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(Adds Facebook, OTP Bank, FLSmidth, Portugal Telecom; Updates AmerisourceBergen, E.ON, J&J)
Jan 12 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 2100 GMT on Monday:
** Mark Zuckerberg and Xiaomi Inc CEO Lei Jun discussed a potential investment by Facebook in China’s top smartphone maker ahead of its $1.1 billion fundraising last month, but a deal never materialised, several people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
** The owner of London’s Canary Wharf financial district advised its investors to reject a Qatari-led $4 billion takeover bid on Monday, saying the offer undervalued the company and its prospects.
** Danish engineering group FLSmidth has agreed to sell its fibre-cement unit Cembrit for 1.1 billion Danish crowns ($175 mln) to a consortium of investors headed by Danish-Swedish private equity firm Solix Group AB, it said on Monday.
** Hungarian lender OTP Bank has withdrawn its bid to buy Poland’s FM Bank from private equity firm Abris Capital Partners, a source with knowledge of the process told Reuters.
** Two of France’s biggest mutual health insurers signed a tie-up agreement on Monday as the sector seeks economies of scale in the face of strained public health budgets. MGEN and Harmonie Mutuelle agreed to hold exclusive talks for six months aimed at thrashing out the details and winning approval from their policyholders, who in effect own them under their mutualist structures.
** Portugal Telecom SGPS shareholders on Monday postponed until Jan. 22 a vote on the sale of its former operations by its merger partner, Brazil’s Oi, complicating the 7.4 billion euro deal and possibly casting doubts on the long-agreed deal.
** Shire Plc has agreed to buy U.S. group NPS Pharmaceuticals Inc for $5.2 billion, the Dublin-based drugmaker’s biggest acquisition yet as it seeks to strengthen its position in the lucrative field of medicines for rare diseases.
** Medicines distributor AmerisourceBergen Corp ABC.N will buy MWI Veterinary Supply Inc MWIV.O for about $2.5 billion to enter the fast-growing animal health products distribution business as pet ownership rises in the United States.
** Germany’s largest utility E.ON AG has agreed to sell its Italian gas- and coal-fired power plants to Czech energy company EPH, ridding itself of unwanted assets from an acquisition spree in 2007.
** Roche Holding AG will buy a majority stake in molecular and genomic analysis firm Foundation Medicine Inc for up to $1.18 billion, Roche said on Monday, in a move to bolster the Swiss drugmaker’s personalized cancer treatments.
** Canadian private equity firm Onex Corp has bought UK-based safety and survival equipment maker Survitec from Warburg Pincus for 450 million pounds ($679.7 million), Warburg Pincus said.
** Bermuda-based HAL Trust intends to sell a 20 to 25 percent stake in its eyewear retailing subsidiary GrandVision BV in a flotation on the Euronext exchange worth roughly 613 million euros ($724 million), it said on Monday.
** China’s Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and its unit Alipay are in advanced talks to buy a stake for about $550 million in India’s One97 Communications, which owns an online payment platform, sources directly involved in the transaction said.
** Johnson & Johnson boosted its research efforts into battling Alzheimer’s on Monday, striking a deal potentially worth more than $500 million to develop anti-tau vaccines with Swiss biotech firm AC Immune.
** A joint venture by Singaporean property firms Aspial Corporation Ltd and Fragrance Group Ltd has offered to take over LCD Global Investments Ltd for up to S$313.8 million ($235.8 million), the companies said on Monday.
** Dubai-based retail and restaurant start-up Marka PJSC said it was looking at more acquisitions after agreeing to buy a sporting goods retail firm from Dubai World for 220 million dirhams ($60 million) last month. The company was also looking at four food and beverage assets, CEO Nick Peel said, but gave no timeframe or value for these plans.
** Austrian specialist steel company Voestalpine AG has bought Italian wire maker Trafilerie, expanding its product portfolio of wire for the car industry, Voestalpine said, without providing a purchase price. The Italian company reported revenue of 43.8 million euros ($52 million) in 2013
** Canada’s Tekmira Pharmaceuticals Corp agreed to buy Pennsylvania-based OnCore Biopharma Inc to focus on developing hepatitis B virus treatment by combining multiple therapeutic methods.
** Biogen Idec Inc on Sunday said it would buy small, privately held Convergence Pharmaceuticals to acquire the U.K.-based company’s portfolio of experimental drugs for chronic nerve pain.
** Some of Vietnam’s lenders may merge with each other this year as part of efforts to help to clean up the country’s fragmented banking sector, which is weighed down with bad loans after a decade of rapid expansion.
** Scotland’s Rangers FC rejected a revised takeover approach from U.S. financier Robert Sarver, saying it did not think its major shareholders would accept the deal despite the club’s financial problems. Sarver, the owner of the Phoenix Suns basketball team, had increased his offer to 20 million pounds ($30 million) via a placing, from an original offer of 18 million pounds.
** Serbia accepted a bid by U.S. steel producer and distributor Esmark for the country’s sole steel mill, state-owned Zelezara Smederevo, but details are still to be negotiated, the government said on Monday.
$1 = 0.85 euros $1 = 0.6615 pounds $1 = 1.3360 Singapore dollars Compiled by Rosmi Shaji and Shailaja Sharma


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Apple traditionally refreshes accessories including iPhone cases and watch bands around this time each year, and a new leak points to some of the colors we can expect to see on new iPhone 12 MagSafe-ready cases: light blue, light green, a pale orange and purple.
The sneak preview comes courtesy of a reputable source on Chinese social media site Weibo, and the two-tone color swatches were then reposted by well-known tipster DuanRui on Twitter for an even wider audience.
While we can't confirm the veracity of the information for now, if you're thinking about buying an Apple accessory then you might want to hold off for a week or two – especially if you like the shades on offer here.
These case colors are similar to revamped ones pushed out for the iPhone 11 last year, although the purple one is new. Based on previous years, it's possible that we'll see new Apple Watch straps using the same colors as well.
iPhone 12 series Apple official protective shell spring new color pic.twitter.com/ycn47kkm4DApril 2, 2021
Bear in mind that these aren't completely new products: they're just updates to the accessories that Apple already sells for its smartphone and smartwatch, and they will of course be compatible with the latest models.
The leak is a reminder that we're expecting Apple to hold a launch event of some description in the near future. We originally thought it might be happening in March, but March came and went without any Apple showcase.
There are some strong suggestions from a variety of sources that the event will at last take place at some point in April, although that's really as precise as we can be for the time being – stay tuned for future updates.
If and when a launch does happen, besides the accessories we've already alluded to, we're expecting to see new iPad Pro models, new iMac all-in-one desktop computers, new editions of the AirPods, and the long awaited Apple AirTags Bluetooth trackers.
- Apple WWDC 2021 date announced – here's when you'll see iOS 15
- You might want to check out our list of the best cases for iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro
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Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you'll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.

domain: news


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Chennai, Dec 9: Imagine your microwave oven reading the instructions on a packet of frozen food and cooking accordingly.
Imagine sitting in your office and being able to track who is buying your product from the store and the speed of its sale.
Call it the stuff science is made of. But RFID or Radio Frequency Identification Technology is fast turning this dream into reality.
RFID uses radio waves to automatically identify people or objects. The RFID tag is made of a microchip with an unique serial number on it.
Antennae allow the chip to transmit this information to a reader which in turn converts the radio waves from the tag into digital information passing it on to a computer which can use it.
''From the industrial application point of view, the government, Defence, transportation and sections of manufacturing industry, are evincing interest to go in for RFID technology,'' Gemini TRAZE RFID CEO Pradhyumma T Venkat told the sources.
''Gemini Traze is the first company in the country to manufacture and market RFID-based readers, tags, antennae and packaged products in the RIFD industry,'' he claimed.
According to an estimate, the global RFID industry is expected to touch 3.5 billon US Dollar in 2007 and 11.5 billion USD by 2010.
''India offers a huge market for RFID solutions. Already, interest in this business transformational technology is up with Indian IT, ITeS, pharmaceutical, Defence and export sectors being the early birds in recognising its potential.
Given the country's growing significance in the global economy and the fact India is very much a part of the supply chain for multinational corporations, the adoption of RFID-EPC is vital for Indian companies,'' he said. ''What RFID brings is visibility, its, which is the key driving force for any organisation irrespective of size. The time is ripe for any Indian company with revenues above Rs 100 crore to adopt this technology.
''We are negotiating with various government agencies in India to instal RFID technology in their respective organisations,'' he pointed out.
Talking about the use of RFID in various verticals, Mr Venkat said the manufacturing sector has the potential to leap frog to the next level of efficiency in managing their supply chains and start competing more effectively with global players like China.
For instance, the reduction of inventory and inventory management expenditure through RFID can save companies lakhs of rupees.
Since RFID is not a line-of-sight technology (in contrast to bar codes), products can be tracked without a RFID tag being placed in the direction of the reader.
Goods communicate directly with inventory systems thereby reducing the need for labour and possibility of human error.
RFID also has the potential to dramatically reduce theft by alerting people to unusual activity at the shelf level, as well as theft and diversion points in the supply chain.
Moreover, RFID-tagged products can lower the risk of distribution and sale of counterfeit products, which is especially helpful in the pharmaceutical industry.
In the pharmaceutical sector, RFID can improve raw material tracking for manufacturing audit trail right from the factory floor to avoid counterfeiting of drugs and for speeding up clinical trials.
In the transport sector, RFID can be used in fleet management and toll collection on highways.


