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Borrowing Twitter’s signature feature, Facebook on Wednesday announced adding support for hashtags on the social network. The long-rumored move allows Facebook users to add a hashtag to their status updates or comments to connect to conversations around the same topic.
"When you click on a hashtag in Facebook, you'll see a feed of what other people and Pages are saying about that event or topic,” stated Greg Lindley, Facebook's product manager for hashtags, in a blog post today.
To date, Facebook has not offered a simple way for users to see what others are talking about. Making clickable hashtags the hallmark of its service has helped Twitter become the Internet’s unofficial water cooler and breaking news service. Facebook also seems to have taken note of Twitter’s inroads into television, where it has become the go-to social platform for chatter around TV shows and major viewing events like the Super Bowl and Academy Awards.
That activity has helped spawn real-time marketing efforts on Twitter, like the much-publicized Oreo tweet during the Super Bowl blackout this year. Twitter’s TV-related expansion -- which have helped it land ad deals with Publicis Groupe and WPP -- has not been lost on Facebook. In its announcement, the company pointed out that there are between 88 and 100 million Americans on Facebook -- “roughly a Super Bowl-sized audience every single night."
It also noted that the recent “Red Wedding” episode of “Game of Thrones” received over 1.5 million mentions on Facebook, and that this year’s Oscar’s telecast generated 66.5 million Likes, comments, posts and other interactions on the site. With the new capability, Facebook said users can now use Graph Search to find a specific hashtag such as #NBAFinals.
People can also click on hashtags that originate on other services, like Facebook-owned Instagram, and write posts directly from the hashtag feed and search results. When a hashtag is clicked in a comment or post, users can see what is being said around that event or subject in a lightbox window. A status update prompt at the top of the discussion invites users to join in.
The Inside Facebook blog also pointed out that the privacy setting on Facebook applies to hashtags as well.
For marketers, Facebook also issued a series of tips on using hashtags:
*If you are already using hashtags in an advertising campaign through other channels, you can amplify these campaigns by including your hashtags in Facebook advertising.
*Any hashtags that you use on other platforms that are connected to your Facebook Page will be automatically clickable and searchable on Facebook.
*Like other Facebook marketing tools, hashtags allow you to join and drive the conversations happening about your business. We recommend you search for and view real-time public conversations and test strategies to drive those conversations using hashtags.
*Hashtags do not impact your distribution or engagement in News Feed on either desktop or mobile.


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20th December 2017, an update came out confirming that Apple’s new updates slow down the older iPhone models to protect their older batteries and prevent them from suddenly shutting down.
Apple tried to explain the reason
behind all of it by saying that it has been done to compensate battery degradation rather than push people to upgrade to their newer phones. Apple needed to take action for their consumers good. A year ago, some iPhone users reported sudden phone shut-downs, even though they had a significant charge remaining. Apple quietly released an update that slows down the phone when it is putting too much demand on the battery, preventing these sudden shutdowns. Despite the rumours that Apple slows down all older iPhones, at this point, Apple confirms that the power – management update only affects models older than iPhone 6.
Also, as much sense as that explanation may make, Apple could have made plenty of choices that would benefit consumers instead of penalising them. One of the solutions could have been to simply educate users about the limitations of the lithium-ion battery. Another, more beneficial solution could have been to start selling battery replacement kits to consumers, allowing them to install a fresh battery into their aging iPhone themselves.
However, Apple has actively fought against laws that would require it to provide a way for users to repair their devices and simply confronted the issue by saying that this way would make iPhone more vulnerable to hacks.
So, what is next?
Finally, the rumours and complaints have pushed Apple to take action. The newest update iOS 11.3 introduces a new battery management system that puts users back in control of their iPhone.
Let me introduce you to ‘Battery Health’ - a new tool available only to iPhones 6 and later, which will help iPhone users to manage performance to prevent such shutdowns.
Is this new feature going to change the future of the iPhone batteries and bring back trust in Apple products? We do not know yet. However, Apple promises that this new tool should prevent iPhones from unexpected shutdowns as the batteries inside its products inevitably fade.
Many of us still believe that this built-in obsolescence was a step too far from the firm. The company could not ignore the push back and launched a cut-price battery replacement scheme with the promise of a new management tool within iOS to put users back in control.
Apple took action only after consumers’ rumours, complains and several lawsuits. We can only hope that it will get better in the future as long as we will not stay silent about it.

domain: news


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Eat Colorful Veggies for Better Visionsam
Royal River Natural Foods, a locally-owned independent natural health store in Freeport, Maine, reports a new study of 102,046 men and women during more than a 25-year period that found those who consumed the most colorful plant-based pigments, known as carotenoids, were 40 percent less likely to develop age-related blindness compared to men and women who got the least carotenoids.
The report is part of the February 2016 issue of Natural Insights for Well Being®, which Royal River Natural Foods publishes free each month to help inform the Freeport community of the latest scientific discoveries in nutrition. Also in the February issue, people who took omega-3 fatty acids for three months cured dry-eye symptoms from staring at computer screens at least three hours a day, among other important findings.
“The science we report this month is encouraging to people who wish to use nutritional supplements to help preserve vision, improve brain function, and maintain healthy bones,” said Becky Foster, supplement manager. “New findings this month include studies from scientific journals such as ‘JAMA Ophthalmology,’ the ‘Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease,’ and ‘Osteoporosis International,’ among others.”
Royal River Natural Foods invites all those who wish to gain more valuable nutrition knowledge to stop in and meet the friendly, knowledgeable staff.
About the company:
Founded in 1994, Royal River Natural Foods is a unique community, natural food store. They are committed to well-being, body and soul. Experience their outstanding customer service in a warm and welcoming environment. Royal River Natural Foods proudly features local organic food, produce, locally-raised beef, chicken, lamb, pork and seafood, healthy takeout foods, bulk foods, snacks, special dietary products, specialty wines, micro-brewed beers, gourmet food made in Maine, unique gifts, eco-friendly products and much more. Royal River Natural Foods is committed to providing local, organic and sustainably-produced foods that enrich their customers’ lives. For more information about Royal River Natural Foods, visit their website at http://www.rrnf.com.


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UK applies to join trans-Pacific trade group
Boris Johnson is to mark the first anniversary of Britain leaving the EU — the world’s largest trading bloc — by formally applying to join a trade group in the Pacific.
The British prime minister hopes US president Joe Biden will also join the group, opening a backdoor to closer UK-US trade ties as hopes of an early trade deal between London and Washington fade.
Critics claimed that a trade deal with 11 countries on the other side of the world would bring limited economic benefit to the UK, and saw no prospect of Mr Biden being in any rush to join the group.
But Mr Johnson said membership in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership would prove that “one year after our departure from the EU we are forging new partnerships”.
“Applying to be the first new country to join the CPTPP demonstrates our ambition to do business on the best terms with our friends and partners all over the world and be an enthusiastic champion of global free trade,” he added.
The CPTPP includes fast-growing economies including Mexico, Malaysia and Vietnam along with established regional players such as Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
Liz Truss, UK trade secretary, will speak with ministers in Japan and New Zealand on Monday to request to join the CPTPP, with formal negotiations set to start this year.
Ms Truss believed membership of the partnership would boost trade that was worth £111bn last year and has been growing 8 per cent per year since the UK voted to leave the EU in 2016.
She calculated it will liberalise digital trade, eliminate tariffs more quickly on products such as whisky and cars and facilitate faster and simpler visa procedures for business people travelling to CPTPP countries.
Ms Truss argued membership will “complement” existing free trade agreements between the UK and countries including Japan, Canada, Mexico, Chile and Vietnam, which were “rolled over” from previous EU deals.
Speaking to the BBC, Ms Truss declined to say what effect CPTPP membership would have on the UK economy. She insisted the Pacific region was important as a centre of “future growth”.
British officials hope a bigger prize could be to use the CPTPP to build trade ties with the US, if the Biden administration chooses to join the group.
“We’re hopeful the US shares our ambition to join CPTPP, which would mean closer trading ties via plurilateral means,” said one British official.
But the new US president has vowed to improve his own country’s economy before signing new trade deals, and neither a UK-US agreement nor membership of the CPTPP are seen as high priorities.
“President Biden has repeatedly said that the CPTPP would need to be renegotiated,” said one US administration official. “The administration is currently focused on domestic investment and economic growth that supports the American middle class.”
Britain’s application to join CPTPP while ending free trade with the EU — with Brexit generating vast amounts of red tape and border controls — is one of the apparent paradoxes of UK trade policy.
Distance remains a crucial factor. Even a recent trade deal with Japan was deemed by a UK government study likely to increase British gross domestic product “in the long run by about 0.07 per cent”.
By contrast, the economic consequences of Mr Johnson’s “Canada-style” EU trade deal were assessed by the Treasury as likely to cut almost 5 per cent from the UK economy over the longer term.
David Henig, co-founder of the UK Trade Forum, said a Pacific deal would bring limited economic benefits to Britain and there was no guarantee that Ms Truss’s application would be accepted.
But Mr Henig said in terms of trade policy, there was merit in Britain joining a group of “like-minded” countries.
George Parker in London and Aime Williams in Washington


