chicken carcasses come into the country; we could compete. We cannot compete with the prices that leg quarters are being dumped in South Africa for,” says Stander.
Chicken thighs and drumsticks are referred to as “brown meat” in the industry and are not the preferred cuts of consumers, especially in Europe.
They prefer “white meat” (breast portions), which results in unwanted brown meat being dumped in third world countries.
It’s a no -brainer, stop the imports and the economy will grow.
Presently, only the middle men (importers) are benefiting and the industry is dying”, Stander adds.
Jake Mokwena, a chicken farmer in the North West, said it was time the government intervened and helped farmers.
“We can’t compete against overseas people who are subsidised. And government also needs to help emerging farmers like me, otherwise we will just be observers in this industry”, Mokwena says.
Local players clamour for the South African government to step in and protect the local industry and the thousands of jobs at stake. South Africa’s department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Department of Trade and Industry had not responded to queries at the time of publication.
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AFRICANGLOBE – South African hotel chain City Lodge has begun its African expansion, launching a lodge in Botswana which will open to visitors in mid-December.
The company’s new three-star facility will be opened under the group’s Town Lodge brand name, and will encompass 106 rooms available for travelling customers. Investment in the new lodge currently stands at 50 million Pula ($6.25 million), and it is expected to create at least 30 new jobs.
The South African chain currently operates 55 facilities across South Africa under four brand names – City Lodge, Town Lodge, Road Lodge and Courtyard.
The group hopes to see rapid expansion across the African continent – targeting the opening of 20 new hotels over the next 5 to 10 years -, and in launching the Botswanan lodge in December the company hopes to establish a well-located hub to begin said expansion. Teams have already been sent out in to Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe with a view to potential expansion.
City Lodge Expands
Located in Gaborone, the new facility will be strategically located in the proximity of the Airport Junction Mall – one of Botswana’s biggest shopping outlets -, while also being well placed for travellers needing good access to the country’s main airport.
The concept behind moving into Botswana is based on capitalising on the chain’s existing customer base in South Africa. The chain has identified that the majority of its existing client base travels to Gaborone on a regular basis – whether for business or pleasure – and as such the company’s strategy relies on said customers providing an immediate uptake of the new facility.
Indeed, the company’s South African marketing team will be heading up Botswanan marketing, in order to tap in to a similar consumer base in its on-going expansion.
Chief Executive Officer of the City Lodge chain, Clifford Ross, explained that the company is targeting a niche market and as such does not expect competition from other large hotel chains, according to Mmegi. He also noted that the location near to the shopping mall will be a key selling point for the Gaborone-based lodge, as it is hoped retail outlets at the mall will provide room-service according to an agreement with the chain.


text: Fresh & Easy isn't closing S.F. stores [...] there are "even more exciting things to come." The note didn't say whether that might include another chain - like Walmart - taking over the stores, though it did say parent company Tesco is "looking at all options to find the best outcome for the neighborhood market." PATENTSCourt denies Apple appealApple failed to persuade a U.S. appeals court to review its decision that lets Samsung Electronics continue selling the Galaxy Nexus smartphone while a patent-infringement case is pending. An October decision, which said Apple needed to show that the patented search feature was a key reason consumers bought the Samsung smartphone, will stand, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit said in an order posted on its electronic docket Thursday. SECURITIESNetflix CEO to keep postingNetflix Chief Executive Officer Reed Hastings says he will keep posting on Facebook as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission weighs whether to file a lawsuit over a disclosure he made on the social network.


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Just the way we have world-class investment platforms like Robinhood, Webull and TradeStation to be able to buy shares in companies, there is a similar platform like that has been launched in Nigeria.
Bamboo, a Nigerian Fintech start-up was launched in 2020 to assist Africans (Nigerians) assess real-time dollar-denominated assets via the platform. Having witnessed significant growth since its launch, it raised about $2.4 million which was used in its facilitation. The firm has announced it had raised $15 million in a funding round.
Investors like U.S based Greycroft and Tiger Global led the funding round and saw participants like Chrysalis Capital, Saison Capital, Y Combinator’s CEO Michael Seibel, Motley Fool Ventures and a bunch of other investors.
Founder and CEO of Bamboo, Richmond Bassey highlighted that the firm makes it easy for Nigerians to invest in the global stock market in terms of accessing investment options -locally and internationally- which will help drive Africans to create and preserve wealth.
In a statement released by Bassey, he also noted that Bamboo’s goal is to give Africans fast and secure access to global investment options which will enable them to earn real returns. With the new funding, the start-up intends to accelerate growth and also double down on unlocking new markets and also launch more products.
Bamboo has competitors in the investment space like Rise, Trove and Chaka and they all differ in the type of service they render. While Bamboo gives (Africans) access to ADRs (American depositary receipt), U.S stocks and ETFs (exchange-traded funds); Chaka deals with ETFs that trade on local and foreign capital markets and stocks.
The firm has the intent to expand into Ghana as it has over 50,000 users that have joined its wishlist since its announcement to launch into neighbouring West African countries. Part of the raised funds will be used in scaling the company’s infrastructure to enable smoother processes and faster withdrawals.


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Tech Wrap: YouTube Super Thanks, Clubhouse, Samsung Galaxy M21 2021 Edition and Facebook were today's newsmakers
Apart from YouTube Super Thanks, Clubhouse and Samsung Galaxy M21 2021 Edition smartphone, Facebook Sensitive Content Controls for Instagram was in the news.
It was an exciting day in the world of technology today. YouTube launched the Super Thanks feature for content creators on its platform, Clubhouse came out of beta today and everyone can download the app now. In addition to that, Samsung Galaxy M21 2021 Edition smartphone was launched in India. Here's everything that created a buzz in the tech world today:
YouTube launches Super Thanks for creators: YouTube on Wednesday launched a new feature for content creators on its platform. The new YouTube feature called Super Thanks enables fans to show their support towards their favourite content creators by purchasing Super Thanks, which is available at four price points varying from $2 to $50 or local currency equivalents.
Clubhouse lifts ‘invite-only' restrictions: Clubhouse on Wednesday announced that it is lifting the invite-only restrictions on its platform and is out of beta mode. On the occasion, the audio-based social networking platform also launched a logo and an updated website.
Samsung Galaxy M21 2021 Edition launched in India: Samsung today launched the Galaxy M21 2021 Edition smartphone in India. It costs Rs12,499 for the 4GB/64GB RAM variant, and ₹14,499 for the 6GB/128GB variant. It will go on sale in India via Amazon India starting July 26 in Arctic Blue and Charcoal Black colour variants.
Facebook introduces Sensitive Content Control on Instagram: Facebook has introduced a new feature called Sensitive Content Control on Instagram. This feature enables users to decide how much sensitive content shows up in their Explore feeds on Instagram. Facebook said that users can decide to leave things as they are or they can adjust the Sensitive Content Control to see more or less of some types of sensitive content.