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Samsung launches Exynos 5 Series 7872 processor for mid-range smartphonesTech NewsSamsung has already revealed its Exynos 9 series 9810 processor, which is likely to debut in its flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S9 later this year. Now, in an attempt to further tighten its grip over the chip market, the South Korean technology giant has announced Exynos 5 Series 7872 processor. As one can guess, this is not as powerful as the Exynos 9 series and hence is aimed at mid-range smartphones.
Xiaomi Mi 7 may show up at MWC 2018 conferenceTech NewsXiaomi could be planning something big this year at MWC 2018 conference. Since the number of leaks and rumours for the Xiaomi Mi 7 has gone up in recent days, it is being widely being seculated that the smartphone could be the company’s highlight at the event. The Chinese smartphone brand is one of the exhibitors at MWC 2018, further strengthening the Mi 7 launch rumours if nothing else. It could be possible that the technology company may introduce a different product altogether.
Sony Xperia XZ Pro specs leaked, may debut at MWC 2018Tech NewsSony, in 2017 became one of the world’s first vendors to launch a smartphone running Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor. This might again be the case in 2018 with its recently-leaked Xperia XZ Pro, which is said to sport Qualcomm's upcoming flagship processor Snapdragon 845 processor.
Ericsson reveals consumers' 5G wish-listTech NewsTitled, 'Towards a 5G consumer future - its Consumer and Industry Insight', the report which is the biggest 5G consumer expectation study to date, represents the views of 800 million smartphone users worldwide.


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First comes China, then ... Japan?
While smaller than it's giant neighbor to the West, Japan is becoming the next frontier in the increasingly global fight between Uber, Lyft, Didi Kuaidi and others to dominate the fast-growing ride-hailing business.
While Japan's market is much smaller than India's or China's — 127.3 million potential consumers versus the 1.3 billion in China — the need for transportation alternatives and demographic realities presents a big opportunity.
Today, residents of Tokyo have buses, subways and taxis as transportation options. The subway lines are competing, privately owned companies often forcing commuters to switch lines halfway through their ride.
Taxis can be prohibitively expensive, leading many potential riders to rent hotel capsules for the night rather than travel across town. This leaves a gap between limited but affordable public transportation, and costly private car or taxi transport.
Enter e-hailed car rides.
Strictly speaking, ride-sharing isn't legal in Japan, but several businesses are supporting similar e-hailing-enabled private car services. Uber is already in Japan — using this model — currently serving only Tokyo.
There are others, of course. The U.K.-born Hailo uses e-hailing to place consumers in taxis rather than private cars. The company left the U.S. market in 2014 with growing domestic competition from Lyft and Uber, citing "astronomical marketing spend" as a reason for the exit.
Domestic competitors include Tokyo Hire-Taxi and Nihon Kotsu Co., the nation's largest taxi company. Both are car services that have added the functionality of e-hailing by developing an app.
Nihon Kotsu is partnered with the Line messaging app, leveraging their 211 million active-user base. For Line users, they have the option of hailing a ride in the Tokyo metropolitan area, with plans for a nationwide release in the near future.
Line's coverage area has expanded to 32 prefectures with 76 taxi companies. "We looked at the number of partner companies they have and the area covered by their services," said a representative of Line on the decision to align with Nihon Kotsu. While the company has not released any data on ride numbers, this partnership allowed Line to capture a new user base.
Users can pay through Line's mobile payment service and gain access to Nihon Kotsu's 23,000 taxis and 129 partners in Japan.
Japan offers a particular opportunity for Lyft, which is a distant second to Uber in most markets where they compete, and which does not yet operate outside the U.S.. The company has already formed partnerships with, among others, China's biggest ride-hailing company, and gotten financing from Japan's biggest e-commerce player.
A potentially important signal for Lyft is a recent investment from China's Didi Kuaidi — Uber's largest competitor there — worth $100 million in a round of funding led by Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten. (Other investors in the company include Carl Icahn, Alibaba and Tencent.) The two companies also announced a strategic partnership in which Lyft users can e-hail Didi Kuaidi cars when traveling to China.
What does this have to do with Japan? Didi Kuaidi often invests to form strategic alliances in cities where it is not currently operating — it also invested in southeast Asia-based GrabTaxi, for example — and the move could signal an effort to help Lyft expand in Japan.
With Rakuten's 101 million users and Lyft's ability to deliver both consumers and goods, Lyft could extend its service to Japan, shuttling both riders and goods to their destinations on demand. Lyft declined to comment.
Another reason Japan is ripe for ride-hailing options: its economic climate, which remains somewhat stagnant, and an aging population.
With the working-age population contracting, there is a push for fewer full-time company employees with extensive benefits and more for part-time or contract employees. While ridesharing isn't legal in Japan yet, this could eventually fulfill the on-demand-like economy that has grown in the U.S.


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Chinese consumers' appetite for lobsters has given a strong boost to the industry.
According to a report released by the Ministry of Agriculture, the Chinese consumed 879,300 tons of lobsters in 2016, an increase of 32.47 percent from 2014.
The country's lobster farming area exceeded 9 million mu (600,000 hectares) in 2016. The output of lobsters rose 30.36 percent from 2014 to 899,100 tons in 2016, making China the largest producer of lobsters in the world.
Lobsters generated 146.61 billion yuan ($22 billion) of aggregate economic value and created nearly 5 million jobs in 2016.
Value created in the primary industry, mainly in aquaculture, came to 56.41 billion yuan; that in the secondary industry, represented by processing, arrived at 10.2 billion yuan; and that in services, amounted to 80 billion yuan.
China's lobster exports declined since 2015 as a result of increasing domestic demand and technical trade barriers. In 2016, China exported 23,300 tons of lobsters, down 6,400 tons or 21.48 percent from 2014.
The United States and Europe are the major export market for Chinese lobsters. Exports to the US came to $100 million in 2016, accounting for 40 percent of the total. About 90 percent of the lobsters on the European market came from China.
People participate in a lobster feast in Xiangyang, Hubei province [Photo/VCG]


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All I have to say is that it’s about time Netflix comes to more Android devices, it’s a bit ridiculous that it was so limited. The new app adds support for tablets running Android 3.x and, for the first time, lets Netflix members inCanada and Latin America instantly watch TV episodes and movies streaming from Netflix on their Android-powered smartphones and tablets. I’ve already got it on my tablet and phone thankfully, but I did have to wait what seemed like forever.
The new Netflix App for Android adds Android 3.x-powered tablets to the list of Android devices supported by Netflix in the U.S. and significantly increases the devices supported by Netflix in Canada and Latin America. Netflix members can access the service on their Android devices by installing version 1.5 of the Netflix App, available as a free download in the Android Market™. (https://market.android.com/details?id=com.netflix.mediaclient)
Android-powered smartphones are rapidly gaining in popularity. Analyst firm Gartner Inc. expects Android will account for 49 percent of the smartphone market by 2012. Android-powered tablets are an emerging, but rapidly growing category.
Netflix is the world’s leading Internet subscription service for enjoying TV episodes and movies. Netflix members can instantly watch unlimited TV episodes and movies streaming over the Internet to many devices including PCs, Macs, Internet-connected TVs, game consoles, Blu-ray disc players and mobile devices. In all, more than 700 devices that stream from Netflix are available in the U.S. and a growing number are available in Canada and Latin America.
Netflix offers convenience and value with a broad range of Hollywood, international and local movies and TV series to choose from. Netflix has revolutionized entertainment by giving people a choice to enjoy what they want to watch, when they want to watch it for a low monthly price over the a wide-range of Internet-connected devices.
"We’re always looking to provide members new ways to enjoy Netflix," said Peters. More details on the devices that support Netflix is available on: http://www.netflix.com/NetflixReadyDevices?cid=Mobile+Devices


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The Godfather may be the boss of the mafia, but he still answers to a bigger boss - his publisher! Despite his swagger and thug-smoking powers, Electronic Arts remains his real Corleone, and according to EA Games' president Frank Gibeau, "We're not going to do another one." After getting rescued by EA Games after his old family, Brash Entertainment, went out of business, the Godfather may need to go look for another family for publishing.
Someone must've forgotten to call Paramount Digital Entertainment, because their rep replied, ""Plans for the next Godfather game have not been decided." So now it seems that Gibeau must've slipped a word-misuse that lead to a different meaning than the one he intended. According to this email sent to the Los Angeles Times by an EA publicist, "We do not currently have a Godfather game in development," she said. "Nothing has been decided as to future sequels. Paramount is a great partner."
EA has already dropped major licenses like this one before - James Bond went to Activision back in 2006, and The Lord of the Rings: White Council got halted in 2007. With a lackluster sales performance for Godfather II (Xbox 360, PS3) since its release, it's likely that Godfather's non-publishing could get finalized in a bad way.


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Amazon chief executive officer, Jeff Bezos’ net worth reached $105.1 billion on Monday on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. This comes after Amazon.com Inc. shares added to a 12-month surge that’s lifted the online shopping giant’s market value by almost 57 per cent. According to Bloomberg, Amazon’s shares have risen 6.6 percent this year, with reports indicating that the Seattle-based company captured 89 percent of online spending. The reports referred to the five-week period beginning the day after Thanksgiving in the US.
The latest jump in shares has pushed Bezos’s fortune above the heights reached by Microsoft Corp.’s Bill Gates back in 1999. The Amazon founder had earlier surpassed Gates last year in October with a net worth of $93.8 billion and his fortune crossed $100 billion for the first time the following month as the holiday shopping season started off on Black Friday.
Gates, 62, would have a net worth of over $150 billion if he had held onto assets that he gave away, mostly to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. According to an analysis done on his publicly disclosed giving, Gates gave away close to $700 million worth of Microsoft shares and $2.9 billion of cash and other assets since 1996.Read More