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A look once typical of the style-challenged is suddenly fashionable.
Yes, it’s O.K. to wear socks — even high socks — with shorts.
The clues were there in fashion presentations for the spring 2017 season by labels from J. Crew to Dries Van Noten. Now that the weather has warmed up, stylish men are stepping out of their caves and into the light in a look that was once the garb of clueless tourists.
Garret Munce, a sharp-eyed fashion editor at GQ, noticed it last summer around Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where many an unlikely men’s fashion trend has incubated.
“Everywhere I would go, I would see teenagers and young, cool-looking guys doing it,” Mr. Munce said. “It’s something new. It’s a little bit normcore, it’s a little bit skater.”
The designer Alexander Wang deployed the look in his latest offering. “There’s something quite youthful about socks with shorts, especially when pulled up, and I like that,” he said.
Photographers have captured the trend outside fashion shows, and paparazzi have recently turned their cameras on two celebrity practitioners, Jonah Hill and Joe Jonas.
Eugene Tong, a freelance stylist and a frequent subject of street style photographers, favors the look in his everyday life and has helped make it work for brands like John Elliott, Second/Layer and Public School.
“It’s one of those things you’re not supposed to do,” Mr. Tong said. “As a stylist, I’m always looking for something that presents this rebellious undertone.”
To get the look right, Mr. Munce suggests going with a thick, athletic tube sock rather than a thin dress sock. And don’t be afraid to pull it up to its full length. The market is flush with such socks, from $15 for a three-pack from Vans to $80 for a pair from the luxury label Off-White.
Mr. Munce also has some advice on the length of the shorts: “It looks too ’70s if it’s with a short short, and it looks too sloppy if it’s a really long short.”
Mr. Tong took it a step further: high socks with baggy shorts.
“You have to have a bit of an attitude to pull it off,” he said. “But I think it’s something that can be easily done by anyone.”


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Outlook India | 15 February 2023
India UK free trade agreement: Next round of FTA talks to be held in March
The next round of negotiations for the proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between India and the UK is scheduled from March 20-24, commerce secretary Sunil Barthwal said on Wednesday. Barthwal said that talks are progressing and it was closed for 13 chapters.
After the eight round of talks in March, it could be assessed that how many more rounds would happen and how much more time the talks would take to conclude.
The last round of talks were concluded on February 10.
India and the UK launched negotiations for the FTA in January last year with an aim to conclude talks by Diwali (October 24), but the deadline was missed due to political developments in the UK.
There are 26 chapters in the agreement, which include goods, services, investments and intellectual property rights.
Reduction or elimination of customs duty under the pact would help Indian labour intensive sectors like textiles, leather, and gems and jewellery to boost exports in the UK market.
The UK is seeking duty concessions in areas like Scotch whiskey and automobiles.
About the trade pact with European Union (EU), Joint Secretary in the department of commerce Nidhi Mani Tripathi said that the commerce secretary and EU’s Director General (Trade) will meet in August to review the progress of the talks.
Both have met last on January 24. The fourth round of talks for negotiations is scheduled from March 13-17. Both sides have agreed to discuss and finalise modalities for exchange of offer in goods and services during the fourth round of talks.
When asked about the new foreign trade policy, the secretary said that work is going on and it will be released in April.
On cutting down non-essential imports, he said the ministry is holding meetings with different departments on this issue.
"We are also sharing data with them," he added. The government had extended the existing Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) till March 31, 2023.
FTP provides guidelines for enhancing exports to push economic growth and create jobs.


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China’s latest crackdown on DVD pirates looks familiar—and fake
by DAN WASHBURN
In September when six major international studios joined forces to launch court proceedings against two Beijing retailers accused of selling pirated versions of their films, some observers said the move signified a forceful shift in Hollywood’s intellectual-property-rights (IPR) campaign in China. But the legal action was not a first—the Motion Picture Association (MPA) says in 2002 and 2003 it initiated ten such civil cases in China, all of which were settled or ruled in favour of the plaintiffs. It was clearly, though, the studios’ way of testing China’s renewed pledge that improvements have been made to protect intellectual property. Earlier in September Wen Jiabao, the Chinese premier, was quoted as saying, “China’s IPR protection efforts will carry the full force of steel, and it will definitely not be something that is soft as bean curd.” However, Hollywood is not convinced and is “calling the Chinese government’s bluff”, says one analyst.
Walt Disney, Paramount, Sony, 20th Century Fox, Universal and Warner Brothers are the studios involved in the two separate suits, which together include 37 allegedly pirated titles. The studios are asking Rmb500,000 (US$63,291) per title plus legal costs in damages. Copyright holders, though, have generally been reluctant to resort to court action because judicial penalties enforcing anti-piracy statutes in China are almost as uncommon as genuine DVDs of Hollywood blockbusters. Even when they are handed down, punishment is rarely severe. Thus, regardless of the outcome of the latest suit, no one expects film piracy in China to end any time soon. Some estimates say as many as 95% of the CDs, VCDs and DVDs in China are pirated. According to the MPA, its studios lost US$1.2bn in 2005 due to piracy in the Asia-Pacific region, with China the major offender.
Now one studio, Warner Brothers, is taking a different tack. As well as hiring expensive lawyers, it is trying to win over penny-pinching Chinese film buffs by aggressively promoting a market for legitimate films. In 2004 Warner became the first Hollywood studio to set up DVD operations in China, a joint venture with China Audio Video, known as CAV Warner Home Entertainment. In early 2005 CAV Warner began distributing DVDs in China, with an emphasis on getting new films to consumers as quickly as possible and keeping prices low. Selected Warner DVDs were released in China long before they hit store shelves in the US and, in the summer of 2005, the studio even tested a simultaneous release in cinemas in the US and on DVD in China of a little-known film, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.
Meanwhile, Tony Vaughan, CAV Warner’s managing director, says his division has got pricing for China “about right”. Most of its DVDs cost between Rmb22 and Rmb36, depending on the amount of special features included (prices for pirated discs start at around Rmb6 on the streets). He says Warner’s market research has shown that China’s white-collar consumers are increasingly willing to pay more for guaranteed quality. In April, however, Mr Vaughan put the pirates on notice, releasing some DVDs in simple cardboard packaging for Rmb12. Still, only three Warner films have been released at Rmb12 so far. And the studio has only about 300 titles on sale in China. Thanks to Chinese laws limiting the number of foreign films allowed in the country, it is impossible to compete with the pirates, many of whom carry 300 titles in a single suitcase.
Indeed, most observers doubt that Warner or anyone else can make real progress against piracy unless China opens its market wider to foreign films. “The maintenance of the theatrical exhibition quota, combined with the frequent imposition of ‘blackouts’ on the theatrical release of foreign films and the restrictions on home-video distributors compared with pirate retailers give movie pirates a tremendous market advantage,” explains Mike Ellis, an MPA spokesman.
But with all the sound and fury from foreign studios, it is easy to overlook the fact that the biggest victims of China’s pirates are the country’s own filmmakers. The MPA estimates that the film industry in China loses US$2.7bn per year in potential consumer spending. Because of piracy, Chinese filmmakers cannot expect a long box-office run or favourable home-video distribution deals. The problem has got so bad that Chinese filmmakers cannot even trust domestic television stations—some 1,500 pirated Chinese films are shown on local stations each year, the Chinese Movie Copyright Association said in August. A successful film-maker in China is someone who can sell films outside China but, given all the red tape, that does not happen often. “Film-making is not really a profitable business in China,” reckons Philip Lee, a Hong Kong-based movie producer whose credits include Fearless, Hero and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
One domestic success story this year was Crazy Stone, a crime comedy, which happened to be the first release from Warner’s new film-making joint venture in China. Warner released Rmb10 copies of the DVD for the critically acclaimed low-budget film just 12 days after its box-office opening. In cinemas, Crazy Stone, which was made for US$400,000, has grossed more than US$3m to date, the third highest take this year for a domestic film. Mr Vaughan would not provide sales figures for the Crazy Stone DVD, but says the early release was “absolutely a success”. Mr Lee does not doubt that, but cautions that “such a successful case would not really help the independent producers from making profits”, because no independent producers enjoy Warner’s “favoured position” of being able to co-ordinate both the cinema release and video distribution on its own.
China began its latest “100-day intensive crackdown on piracy” in late July, one month after Crazy Stone hit the screens. Several government agencies are reportedly involved in the campaign, from the public security ministry to the culture ministry. The vice director of the State Press and Publication Administration has promised a “stern lesson” and “strict penalties” for those dealing in the illegal audio-video trade. Headlines in the state-controlled press dutifully trumpeted millions of pirated DVDs seized, dozens of underground factories destroyed, tens of thousands of shops and street vendors raided, and thousands more fined or shut down. Even a 24-hour “anti-piracy hotline” was set up so citizens can snitch on street vendors selling counterfeit DVDs.
Some analysts see such campaigns (this is not the first 100-day crackdown) and the media hype surrounding them as nothing more than blustering propaganda. Says David Scott, an analyst with London-based Screen Digest: “China’s anti-piracy activities and seizures of counterfeit goods are frequently given high profile in the state-run media, but as yet the problem of piracy continues pretty much unabated.” Clearly, the problem is too massive to be handled in short, isolated bursts—even if China’s anti-piracy authorities are earnest in their efforts.
Consider the curious gap between the combined production capacity of China’s 774 registered DVD/VCD manufacturers and actual sales of legitimate discs in the country. Sales of legal discs accounted for less than 18% of those manufactured by licensed companies, according to a recent Chinese Academy of Social Sciences study on the impact of film piracy on the Chinese economy. In August, Zhang Xinjian, a culture ministry official, admitted, “we are not optimistic about the overall situation on fighting piracy.”
Most industry observers say unless sweeping policy changes are made, the pirates will continue to flourish. In addition to opening the domestic film market, Chinese authorities should implement stricter laws, issue clear sentencing guidelines and shift from meting out administrative to judicial penalties. According to Michael Yeung, a brand protection specialist at Hill & Associates, a Hong Kong-based risk-management firm, special laws and penalties have been put in place this time. For example, those caught selling more than 5,000 illegal discs are to be sentenced to three to seven years in prison, and vendors with 100 pirated discs are to be fined Rmb10,000-50,000 and have their licences taken away. After the campaign ends, however, it will be back to the original vague and ill-defined rules, Mr Yeung predicts. Indeed, in recent days there was nothing to suggest that it was not business as usual at your correspondent’s neighbourhood DVD shop, which was still stacked with pirated films.
03.13.2007, 5:25 PM · Stories