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Back at CES 2021, TCL showcased a lot of new Technologies including a rollable OLED smartphone. At the event, the company also introduced a range of mini-LED tech and other 4K HDR TVs. One among them is the P-Series of Smart TVs. Now, TCL has reportedly said that it is bringing this to India soon.
General Manager TCL India, Mike Chen says the company is excited to bring the latest offerings that were showcased recently at CES. For the unware, TCL introduced three new TVs at CES 2021- 4K Mini LED TV C825, 4K QLED TV C725, TCL 4K HDR TV P725. Out of this, the 4K HDR P725 TV is likely to debut in India.
Also, the TV will reportedly be the first Smart TVs in India to run the latest Android 11 TV OS. Talking about the TV itself, it has a millimeter-thin metallic trim design. It supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos technologies for dynamic motion imageries and immersive audio.
Additionally, there is MEMC(Motion Estimation, Motion Compensation) for frame enhancement. In case you don’t know, MEMC is typically a frame interpolation technology. It adds extra frames in between(for eg. 24-30fps converted to 60fps) for smooth transition between scenes.
The 4K HDR TV will also support other features like DTS decoding tech, Voice Assistant Integration, Hands-Free Voice Control 2.0, set reminders, and more. The TVs are expected to debut soon in India with aggressive price tags.
- Netflix certifies Galaxy S21 series, OPPO Reno4 series, TCL 20 5G, and more
- TCL plans Android 11 update for its 2019 and 2020 TVs but it may bring Google TV
- Samsung, LG, and TCL’s competition will intensify in 2021 over MiniLED TVs
ALWAYS BE THE FIRST TO KNOW – FOLLOW US!


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RED CROSS FOR HAITI
Haiti suffered a world of misfortune when an earthquake struck in January of this year. And while the rest of the world geared up to help, this proved to be one case where social-media did something more than slacktivists' favorite rallying cry of "raising awareness." Less than 24 hours after the earthquake struck, killing an estimated 230,000 people, the Red Cross initiated a text relief campaign. Wireless users wanting to help were asked to text HAITI to 90999 and a $10 charge would later appear on their phone bills. Over the next 36 hours, the campaign raised more than $4 million, making it the most successful texting fundraising effort ever. By late February, the mobile effort-backed by TV and spread across Twitter and Facebook-had raised more than $32 million and spawned a host of do-gooding imitators.
The Old Spice TV ads, featuring the manly, shirtless and humorously arrogant Isaiah Mustafa, have received rave reviews and have translated exceptionally well online. After being put on YouTube, the commercials became viral, with the most popular one amassing nearly 24 million views since the beginning of February. On Twitter, Old Spice solicited questions for Mustafa, now known as the "Old Spice guy," and Mustafa responded to many of them individually by making short videos. For example, one commenter asked Mustafa to propose to his fiance for him, and Mustafa obliged, making a video replete with a ring and romantic candles. Some of these personal-request videos have garnered millions of views as well.
Through Pepsi's "Refresh Project," which started at the beginning of the year, the company has given away $1.3 million a month to individuals and organizations that have posted to its website ideas on how to "Do Good," one of its mottoes. Thousands of people have posted ideas, including helping children who have experienced trauma and clothing homeless mothers in designs by local artists. Grant winners -- who have received $5,000 to $250,000 -- are those who get the most votes by fellow users at the end of each month. And users are encouraged to promote their ideas on Facebook and Twitter. One recent winner, a scientist at a public university in Michigan, received $50,000 to research compounds found in the spice cumin that may prevent cancer.
While some oil companies still have a lot to learn about social media (think BP), there is one in particular that's at the cutting edge. It's the Murphy Oil Corp., specifically the U.S. division, called Murphy USA, which operates retail discount gas stations in Walmart parking lots throughout the country. This year, it teamed up with the makers of Whrrl, a location-based social network, to reward customers with prizes when they go to buy gas at one of the company's stations. Since the program began in July, the Murphy USA "society" on Whrrl has 2,393 members -- small for Facebook numbers, but not too shabby for a gas station on a location-based app not named Foursquare. The company also has a program called Team Murphy USA that sponsors local sports teams and encourages team coaches to post pictures and scores to its website.
IT GETS BETTER
After a spate of teen suicides in September that were all related to homophobic bullying or insecurities about being gay, Dan Savage, an openly gay relationship columnist, made a YouTube video with his partner directed at vulnerable young people with the message that "It Gets Better." From this, the It Gets Better Project was born -- a website that allows mostly gay adults to share their stories with potentially suicidal young gay people about how life "gets better." So far, more than 5,000 user-created videos have been uploaded.
EDGE SHAVE GEL
Edge's "Anti-irritation Zone" website solicited responses to the question "What irritates you?" Featuring a map of the U.S. on the website, users could read about other people's annoyances by state, such as "when some jerk off on public transportation ignores a pregnant woman standing," from Cory in New York, N.Y., or "girls who say 'dude' all the time," from Steve in East Moline, Ill. It also used Twitter to provide random acts of kindness, seeking out instances in which people were complaining about irritating circumstances and attempting to solve them. In one example, a New England Patriots fan last month tweeted his irritation at his inability to get tickets to a game against the New York Jets and, within days, had them in hand, courtesy of Edge.
To spread awareness about GE's commitment to using and developing green energy, the company tapped into young YouTube celebrities with mostly teenage fans, to make videos about anything at all related to the environment. The fans, in turn, were asked to submit "green" ideas to the YouTube celebs in exchange for individual "shout-outs" in the celebs' upcoming videos. The campaign, called "Tag Your Green," launched in October, and the hope was to get 10 million videos views by the end of the year. Within the first month, they surpassed that number.
For years, Dr. Bob Wagstaff tried to market his Orabrush tongue cleaner, and for years he failed -- until he found professional pitchman Austin Craig, who started to promote the product by making funny YouTube videos about bad breath. While the first videos came out at the end of 2009, they have flourished in 2010 with the addition of "Morgan the Orabrush Tongue," a goofy character whose head pops out of a giant pink tongue. The videos are produced weekly, and in November surpassed 30 million total views. In 2010, the company launched "The Bad Breath Detector" iPhone app which blurts out comments like, "I've never wanted to be flossed so much in my life."
Coca-Cola struck social-media gold when it created a successful viral video at the beginning of the year. Teaming up with the interactive marketing agency, Definition 6, "Happiness Machine" features a Coca-Cola vending machine in a college cafeteria that dispenses a lot more than cans of Coke. After a girl puts some change into the machine, it yields a can of Coke, and then, to the shock of all the students, a set of hands emerge from the machine and produce increasingly bizarre objects, like a bouquet of sunflowers and a box of pizza.
Heinz Ketchup leapt into the 21st century this year by adding to its iconic label a blue computer tab-like design that reads "Find us on Facebook." It may seem a little overeager, but not bad for a company founded in 1869. If a consumer or grocery store passerby heeds Heinz's call to action (the new label also reads "Ketchup Lovers, Unite!"), he would find information on how to submit a design to its student-only Creativity Contest, now in its fourth year. Designs are submitted and the 12 winning designs are printed on millions of Heinz Ketchup packets.