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by Jon LeSage, editor and publisher, Green Auto Market
Here’s my take on the 10 most significant and interesting occurrences during the past week………..
- PG&E charging network: A years-long struggle over Pacific Gas & Electric’s initial plan to run a 25,000 electric vehicle charging project has ended with a California Public Utilities Commission decision scaling the network down to 7,500 chargers. On Thursday, CPUC unanimously supported what will be the country’s largest utility-led charging deployment. The “Charge Smart and Save” plan includes 7,500 EV charging points in workplaces, multi-unit residential buildings, and disadvantaged communities, and is capped at a cost of $130 million – much less than the $650 million that had been earmarked for the 25,000 unit plan. Electric Vehicle Charging Association, which represents EV charging companies, and other groups had asked CPUC to consider an alternative plan; they seem to be satisfied that they’ve been given mostly what they’d been seeking. PG&E will be limited to how much of the charging network it can own, which had been a key stumbling block in the past. “This proposed decision accelerates the adoption of EV charging in northern California in a way that preserves innovation and competition,” said Pasquale Romano, ChargePoint’s CEO.
- DiCaprio backs BYD: Former Fisker Karma advocate Leonardo DiCaprio has signed on to promote China-based BYD’s electric vehicles and zero emissions campaign. It comes at a time when BYD has been promoting its “Cool the Earth by 1°C” campaign for the creation of a “Zero Emissions Energy Ecosystem.” BYD and Oscar-winning actor DiCaprio will spread the word on plug-in cars, utility vehicles, buses, solar energy, renewable storage, and light electric monorail systems – all of which are being developed and produced by the company. DiCaprio launched a documentary on climate change, “Before the Flood,” in which he starred, at the Toronto International Film Festival in September; the film featured an interview with Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
- VW settlement in Canada: Volkswagen AG has agreed to spend up to C$2.1 billion ($1.6 billion) to buy back or fix 105,000 diesel vehicles and compensate owners over the emissions scandal, the automaker said. The German automaker also agreed to pay a C$15 million ($11.18 million) civil administrative penalty along with the Canadian settlement. That brings up the total to more than $18 billion to address diesel emissions issues in North America. VW expects to soon settle a deal on another U.S. recall involving buybacks or fixes for another 80,000 polluting U.S. diesel 3.0 liter Porsche, Audi, and VW vehicles. In a related story, German auto supplier Robert Bosch GmbH may be settling a lawsuit filed by U.S. owners related to the diesel emissions cheating scandal for more than $300 million. Bosch had previously called the lawsuit “wild and unfounded” after it was filed last year. VW owners have claimed the supplier had helped design the “defeat device” software that VW had been using for years to pass diesel emissions tests.
- Musk and Kalanick join panel: President-elect Donald Trump has named Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk and Uber CEO Travis Kalanick to a Strategic and Policy Forum that frequently will advise him on economic issues and jobs growth. Musk and Kalanick will join General Motors CEO Mary Barra on the panel, along with several other top-ranking executives from U.S. companies. Trump’s transition team said they’ll be part of a forum that is composed of “some of America’s most highly respected and successful business leaders” that “will be called upon to meet with the president frequently to share their specific experience and knowledge as the president implements his economic agenda.”
- Toyota’s environmental report: Toyota will be lighting up its new U.S. corporate headquarters in Plano, Texas, with solar power. That was part of the recently published 2016 North American Environmental Report, where Toyota outlined these positive impacts. Over the past year, Toyota’s North American operations have reduced water usage by nearly 100 million gallons. The company also announced plans for a 7.75 megawatt solar array at Toyota’s new headquarters campus in Plano, Texas, which will reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by 7,122 metric tons, or the equivalent of the electricity used by almost 1,000 homes in a year. It’s all part of Toyota’s Environmental Challenge 2050, which focuses on completely eliminating all greenhouse gas emissions from its vehicles, operations, and supply chain.
- DOE grants: The U.S. Department of Energy has issued two grant funding programs involving advanced, clean transportation. Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) announced that its Renewable Energy to Fuels Through Utilization of Energy-Dense Liquids (REFUEL) program will convert low-cost renewable energy into a transportable chemical fuel and use these fuels for transportation applications, while reducing production costs and environmental impact. Most selected REFUEL projects target the production of ammonia or its conversion to hydrogen or electricity. DOE also announced that $19.7 million, subject to appropriations, will be granted to support research and development of advanced vehicle technologies, including batteries, lightweight materials, and advanced combustion engines; and innovative technologies for energy efficient mobility. Its purpose is to accelerate energy efficient transportation and systems.
- Plug-in hybrids taking lead: Navigant Research predicts that the current level of electrified vehicles making up 3% of global sales will go up to 9% by 2025. That includes hybrid, plug-in hybrids, and all-electric vehicles. The research firm thinks hybrids and plug-in hybrids will switch places; with hybrids currently making up 73% of electrified vehicle sales; and by 2025, plug-in hybrids trading places, coming in at 72% of sales. The Chevy Volt has been leading the way in U.S. plug-in electrified vehicle sales and the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV has been leading in Europe. That market presence will grow as automakers roll out more plug-in offerings, including new, larger vehicle body types. All-electric vehicles aren’t typically designed to go this route as much as plug-in hybrids tend to be, said the study.
- SDG&E trucks: San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) has signed an agreement with XL Hybrids, a developer of hybrid truck solutions, to purchase up to 110 of its plug-in electric hybrid truck systems between 2017 and 2020. The XL Hybrids’ system will convert commercially available gasoline-powered trucks into electric hybrids, powered in part by energy generated by the sun and wind. The conversion of these trucks will deliver a 50% improvement in miles driven per gallon, reduce operating costs, extend the life of the vehicles, and increase the overall range of SDG&E’s fleet.
- Lucid Air launch: Startup electric carmaker Lucid Motors, formerly known as Atieva, unveiled its Air “executive sedan” last week, which the company says will be able to travel up to 400 miles on a charge. That power will be stored in a 100 kWh battery pack, and its motor will be able to hit up to 1,000 in horsepower. The company is taking deposits on the car now and plans to begin deliveries in early 2019. A company executive acknowledged it’s an ambitious plan to roll out its first car in two years, but also said the company is confident it will be reached.
- Boring concept: Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted several times over the weekend about his next grand, visionary dream: digging a below-ground tunnel for some sort of vehicle to deliver passengers. “Traffic is driving me nuts. Am going to build a tunnel boring machine and just start digging …” he posted on Twitter. That was followed with more. “It shall be called the Boring Company”, and another tweet read: “Boring, it’s what we do.” Will these be Hyperloop pods traveling at lightning speeds underground? We’ll have to wait to read more.


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OnePlus today announced the launch of its own e-commerce store website – http://oneplusstore.in – in India. As per OnePlus, the store will make it easier for customers to buy OnePlus products while offering a personalised shopping experience.
For initial customers, OnePlus has also brought up new exclusive OnePlus merchandise for a limited time period only. To avail these offers, users just have to register the IMEI details of their smartphones on the portal and get shopping.
Commenting on the launch, Vikas Agarwal, General Manager – India, OnePlus said, “We are very excited to bring the globally acclaimed OnePlus shopping experience to our fans in India. With the new platform, our users will find it easier to purchase genuine OnePlus products and fan merchandise, right from the comfort of their homes. The e-commerce platform marks yet another major milestone in our India journey and reiterates our long term commitment towards the Indian market and our fan community here.”
On the website, OnePlus is selling all its latest smartphone devices such as One Plus 3 with various accessories such as Dash Charger, Back Cases, Tempered Glass etc.
OnePlus has already been pretty decent in after-sale service with opening service centers all across India. It has also tied up with brand having similar synergies to give better services to its users.
Earlier, the company tied up with Idea Cellular for opening its first experience store in India where people would be able to come and use OnePlus products. Further, OnePlus have buried recent rumours about it discontinuing the One Plus 3 for a new refreshed variant. The company might sell the OnePlus 3 with LCD panel rather than AMOLED panel due to shortage of AMOLED panels.


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Instagram is developing an NFT coin and vending feature through its app, parent company Meta announced on Wednesday. The upcoming “end-to-end toolkit” for NFTs will allow users to create and launch their own NFTs to sell via Instagram.
“A small group of developers will soon be able to create digital collectibles (NFTs) and sell them directly on Instagram,” Stephane Kasriel, Meta’s head of commerce and fintech, said in a statement.
NFTs — which Meta often refers to as “digital collectibles” — are unique blockchain tokens that signify ownership of an asset, typically a piece of digital art.
At startup, Instagram Use the Polygon blockchain for NFT embossing. The app also pulls NFT metadata from OpenSea, allowing collection names and descriptions to be displayed on Instagram.
Meta will initially roll out the new NFT features to a select group of artists and content creators before rolling out the features to a broader audience, the company said in a statement. Creatives like photographer DrifterShoots, visual artist Ilse Valfré and artist Amber Vittoria are among those chosen for early access to Instagram’s new NFT features.
Vittoria told Decrypt via Twitter DM that she’s excited to see Instagram continue its foray into NFTs.
“Meta and Instagram are constantly finding new and innovative ways to help artists support themselves and their art practice,” said Vittoria.
This slow adoption strategy fits with the rest of Meta’s approach to Web3. Back in May, it announced it would launch a wallet connection feature to select creators to display their NFTs on their Instagram and Facebook profiles.
Today, Facebook and Instagram support viewing NFTs on the Ethereum, Polygon, and Flow blockchains, allowing users to connect their wallets to their accounts to view NFTs. Support for Solana and Phantom wallets is coming.
Why the big NFT push? Meta believes in Web3’s vision – and wants developers to use NFTs to better monetize their content.
“Our strategy for Web3 technologies — including blockchain — is focused on helping developers make a living,” Kasriel said.
“We believe that Web3 technology like blockchain will positively improve the economic model for developers by giving them the ability to create new types of digital assets for monetization.”
But Kasriel also believes the crypto space is awash with “complex experiences” that are inhibiting mass adoption.
“There needs to be a much simpler user experience,” he said.
While Meta will not initially charge its own fees for NFT sales made through its applications, it is on the horizon. It also promises to pick up Ethereum gas fees for buyers “at launch” but hasn’t given an end date for the benefit.
“Meta will not charge any fees for creating or selling digital collectibles until 2024,” Kasriel said, but noted that all in-app transactions are “still subject to applicable app store fees,” such as the controversial 30 -% tax from Apple.
It’s unclear, however, whether users will resort to the convenience of an in-app Instagram NFT purchase — and whether Instagram’s NFT capabilities will roll out to the browser version of its platform in the future.
In response to Decrypt’s request for comment, a meta representative pointed to Kasriel’s statement published on Medium.
“Instagram has been a catalyst in my creative career — it has decentralized publishing of images — much like the printing press did for the written word,” said photographer Dave Krugman, who is also responsible for early access to Instagram’s new NFT features was selected.
“I was able to bypass the limitations of a gated media landscape and access my audience directly. It changed everything for me – and this next step is a clear continuation of this decentralization of access and interaction with our audience.”