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NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- BJ's Wholesale Club Inc. BJ, -1.23% on Tuesday reported second-quarter net income of $30.5 million, or 44 cents a share, up from $28 million, or 40 cents a share, last year. Revenue rose 7.7% to $1.98 billion. A survey of analysts by Thomson First Call forecast earnings of 43 cents a share. The Natick, Mass., retailer reduced its 2005 earnings forecast to $1.85 to $1.91 a share, up from $1.87 to $1.95 a share. Wall Street has been expecting $1.87 a share. Shares fell 39 cents to $30.38 on Tuesday.
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MANHASSET, N.Y. Display startup UniPixel will demonstrate its color display technology, time-multiplexed optical shutter (TMOS), at next week's Society for Information Display (SID) conference.
The protoypes are said to deliver better performance than LCDs and a better alternative to other LCD technlogies like plasma and OLED. "In recent months, we have made a significant amount of progress in the development of our TMOS display prototype, most notably achieving fully functional [thin-film transitor] video capabilities," Reed Killion, president and CEO of UniPixel, said in a statement.
The initial prototypes were designed to show the functionality of TMOS and its commonality with existing TFT production processes. The prototypes are also being optimized to improve optical performance. UniPixel said it will soon produce production systems that demonstrate enhanced brightness, improved picture quality and low power consumption compared to other display technologies.
UniPixel, Richardson, Texas, will also demonstrate its Opcuity films, a key material component UniPixel will supply to its manufacturing partners. Its Opcuity FPR, which provides fingerprint resistance, anti-glare and scratch resistance as a top layer for touch screens.
According to market researcher DisplaySearch, the touch screen market is forecasted to reach more than 660 million units by 2015.
UniPixel's TMOS display-related patents total 106, including issued patents and filed applications.
UniPixel will attempt to attract investors for its TMOS technology during next week's (May 21) SID Investors' conference. UniPixel CFO Jim Tassone will deliver an overview of UniPixel's TMOS display technology. The company will stress that its technology is designed to leverage existing LCD production techniques.
Also at SID, Dan Van Ostrand, UniPixel's vice president of research and development, and Martin Selbrede, chief research scientist, will detail TMOS technology along with "frustrated total internal reflection" display technology. They will also discuss slab waveguides that provide internal reflected light in displays.'


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AHMEDABAD: The new ecommerce guidelines have boosted the growth prospect of upcoming mobile ecommerce players that connect brick-and-mortar merchants directly to customers.
Players like Orderr, m1-Order, Goodbox and SnapBizz say that the new ecommerce guidelines have created a level playing field for young mobile ecommerce players who see themselves as an enabler for brick-and-mortar merchants. It has also opened the gateway for more merchant acquisitions, faster scaling and funding.
While last week’s government announcement has left some large ecommerce players flummoxed, upcoming mobile ecommerce players are in a celebratory mood. “I was very thrilled after the government came out with the clarification,” said Abey Zachariah, CEO, Goodbox adding that while ecommerce giants would find replicating its model difficult, younger players will grow faster now.
“The new guidelines seems to be in our favour. Scaling up would be faster,” says Nipun Arora, founder, Orderr. According to Arora, the enabler business model does the same thing what the large ecommerce players does, but with less staff, less capital, no cash-burns and no discounts, which will allow enablers to scale faster.
The new rules have not only barred ecommerce players from giving discounts directly but they may also not be able to offer cashback offers to draw customers. Moreover, the guidelines restrict ecommerce players to get only 25% of sales from one vendor.
“Discounts going away is a major relief for small merchants as this gives them a level-playing field,” says Tejinder Oberoi, founder director, m1-Order, an Ahmedabad-based startup.
Oberoi expects more merchants to join his platform as fear of discounts and cashback offers by biggies will fade away soon. SnapBizz, which focuses on grocery retailers, believes that now larger ecommerce players will have to embrace hyperlocal (merchant) players in order to scale up. They will need the merchant to be digitalised and for that, they will need to join hands with enablers.
“We were already running pilot projects with large ecommerce players, but with this new development we now expect to see accelerated moves from them,” says Prem Kumar, CEO, Snapbizz. These startups are also hopeful of using the FDI route to quickly raise funds.
“There was a funding crunch in the market. This won’t be the issue anymore with FDI allowed in marketplace ecommerce players and we are the one (mobile ecommerce) who are completely compliant with the new ecommerce norms” said Abey Zachariah of Goodbox.
Last year, GoodBox raised funds from Nexus Venture Partners and in its pre-Series-A round it had raised funds from Manipal Group, with participation from TaxiFor-Sure cofounder Aprameya Radhakrishna and redBus cofounder Charan Padmaraiu.
Similarly, SnapBizz in recent years has raised funds from Jungle Ventures, Taurus, Konly Venture, Blume Venture, Qualcomm and others. In February, Ratan Tata invested in SnapBizz.
Vikas from Tamil Nadu ordered food from a local restaurant using the Zomato app on Monday. As one of the food items went missing, he sought help from the customer care. The customer care executive replied that he was unable to help Vikas with the refund because of the language barrier.
The Mumbai centre will house 72 international and Indian brands, 27 culinary outlets with cuisines from across the globe, an open-air weekend community market, pet-friendly services, according to the company's statement.