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Written by Amani Nilar
16 Jun, 2022 | 9:15 pm
COLOMBO (News 1st); The Government will let no one suffer in hunger, says the Minister of Agriculture, Mahinda Amaraweera.
Speaking at a media briefing convened today (16), the Minister of Agriculture answered queries regarding the high price of rice, the shortage of rice and the fertilizer crisis.
The Minister assured that his Ministry is directly working with the Paddy Marketing Board to break the monopoly of rice, and in addition, will give 10 times more than the usual amount of rice to consumers, which will alleviate the rice shortage.
Pointing out that it is not possible to keep stockpiling rice, the Minister said that those who accumulated rice must now consume it, as otherwise the rice stocks will have to be used as animal feed or compost.
The Minister also said that he is confident that the Government has the ability to face this challenge, and the Government will let no citizen suffer in hunger and starvation.
He mentioned that when he took over the ministry two weeks ago, only 248,000 hectares were initially cultivated, however, by now it has cultivated around 478,000 hectares.
The Minister projected a possible rice shortage in December and January, however said that the Minister of Consumer Affairs to has been advised with regard to the shortage, and has been instructed to take steps to mitigate the crisis.
“We can take the responsibility of providing food to the people of this country without fear,” the Minister said, citing that over 43,000 metric tons of paddy is currently in possession of the Paddy Marketing Board, which will be converted into rice and delivered in the next few days.
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LANDMARK'S South West wool agent Matthew Chambers is one of three national finalists for the National Council of Wool Selling Brokers of Australia (NCWSBA) 2019 Wool Broker Award.
Formerly a local farmer and shearer, Mr Chambers is based at Boyup Brook but covers the whole South West for Landmark.
He also runs the South West Wool Centre in Bridgetown, buying small clips and oddments.
Mr Chambers will attend the NCWSBA annual general meeting and forum in Melbourne on Thursday, August 22, where he and the other two finalists will make presentations on which they will be assessed by an independent panel of three judges.
The award winner will be announced later that evening at the Wool Week dinner to be held at Melbourne's RACV Club.
The other finalists for the Wool Broker Award are both from Victoria - Samantha Wan from Elders, who was also a finalist last year, and Russell Macgugan from Australian Wool Network.
It is the first time Mr Chambers has entered the NCWSBA Wool Broker Award.
The award has been presented since 2012 and recognises excellence in service to woolgrowers, auctioneering or innovation by an outstanding wool broker employee who is working for a NCWSBA member and has been in the wool broking industry for 10 years or less.
NCWSBA executive director Chris Wilcox said the winner's prize will be a fully-paid trip to attend the 2020 International Wool Textile Organisation (IWTO) congress to be held in Tongxiang, Zhejiang Province, China, next May.
Arrangements will also be made for the winner to visit wool textile industry processors, manufacturers and retailers in China, Mr Wilcox said.
For the first time, the other finalists will be presented with a suit length of fine wool fabric produced by Reda, a leading Italian wool company, he said.
The 2019 Wool Broker Award was sponsored by Australian Wool Testing Authority Ltd (AWTA) and Sheep Central.
The independent judging panel selected Mr Chambers and the other finalists last week from a field of five after reviewing their applications.
The NCWSBA annual general meeting will also hear a presentation from 2018 Wool Broker Award winner, Landmark's Bendigo, Victoria, wool account manager Candice Cordy, on her trip to Venice to attend this year's IWTO congress and to woollen mills in northern Italy.


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Updates to the Santa Cruz small pickup truck have been announced by Hyundai for 2023.
Although the base price has increased by $1010, driver assistance features are now standard.
Starting at $37,105, a new Night variant with black trim has been added to the inventory.
The Santa Cruz, a small pickup vehicle from Hyundai, is entering its second model year with some upgrades and new, more expensive price. The entry-level SE model now costs $26,745 after an increase of $1010 and has access to certain additional standard driver-assistance technologies. Additionally, a new blacked-out trim level called Night is added to the roster with a starting price of $37,105.
Previously only available on the SEL and above, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are now standard equipment on the base SE. The SEL ($29,085) trim of the 2023 Santa Cruz is up just $150, while the SEL Premium ($37,425) and top Limited ($41,615) are up $1220 and $150, respectively.
The Santa Cruz’s new Night trim level, which costs $37,105, is the least expensive model available with the optional 2.5-liter inline-four turbo engine with 281 horsepower. This engine is also available in the SEL Premium and Limited variants, and all turbo models come standard with all-wheel drive. The Night trim also features adjustments like dark grille trim, black 20-inch wheels, black mirror caps and door handles, and side steps, as we’ve come to expect from these kinds of blacked-out look packages.
The Santa Cruz debuted alongside its closest rival, the Ford Maverick, in a new class of compact trucks last year thanks to its unibody chassis, which was also used by the Tucson crossover. With the Maverick moving 38,753 units through the first half of 2022 and the Santa Cruz selling 18,203 units during the same time period, Ford is currently ahead of Hyundai in the sales competition. As both brands enter the 2023 model year, we’ll see how this rivalry develops. For its part, the Maverick added a new trim for the 2019 model year, the off-road-focused Tremor.
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Giant Slide reopened in the US for the first time since going viral
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Ford fixed a problem with the Mustang that caused many crashes
Ford Mustang prototype mystery of 'The Bulge' has finally been solved.
You can buy a 90s Porsche-inspired boat, if you really want to
Yes, this is a yacht made to kind of look like a 993-generation 911 cabriolet.