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A touchscreen Apple iMac could be coming to join its 21.5 and 27 inch brothers, according to new rumours fresh out of the Far East.
DigiTimes is reporting by way of Chinese language Commercial Times that Apple is planning to roll out a 22-inch touchscreen all-in-one, which sounds suspiciously like an iMac to us, with manufacturers Quanta and Sintek manufacturing the machines for release this year.
Read our 27-inch Apple iMac review now
A touchscreen Apple iMac has been tipped for some time, and does seem like a logical next step given Apple’s love of touchscreens and multitouch gestures in most of its other machines. We’ll let you know if and when a touchscreen Apple iMac emerges.


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A team of three scientists from Columbia University has discovered that by attacking the combo of hardware and software management utilities embedded with modern chipsets, threat actors can take over systems via an attack surface found in almost all modern electronic devices.
Researchers from Positive Technologies — a provider of enterprise security solutions — have found a way to disable the Intel Management Engine (ME), a much-hated component of Intel CPUs.
Intel released a new CPU model this week, the Intel Core i9 7900X, which is the latest model to feature a new cache architecture that hardware experts believe it will make exploitation of side-channel attacks a lot harder.
Some Intel CPU models are affected by a bug that crashes computers when a certain sequence of operations are being processed.
Microsoft's security team has come across a malware family that uses Intel's Active Management Technology (AMT) Serial-over-LAN (SOL) interface as a file transfer tool.
Intel's security team released a series of patches yesterday that fix a remote code execution (RCE) bug found in the Intel Management Engine (ME).
GitHub user Zeffy has created a patch that removes a limitation that Microsoft imposed on users of 7th generation processors, a limit that prevents users from receiving Windows updates if they still use Windows 7 and 8.1.
Starting this month, Microsoft has stopped delivering updates for Windows 7 and 8.1 operating systems running on modern processor models, such as Intel 7th Generation (Kaby Lake) and AMD 7th Generation (Bristol Ridge).
Users of new CPU architectures will not receive Windows 7 and 8.1 updates anymore, according to a Microsoft support topic published last week.
In a research paper published at the end of February, a team of five scientists from the Graz University of Technology has described a novel method of leaking data from SGX enclaves, a secure environment created by Intel CPUs for storing sensitive information for each process, such as encryption keys, passwords, and other.
Attackers with access to a device can take control over a target's computer and bypass all local security systems by abusing a hardware debugging interface included with Intel CPUs, which in recent years has become accessible via an external USB 3.0 port.


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Microsoft says Xbox live subscriptions have reached 46 million – a climb of eighteen percent from last year.
The company gave its Q3 earnings report today, remaining silent on the topic of its new console despite a slight drop in sales for the Xbox 360.
The given figure of 1.3 million consoles sold over the past three months is down nine percent from last year.
All told, the Xbox has sold 77 million units.
It’s impossible to say how many of these are still in use, but the figures for Xbox Live show that just under 60 percent of consoles sold are connected to the service.
The Entertainment and Devices Division revenues rose 56 percent to $253 despite the drop in console sales.
The only hint of the Xbox successor came when the division said its growth in operating income had been offset by a 28 percent growth in research and development cost, which totaled $113 million.
The Xbox might be slowing, but the services it offers are still growing, and Microsoft is eager to call that a win.
"The bold bets we made on cloud services are paying off as people increasingly choose Microsoft services including Office 365, Windows Azure, Xbox Live, and Skype," said Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.
"While there is still work to do, we are optimistic that the bets we’ve made on Windows devices position us well for the long-term."


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Huawei is to invest $800 million in a new factory in Brazil as it doubles down on efforts in Latin America to compensate for being excluded from the US market.
The company has had a presence in the country for more than 20 years and has an existing facility in Sao Paolo state that produces telecommunications equipment for mobile operators.
According to Reuters, the governor of Sao Paolo, confirmed plans for a new plant during a visit to China. The exact location of the site is still to be decided, but it is thought that 1,000 additional people will be employed.
- What is 5G? Everything you need to know
- US has 'no evidence' for Huawei claims
- Huawei CEO says firm's own OS will be faster than iOS and Android
It is thought the any new factory will manufacture smartphones for both the local and international markets.
“Depending on the performance of the smartphone operation in the local market, Huawei will consider building a plant in Sao Paulo in the near future,” a Huwei spokesperson told the news agency.
Huawei is the world’s second largest smartphone manufacturer but its ambitions to become number one have been derailed by hostility from the US government. The company has effectively been excluded from America for several years on national security grounds, but a recent directive barred US firms from supplying Huawei.
This includes components from the likes of Qualcomm and the Android mobile operating system. Although Huawei makes its own processors, replicating elements such as modem chips would take several years and require specific expertise. Meanwhile, the absence of Android would limit the appeal of Huawei devices in the west.
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The rules are set to be relaxed, but Huawei is targeted new markets. Brazil is particularly attractive because it is thought the country’s auction of 5G spectrum could be the biggest yet according to rival Nokia.
The US has urged allies to follow its lead and ban Huawei and it would have been thought Brazil’s president Jair Bolsonaro would have been sympathetic to his counterpart Donald Trump’s views. However, the Brazilian government has said it has no plans to exclude Huawei from the market.
- Here are the best deals for Huawei mobile phones in August 2019
Steve McCaskill is TechRadar Pro's resident mobile industry expert, covering all aspects of the UK and global news, from operators to service providers and everything in between. He is a former editor of Silicon UK and journalist with over a decade's experience in the technology industry, writing about technology, in particular, telecoms, mobile and sports tech, sports, video games and media.


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Noughty Haircare is delighted to announce they have expanded their bricks and mortar offering by launching in Waitrose stores nationwide and Sainsbury’s Beauty Stores.
Noughty are bringing their award-winning ranges to Sainsbury’s via special beauty transformation stores which will offer their customers a wider selection of beauty offerings as well as introducing them to new and exclusive brands, all in a convenient supermarket setting.
Rachel Parsonage, co-founder of Noughty Haircare, comments: “Sainsbury’s new beauty stores are a perfect home for Noughty. The space Sainsbury’s are dedicating to showcase innovative and natural brands is brilliant. It’s an exciting time for Noughty, and we feel that this partnership capitalises on shared brand values and a passion for bringing alternative, effective natural haircare to a wider audience.”
Alongside the Sainsbury’s launch, Noughty will also be rolling out in up to 285 Waitrose stores across the UK, as well as launching on Waitrose.com. This follows on from the decision by Waitrose to offer their consumers the opportunity to shop more cruelty-free and niche brands as the desire for products free from animal testing increases.
Lisa Stone, Commercial Director for KMI Brands, comments: “This is the perfect time for Noughty to launch in Waitrose as they look to focus on differentiation within their beauty offering. Noughty has become firmly established within the naturals market and seen prominent growth over the last few years through Superdrug, Boots.com and NoughtyHaircare.co.uk, so we’re excited about the next phase for the brand and what this partnership with Waitrose will hold.”


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New Interactive Online Feature Offers Advice on Recycling More Plastics from the Bathroom
Washington, D.C. (June 6, 2013)—To encourage consumers to recycle more plastics at home, Plastics Make it Possible® today launched Bathroom to Bin, an interactive online feature that offers some humorous advice on recycling plastics used in the bathroom, plus a chance to win $500.
While most consumers typically recycle in the kitchen, plastics also are widely used in the bathroom since they are shatter resistant—and many of these plastics can go from the bathroom to the recycling bin. Packaging for shampoo, conditioner, lotions, sunscreen, mouthwash, body wash, medicines and other products used in the bathroom often is made with the same plastics as food packaging, and they can be recycled together.
Visitors to Bathroom to Bin explore an interactive medicine cabinet full of beauty and personal care products that reveal practical recycling tips and amusing facts. Visitors also can take a single-question poll about recycling to be entered into the Bathroom to Bin Giveaway for a chance to win a $500 American Express gift card.
“Bathroom to Bin is an entertaining way to encourage all of us to expand recycling beyond the kitchen and into the bathroom,” said Steve Russell, vice president of plastics for the American Chemistry Council, which sponsors the Plastics Make it Possible® initiative. “Recycling bathroom plastics is a simple step we can take to help the environment by capturing more of this valuable material from the waste stream.”
The plastics recycled from a typical bathroom can be used to make everything from outdoor furniture to cooking tools to fashionable clothing. By recycling plastics and looking for products made with recycled plastics, consumers help close the recycling loop—and create demand for even more recycling.
Visit the Bathroom to Bin interactive feature and enter the Giveaway here.
For more tips on how plastics help you contribute to sustainability at home, visit In the Home.
About Plastics Make it Possible®
Plastics Make it Possible® highlights the many ways plastics inspire innovations that improve our lives, solve big problems, and help us design a safer, more promising future. This initiative is sponsored by America’s Plastics MakersTM of the American Chemistry Council. For more information, visit www.plasticsmakeitpossible.com, check out our Facebook page and follow us @plasticpossible on twitter at twitter.com/plasticpossible.
# # #
The American Chemistry Council (ACC) represents the leading companies engaged in the business of chemistry. ACC members apply the science of chemistry to make innovative products and services that make people’s lives better, healthier and safer. ACC is committed to improved environmental, health and safety performance through Responsible Care®, common sense advocacy designed to address major public policy issues, and health and environmental research and product testing. The business of chemistry is a $760 billion enterprise and a key element of the nation’s economy. It is the largest exporting sector in the U.S., accounting for 12 percent of U.S. exports. Chemistry companies are among the largest investors in research and development. Safety and security have always been primary concerns of ACC members, and they have intensified their efforts, working closely with government agencies to improve security and to defend against any threat to the nation’s critical infrastructure.