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Theocracy is a futuristic story of faith that is published by Dreaming Big Publications and is now available in paperback and digital copies. - October 16, 2019 - Dreaming Big Publications
4 Cities Chosen to Share Journey of Losing Husband/Father, Son/Brother to Suicide - October 15, 2019 - Carey Conley
Record Sales and Key Customer Wins Highlight Record Quarter for Industry Leader, CIENCE. - October 15, 2019 - CIENCE
Renown Recording Artist, Actor and Producer Lends His Views on Crucial Issues to the Feature Doc About America’s War On Drugs and Joins The Film as an Executive Producer - October 15, 2019 - Viardo Artists
On the heels of a 14% growth in semiconductor equipment growth in 2018, the market is forecast to drop 17% in 2019 to $54 billion, according to the report “The Global Semiconductor Equipment: Markets, Market Shares, Market Forecasts,” recently published by The Information Network, (www.theinformationnet.com)... - October 15, 2019 - The Information Network
Modo Modo Agency was named #201 on the 2019 Entrepreneur 360, a listing of the top entrepreneurial companies in America. - October 14, 2019 - Modo Modo Agency
truDigital Signage ranks No. 2255 on the 2019 Inc. 5000 with three-year revenue growth of 179 percent. - October 14, 2019 - truDigital Signage
The exclusive television interview with Zondra Evans and Teresa Perkins will air on the Reewind Channel. - October 14, 2019 - Zeds Corp.
Author of “Hiding From Myself” shares her story of domestic violence and hope on ZondraTV Network with host, Zondra Evans. - October 14, 2019 - Zeds Corp.
SMi Reports: Patrick Clerens of ESWET has joined the speaker line up for the 12th annual Energy from Waste conference taking place on 3 - 4 December in London. - October 14, 2019 - SMi Group
MGS Entertainment Show steps into the limelight from November 12-14, 2019 in Cotai Expo Hall A & B of The Venetian Macao. This year, MGS is divided into seven distinct areas: Leisure Technology, Gaming Equipment, E-sports, Security Systems, Integrated Resorts (IR’s), Procurement Fair, Hotel... - October 13, 2019 - CrowdReviews.com
In October 2019, Impact Branding Consulting, Inc. will take their private executive clients to Punta Cana, Dominic Republic for a VIP CEO Retreat of high quality networking, brainstorming, and strategic planning on growth tactics for their companies.
During the trip, business leaders will partake in... - October 13, 2019 - Impact Branding Consulting, Inc.
CGI Franchise Adds Strategic Senior Franchising Executive to its Team. - October 13, 2019 - CGI Franchise
2019 Marina del Rey Film Festival events and speakers information. Cinemark 18 and XD at HHLA October 18 – 24; Warehouse Kickoff Event October 17; Best of the Fest Awards at The Proud Bird October 25. - October 12, 2019 - Marina del Rey Film Festival
ZTV features exclusive interviews to inspire women all around the globe to inspire others that victory is on the other side of victimization. - October 12, 2019 - Zeds Corp.
EloQ Communications becomes the first public relations and marketing firm in Vietnam led by a PhD in the field. Clāra Ly-Le, Managing Director of EloQ, has successfully completed her doctoral degree on social media use in crisis communication. - October 12, 2019 - EloQ Communications
Samuel Brock Flynn achieves PC-Hardware Professional through the Management and Strategy Institute.
Samuel Brock Flynn has successfully completed the requirements to obtain the certification of PC-Hardware Professional through the Management and Strategy Institute on September 27, 2019 .
Graduates... - October 12, 2019 - Samuel Brock Flynn Show
SMi Reports: A panel discussion has been set for the 12th annual Pre-Filled Syringes and Injectable Drug Devices conference to be held in London on the 15th and 16th January. - October 12, 2019 - SMi Group
SMi reports: Interview released with Colonel Timothy Klenske Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND), US Army - October 12, 2019 - SMi Group
Hamburg-based leading secondary market research company yStats.com reports on the latest developments of the E-Commerce market of Kazakhstan in their latest publication, “Kazakhstan B2C E-Commerce Market 2019.” The report finds that online retail sales are expected to grow as factors of online shopping adoption and increased internet penetration drive the market. - October 12, 2019 - yStats.com GmbH & Co. KG
Shoshi Winstanley-Brown, a life coach, style coach, and member of the LGBT community, is launching her online program to empower people to embrace their individuality. - October 12, 2019 - Creative Coach - Shoshi Winstanley-Brown Limited
The E-Invoicing Exchange Summit took place in Vienna from September 30 to October 2, 2019. More than 200 international experts, thought leaders and key decision-makers gathered to discuss best practices, new market developments, international solutions, and formed valuable, long-lasting business partnerships.
Topics... - October 12, 2019 - CrowdReviews.com
The Queen Mary raises funds for the new Long Beach Library with a literary event aboard ship that is interactive, delicious, and unique. - October 11, 2019 - John Galvis Media Agency
If you have been controlled by voices of fear, failure, and doubt, you’re like thousands of women who feel trapped by fear and circumstance. Romona Robinson knows this all too well. As an Emmy award-winning anchor and author, she has interviewed thousands of people who are struggling in jobs they... - October 11, 2019 - Halo Publishing International
Children and teenagers today are spending more time on cell phones and screens than ever before. For parents, it can be difficult to limit screen time and direct their children to more creative activities not involving cell phones.
Father and business-owner, Geno III came up with a great alternative... - October 11, 2019 - Halo Publishing International
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31 Mar TSMC Pledges up to 2% of Revenue for ESG Initiatives
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) [2330:TT] vows to use up to 2% of its annual revenue for environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives, as part of its plan to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, as reported by Nikkei Asia on March 23. The annual ESG budget of 2% could reach USD1.13bn, given that TSMC recorded USD56.82bn in revenue last year. Lora Ho, chair of TSMC’s ESG committee, estimated that the company could peak its carbon emission in 2025 before it brings down its emissions to 2020 levels in 2030. These targets align with those of TSMC’s major clients such as Apple [AAPL:US] and Facebook [FB:US], both of which committed to carbon neutrality by 2030 and demand their suppliers to push forward decarbonization measures.
TSMC is the biggest carbon emitter in the semiconductor industry with 1,500 tons of carbon emissions in 2020, while its peers Samsung Electronics [005930:KS] and Intel [INTC:US] respectively produced 1,290 tons and 288 tons. Electricity use is TSMC’s primary source of carbon emission with a share of 62%, compared with 14% from production and manufacturing and 24% from the supply chain. Last year, TSMC set an aim to use 40% renewable energy in its power consumption mix by 2030, raised from a previous target of 25%. It also joined the RE100 in 2020, a global organization consisting of influential businesses committed to using 100% renewable electricity by 2050. In the domain of manufacturing and supply, TSMC also stated that it will further increase local sourcing of parts and materials to reduce carbon footprints.


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OnePlus has announced its Software Maintenance Schedule which sketches how long devices will receive new features, Android updates, Android security patches, and bug fixes. OnePlus stays on top of its game as compared to other mobiles as others can hardly stick to their schedule of pushing out android updates. Samsung, for example, took three months before pushing out updates for their unlocked Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+. Those using a near stock version of Android like Nokia, are able to push them out within the first week of releasing the phones.
With OnePlus officially promising to support their smartphones with new features, Android versions, bug fixes and security patches for two whole years, gives consumers at least two major Android version updates. Google will also take a step ahead to provide an additional year of security update.
Source: xda developers.com


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TeslaCrypt is just one of the many variants of Bitcoin ransomware to make waves among Internet users in 2015. As this malware was not based on any previous version of ransomware to make media headlines, it did bring something entirely new to the table to targeting gamers in particular. However, the number of infections and ransom funds paid remained relatively low due to this niche approach.
Also read: Bitcoin Ransomware Education – CrypAura
TeslaCrypt Infects Gamers With Bitcoin Ransomware
Whereas most other variants of Bitcoin ransomware look to affect as many Internet users as humanly possible, TeslaCrypt decided to take an entirely different approach. What sets this malware apart from the rest is not just its entirely different codebase, but also the fact it purposefully targeted gamers.
Anyone who had games or gaming software installed on their computer – particularly Steam users – was of high interest to the hackers behind TeslaCrypt. In addition, this malware would still encrypt important files and documents, and prevent file recovery by installing a previously made backup.
It remains a mystery to this day as to why TeslaCrypt decided to go after the gaming population exactly. Some security experts speculate this had to do with the fact how companies and entrepreneurs were better prepared for Bitcoin ransomware attacks by now, or they may be an entirely different reason altogether.
At the same time, games are quite important to the younger demographic of computer users, as they tend to care less about files and documents being lost. Recovering game-related data, such as a Steam inventory, save games, or even modifications and add-ons, could be a more lucrative market for Bitcoin ransomware.
With a large focus on single player and online games, TeslaCrypt had the potential to claim many victims. Steam is the most popular gaming platform in the world, and games such as League of Legends and World of Warcraft attract millions of players around the world. But in the end, the damage was nothing out of the ordinary, as TeslaCrypt did not make a major impact.
Source: Trend Micro
If you liked this article follow us on Twitter @themerklenews and make sure to subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest bitcoin and altcoin price analysis and the latest cryptocurrency news.