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East and Gulf coast ports as well as shippers are preparing for the likelihood of a strike beginning Oct 1 when the current labor contract expires on September 30. The on again, off again talks between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the US Maritime Alliance appear to have broken once more. In fact, the ILA president, Harold Daggett told the Journal of Commerce, “It looks like we’re going to have a strike”.
Among the contentious points under discussion are productivity and efficiency improvements such as automated cargo-handling equipment. The ILA is not in favor of these improvements because of loss of jobs these improvements may bring. The group is seeking job protection under the new contract.
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) which represents West Coast dockworkers is keeping a close eye on the negotiations (or lack of) particularly as it will face the same issues when its own contract comes due in mid-2014. Still, not surprising, the ILWU has noted that it fully support the International Longshoremen’s Association. This support could result in a work stoppage on both coasts – a situation that has not occurred since 1977.
As a result of the growing uncertainty surrounding the ports, many shippers have either already shipped goods early or are diverting cargo to the West Coast, Canada or Mexico in response to a growing possibility of a work stoppage at the end of September. This shift away from the East and Gulf coasts will not only have a negative financial impact on the ports themselves, but also on Class I railroad companies, CSX and Norfolk Southern, both of which have made major investments in track and intermodal hubs with connections to these ports. The trucking industry is likely to be impacted as well, particularly those trucking companies such as JB Hunt that rely on intermodal movements.The potential threat to the traditional peak season is minimal as the contract expiration is at a time in which the peak season is winding down. Still, there is a possibility that peak season for the ocean freight industry may have started much earlier in July. According to Zepol, US import TEUs increased 9% month to month for July, making it a record-high for the year in terms of import volume per month.


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Exciting news for all the tech enthusiasts out there! The highly anticipated Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra series is just around the corner, set to be announced in mid-January 2024. While we eagerly await the official launch event, numerous leaks and rumors have already given us a glimpse into what we can expect from these high-end devices.
One of the most talked-about aspects of the Galaxy S24 series is its design. Thanks to leaked renders and real-life images, we now have a good idea of what these flagship devices might look like. Among them, the Galaxy S24 Ultra has garnered particular attention, with a recent leaked image showcasing its stunning aesthetics.
But that’s not all – the leaks have also shed light on some of the key specifications of the upcoming devices. While we should take these leaks with a grain of salt, they do provide us with some exciting insights into what Samsung has in store for us.
Galaxy S24 Ultra’s S Pen passes the FCC certification process
One of the standout features of the Galaxy S24 Ultra is its compatibility with the S Pen. Yes, you heard that right! Samsung seems to be continuing its tradition of offering S Pen support for its high-end smartphones. The leaked image of the Galaxy S24 Ultra also gives us a glimpse of the S Pen, which appears to be sleek and stylish, complementing the overall design of the device.
For those unfamiliar with the S Pen, it is a stylus that allows users to interact with their Samsung devices in a more precise and intuitive manner. It has been a beloved feature among Samsung users, particularly those who enjoy taking notes, sketching, or editing photos on their smartphones.
While the S Pen has traditionally been associated with Samsung’s Note series, its inclusion in the Galaxy S24 Ultra suggests that Samsung is expanding its S Pen compatibility to other flagship devices as well. This move is likely to delight fans who have been eagerly waiting for S Pen support on the Galaxy S series.
As for the specifications, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is rumored to feature a powerful processor, ample RAM, and a stunning display with a high refresh rate. It is also expected to sport a versatile camera setup, offering users the ability to capture professional-grade photos and videos.
Additionally, the Galaxy S24 series is likely to come with an array of cutting-edge features, including an under-display fingerprint sensor, improved battery life, and enhanced software capabilities. These features, combined with the sleek design and S Pen compatibility, make the Galaxy S24 series a highly anticipated release.
While leaks and rumors can provide us with a sneak peek into what’s to come, it’s important to remember that they are not official confirmations. Samsung’s official announcement will provide us with the complete picture, unveiling all the exciting features and innovations that the Galaxy S24 series has to offer.
So mark your calendars for mid-January 2024 and get ready to witness the unveiling of Samsung’s latest flagship devices. The Galaxy S24 series promises to be a game-changer, pushing the boundaries of smartphone technology and delivering an exceptional user experience.
Stay tuned for more updates as we eagerly await the official launch event. Exciting times lie ahead for Samsung enthusiasts and smartphone enthusiasts alike!


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Smartphone owners now outnumber the 41 percent of U.S. adults who own a more basic cellphone, according to a new study from Pew Research. Smartphone ownership among adults is presently up to 46 percent.
- Android devices are used by 20% of cell owners, up from 15% in May 2011
- iPhones are used by 19% of cell owners, up from 10% in May 2011
- Blackberries are used by 6% of cell owners, down from 10% in May 2011
Read the full report, including details on smartphone ownership across demographic groups.
Source: Pew Research Center


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It’s been out in Japan and Australia since last year, but today Nintendo finally confirmed when we’ll be able to get our hands on the New Nintendo 3DS in the west – it will be out on Friday 13th February in the US and Europe!
These dates are not a particular surprise – in fact the US release date was leaked earlier this week via a giant promotional poster. Still, it’s nice to have official confirmation, right?
The new 3DS models have pretty much launched to critical acclaim, so it’s a really exciting time for what still is one of the only mass market auto-stereoscopic devices available. If you aren’t sure whether to upgrade, check out Leon’s in depth review (and when we say in depth, we mean it!) and his hands on videos with his very own ambassador console. Or, if you’re a fan of cardboard boxes, head on over to the unboxing video.
Will you be embracing the New?


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Every market is different, and a one-size-fits-all approach to digital payments experiences is insufficient. Let’s take a look at four strategies to set your online store up for success in the global arena.
Mobile payments technology has been seeking to make advances in order to convenience the consumer, yet many consumers refuse to avail themselves of the new technology and the lack of consumer adoption has in turn been stunting its growth.
International payments provider World First has teamed up with VAT and sales tax advisory firm Meridian Global Services to help cross-border ecommerce merchants access competitive exchange rates and global tax compliance advice in new markets and territories.
Visa Inc. announced continued global success of Visa Checkout, the online check out service that allows shoppers to pay with their cards online and on any device, with just a few clicks. See what this will mean for merchants.


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Companies have always had to manage their supply chains in an environment where political/social risk exists. The current trade tensions between China and the USA is a good and contemporary example. Every company that does business in China or the USA faces increased uncertainty, the potential for higher costs and the possibility of disruption.
How companies are managing through this uncertainty, while still positioning themselves for growth and delivering customer happiness is not evident. Yet, companies around the world are seeking answers about how to win in this environment and are looking to their Digital Supply Chain to create advantages that could not have existed five years ago.