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Tag: Australia Post
Newcastle could welcome an Australia Post electric truck by 2022, in a bid to help the company reach its 2025 gas emissions target.
Australia Post launch recruitment drive and increase deliveries to keep up with ‘Christmas-like’ shopping
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas - for Australia Post delivery drivers that is. With Hunter residents joining thousands across the state in extended lockdowns, and parcel volumes hitting heights...


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AT&T reported revenue of US$31.4 billion for the fourth quarter of 2010, up 2.1 percent from a year earlier, with the company reporting a record gain in mobile customer additions.
Oracle has added more than 350 PeopleSoft customers in the past year, even as it prepares to launch the next-generation Fusion Applications, the co...
Nokia reported an increase in sales for the fourth quarter, but profit declined as the company continues to struggle in the high-end smartphone segment.
Group buying sites in China are vowing not to re-hire employees who go to work for Groupon, as a way to prevent the company from poaching their workers, according to a staff member at one Chinese group buying site.
Cisco this week announced its intent to acquire privately-held Pari Networks, a provider of network configuration, change and compliance management appliances that was <a href="http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/013108-network-management-start-up....
If carriers were like sports teams, Verizon could be described as having a lot of momentum heading into its iPhone showdown with AT&T.
Juniper posted fourth-quarter revenue well beyond Wall Street expectations.
CA Technologies has acquired Torokina Networks, a Sydney-based consultancy focused on helping communications service providers (CSPs) in the Asia-Pacific region manage their networks, the companies announced Tuesday. Terms of the deal were not disclo...
In its first earnings report since becoming a standalone company, Motorola Mobility said it was profitable in the fourth quarter of 2010 and shipped more than twice as many smartphones during the quarter as it did in all of 2009.
The European Union's competition authorities have cleared Intel's proposed acquisition of McAfee subject to certain conditions.
Questionnaires will be sent out to CIOs around Europe in the coming weeks as research funded by the European Commission seeks to set out guidelines for IT best practice.
SAP saw revenue rise 27 percent in the fourth quarter but profits dropped by more than a third due to increased provisions linked to litigation with Oracle related to its former TomorrowNow unit, the company said Wednesday.
Yahoo's revenue fell but profits grew in its fourth quarter, results which the company described as "encouraging" and as fueling a turnaround momentum.
In a negative prelude to its fourth quarter earnings report due later on Tuesday, Yahoo confirmed it is cutting one per cent of its global staff, or about 140 employees.
Google has scooped up SayNow, a company with a platform that enables social voice applications.
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First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.


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- Samsung has unveiled Bixby, a voice-controlled AI assistant that lives in your smartphone.
- The announcement puts Samsung on a collision course with Google and Amazon, who are developing rival assistants.
- But Samsung has a huge potential advantage — its massive installed base of home appliances like TVs, fridges, and washing machines.
- Bixby could also undercut Google, which Samsung has long been reliant on for its Android operating system.
Samsung has decided to wade into a massive battle over the future of computing — and it has a huge potential advantage.
On Monday, the South Korean electronics company announced "Bixby": A voice-controlled AI assistant that lives inside your smartphone.
It now joins Google, Amazon, and Apple, who are all betting that these virtual assistants will be the next major frontier in how people interact with their devices. (They have Google Assistant, Alexa, and Siri, respectively.)
Thanks to Samsung's vast range of appliances, which are already sitting in consumers' homes, it has a massive potential head start on its competitors, just waiting to be leveraged. And it could also help it lessen its long-running dependence on Google — even turning its one-time partner into little more than a "dump pipe."
Bixby is basic — for now
We're getting ahead of ourselves. To begin with, Bixby will only be available on one device, the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S8 smartphone (and its larger sibling, the S8 Plus). It'll let you make calls or carry out tasks on your phone by pressing the dedicated Bixby button on the side and asking it to do something. No different to Apple's Siri or the Google Assistant, in other words.
But where it gets more interesting for Samsung are its future plans for Bixby.
Google and Amazon are racing each other right now to make their virtual assistants available in as many different devices as possible.
They're already available in the Amazon Echo and Google Home smart speakers — and now they're being baked into everything from cars to home appliances. The point is to get virtuous network efforts that reinforce usage, and lock in their dominance.
And this is where Samsung holds a huge potential advantage. While Amazon has to negotiate with external hardware partners about the terms under which Alexa is included, Samsung can simply leverage its huge range of electronics it builds in-house.
The company makes everything from televisions to washing machines: Bixby can be (relatively) easily installed into them or their successors, opening it up to a huge audience.
"Starting with our smartphones, Bixby will be gradually applied to all our appliances," Samsung executive vice president Injong Rhee wrote in a blog post. "In the future, you would be able to control your air conditioner or TV through Bixby. Since Bixby will be implemented in the cloud, as long as a device has an internet connection and simple circuitry to receive voice inputs, it will be able to connect with Bixby."
Bixby is an opportunity for Samsung to turn Google into a 'dumb pipe'
Bixby could also help save Samsung from its dependence on Google. The company has long been reliant on Google for the free Android mobile operating system that powers most Samsung phones. The company tries to differentiate its devices with custom software and hardware features — but they're still inescapably Android devices.
Samsung has built its own operating system, Tizen, but it has never made much headway in the smartphone space (smartwatches are another matter).
If Bixby is successful, it could become the default layer through which many users interact with their smartphones and other devices.
So long as the device you're using can run Bixby, you're sorted, whether it's an Android smartphone or a fridge. It effectively turns Android into a "dumb pipe" that delivers what the user really wants: Bixby.
It would be an ironic turn of events: Apple and Google succeeded in mobile by turning the traditional mobile carriers into little more than dumb pipes responsible for shuttling data to and fro. If they're not careful, the next generation of challengers — Samsung and Amazon — could do the same to them.
Likewise, Amazon's Alexa is also trying to invade Google and Apple's turf and get itself pre-installed on smartphones.
Of course, Google is not going to take this lying down, and is aggressively pushing Google Assistant to as many smartphones (and other devices) as it can. But right now, we're in the very early stages of the voice-controlled revolution. It's all still to play for — and it's a huge opportunity for Samsung.
"As the Bixby ecosystem grows, wrote Samsung's Injong Rhee, "we believe Bixby will evolve from a smartphone interface to an interface for your life."


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Earlier this year Sprint broke a Guinness World Record for the most cell phones recycled in one week by doubling the previous when it recycled 103,582 phones.
The previous record holder was AT&T, who recycled 50,942 cell phones during a single week in 2012.
In a news release Sprint says it has reclaimed enough cell phones to divert 12.5 million pounds of e-waste (or garbage, for us plain spoken non-hipsters) from landfills.
The wireless company cites its Sprint Buyback as a major factor in its e-garbage recycling efforts. The release notes Sprints ambitious goal to collect and recycle about nine devices for every 10 devices sold by 2017.


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March 30, 2011
The Design & Merchandising Program's 2011 Distinguished Speaker, Aaron Magness, Zappos' Senior Director of Brand Marketing and Business, will talk on Monday, April 11th at 6 PM in Bossone's Mitchell Auditorium. Magness' work in retail has been with brands that focus on customer service. He joined Zappos in 2008 and now oversees brand marketing, public relations and video/blogs as well as business development.
Zappos is the largest player in the online shoe market today, with sales of more than $1 billion annually (including accessories and clothing). The company has fiercely loyal customers who brag about how easy it is to use the company's website, how friendly its phone customer service reps are and how quickly they deliver product. Magness' talk will address the power of the customer in determining any company's success due in large part to the rise of social media.
Through discussion and presentation of everyday experiences at Zappos, Aaron will demonstrate the greater role of customers in shaping their own shopping and purchasing experiences, and creating a relationship with brands. The event is free and open to the public. For more information please visit www.drexel.edu/westphal.
After Magness’ presentation, Design & Merchandising seniors will present their capstone business plan projects. Presentations by all graduating seniors will be shown, including those that have been part of the Nina Henderson and Baiada Center competitions: Bubbles and Brew, College Closets and Hava Java.


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Two new problems with the iPhone 14 Pro camera| free tips and tricks
Pubnews: Two new problems with the iPhone 14 Pro camera. Apple has recently launched a 14-series iPhone in the market. However, within two weeks of the unveiling, complaints from users started coming. Especially the users of the iPhone 14 Pro are facing problems in using the camera. News Techtimes.
Users complain that the camera shakes during normal use and makes strange noises when using Instagram, TikTok, and other platforms. Some users of the 14 Pro took to Twitter to rant about their $1,000 smartphone’s abysmal camera performance. According to a report published by Verge, Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max have some serious issues. Users have reported two issues.
Firstly, the camera lens of premium category smartphones tends to shake abnormally. Just like hand shaking while driving a car. Due to this pictures and videos are very blurry. The latter problem is not very big but serious for the future. According to Verge, some users have reported strange noises while using the camera. The noise is coming from the camera lens. Although not so harmful, users complain that the noise seems to be due to some problem inside the device.
According to a recent report published by 925Mac, iPhone 14 Pro users are experiencing strange noises and camera shake when they try to capture photos and videos through third-party apps on their cellphone. The apps also include social media platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram.
9to5Mac also reports that an iPhone 14 Pro user on Reddit reported that the flagship device shakes severely while using Instagram and Snapchat. Another user reported that the device’s camera shakes a lot and makes strange noises while using Snapchat. However, Apple has not yet announced anything about this problem.
Pubnews is a blogger website. pubnews team is an expert in the tech, sports, and entertainment category


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Abuja - President Goodluck Jonathan has given an order to government ministries and departments to make use of locally produced vehicles.
He spoke at an event organised by the Stallion Group, makers of Nissan vehicles in Nigeria, to showcase the first five 'Made-in-Nigeri' Nissan vehicles to the government to mark their local production and commemorate the restoration of democracy in the country.
Stallion’s Group Chairman, Sunil Vaswani, who led the Stallion-Nissan delegation to Abuja, presented three models of Nissan vehicles to President Jonathan.
He commended the federal government’s automotive policy initiative, describing it as a historic step towards industrial and economic rejuvenation.
Vaswani thanked the president for the national automotive policy initiative that facilitated the production of Nissan vehicles in Nigeria.
The models included the Nissan Patrol Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), Nissan Almera (Sunny) saloon car and the Nissan NP 300 pick-up.
For the latest on national news, politics, sport, entertainment and more follow us on Twitter and like our Facebook page.