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As an attorney, former County Legislator, US Marine Corps veteran & now Consumer Protection Director, Jim has committed his career to public service. Need help? Call Jim at 914-636-1621.
Department of Consumer Protection
Excited about new position: Director of Consumer Protection!
February 18, 2018


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While welcoming the initiative, the auto major said the revised scheme brings policy stability in the EV space.
He reaffirmed a target for a total of 15 billion euros ($17 billion) in cost savings through 2022.
The government is working to create an enabling environment for electric mobility, said Anil Srivastava, principal advisor at government think-tank Niti Aayog.
“FAME-2 is completely ready with us. We are going to approach the cabinet. We have already sent our proposals to all the other concerned ministries,” he said on the sidelines of the Symposium on International Automotive Technology, here on Friday.
Spelling out their budget wish list, the SMEV also said phase-II of FAME must be announced with a six-year plan and time-bound implementation.
Gore's electric scooter, built by Indian start-up Okinawa, runs for about 100-120 km (60-75 miles) on a single charge which costs the sugarcane farmer less than 10 percent of the 150 rupees ($2.15) he would otherwise have spent on fuel for the same distance.
In discussion on topic 'Empowering Startups & Innovators' the panel takes a deeper dive on some of the tangible challenges startups are facing in the electric mobility space today. Infrastructure is the prime challenge that startups are experiencing currently but many of them have taken up the charge to create the required charging infra on their own. This step has removed the biggest roadblock in production and adoption of electric vehicles (EVs). Panel also discussed the ways in which cost of ownership of EVs can be brought in parity with the conventional ones. In addition, experts pointed out the ways in which the new-age entrepreneurs of EV space can compete and learn from the big players of this domain.Panel discussion on 'Empowering Startups & Innovators'
In total, the company delivered 142,617 units of electrified BMW and MINI vehicles.
The fund will support development of indigenous IP (intellectual property), design of components, battery technology, powertrains, charging infrastructure and software applications.
GM, which said previously it expected to reach the 200,000 sales figure before the end of 2018, declined to comment ahead of the release of its quarterly sales results on Thursday.
Orocobre will receive an average of $10,800 per tonne on approximately 2,850 tonnes of lithium carbonate in the fourth quarter, a drop of 26.5 percent from $14,699 a tonne in the prior quarter.
The European Commission, which is investigating on behalf of the 28 EU members, has proposed that definitive or final tariffs of between 18.8 and 79.3 percent should apply for all e-bikes coming from China.
Total outlay for Phase-I of the FAME-India scheme has been enhanced from Rs 795 crore to Rs 895 crore, he said.
Both the companies will install a total of 10,000 Mahindra electric three-wheelers across the country by 2020
The senators also asked if GM will produce additional electric cars or shift to building EV SUVs and crossovers.
It manufactures its own battery packs, which are made by Deutsche Accumotive in Kamenz, Germany, among other places, but sources battery cells from various suppliers including South Korea's LG Chem and SK Innovation.
Chile's ambitious plan to face down its capital Santiago's notorious smog problem includes the rollout of electric scooters, cars and taxis, as well as lorries for use in the mining industry.


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WINNIPEG – Eco Bottle, a Swiss company launched earlier this summer, has designed a stunning custom bottle for the 2012 Checkpoint Tracker Championship.
Every attendee will receive a one-of-kind, Checkpoint Tracker branded Eco Bottle with SportTop and the all new hydration tube, a new accessory being introduced for the first time at the race.
Eco Bottle’s mission is to create stylish, ergonomic bottles that are both functional and affordable. To that end, working with Swiss industry experts, they’ve spent several years designing the â€œultimate bottleâ€, making sure the end product was fun and served a purpose in everyday life.
Many reusable bottles on the market are made out of plastic, or may contain liners with plastic coatings, that have been known to leach toxic chemicals (BPA). To avoid the associated health risks, Eco Bottle has a BPA free liner and has features such as a wider mouth that make it easier to clean, quick release open/close system, straw extensions and a range of 4 new tops that expand the bottle’s versatility making it idea for outdoor sports like biking, team sports and running.
We encourage you to visit Eco Bottle’s website to learn more about their high quality replacement bottles and their mission to replace the 2.7 million tons of plastics bottles discarded every year with a sustainable, reusable alternative.


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In a step that will further boost digital transaction, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has directed the banks to not charge online transaction fees on National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) transactions by its saving bank account customers with effect from January 2020.
In a press release, the central bank said, “the Reserve Bank mandate banks not to charge savings bank account customers for online transactions in the NEFT system with effect from January 1, 2020.”
Fund transfers through NEFT works based on delayed settlement where payments are settled in batches.
During its October monetary policy review, the RBI made fund transfers through the NEFT round the clock. Earlier, the facility was available till 7.45 pm on working days.
In its press on NEFT charges, the RBI also said, to further empower every citizen with an exceptional payment experience, and provide her access to a bouquet of options:
- Operationalise the Acceptance Development Fund to increase acceptance infrastructure with effect from January 1, 2020.
- Constitute a Committee to assess the need for plurality of QR codes and merits of their co-existence or convergence from both systemic and consumer viewpoints.
- Permit all authorised payment systems and instruments (non-bank PPIs, cards and UPI) for linking with National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC) FASTags. Going forward, this will facilitate the use of FASTags for parking, fuel, etc., payments in an interoperable environment.
- Enable processing of e-mandates for transactions through UPI.
The RBI announced that NEFT transactions be made without any charge on the third anniversary of demonetisation. It said, “Digital payments constituted a high 96% of total non-cash retail payments during the period October 2018 to September 2019. During the same period, the National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) and Unified Payments Interface (UPI) systems handled 252 crore and 874 crore transactions with year on year growth of 20% and 263%, respectively. This rapid growth in the payment systems, inter-alia, has been facilitated by a series of measures taken by the Reserve Bank of India.”
BankBazaar.com is India’s leading online marketplace for loans and credit cards.


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Again, nobody is saying nothing should be done to stop terrorists like the San Bernardino shooters. What they are saying is allowing the government to violate rights just because it feels like it will inevitably lead to it violating the rights of it's citizens. Permitting such violations in one area will also open the way to violations in other ones, as astute commentators observe:
“‘We have no sympathy for terrorists,' wrote Cook in his open letter to customers. Surely it’s a sentiment we all share, but Cook has empathy for his customers and knows the risks they'll face from even a single act of compliance on Apple's part. Cook made it clear that Apple cooperates and assists with requests wherever possible, but they have never given access to end-to-end encrypted data, because they can’t technically do so and they have fought every request for digital backdoors into secure hardware and software.
Cook and Apple are, in some ways, just like the rest of us.
They want the terrorists stopped, just not at the expense of every shred of privacy iPhone customers enjoy. But what happens if Apple loses? The FBI gets what it wants, accesses the iPhone 5c, pores over the data — and then what?
What we face is a bizarre risk of success. Who knows what the FBI could learn from access to that phone. Will it trace a thread directly from the San Bernardino terrorists to an ISIS cell in Syria? Will it provide phone numbers, locations and logistical strategies? It’s that kind of jackpot information that will generate an existential crisis for privacy and security proponents.
How do we deny law enforcement when there is so much potentially attainable and actionable information?
If Apple is forced to write that software and the FBI finds nothing or tries to build scant evidence up into a big win, everyone will know. We will still be on a slippery slope, but I bet many tech companies will be able to point to this moment as a law enforcement overreach that netted virtually nothing.
Success, though, will turn that slippery slope into a landslide. Apple and virtually every other technology company will not just lose ground in this battle if the FBI succeeds — the ground will slide out from under them. Doing whatever is technically possible to stop terrorists will become compulsory. The idea of a technological backdoor will go from a controversial and almost universally despised idea to one that is a necessary evil — to combat true evil.”
See videos explaining the issue below:


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São Paulo — CEO Tim Cook said during a conference call with investors that Apple (AAPL) had “very strong double-digit growth” in Brazil, Indonesia, and Vietnam and nearly doubled revenue in India. The comment came after the release Thursday night of earnings for the quarter ended June. Apple’s revenue was $83 billion, breaking records in the quarter in the Americas, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region.
While emerging markets represented record revenue, in the quarter, Cook said macroeconomic headwinds - in particular strong dollar-driven foreign exchange - impacted the business. “When you look at product categories, on the iPhone, there was no obvious evidence of macroeconomic impact during the June quarter other than the foreign exchange, of course,” Cook said.
“I’m not saying there isn’t a macroeconomic impact. I’m saying the data doesn’t show where we can clearly see that in the Wearables, Home, and Accessories area,” he added.
Apple also said it plans to expand its “Trade In” programs, in which users can trade in their Apple products for a new one paying less. In Brazil, the trade-in program is not yet available in the Apple Store.
For Cook, the program is important because the residual value of Apple products is a big differential for the user’s pocket. “After using our devices, they can bring them back and they retain much more value than other platforms,” Cook said.
Buy Now, Pay Later is also expected to reach new markets, according to the CEO. The Cupertino-based big tech executive also said that Apple is being sensible with market conditions, and, that while it has slowed hiring, it continues to open tech jobs.
Asked by investors, Cook also said that Apple sees privacy “as a fundamental human right”.
“We’re trying to empower the user to own their data and make their own choices. In terms of ad sales, we have a search ad business in the App Store that we believe represents a great way of discovery for small and large developers,” he said.