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A NEW app will allow Alicante City business owners to report instances of illegal street selling to the Local Police. Specifically, there will be a focus on the illegal sale of flowers and plants, an issue which is currently taking a bite out of local florists’ wallets.
Council members recently met with representatives from local florists’ associations to discuss the issue.
At the meeting, the florists explained that they have suffered significant losses in the last five years due to people wandering the streets and hawking flowers at bargain prices. The florists have insisted upon greater controls over this activity to prevent further damages to their livelihood.
Security councillor Fernando Marcos indicated that the council is committed to dealing with the problem swiftly and efficiently. Marcos indicated that a new app will be available “very soon.” Florists will then be able to contact the Local Police directly when they see illegal street selling occurring and the officers will swoop in and fine the offending parties.
Another meeting is expected to take place after Christmas to discuss the issue in more detail.


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Global company Dow and Indian recycling company Lucro Plastecycle have partnered to create post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastics-based polyethylene film solutions in India.
The new close-the-loop packaging solution will increase Dow’s plastics circularity portfolio in the Asia Pacific region while enabling a circular economy in India.
As per terms of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the companies, Dow will be responsible to provide Lucro with its material science and application development expertise.
Lucro will develop and produce the film structures.
These films will be manufactured by processing plastic waste sourced from several recycled streams with Dow’s virgin resins.
Dow Packaging & Specialty Plastics Asia Pacific commercial vice-president Bambang Candra said: “Scrap packaging is one of the country’s highest contributors of plastic waste and we look forward to this collaboration helping to promote the adoption of sustainable solutions amongst brand owners and manufacturers and contribute to a reduction in plastics entering the environment as waste.
“Finding value in flexible waste is key for the circular economy to set new standards for the flexible packaging industry and create a viable circular system for flexible plastics.”
Impact-focused investment management firm Circulate Capital will support the development of the solutions.
The solutions can be used in collation shrink films. This form of secondary packaging is generally used for bottles, cans and liquid cartons.
Dow stated that the PCR polyethylene film solution should be available in Indian market later this year.


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Strong demand for overseas trips during Golden Week
Updated: 2014-09-23 07:05
By Wang Zhuoqiong And Wangwen(China Daily)
Tourists from the Chinese mainland visit a coral museum in Taipei. Destinations in Asia continue to dominate online searches by mainland tourists in the upcoming Golden Week. Xinhua
Experts: South Korea, Thailand are top choices for mainland tourists
Outbound tourism in the upcoming Golden Week - the first week of October - is expected to hit a new high in terms of the number of travelers this year, boosted by the easier visa procedures and increased flight routes to popular destinations, top industry experts said on Monday.
Destinations in Asia continue to dominate online searches by mainland tourists with Taipei and Seoul being the top choices, according to Hotels.com, a leading provider of hotel accommodations. The company has based its findings on data from its Chinese website and on search volumes for outbound destination hotels between Oct 1 and 7.
The 10 most searched destinations included Tokyo, Hong Kong and Bangkok, with Paris being the only non-Asian destination, the report said.
According to Ctrip.com, a leading online travel agency from China, interest for island trips to destinations in South Korea and Thailand has been extremely high, with most trips during the Golden Week period fully booked.
The number of travelers to the United States and Australia has also been going up. Dong Wei, a veteran travel agent, said Chinese tourists are more interested in in-depth travel and self-driving tours in big countries like the US and Canada. They are no longer satisfied with just sightseeing products.
Dong Lin, a 36-year-old resident of Beijing, her husband and 4-year-old daughter are visiting the west coast of the United States for the first time starting this week. Their two-week journey, planned two months ago, is going to cover popular sites including the Disney Resort, Universal Studios and SeaWorld Adventure Park.
But the big growth in the most searched overseas destinations for this October has been for trips to Rome and Florence in Italy, rising 116 percent and 98 percent in the year-on-year growth rate in terms of search volumes, according to Hotel.com.
It attributed the desire to travel to Italy to the country's quick visa policy implemented in July, which shortens the visa issue period to within 36 hours.
According to online travel site LY.com's forecast on willingness to travel and most popular destinations, nearly eight out of 10 respondents expressed desire to take a trip during the Golden Week, the same as that of last year, with more than 50 percent of them actually making the bookings.
About 18.6 percent of the respondents said they are planning to make an overseas trip and more than 80 percent of them have already booked their trips. There is also an increase in terms of the number of tourists who choose to travel on an individual basis rather than as an organized group.
An updated travel forecast published on Monday on Baidu.com, a Chinese search engine, shows that Japan, Thailand and South Korea are the top three travel destinations for Chinese tourists. The United States is ranked fourth in the list and is followed by Italy and France.
In terms of the actual travel destinations, Phuket Island in Thailand, Venice in Italy and Seoul in South Korea are the top three while Tokyo in Japan and Bangkok in Thailand were ranked fourth and fifth respectively.
New air routes and added flight frequencies and easier visa procedures to South Korea have once again pushed up the number of visitors to the country.
Last year, the number of Chinese visits to South Korea rose by 52.5 percent to 4.32 million, surpassing Japan as the lead nation.
According to Ctrip, the travel agency has sold more than 10,000 products online for the October holiday to 442 destinations at home and abroad. About 90 percent of the popular routes have been fully booked, it said.
About a month ago, the bookings for travel products during the Golden Week reached its peak, resulting in limited resources in flights and hotels and surging prices, according to Ctrip.
Domestic flight ticket prices in the beginning of October are only second to the peak prices during Spring Festival.
Flight routes departing from the major cities of Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing have jumped more than 50 percent, it said.
Contact the writers at email@example.com and firstname.lastname@example.org


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Look who is entering the vehicle battery game!
In a recent announcement Toshiba told the world that it would start producing the SCiB - the so-called Super Charge ion Battery. Electronics and computer giant says that the Lithium-ion powerpack will be extra durable and capable of recharging to 90 percent of full capacity in a mere five minutes.
According to Green Car Congress, "Toshiba aims to make the SCiB a mainstay of its industrial systems and automotive products businesses, with global sales of ¥100 billion (US$895 million) targeted for fiscal year 2015." The batteries will obviously be hybrid/EV oriented and should start shipment from March 2008.
A nearly one billion-dollar commitment to SCiB speaks volumes about Toshiba's confidence in the growth of the hybrid and electric car market. It will be interesting to see which mainstream automakers get onboard with Toshiba's new packs.