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The 2017 Ford F-150 is getting a new powertrain, including an exciting EcoBoost engine that’s been in the works for nearly two years. Ford engineers have been working hard to provide the best combination of efficiency and power, finally developing this innovative breakthrough that’s bound to satisfy any driver.
According to MSN, the new Ford F-150 engine options will include a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine with EcoBoost technology. Although the power plant will still generate the same 365 horsepower as its predecessor, it will get an increase of torque to 450 lb-ft. The new EcoBoost has direct and port fuel injection, as well as an electronically actuated wastegate system.
“The Ford truck team lives to serve our hardworking truck customers,” said Raj Nair, Ford executive vice president of Product Development and chief technical officer. “The powertrain is the heart of every F-150, and together our all-new 3.5-liter EcoBoost and 10-speed transmission will give our customers better power, efficiency and confidence.”
Paired with this new engine is a 10-speed automatic transmission, specially designed to handle the increase of torque. Interestingly, Ford collaborated with GM to co-develop this new transmission, which promises to optimize power and efficiency, especially when heavy loads are involved. We can’t wait to see the new F-150 powertrain in action.


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Firmenich USA Announces Gender Equality Certification; Beauty Sustainability And D&I News
Corporate responsibility news from Firmenich and Unilever, plus L’Oreal’s investment in Swiss environmental tech startup Gjosa to further the companies’ development of water-saving innovations.
You may also be interested in...
Firmenich says it is first in the industry and second in the world to certify 100% of employees to Fair Wage Network’s living wage standards. The Swiss fragrance and flavor firm is focused now on driving progress from suppliers and customers.
The Estee Lauder Companies, L’Oreal, J&J, Unilever and subscription beauty box firm BFA Industries are among companies taking action to promote racial equity within their organizations and beyond.
Deputy CEO Nicolas Hieronimus will take L’Oreal’s helm beginning in May 2021, with Jean-Paul Agon continuing as chairman, the firm announced on 14 October. The Estee Lauder Companies hires PepsiCo’s Gibu Thomas to lead its online business, and Coty appoints its first chief digital officer.


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A folding touchscreen smartphone with twin displays is currently being developed by HTC, a new patent application reveals.
Other mobile manufacturers have relied on hinged devices in the past, with the recent Motorola Backflip widely regarded as being the most interesting of the current crop. However, HTC's intentions are far more ambitious and exciting.
HTC applied for the patent in late March and as far as leaked images published by WMPoweruser suggest, there is no physical keypad on the two identical halves of the phone.
This means that they are of equal thickness and size. It seems as though HTC is planning to sandwich two HD2's together to form one uber-phone.
Perhaps inevitably comparisons with the iPad have already been made, but tech fans are advised to curb their excitement given that patent applications sometimes bear minimal relation to the resulting products.
Was this article helpful?


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Two national retailers are in the running to make Nuneaton's former Woolworths store their new home.
That is the latest from Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council as works to fit out the building on Queens Road continue.
It is no secret that many think that Wilkos is one of the front-runners to move into the council-owned building, which was also home to Poundland, as it needs to find a new home.
But, in a statement, council leader, councillor Kris Wilson has said that two names are vying for the building.
These names have not been revealed.
"We are working hard to bring new life to Nuneaton town centre through our ‘Transforming Nuneaton Programme’," he said.
"The new ground floor retail accommodation retains the existing frontages to Queens Road and Ropewalk mall - along with the re-purposed first floor flexible office workspace with a new entrance on to the Ropewalk mall - and will be marketed to secure new occupiers bringing new businesses and employment opportunities.
"There is already strong interest from two national retailers to take the new ground floor retail unit, which demonstrates welcome confidence in the town."
As mentioned, it is not just the ground floor of the building that will welcome a new tenant.
The first floor is being transformed as part of through the government's Towns Fund after the double make-over was awarded the top £1m windfall.
Work officially started back in December on both the ground and first floor.
The council spent £2.6m on refurbishing the building when Woolworths closed, including fitting escalators and a lift to entice TJ Hughes to move in.
Then when 99p Stores was taken over by Poundland, it became a Poundland and the infamous one pound rent deal was struck with the borough council.
Poundland moved out of 22 Queens Road at the end of October last year.
Since that time, the ghost of the old Woolworths sign emerged as Poundland livery was removed from the store front last November.
Workmen have remained on site ever since.
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The National Institutes of Health (NIH) also reported that calcium supplements have been linked to kidney stones and bloating in other studies, reports usatoday.com.
The study of approximately 24,000 people between the ages of 35 and 64 found that participants who took regular calcium supplements were 86% more likely to have a heart attack than those who didn't take supplements.
The primary objective of the study was to determine if calcium supplements modify cardiovascular risk factors. The researchers, who did not identify brands of supplements, found no direct link between the supplements and heart attacks, but stated that it could indirectly increase the risk factor.
Rearchers said supplements cause calcium levels to soar above the normal range, which increases the risk of heart attacks.
Nerw York Hospital for Special Surgery rheumatologist and osteoporosis specialist Linda Russell told USAtoday, "Other studies about calcium have been suggesting this in recent years, but maybe this study really should get doctors to rethink this approach."
For a postmenopausal woman between ages 51 and 70, the daily recommended dose range of calcium is 1,000 to 1,200mg, and after the age of 71, the requirement for men and women is 1,200mg, according to the NIH.


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The high level of VAT in the UK is a deterrent to the growth of the tourism sector. That's the warning from the British Hospitality Association (BHA), as it published its annual report for the year to 31 December 2010.
The BHA said: "The present level of VAT in the UK is one of the most pressing issues facing the industry today, making UK tourism uncompetitive with most European competitor countries, many of which impose a lower level on accommodation France, for example, is 5.5%]. The Government's tourism strategy does not appear to acknowledge this."
The report found that the VAT rate of 20% in the UK is counterproductive to Prime Minister David Cameron's objective of growing UK tourism from 36% to 50% of total tourism spend by UK residents.
The news comes ahead of research commissioned by the association which is expected to detail the potential impact of a reduced rate of VAT on the restaurant sector.
Meanwhile, the BHA is gearing up to administer a hospitality industry task force, chaired by former Whitbread chief executive Alan Parker, which will prioritise rules and regulations which are holding the industry back. The Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) has promised to work with the task force to cut, modify or abolish as much red tape as possible.
* The full report is on the BHA's website at www.bha.org.uk
By Neil Gerrard
E-mail your comments to Neil Gerrard here.
If you have something to say on this story or anything else join the debate at Table Talk - Caterer's new networking forum. Go to www.caterersearch.com/tabletalk
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Eldora Mountain Resort is a quick zip up the hill, outside of the Front Range. Now, you can ski or ride there for as little as $33 a day, when you buy a Three-Pack pass at a major big box Front Range store.
Eldora started selling the Three-Packs for $99 in Costco stores last spring. Tavid Bingham with the resort says Costco is the only retailer offering a deal on the non-transferrable Eldora tickets: “The idea came from Costco originally, and this year we’re offering this primo stocking stuffer lift ticket package for those holiday bargain shoppers".
Eldora is reporting plenty of snowfall. Bingham says, “Recent upslope storms have created some of the best early season conditions in the state, and our snowmaking team is working hard to get more terrain open as quickly as they can. Corona Bowl should definitely be open by Christmas, if not sooner.”
Fresh snow in Eldora. Photo courtesy Tavid Bingham, Eldora Mountain Resort
Staff are preparing for the busy holiday season at the resort which is just outside of Boulder. Bingham says, “It’s always quite busy at Eldora, and we’re taking extra steps to ensure that operations remain safe and efficient through the holidays. We’ve planned for extra staff and resources to be on hand for the busy holiday period, especially between Christmas and New Year’s.”
Eldora’s Nordic Center is also open with almost 75 percent of terrain and 28 kilometres of trails. Rentals are available. You can also snowshoe on the trails.


text: News Business & Policy Greenpeace's Guide to Greener Electronics Praises Apple, Scolds Amazon By Megan Treacy Megan Treacy Writer University of South Carolina Megan Treacy is a freelance writer from Austin, TX. A former editor at EcoGeek, she worked as a technology columnist for Treehugger from 2012 to 2018. Learn about our editorial process Updated October 11, 2018 08:59AM EDT This story is part of Treehugger's news archive. Learn more about our news archiving process or read our latest news. Share Twitter Pinterest Email ©. Greenpeace News Environment Business & Policy Science Animals Home & Design Current Events Treehugger Voices News Archive Over the years that I've been writing about green technology, I've seen a major rise in awareness of the environmental impact of our electronics, and some real accountability by some of the companies making them. It's hard to keep track of who is doing the work toward lessening their impact and who is ignoring the evidence, but luckily, Greenpeace did the research for us. In their latest Guide to Greener Electronics, the organization's scorecard shows us the winners and sinners in the gadget making business. This is the first guide the organization has done in five years and this time around they focused on three major areas when scoring the companies: energy, resource consumption and chemicals. Within each of those areas the companies were graded on transparency, commitment, performance and advocacy efforts. The company that made the highest grade was Fairphone, the makers of the ethical smartphone, which is conflict-free, fully repairable and recyclable, and is built by workers receiving a fair wage. Right behind Fairphone, and leading the major electronics makers, is Apple. Greenpeace praised the company for majorly increasing its renewable energy use and eliminating hazardous chemicals in manufacturing. The company still has work to do in terms of resource consumption, especially when it comes to the repairability of its devices. On the other end of the scorecard two major players, Amazon and Samsung. Amazon got a big fat F on the scorecard with the biggest criticism being their lack of transparency on its environmental footprint, particularly when it comes to greenhouse gases. It also publishes no restrictions on the use of hazardous chemicals in its products and supply chain. Samsung fared only a little better on the scorecard. Greenpeace scolded the company on its lack of commitment to reduce its environmental impact, noting that not much has been done to transition to renewable sources of energy and that there is also a lack of leadership and transparency on environmental issues. The highest score any company received was a B, which shows how far all electronics makers still need to go when it comes to switching to cleaner energy sources in and reducing their resource consumption by using recycled materials and making their products fully repairable. You can read the report here and see more specifics on how each of the companies scored.