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|By PR Newswire||
|December 13, 2012 08:23 AM EST||
NEW YORK, Dec. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue:The Outlook for Pharmaceuticals in Latin America
Strong pharmaceutical market growth opportunities and regulatory developments are making Latin America more attractive
The region needs to increase drug access, in spite of intensifying cost-containment measures. Therefore, attractive opportunities for (bio)pharmaceutical producers exist in Latin America. Brazil has the largest pharmaceutical market. Strong economic performance will fuel pharmacy sales growth in the forecast period. Mexico is the second leading market. Recent regulatory developments will create further market opportunities in the country, particularly for generic producers in both the private and public sectors. In Argentina, the pharmaceutical industry is expected to perform well in the coming years, with strong growth in production, sales, exports and employment. Pharmaceutical companies, however, are encouraged to act in smaller Latin American markets to maximise their full regional sales potential.
Generics consumption in Latin America is low, with the exception of Brazil which has a dynamic bioequivalent generic sector. In the last two years, foreign producers have penetrated what, until then, had been considered a tough sector due to local protectionism and low prices. Major developments include Pfizer's purchase of 40.0% of Teuto in November 2010, Valeant's acquisitions of two generic producers in the first half of 2010, and Sanofi's acquisition of the largest local generic company Medley in 2009. As a result, multinationals represented over 40.0% of the generic sector in 2010, compared to 12.0% in 2008. This wave of acquisitions is a blow for the government, which aims to create a leading local pharmaceutical group able to compete internationally.
In Mexico, the number of people accessing public healthcare will increase as the country is implementing universal health coverage, which means that some private pharmacy consumption will be transferred to the increasingly attractive public sector. Growth in the private pharmacy sector, therefore, is expected to be more moderate in the forecast period. Fuelled by the current economic slowdown and new regulatory measures, generics penetration in the pharmacy sector will increase and contain the private pharmacy sector by value. Strategically, Sanofi already acquired the local generic producer Kendrick in 2009, whilst Valeant acquired Tecnofarma. The amount of opportunities will be squeezed but the pharmaceutical market is large enough to be attractive in the long-term.
THESE REPORTS ANALYSE THE ISSUES
The Outlook for Pharmaceuticals in Latin America is a unique collection of management reports from Espicom Business Intelligence. Each report provides individual and highly-detailed analysis of each market, looking at the key regulatory, political, economic and corporate developments in the wider context of market structure, service and access. The reports are available individually, or as a discounted collection, and prices include 4 completely updated reports sent quarterly, together with a comprehensive statistical appendix. There are over 60 markets covered in the worldwide series.ARGENTINAThere are over 200 pharmaceutical companies operating in the pharmacy sector, of which over half are Argentine. Local producers dominate the pharmacy sector, led by Roemmers, Bagó, Gador and Elea. Recent significant developments include the agreement to start the construction of the Polo Farmacéutico de Buenos Aires, signed by 13 local companies in October 2011; Roemmers' acquisition of 50.0% of a small local OTC company, reported in July 2011; and Roemmers' two-year agreement to distribute and sell 26 primary care products from a Swiss company, announced in January 2011. Mexico and Brazil offer more incentives for multinationals to set up their regional subsidiaries, but two foreign companies made recent strategic acquisitions in the Argentine oncology market in QIII 2011. Previously, GSK acquired Laboratorios Phoenix in June 2010.
The Brazilian pharmaceutical market ranks first in the Latin American region. Pharmaceutical demand will continue to rise, fuelled by increasing disposable income, therefore the market outlook is positive for the 2011-2016 period. Generics are expected to have a pharmacy market share of 20.0% by value and 25.0% by volume in 2011. Competition among the five leading pharmacy chains is fierce, and the sector has been consolidated by a recent wave of mergers. In September 2011, Drogaria Sao Paulo, the leader in the state of Sao Paulo, and Drogarias Pacheco, the leader in Rio de Janeiro, announced a merger, creating what will be the largest pharmacy chain in Brazil, DPSP. This merger took place after the merger between Drogasil and Droga Raia, announced in August 2011, creating the second largest pharmacy chain, Raia Drogasil.
CHILEThe Chilean pharmaceutical market is expected to increase by a moderate CAGR in US dollar terms between 2011 and 2016. In July 2011, the Institute of Public Health in Chile (ISPCH – Instituto de Salud Pública de Chile) confirmed that it had sent the project to create a National Medicines Agency (ANAMED – Agencia Nacional de Medicamentos) to the Congress. The new agency is expected to update the regulation of medicines, strengthen ISPCH's regulatory functions and implement a number of measures to increase the competitiveness of the pharmaceutical industry. The creation of ANAMED is part of President Sebastián Piñera's National Policy of Medicaments that aims to ensure that medicaments sold in Chile meet efficacy, safety and equivalence standards. The industry believes that the creation of ANAMED could speed up the pharmaceutical registration process.
The pharmaceutical market in Colombia is the fourth smallest pharmaceutical market in the Latin American region. The market is set to expand at a one-digit CAGR in dollar terms between 2011 and 2016. The economic and political environment is stable, therefore the outlook is positive for pharmaceutical market growth. Colombia is looking to increase drug access for the whole population under the universal insurance programme (SGSSS), which should expand the market accordingly. Pharmaceutical imports and exports will increase. The number of pharmaceutical companies operating in the market has also risen. Gross pharmaceutical production will continue its upward trend and the industry is expected to create more employment. The leading pharmaceutical company is Tecnoquímicas, followed by Baxter, Roche, Abbott and Bayer. In February 2011, Nycomed, now acquired by Takeda, announced the acquisition of a local company.
CUBAThe economy is expected to do well in the 2011-2016 period, and the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) believes that mid-term economic policy is expected to be focused on making the economic system more flexible and promoting more private initiatives. The Cuban pharmaceutical market is the smallest in the Latin American region but, based on current research, production and trade trends, Espicom projects a moderate CAGR in dollar terms between 2011 and 2016. The Cuban pharmaceutical market increased in value by five times in the 2075-2010 period. Cuba has developed a well-established pharmaceutical industry based on the formulation or manufacturing of generic medicines. An important Cuban biotechnology industry has also been developed. The government is responsible for domestic production, which represents between 80% and 90% of the market.
Generic sales in Mexico are still negligible in the private pharmacy sector. However, the National Association of Interchangeable Generic Medicines (AMEGI) believes that consumption of generic medicines in the private pharmacy sector will increase considerably in the forecast period. A number of patents for bestselling drugs will expire in the coming years, and this will accelerate generic market growth. Generic sales are high, when considering sales in the public sector. The public sector is accountable for about 80.0% of generic sales by value, whilst the private pharmacy sector represents the remaining 20.0%; generic sales represented 3.5% of pharmacy sales. In terms of competition, a number of foreign producers, i.e. Sanofi and Valeant, have acquired a couple of local producers, whilst others have formed partnerships with local producers.
PERUThe Peruvian pharmaceutical market is the second smallest in the region. The market is expected to increase by a moderate CAGR in dollar terms between 2011 and 2016. Pharmaceutical expenditure per capita is the lowest in the region. This means that there are growth opportunities, as the economy is expected to perform well in the forecast period. The market increased five times between 2075 and 2010. In January 2011, the Israeli company Teva Pharmaceutical Industries announced that it was acquiring Infarmasa from The Rohatyn Group (TRG) and Altra Investments. Teva commented that the combination of Medco, which is Teva's existing operation in Peru, and Infarmasa would create one of the top two pharmaceutical companies in the country.
Inflation rates are expected to remain extremely high in the forecast period, over-inflating the Venezuelan pharmaceutical market in local terms. GDP growth, particularly from 2012 onwards, and population growth are expected to encourage pharmaceutical sales, in spite of drug price controls and currency exchange controls. MPPS will continue to implement Barrio Adentro, but threats in the public sector include government drug imports from countries that co-operate with Venezuela and government pharmaceutical production. Espicom projects the Venezuelan market to rank as the fourth largest in the Latin American region in 2016. OTC and generic sales are expected to increase in the forecast period. There are about 33 pharmaceutical producers, most of which are local. Foreign producers have consolidated their regional operations in other countries in the last ten years, but Bayer, Daiichi Sankyo, Pfizer, Sanofi, La Sante and Teva remain.
Email: [email protected]
Intl: +1 805-652-2626
SYS-CON Events announced today that Men & Mice, the leading global provider of DNS, DHCP and IP address management overlay solutions, will exhibit at SYS-CON's 18th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. The Men & Mice Suite overlay solution is already known for its powerful application in heterogeneous operating environments, enabling enterprises to scale without fuss. Building on a solid range of diverse platform support,...
Feb. 7, 2016 06:45 PM EST Reads: 136
Father business cycles and digital consumers are forcing enterprises to respond faster to customer needs and competitive demands. Successful integration of DevOps and Agile development will be key for business success in today’s digital economy. In his session at DevOps Summit, Pradeep Prabhu, Co-Founder & CEO of Cloudmunch, covered the critical practices that enterprises should consider to seamlessly integrate Agile and DevOps processes, barriers to implementing this in the enterprise, and pr...
Feb. 7, 2016 05:15 PM EST Reads: 314
Cognitive Computing is becoming the foundation for a new generation of solutions that have the potential to transform business. Unlike traditional approaches to building solutions, a cognitive computing approach allows the data to help determine the way applications are designed. This contrasts with conventional software development that begins with defining logic based on the current way a business operates. In her session at 18th Cloud Expo, Judith S. Hurwitz, President and CEO of Hurwitz & ...
Feb. 7, 2016 04:45 PM EST Reads: 185
The principles behind DevOps are not new - for decades people have been automating system administration and decreasing the time to deploy apps and perform other management tasks. However, only recently did we see the tools and the will necessary to share the benefits and power of automation with a wider circle of people. In his session at DevOps Summit, Bernard Sanders, Chief Technology Officer at CloudBolt Software, explored the latest tools including Puppet, Chef, Docker, and CMPs needed to...
Feb. 7, 2016 04:15 PM EST Reads: 257
SYS-CON Events announced today that Commvault, a global leader in enterprise data protection and information management, has been named “Bronze Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 18th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on June 7–9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY, and the 19th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Commvault is a leading provider of data protection and information management...
Feb. 7, 2016 03:30 PM EST Reads: 370
The cloud promises new levels of agility and cost-savings for Big Data, data warehousing and analytics. But it’s challenging to understand all the options – from IaaS and PaaS to newer services like HaaS (Hadoop as a Service) and BDaaS (Big Data as a Service). In her session at @BigDataExpo at @ThingsExpo, Hannah Smalltree, a director at Cazena, will provide an educational overview of emerging “as-a-service” options for Big Data in the cloud. This is critical background for IT and data profes...
Feb. 7, 2016 02:45 PM EST Reads: 138
SYS-CON Events announced today that VAI, a leading ERP software provider, will exhibit at SYS-CON's 18th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. VAI (Vormittag Associates, Inc.) is a leading independent mid-market ERP software developer renowned for its flexible solutions and ability to automate critical business functions for the distribution, manufacturing, specialty retail and service sectors. An IBM Premier Business Part...
Feb. 7, 2016 02:00 PM EST Reads: 555
One of the bewildering things about DevOps is integrating the massive toolchain including the dozens of new tools that seem to crop up every year. Part of DevOps is Continuous Delivery and having a complex toolchain can add additional integration and setup to your developer environment. In his session at @DevOpsSummit at 18th Cloud Expo, Miko Matsumura, Chief Marketing Officer of Gradle Inc., will discuss which tools to use in a developer stack, how to provision the toolchain to minimize onboa...
Feb. 7, 2016 02:00 PM EST
SYS-CON Events announced today that Alert Logic, Inc., the leading provider of Security-as-a-Service solutions for the cloud, will exhibit at SYS-CON's 18th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Alert Logic, Inc., provides Security-as-a-Service for on-premises, cloud, and hybrid infrastructures, delivering deep security insight and continuous protection for customers at a lower cost than traditional security solutions. Ful...
Feb. 7, 2016 01:45 PM EST Reads: 360
Fortunately, meaningful and tangible business cases for IoT are plentiful in a broad array of industries and vertical markets. These range from simple warranty cost reduction for capital intensive assets, to minimizing downtime for vital business tools, to creating feedback loops improving product design, to improving and enhancing enterprise customer experiences. All of these business cases, which will be briefly explored in this session, hinge on cost effectively extracting relevant data from ...
Feb. 7, 2016 01:30 PM EST
In most cases, it is convenient to have some human interaction with a web (micro-)service, no matter how small it is. A traditional approach would be to create an HTTP interface, where user requests will be dispatched and HTML/CSS pages must be served. This approach is indeed very traditional for a web site, but not really convenient for a web service, which is not intended to be good looking, 24x7 up and running and UX-optimized. Instead, talking to a web service in a chat-bot mode would be muc...
Feb. 7, 2016 01:15 PM EST Reads: 182
It's easy to assume that your app will run on a fast and reliable network. The reality for your app's users, though, is often a slow, unreliable network with spotty coverage. What happens when the network doesn't work, or when the device is in airplane mode? You get unhappy, frustrated users. An offline-first app is an app that works, without error, when there is no network connection.
Feb. 7, 2016 01:00 PM EST Reads: 149
SYS-CON Events announced today that Catchpoint Systems, Inc., a provider of innovative web and infrastructure monitoring solutions, has been named “Silver Sponsor” of SYS-CON's DevOps Summit at 18th Cloud Expo New York, which will take place June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Catchpoint is a leading Digital Performance Analytics company that provides unparalleled insight into customer-critical services to help consistently deliver an amazing customer experience. Designed...
Feb. 7, 2016 01:00 PM EST Reads: 331
With the Apple Watch making its way onto wrists all over the world, it’s only a matter of time before it becomes a staple in the workplace. In fact, Forrester reported that 68 percent of technology and business decision-makers characterize wearables as a top priority for 2015. Recognizing their business value early on, FinancialForce.com was the first to bring ERP to wearables, helping streamline communication across front and back office functions. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Kevin Roberts...
Feb. 7, 2016 12:00 PM EST Reads: 343
As someone who has been dedicated to automation and Application Release Automation (ARA) technology for almost six years now, one of the most common questions I get asked regards Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS). Specifically, people want to know whether release automation is still needed when a PaaS is in place, and why. Isn't that what a PaaS provides? A solution to the deployment and runtime challenges of an application? Why would anyone using a PaaS then need an automation engine with workflow ...
Feb. 7, 2016 11:45 AM EST Reads: 127