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Digital Edition Online Launch Event
Cultural Preservation in the age of Coronavirus:
Factum Foundation and the Wauja
The event was held live on Zoom and Youtube on Wednesday 9 September at 6.30pm
A recording of the event is available on Youtube: https://youtu.be/agLSp-ZMvpY
Issue 03 Digital Edition is now available to purchase on the shop.
Contra was delighted to announce the launch of our online event series to celebrate the amazing contributors featured in the issue 03 digital edition. The series began with Contra’s Lucas Giles in conversation with Ferdinand Saumarez from Factum Foundation, and Piratá Waurá, a scholar from the Wauja community. A conversation was held about the impact coronavirus had on the region, the reconstruction of the desecrated sacred Kamukuwaká caves in central Brazil, and the crowdfunding campaign raising money to support the indigenous community through the pandemic.
The next event will be announced in November, and will celebrate the print edition release. Please follow us on Instagram for updates.


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Bobst reveals latest solutions for fast changing packaging industry
Bobst has announced its latest portfolio of products and services to help converters and brand owners to navigate through a new packaging environment.
Back in 2020, the company revealed an industry vision based on four key pillars – connectivity, digitalisation, automation and sustainability. Recent world events have accelerated the need for these as never before. Now, these four pillars have become the cornerstones not only of the Bobst strategy, but the entire packaging environment.
‘While it was impossible to predict world events of recent years, like the pandemic, global conflicts, and subsequent consequences for our industry such as shortages of materials and manpower, we did correctly identify the overall packaging industry trends,’ said Jean-Pascal Bobst, CEO, Bobst Group. ‘While these trends have undoubtedly been accelerated, Bobst has implemented a strategy and built a portfolio of solutions and services that enables converters and brand owners to thrive even in this new packaging world.’
The company believes that the entire packaging value chain can be connected, giving clear visibility of the production process to converters and brand owners.
The key enabler of this vision is the new, updated Connect, which provides digital solutions to prepare, produce, react to, maintain, and optimise the production workflow of a job. The newly launched version of Connect offers a host of features and functionality to help customers optimise their packaging at every stage. By linking up every single step of the process, Connect heightens efficiency, control, and data knowledge, improving quality and efficiency across the value chain.
The new HelplineEssential for non connectable machines is a remote assistance service that allows customers to have access to video streaming and high priority connection with Bobst technical services specialists for quicker trouble shooting and issue solving. It is estimated that around 50% of cases will be solvable via streaming.
Meanwhile, to further improve parts logistics services, the company is opening a new logistics hub for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) regions. The new EMEA hub – located in Genk, Belgium – joins existing hubs in the US and Asia Pacific. The logistics centre, with 100,000 parts for all product lines are available for immediate dispatch, and it will significantly improve the service level to our EMEA customers with faster delivery times including a 24 hour a day, seven days a week dispatch service.
The need for digitalization is growing as it continues to enable reduction of steps and waste.
In folding carton, Bobst has announced the new Accucheck Recipe Editor for folder-gluers. Introduced in 2020, the new functionalities ‘in line inspection system’ with Accucheck, carefully checks carton blanks for defects and guarantees complete quality consistency. The new Recipe Editor allows users to create and edit Accucheck recipes remotely within the Connect platform and to send these recipes to several Accuchecks on the production floor.
Leveraging the PDF data of the packaging artwork, this solution simplifies and significantly shortens set up. As a result, it enables higher shopfloor productivity, while also increasing quality and reducing waste by limiting the potential for human errors.
The all in one Digital Master 340 and Digital Master 510 label presses were also launched in March, which fundamentally change the way label production is set up – fully digitalised from the PDF, with 100% in line inspection as a closed loop, to the final embellished and finished labels across one unified workflow.
In an era where converters and brand owners are facing higher demands than ever due to the booming e-commerce market, while simultaneously facing challenges such as shortages in skilled manpower and raw materials, automation and productivity have never been more important.
In the corrugated board sector, the new Expertline – consisting of the Expercut 1.7 I 2.1 and the Expertflex – is a large format converting line combining flatbed die cutting and post print flexo process, ideally suited to producing e-commerce solutions. It offers great flexibility and is available in a standard and mirror version. With unbeatable registration precision and perfect print register, the line provides unmatched box quality. Short set up times combined with TooLink technology ensure maximum uptime and a productivity of up to 20 million square metres per year. With its low total cost of ownership, it is the ideal solution for any business to process the ultimate variety of e-commerce and fast moving consumer goods’ boxes.
In the folding carton sector, Bobst has announced the new Speedset, an enhanced set up time reduction pack available on all flatbed die cutters. This pack considerably reduces changeover times and increases output. Speedset includes improved ergonomics, such as an additional 15" screen at the feeder for faster set up of the optical registration system. Increased automation is also part of the pack, like pallet lifting for each new job setup and a motorized micrometric system to perfectly centre die and counter plate to ensure perfect matching between cut and creasing positioning. TooLink is included to digitally connect the tool with the machine to exchange job data within seconds.
Other highlights from this year include Masterline Dro, a new rotary die cutting solution that offers more performance, more value, and which equips converters in the corrugated industry with a versatile, automated, connected and highly ergonomic solution; Mastercut 1.65 Per, the flatbed die cutter able to process folding carton, corrugated and litho laminated board, from 0.5 mm to 2000 g/m2, single or double flute; Expertfold 165 e-commerce, a new folder-gluer designed specifically to meet the demands of digital retail; and Novafold 50 | 80 | 110, a new folder-gluer for guaranteed reliability and performance.
Bobst, together with its partners, continues to make great progress in sustainability. The company has recently introduced an exciting new high barrier flexible packaging solution designed for recyclability – a metallised, high barrier, mono material, flexo printed new recycled polypropylene (rPP) pouch. It is the first surface printed pouch with barrier, produced using rPP household collected recycled material on the market.
It is also working on a home compostable packaging solution in partnership with Tipa, a specialist developer of sustainable packaging, and a fully paper based, high barrier, recycle ready solution, called FibreCycle. The latter is part of oneBarrier – a family of new alternative and sustainable solutions that Bobst is developing with its partners.
Finally, as part of its commitment to the cross-industry consortium R-Cycle and its mission to ensure the traceability of single use plastics through Digital Product Passports (DPP), Bobst has completed a pilot at its competence centre in Manchester, where a demo machine is R-Cycle ready. This project will now be extended to other product lines (coating, laminating, CI flexo printing, gravure printing).
‘While there is no question that the challenges we face in today’s packaging environment are greater and more varied than ever, at Bobst we know we have the portfolio, services and partnerships in place to help converters and brand owners navigate successfully through them,’ said Jean-Pascal Bobst. ‘We have chosen the right strategy back in 2020 and now converters and brand owners can really benefit from that. Together, we can embrace a better future with confidence.’