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An Bord Pleanála has upheld the decision of Cork County Council to approve the change of use of the former Xtravision store in Pearse Square to an amusement arcade. The new facility will be developed by Perks Promotions, a well-known family business which runs similar outlets in Youghal and Midleton.
The council’s decision to grant planning permission for the amusement arcade was appealed by the Titanic Experience in Cobh. The visitor centre’s managing director, Gillen Joyce, said an amusement arcade did not fit the vision of local businesses and Cork Co Council of developing Cobh as a family-friendly tourist location.
Mr Joyce claimed such outlets attracted problems in terms of gambling and anti-social behaviour.
A Bord Pleanála inspector said an amusement arcade could be classified as “entertainment or recreation use” under the provisions of the Cobh Town Plan as there was no clear definition of the term. He noted there are no existing amusement arcades in Cobh and he did not consider approving Perks’ application would lead to a proliferation of such businesses in the town.
The inspector accepted the views of Mr Joyce that the proposed amusement arcade was inconsistent with the tourism offer of an historic town but he said such a use was allowable under the site’s current zoning. An Bord Pleanála upheld the council’s decision to limit planning permission for the amusement arcade to five years.
However, it further restricted the original opening hours permitted by the council which was 10am-10pm to 10am-8pm and set a limit on noise levels that are allowed to come from the facility.


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When a company files to go public, they do so by submitting a document called an S1 to the SEC. An S1 is like a prospectus, and sometimes it’s loaded with really interesting industry information. Sonos, which recently went public, is a great example of such an S1. Below are some facts and trends about streaming music we pulled from Sonos’ S1.
Paid music subscribers has room to grow. “Futuresource estimates that the number of global paid subscribers to streaming music services grew from 29 million in 2013 to approximately 176 million in 2017, and projects this number to grow to 293 million by 2021. Even with its rapid growth, the number of paid streaming music subscribers represents a fraction of the 858 million households worldwide with broadband internet today.”
Music is back. “According to Nielsen, the average number of hours spent listening to music per week in the United States has increased 37% in two years to over 32 hours in 2017. These dynamics have revitalized the music industry, which had suffered declines for over a decade. The recorded music industry had revenue growth of 16.5% in 2017, while streaming music revenue increased 43% over the same period, according to the Recording Industry Association of America.” This is a big shift for the music industry, which Spotify confirms. According to Spotify’s S1, “Global recorded music industry revenues declined by 40% from $23.8 billion in 1999 to $14.3 billion in 2014 following the launch of the first internet-based music download service. As Spotify’s access model gained traction (they did $4bln EUR in 2017), that trend reversed itself in 2015 when global recorded music revenues grew more than 3% from the prior year. Growth accelerated in 2016, when global recorded music revenues reached $15.7 billion, an increase of 6% from 2015. This was the highest annual growth rate in 20 years, according to management estimates and industry reports. Streaming is the engine which has primarily restored the global recorded music industry to growth. Streaming revenues increased by 60% in 2016, reaching $4.6 billion, while physical sales and digital download revenues continued to decline at 8% and 21% respectively.”
Growth from streaming will continue. Going back to Spotify, “In the 61 countries and territories where we are present, there were an estimated 1.2 billion payment-enabled smartphone users in 2017. According to research from Ovum, the number of payment-enabled smartphone users in the countries where we are present is forecast to grow by 28% to approximately 1.6 billion by 2021.” There are 3.6bln internet users globally.
Podcasts are not being left behind. “According to Activate, the number of podcast hours consumed annually in the United States will grow from 6 billion in 2016 to 15 billion in 2021, representing a 20% compound annual growth rate.”
Alexa and Sonos are used for streaming primarily. “75% of consumers are using their voice-enabled speakers to stream music despite the fact that such products have not been primarily designed for music consumption. Over 70% of our customers subscribe to a paid streaming music service.”
Voice will be the new way we search. “By 2022, 50% of all web searches will be voice searches and 55% of U.S. households will have at least one voice-enabled speaker.”
Big hardware requires a lot of R&D and patents. “As of March 31, 2018, we had been granted more than 630 patents and had over 570 patent applications pending. Our patents expire between 2024 and 2036. As of March 31, 2018, we had 549 employees in research and development. Our research and development expenses were $101 million, $108 million and $124 million for fiscal 2015, 2016 and 2017, respectively.”
Gross margins deteriorate as new products are released. “We have maintained a relatively consistent annual gross margin of approximately 45% over the previous three fiscal years. As we increase the pace of our product introductions, we expect our gross margin to decline in the near to intermediate term as new products gain a larger share of our overall product mix. For example, the launch of our Sonos One product in October 2017 and promotional activity caused our gross margin to decline to 42.3% for the six months ended March 31, 2018. We have historically seen that the gross margin for our newly released products is lowest at launch and has tended to increase over time as we realize cost efficiencies.”
Physical stores are still where customers are, not e-commerce. “We sell our products primarily through over 10,000 third-party physical retail stores, including custom installers of home audio systems. We also sell through select e-commerce retailers and our website sonos.com. Our products are distributed in over 50 countries, with 55% of our revenue in fiscal 2017 generated outside the United States.”
Repeat purchases matter in hardware. “As of March 31, 2018, our customers had registered over 19 million products in approximately 6.9 million households worldwide. Acquiring new households is an important driver of our revenue, both in terms of initial purchases as well as creating the foundation for follow-on purchases. As our customers add Sonos to their homes and listen to more music, they typically increase the number of our products in their homes. In fiscal 2017, follow-on purchases represented approximately 38% of new product registrations.”
Sonos is a streaming music hardware business with $992mm of revenue and adjusted EBITDA of $3.9mm (margin is only 5.6%). Debt and equity raised as of March 2018 was $352mm. They’re a massive business so the trends they are experiencing and seeing matter for the rest of the hardware and music streaming industry.
Visit us at blossomstreetventures.com


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Smart is planning to introduce two concept cars next month, during the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show, which they are said to preview the ForTwo and the ForFour’s next generations.
The announcement hasn’t been made officially but according to the guys at Autocar, both cars will share the platform with the third generation of the Renault Twingo and they are said to enter production next year. The third generation of the Smart ForTwo will come as a coupe and as a convertible, with a fabric roof. The model will is expected to be very different than the one currently going on sale.
The 2015 Smart ForTwo will get the same two-seat layout and it will be powered by a 0.9 liter three-cylinder direct injected gasoline engine, made in collaboration with Renault, which will be good for 85 HP (63 kW) in naturally aspirated form and 105 HP (78 kW) in turbocharged version. A new seven-speed automatic dual clutch transmission will be available for the model too. The ForTwo e-Drive is also considered, which will come with a 90 HP (67 kW) electric motor and a lithium-ion battery pack.
The other Smart concept car which will be unveiled in Frankfurt will preview the future ForFour generation and it will be approximately 3,550 mm long, 1,701 mm tall and it will ride on a 2,470 mm long wheelbase. The model is said to come with a more powerful 900cc turbo engine. The new ForFour will eventually give birth to an entry-level crossover.


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During this time of the year, many motorists are forced to watch over their belongings that they leave in their cars while they're out shopping for the holiday season. Help Eliminate Auto Thefts recently gave tips for shoppers who want to avoid having their belongings that they've paid for stolen from their vehicles.
According to auto theft experts, November and December are the most active months for auto theft crimes, with criminals looking to score big with the items that could be in a car owner's trunks or back seats from their holiday shopping.
"Cold weather doesn't stop us from shopping and it sure doesn't stop thieves from going out and looking for victims," said Terri Miller, director of H.E.A.T. "The holidays are a joyous time of year that could easily be ruined by having your vehicle broken in to, or stolen. It's important to take a few extra minutes to protect yourself, your vehicle and your belongings."
H.E.A.T gave these tips for auto owners who want to avoid having items from their cars stolen during the holidays.
-Stay alert of your surroundings. While coming back and forth from the car, you should make sure that your surroundings are safe to catch any suspicious looking individuals. Talking on your cell phone or texting could make you an easy target, so these activities should be avoided until you are in the store.
-Parking in well lit areas. When looking for a parking space at a store, be sure to park in a well-lit area that gives other shoppers and security cameras a clear view of your vehicle. You should avoid parking near objects that can block your view, such as dumpsters, bushes, large vans or trucks.
-Placing valuables in the trunk. The best place you can put your valuables that you purchased is in the trunk. The trunk takes valuable items out of the view of possible criminals and makes your car less of a target.
-Taking valuable items out first. Since criminals are getting more bold and now approaching homeowners in their driveways, you should make sure you take the valuable items in your home first if no one is there to help you unload the bags from the trunk.
You should also make sure that your car's security system is in the best condition, which could improve the performance of the alarm, possibly scaring off a thief.