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Faraday Future, the Tesla rival hopeful nearly written off not that long ago amid financial woes and promises of eye-wateringly expensive cars, is nevertheless inching closer to production of its first model, dubbed FF91. The luxury EV startup has recently completed a body-in-white, which is an automotive industry term for a finished unibody structure without interior equipment, trim, wheels or engine, but completed with the same processes that will be used in production. It is typically a major milestone on the road to mass production, which Faraday Future hopes to start later this year, planning to offer the first cars in December.
The company reached this milestone slightly ahead of schedule, overcoming complex manufacturing goals such as welding steel to aluminum and using wireless "transducerized" torque tools to assemble the body. The structure of the FF91 uses more than 1,500 self-piercing rivets in addition to Flowform screw technology, along with more traditional sheetmetal joining methods. And aluminum-to-steel welding, a difficult task even for large automakers, requires Flexweld resistance element welding methods.
"There is no question that this team and our suppliers have faced many significant challenges in getting FF 91 to this point, and even slightly ahead of schedule," said Dag Reckhorn, senior VP of manufacturing. "This is really a huge accomplishment over these past two years. All while focusing on the true luxury and quality of the final product. Our constant focus on teamwork, avoiding functional ‘silos’, has paid off."
If the mere assembly of the metal body structure sounds complex, there are more challenges ahead, including finding customers for a very powerful but very expensive EV with a crossover or MPV exterior. When it goes on sale the FF91 is expected to offer 1,050 hp, 0-60 mph launches in less than three seconds, a full-charge range of at least 300 miles and a price tag firmly in the six-figure range.
How far into the six-figure range? This remains to be seen, but a year ago, one Faraday executive suggested a price tag in the neighborhood of $300,000. The company plans to announce pricing later this year, just ahead of the start of deliveries of the FF91. The order book has been open since the start of the year, but it's not clear if its early adopters, which the company calls "FF Futurists," have a better idea of just how much their cars will actually cost.
One thing is clear: Early buyers are not likely to have cross-shopped the FF91 with a bare-bones Tesla Model 3, which has yet to enter production and whose absence has created plenty of controversy for Tesla. We'll take that as an indication of how much early adopters really want to pay for EVs.


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Do we need 10K steps a day? Shocking truth of daily goal
Anyone who has a fitness tracker knows 10,000 steps per day is touted as the pinnacle of health.
That magical number of steps has been linked to a wide variety of health benefits, such as weight loss and lowered risks of cancer, dementia and heart disease. Walking 10,000 steps has even become a trend on TikTok, thanks to an exercise routine called the Hot Girl Walk.
But where did this number come from? The true origin may surprise you.
Hint: it doesn’t come from research or science.
Tom Yates, professor of physical activity and sedentary behavior at the UK’s University of Leicester, told the Daily Mail that “there was no evidence for it to start with.”
Shortly before the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, there was a lot of attention on fitness in Japan, and many local companies tried to profit off the hype.
Yamasa invented a marketing ploy to sell a pedometer called the Manpo-Kei — which literally translates to “10,000 steps meter.” Some even believe the company chose this name simply because the Japanese character for 10,000, 万, looks similar to a walking man.
There was no actual reasoning behind the number other than that it was a round, memorable number that looks nice. The company didn’t have any scientific evidence to back it up, they just wanted to sell their product — and they unknowingly influenced the fitness industry for years to come.
Whether or not people really need to walk 10,000 steps per day to maintain a healthy lifestyle has been the subject of many studies, and it’s been proven to be a good target. However, until recently, studies have only been done on the effects of 5,000 steps and 10,000 steps — never in between.
One major study released in March debunked the 10,000-step goal, suggesting that anywhere between 6,000 and 8,000 steps a day is just enough, and anything more than 8,000 doesn’t actually count in terms of health benefits.
Another recent study suggested that the pace at which one walks might be more important than step count. Experts in Denmark and Australia concluded that 10,000 steps per day might not be necessary if you walk quickly.
“Step count is easily understood and widely used by the public to track activity levels thanks to the growing popularity of fitness trackers and apps, but rarely do people think about the pace of their steps,” said University of Sydney professor Emmanuel Stamatakis, senior author of the study and a public health expert.


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- Doreatha White had been principal of Berkley-Campostella Early Childhood Center since 2010. The school has become a global model.
- The school's 31 third-graders are partnered with 18 residents of Province Place, said Sandra Masterman, a third-grade teacher at Norfolk Christian School. When they visit, the students arrive equipped for interviews, with questions and clipboards and voice recorders.
- "Times like this put so much joy in my heart," said Sheila Outlaw, as we loaded her friend's trunk with a teddy bear, NASCAR trucks, a rescue truck, and a "Ninja Turtle" toy case her son would soon fill. "If we can take (all the love), and make it a ball, and combine it, we've got the world again."
- On Wednesday, the Berkley-Campostella Early Childhood Center launched an outreach and technology lab, aiming to bring adults up to speed with 4-year-olds.
- The robbers followed a similar script during each theft, court documents said. They entered the stores with guns drawn and demanded money and access to unsold iPhones, iPads and Samsung Galaxy phones. They also used zip ties on the hands and feet of employees and stole their personal phones and IDs.
- The robbers followed a similar script during each of the robberies, according to court documents. Two men would walk into the store wearing masks and holding handguns. They would then order employees into a back storage area where they would demand cellphones and cash.
- Apple will introduce an updated iPhone with a 4-inch screen, a person familiar with the details has said. The smaller handset will look similar to the iPhone 5c introduced in 2013 and come with updated components, including the company's speedier A9 processor that's currently in the iPhone 6s.
- A former baggage handler at Norfolk International Airport pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges relating to the theft of personal property from a passenger’s bag.


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Bunnings NZ reports big uplift in annual profit on DIY and building boom
Bunnings, the hardware chain owned by Australian Wesfarmers, has more than doubled annual profit in New Zealand following demand for do-it-yourself home improvement and building products from consumers and tradespeople.
The New Zealand unit of the diversified Australian company, which has been facing union protest action over employment contract changes, reported net profit of $12 million for the year ended June 30, from $5.8 million a year earlier, according to financial statements lodged with the Companies Office.
The directors said in a statement that the "pleasing" profit increase was driven mainly by revenue growth of 11% for the year to $898 million, from $813 million in 2014, as well as productivity gains.
"Revenues increased in both consumer and commercial areas as well as across all merchandising categories and the breadth of the good trading performance was a highlight for the year," the statement said.
Earlier in the year its parent, Wesfarmers, which is listed on the ASX, reported an underlying profit of A$2.44 billion for the June year, up 8.3% on the prior year. It said Bunnings' earnings increased 11.1% to $A1.08 billion and another 15 to 18 Bunnings stores were planned to open in both the 2016 and 2017 financial years.
Bunnings' primary New Zealand rival, Mitre 10, reported a 92% drop in earnings for the year to June 30, at $106,000, reflecting accounting adjustments, higher rent and land-banking for future development sites.
In New Zealand, Bunnings has 50 stores and trade centres nationwide and it employs more than 3700 staff, of which around 850 are on a collective contract under the First Union. Some Bunnings union members have been holding pickets across New Zealand over changes to their rostering system and scuffles broke out last month when a dozen protesters chained themselves together at the company's New Lynn store in Auckland.
Union and company talks have stalled on the new contracts, which remove the workers' right to mutually agree with their employer over hours and rosters.
Bunnings' New Zealand results include a $313 million related party loan to NZ Finance Holdings, which is down from $328 million in 2014. The interest expense on related party loans was $16.5 million, up from $15.3 million the prior year, with the interest rate paid rising to 5.23% from 4.8% in 2014 although interest rates have been falling in recent months in New Zealand.
The financial statements say inter-company borrowings are unsecured and repayable on demand. However, NZ Finance Holdings has confirmed that it will not recall the loan unless the group has sufficient surplus working capital to make the repayment and continue to operate as a going concern, notes to the financial statements said.