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KILLEEN — Central Texas College will hold a public auction Saturday to sell surplus property.
The auction, which will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., will be at the shipping and receiving warehouse near the CTC water tower on the west side of the campus, according to a news release from the college.
Items available will include computers, servers, monitors, printers, tools, electronics, file cabinets, books, desks, tables, chairs, bookshelves, projectors, gym equipment, a golf cart and other equipment, the release said. Items cannot be previewed prior to the auction and there will be no exchanges or refunds.
Some of the items have a reserved price and payment can be made by cash, check or credit card.
Any items that are purchased need to be removed by 5 p.m. the day of the auction. The buyer of the item is responsible for loading and transporting any items.
For more information, call 254-526-1803.


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The iOS 6 release was set for Sept. 19, 2012, just 5 days after the the iPhone 5 preorder release and 2 days before the iPhone 5 in store release. Apple manages to bring all the attention to the famous brand and their products in concentrated form.
Millions of people pre-ordered the iPhone 5 on Sept. 14th, and Apple fanatics have even camped out days before Sept. 21st to be able to get their hands on the first phones off the store shelves.
If you already own an iPhone 4 or 4S, the iOS 6 upgrade may have you thinking about upgrading your phone model also.
"I have an iPhone 4, and I was very happy with it. When I found out that the new iOS 6 was being released. I really felt like maybe it was time for me to get a new phone too. haha. Apple is tempting me." said one Mstarz reporter, Mia Smith.
In case you have not upgraded your iOS yet, here are some of the improved features:
Integration with Facebook:
In addition to the Twitter integration that is currently available with the iOS5, Facebook will be integrated as well.
Improved Version of Siri:
Apple has taken into consideration the complaints that many users had with the old Siri. The new Siri will be available for the iPad and even allows you to launch apps and tweet by voice, make restaurant reservations among other improvements.
New Phone App Features:
Apple users will be able to set a "DO NOT DISTURB" feature to block notifications and alerts. Another new feature will allow users to set reminders to call people back and send messages instead of calling.
FaceTime on 3G:
FaceTime is not limited to Wifi anymore. It's now available over the 3G cellular network.
New In-House Maps:
Google maps will no longer be on the new iOS 6. Apple has created their own maps. Many have complained about the new Apple maps. Apple affirms that it is only going to get better over time.
iCloud Tabs integration:
One cool feature will allow users to browse from one Apple device to another Apple device with the same iCloud tabs open on each of the iCloud-connected devices.
Certain contacts that are important can now be marked, and all their messages will be starred through the Mail VIPs option.
The new photo stream will allow easy sharing of photos with friends.
Tickets, coupons, boarding passes, and more can be accessed in one place.© 2018 Mstars News, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.


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Businesses Need To Be Mindful of Social Impact Going Forward, Says This VC
As consumption patterns change due to social and environmental dynamics, Lightbox' Sandeep Murthy stresses on the need to build solutions for these complex problems.
Businesses would need to be mindful of social and environmental impact going forward, says Sandeep Murthy, partner at venture capital firm Lightbox.
"Either consumption patterns will change, or the government will regulate certain industries in a way that will allow for the earth to be protected," Murthy says, citing the example of the water crisis in Chennai last year. According to Murthy, who started Lightbox five years ago, start-ups need to think about building models that solve social problems.
Before investing in a start-up, he begins with two questions: Is it a big space or is it a big product? It is also important that the problems they are solving are substantially differentiated, he says.
The firm needs to ensure that "they're not just running with a fad at a time".
Explaining the rationale, Murthy says, "When you think about it, when we invest, since we invest early, we're usually invested in these companies for about a 10-year period. So it's got to be something that we believe will last for the long run and it will have a proposition that can be sustained not just today, while it's hot."
"It’s better to be bought than to be sold," he says when asked if he would suggest entrepreneurs to think about an exit and get a quick return on investment or wait for them to build an everlasting business.
The exit question solves itself if one builds the right kind of business, according to Murthy.
"I think it's a bad idea as an entrepreneur on where am I going to deliver the exit. And when's it is going to happen. The right idea is to say, look, I'm building a business that's going last long, it's going to create value and continue to grow. Because no matter where the exit comes from, someone's going to buy it and someone's going to want to make sure that there's continued value to be built," Murthy adds.
A Pinch of Luck and Timing
Back in the 1990s, Murthy started a digital music company, which, according to him was Spotify twelve years too early.
"I think there's a lot about timing and the importance of getting the timing right when you look at things," he says, adding, "often, certain businesses which haven't worked in the past come back and work again later because dynamics have changed, the marketplace has changed."
Luck, too, is a necessary ingredient, he says. "There's an element of luck that needs to come in that we're thinking about a space at the same time as somebody else is coming up with an interesting idea, and serendipity kicks in and we're able to work together to do it."
Lessons from Entrepreneurs
Murthy says the most important lesson that he has learned from all of the entrepreneurs that Lightbox has worked with is tenacity and the ability to stay on.
He has seen entrepreneurs sticking out through the tough times, and their ability to find solutions when there seemed to be none serves as inspiration.
"I think that's the reason why any of us does this," he says, adding, "you're going to live through some very difficult issues and to come out of it, the upside and joy that you feel, there's nothing like this in the world."


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PIERRE CARDIN MEN'S FASHION
Creations by French designer Pierre Cardin are displayed as part of his Spring-Summer 2007 fashion collection presentation in Paris, July 4, 2006. After 10 years away, Cardin gave fashion editors a personal tour of his Paris comeback collection in men's ready-to-wear. (UPI Photo/William Alix)
UPI Almanac for Saturday, July 7, 2012.
UPI Almanac for Monday, July 7, 2008.
Hartmarx, the largest tailored clothing business in the United States, will change strategies in 2008 to make up for declining store sales, the company said.
UPI almanac for Saturday, July 7, 2007.
Today is Friday, July 7, the 188th day of 2006 with 177 to follow.
The weekly UPI Almanac package for July 3-9, 2006.
Today is Thursday, July 7, the 188th day of 2005 with 177 to follow.
Veteran French designer Pierre Cardin has announced he is selling his $1 billion fashion empire to devote more time to the arts, The Telegraph said Monday.
Today is Wednesday, July 7, the 189th day of 2004 with 177 to follow.
Today is Monday, July 7, the 188th day of 2003 with 177 to follow.
United Press International