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The timing of this deal is really good. The pressure to live more responsibly in terms of carbon emissions continues to grow. Uber and competing brands such as Lyft seem to be in a state of constant growth as the “free earnings economy” expands and people abandon traditional methods of employment. In addition, gas prices are approaching unprecedented heights in a number of countries for various reasons. Fuel costs have recently become particularly problematic as companies using road vehicles are exploring the increased costs of doing business.
Related: Uber Teams Up with Hertz to Offer Tesla Rides from November
Uber’s new Tesla rental program solves these problems directly and unintentionally. As detailed in his blog, Uber drivers in more than 30 cities will be able to rent a Tesla to transport their passengers. As expected, the program is aimed at major cities such as Los Angeles, Atlanta, Detroit and Houston. The program is also extremely well thought out, offering drivers many ways to get involved. Rental rates can be as low as $334 a week, and the company will even provide Uber ride credits to give drivers a ride to the Hertz rental point. It is now available to drivers who have made at least 150 trips and have a minimum rating of 4.85, and since October 2021 they have already driven 40 million miles in electric vehicles for Uber.
Benefits of Uber’s partnership with Tesla
Almost everyone involved in the Uber process has reason to be excited about this Tesla rental program. The initial impact is on drivers. There is an intrinsic reward for feeling part of a greener approach to driving, but there are also financial incentives. Uber quotes drivers saying they save $160 a week by skipping a gas station, and has data showing that Tesla drivers get more tips from eco-friendly visitors. Drivers who rent Tesla electric vehicles through Uber also receive the company’s standard $1 per ride bonus for driving a battery-powered car.
Everyone else connected to Uber is also benefiting from this new direction. As with drivers, Uber passengers enjoy participating in cleaner energy. The popularity of Uber, combined with the potential for more drivers to now pilot electric vehicles, is likely to have a positive impact on the growth and normalization of charging stations. This could be another step towards a more educated society when it comes to electric cars and how to keep them “fueled”.


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- Hexer conjures up new trailer, screens from Etrian Mystery Dungeon
- Nordic Games to assist in physical distribution of Shadowrun Online
- Shooter roguelike Sublevel Zero announced for PC
- Fable Legends to be free-to-play for Xbox One, Windows 10 PC
- Spring Fever PlayStation Store Event offers discounts, new games
Fancy A Date?
Developer- and Publisher-specific Articles: Sniper Elite 3
The British Army is calling up virtual snipers to once again stop the Nazi menace in Sniper Elite 3. As OSS Agent Karl Fairburne, players will be a part of the Long Range Desert Group as they push across North Africa and work towards destroying a new wonder weapon. Missions will take place in Tobruk, the Kasserine Pass, and through Gaberoun and Siwa Oases. Levels are said to be larger and more open than before, allowing for greater freedom of movement, while the x-ray kill cams more detailed. Versus and co-op multiplayer is also supported with a series of special challenges.
The Sniper Elite series will continue next year, according to developer Rebellion and publisher 505 Games. Sniper Elite 3, currently under development, will see OSS sniper Karl Fairburne doing his part in North Africa (judging by the logo). 505 Games plans on releasing the title next year for PC as well as both current and next-generation consoles.


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The Pilot Travel Centers Fraud
Back in July 2014, Pilot Travel Centers, the largest truck stop company in the United States, accepted legal responsibility for the criminal conduct of its employees committing fraud trucking companies. This agreement resulted in a $92 million fine for misconduct and full restitution to be provided to those companies defrauded. 14 employees pled guilty to their roles in the fraud and another four were indicted and are currently on trial for their alleged crimes.
Per the Department of Justice press release, a 58 page complaint detailing the allegations, and a 120 page affidavit in support of a search warrant from the FBI, the scheme was referred to as a discount fraud. Pilot agreed to provide trucking companies discounts on the sale of diesel gasoline at Pilot's truck stops, and the total amount of those discounts would be rebated monthly. Pilot then fraudulently withheld a portion of the discounts due by providing fake spreadsheets and fabricated “back up” documentation evidencing fraudulent calculations of the smaller discount paid out. This scheme resulted in $56 million in discounts withheld to hundreds of Pilot’s customers.
The DOJ press release also stated,
“Pilot further confirmed that supervisory employees encouraged participation in discount fraud for the company’s benefit. For example, during a November 19 and 20, 2012, annual sales training meeting at Pilot’s headquarters in Knoxville, a Pilot supervisor encouraged and taught Direct Sales employees how to deceptively reduce the rebates paid to some customers for the purpose of making targeted accounts more profitable for the company...
Additionally, Pilot confirmed that in February 2013 certain Pilot employees involved with Direct Sales expressed an intent to expand the scheme to defraud by having Direct Sales personnel identify and target Pilot’s off-invoice customers that were considered to be too unsophisticated to carefully monitor diesel pricing data in conjunction with their periodically received fuel invoices.”
It’s bad enough to defraud your own customers, but to specifically target those you believe are weak and too unsophisticated to adequately monitor their finances is as low as you can go.
Not only was this fraud audacious, but the number of people involved is staggering to see (per news channel WBIR’s image from this article):
The Pilot Travel Centers CEO
Amongst the guilty, indicted, and informants, there is one white square around Pilot’s CEO, Jimmy Haslam who has “No charges” against him. Haslam, a billionaire (worth a reported $3.6 billion) thanks to Pilot, also happens to be the owner of an NFL team, the Cleveland Browns.
Since the fraud was exposed in 2014, Haslam has continually stated he knew nothing about it. In Haslam’s defense, Pilot is a multi-billion dollar company with thousands of employees and presumably numerous reporting structures. It’s not impossible for a CEO to be unaware of serious misconduct at his company.
Flash forward to November 2017 when the trial began for four employees, including Pilot’s former President, Mark Hazelwood, who all maintain their innocence. The trial recently included an audio recording (from the same sales training session on November 19 and 20, 2012 quoted above from the DOJ press release) where Hazelwood explained the fraud scheme as a “savings,” and the recording included Haslam replying, “sounds like Stick’s old deal with Western1.”
John “Stick” Freeman was the VP of Sales at Pilot who was caught by Western for overcharging them. Pilot apparently agreed to purchase a dilapidated plane from Western for $1 million in order to placate Western.
The trial also included an audio recording of Freeman (the VP of Sales) saying that Haslam absolutely knew about the scheme and loved it. Emails have reportedly been exhibited at the trial that include an employee saying,
“I don’t guess I need to reiterate what Jimmy said in his update, but I’m going to anyway,” Ralenkotter wrote. “We need to make certain we are doing everything we can to deliver the gallons on our focus accounts. Work hard, work smart, find creative ways to get gallons.”
The FBI even tried to implicate Haslam in a failed attempt by recording a call with an employee, Brian Mosher, who pleaded guilty to participating in the fraud. Mosher told Haslam, “Jimmy, we’ve been caught,” in an attempt for Haslam to acknowledge the fraud.
According to the Knoxville News Sentinel, Mosher’s wife alerted executives at Pilot that the FBI was using her husband to get to Haslam and others prior to a raid of their corporate offices. By the time Haslam received the phone call, he said, “I understand there are some folks at your house,” and handed the phone to his lawyers.
This sounds like a movie! And as the credits roll, Haslam walks away, clean as a whistle.
NFL Response (or lack thereof)
Though Haslam appears to be in the clear from criminal prosecution, you may be wondering what the NFL is doing with this information?
I’ll let NFL reporter Jason La Canfora take this one:
With that in mind, let’s read the first page and top of the second page of the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy for Players in 2016:
So everyone (their emphasis), including owners, who is part of the NFL must refrain from “conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in” the NFL. Further, “we are all held to a higher standard” than being found guilty of a crime.
For the record, integrity is defined as the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles.
When it comes disciplining an NFL billionaire like Haslam based on company policy, where is the line in the sand? Clearly, it’s not enough for an owner to be disciplined if he’s the CEO of a company that defrauded its customers out of $56 million, paid a fine of $92 million, and accepted legal responsibility for the criminal acts of its employees. It’s not enough for an owner to be disciplined if the CEO was present at a sales meeting where a supervisor was teaching its employees how to deceptively reduce the rebates paid to some customers to make the company more profitable.
The Pilot fraud focused on the same trait that so many fraudsters have focused on to defraud professional athletes: the victim’s unsophisticated knowledge of finance, and therefore, their inability to monitor the data that underlies the fraud, meaning the fraudsters don’t think they’ll get caught.
Yet I doubt the NFL sees the irony. And if, in the end, all we have for Jimmy Haslam is irony, then it’s a sad day for integrity.
1 - This statement was also quoted in the 58 page complaint filed against Pilot by “Pilot Employee 12,” who it now appears is referring to Haslam. There do not appear to be any other references to Pilot Employee 12 in the complaint.


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Following a major trend in seasoning, Jeni's has introduced a new ice cream flavor: "Everything Bagel." To be more specific, that's "cream cheese ice cream with everything bagel gravel." (Emphasis mine.)
In 2019, Eater Young Gun Christina Nguyen… espoused on the glory of Everything But the Bagel seasoning from Trader Joe's, a combination of sesame seeds, garlic, onion, salt, and poppy seeds that becomes a delicious impetus to floss. "I think that any opportunity to make anything into an everything bagel is always good," she said, and listed everything she's put it on so far — hummus, avocado, roasted vegetables, pita. By the time she praised it, Everything Bagel "spice" was a bonafide trend, lacing pastries, pizza, and wings at restaurants around the country, and plenty of other things in the privacy of homes.
It's probably not surprising then that Jeni's Ice Cream is rolling out an Everything Bagel flavor. It's not even the first ice cream company to do so — Pretty Cool Ice Cream in Chicago released one in a collab with Steingold's Deli, as did Ice & Vice and Kossar's Bialy's in New York. But Jeni's is a household name now, and their Everything pint, which is "Buttery streusel laden with sesame, poppy seeds — and yes, onions and garlic — woven throughout subtly sweet cream cheese ice cream," will be available to ship around the country.
image via Jeni's/Instagram