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Palkhiwala has been serving as interim CFO since August. Previously, he was SVP and finance lead for Qualcomm's QCT business, with responsibility for finance and accounting for all chipset products and segments including Mobile, RF Front End, Compute, Auto, Connectivity and Networking and IoT.
"Akash's deep understanding of our business both operationally and strategically makes him the ideal individual to lead our finance function as we embark on a period that I believe may present the biggest opportunity for growth in Qualcomm's history," CEO Steve Mollenkopf said in a statement.
Qualcomm's Q4 non-GAAP earnings per share came to 78 cents, a decrease of 12 percent year-over-year. Revenue for the quarter was $4.8 billion, a decrease of 17 percent year-over-year.
Analysts were looking for earnings of 71 cents per share on revenue of $4.7 billion.
"We delivered a strong quarter, with Non-GAAP earnings per share above the high end of our guidance range, primarily on solid performance in our QTL segment," CEO Steve Mollenkopf said in a statement. "We exit the fiscal year having successfully executed on our strategic priorities: helping to drive the commercialization of 5G globally, completing a number of important anchor license agreements and executing well across our product roadmap. Our technology and inventions leave us extremely well positioned as 5G accelerates in 2020."
Fourth quarter revenues from the Qualcomm Technology Licensing (QTL) segment, Qualcomm's licensing division, came to $1.216 billion, a 4 percent increase year-over-year. QTL accounts for a significant portion of Qualcomm's earnings.
The company's other business segment, QCT (Qualcomm CDA Technologies), accounts for most of its revenue. QCT revenues in Q4 were $3.61 billion, a decrease of 22 percent year-over-year. Within QCT, MSM chip shipments in Q4 reached 152 million, a decrease of 34 percent year-over-year.
Qualcomm noted that in April, the company reached settlement agreements with Apple and its contract manufacturers to dismiss all outstanding litigation between the parties.
Qualcomm's QTL results for Q3 and Q4 included royalties from Apple and its contract manufacturers for sales made in the June 2019 and September 2019 quarters, respectively. QTL revenues in fiscal 2018 and the first six months of fiscal 2019 did not include royalties due on sales of Apple or other products by Apple's contract manufacturers.
Patrick Moorhead, president of Moor Insights & Strategy, attributed Qualcomm's Q4 growth to growth in the smartphone market in units and increased ASP. "It helps that most of Qualcomm's customers are actually paying," he added in a statement to ZDNet.
The 5G outlook also appears positive, Moorhead said, particularly in China, where by the end of 2020 there's likely to be 1 million 5G base stations.
"Qualcomm isn't the only vendor seeing this as TSMC and Qorvo are mirroring this," Moorhead said. "Qualcomm appears to be positioned for volume well given its mainstream choosers and end to end RF capability."
For the first quarter of fiscal 2020, Qualcomm expects revenue between $4.4 billion and $5.2 billion.


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Bottled water in less than 1 gallon bottles will have a refundable 5 cent deposit per bottle like beer and soda after October 31. A judge lifted an injunction against the deposits, part of the expanded state recycling bill, on Friday.
An odd coalition of bottled water companies, including Nestle and a small bottler owned by Riverkeeper founder Robert F Kennedy Jr, sued to stop implementation of the deposit in June, citing constitutional issues and a negative effect on curbside recycling.
Kennedy, whose Keeper Springs bottled water donates after-tax profits to the environment, blamed “the sugar lobby, and its indentured servants in the Legislature” for the exemption of waters with sugar added, which he said violated the equal protection clause. The suit also called the deposit “burdensome” for consumers, and claimed that a NY-specific UPC code would violate the interstate commerce clause. Riverkeeper calls the new deposit a “triumph for environmentalists.”
Under the new recycling law, 80% of $115 million in annual unclaimed deposits, which had previously been kept by distributors and bottlers, would go to the state. Since New York’s deposit bill went into effect, an estimated $2 billion in deposits have gone unclaimed.


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Igniting Digital Transformation Throughout the El Paso-Ciudad Juárez Borderplex
Every day thousands of people legally cross back and forth between El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, on their way to jobs, schools, doctor's appointments, shopping centers and the homes of family and friends. This harmonious exchange has taken place for more than 400 years, uniting neighbors through shared social ties, geography, history and, most importantly, an interlinked economy.
Beyond the people and goods, El Paso and Ciudad Juárez also converge in a cross-border flow of ideas, ambition and aspirations that have shaped the region for centuries. This forward-looking spirit is what attracted Microsoft to the region in 2017, when it launched Microsoft TechSpark to create new economic opportunities and help digitally transform established industries with modern software and cloud services. It's also why Microsoft announced on Monday that it is expanding the TechSpark El Paso program to include Ciudad Juárez and making a $1.5 million investment in the binational Bridge Accelerator. Read more about the TechSpark announcement here.


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Uber and Lyft motorists are classified as workers, the California General public Utilities Fee has officially dominated. The regulator, which oversees trip-hailing corporations, declared its choice in an purchase posted on Tuesday. It reported “a man or woman supplying labor or solutions for remuneration shall be regarded as an staff fairly than an impartial contractor” less than AB5, the state’s new regulation covering gig operate, which grew to become powerful on January 1st, 2020.
In its purchase, the Fee outlined that Uber submitted a lawsuit in federal court to reduce its motorists from getting classified as workers less than AB5. It also pointed out that Uber and Lyft efficiently “placed on the November 2020 ballot a measure that would exclude all app-primarily based motorists from AB5.” The lawsuit and ballot don’t influence the Commission’s authority above trip-hailing solutions, although, so their motorists are “presumed to be workers.” That signifies the regulator need to guarantee that trip-hailing solutions “comply with those people requirements that are applicable to the workers of an entity matter to the Commission’s jurisdiction.”


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Tesla has been on a rampage this year. It’s stock price increased more than fivefold. in January, Tesla became the first $100 #billion publicly listed U.S. #carmaker. In October, Tesla reported its fifth consecutive quarter of profit on third-quarter revenue of $8.77 billion. In October, Tesla also delivered 139,300 vehicles during the third quarter, a new record for the carmaker.
Tesla surpassed General Motors and Ford combined, valued at $183 billion. The automaker’s stock has continued its upward trajectory, and it now worth approximately $998 USD. Last year this time it was valued at $225. Tesla’s valuation has jumped by an impressive 375% since this time last year.
The Tesla Model 3 surpassed Leaf sales in early 2020 to become the world’s best-selling plug-in electric car ever. Global sales since inception totalled almost 525,000 units up to March 2020.
Tesla still hasn’t decided, where to build new U.S. based factory. Austin, Texas and Tulsa, Oklahoma are currently rolling out the incentives to attract Tesla. The company is also increasing its global presence with the construction of Giga Berlin, it’s first European production facility, as well as completing the ongoing expansion of its Giga Shanghai facility in China.