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At last week’s inauguration, President Donald Trump made clear that his administration will make major changes intended to impact America’s manufacturing sector, with promises to limit trade deals and protect the U.S. from the “ravages of other countries making our products, stealing our companies and destroying our jobs.”
However, researchers from the Brookings Institution and elsewhere question the efficacy of the planned changes. As Brookings’ Dany Bahar put it last week, “Trump strongly believes that protectionism is what will protect the American workers. He is wrong.”
The new president has indicated an intent to renegotiate NAFTA, ending a 22-year trade bloc between the U.S., Mexico and Canada. The White House has issued a statement saying that if Mexico and Canada don’t agree to better terms for the U.S., “the president will give notice of the United States’ intent to withdraw from NAFTA.”
An even bigger trade shift could be coming if the president makes good on proposals to increase the import tariff on products manufactured overseas. In December, via—what else?—a series of tweets, Trump threatened to impose an import tariff of as much as 35 percent on goods manufactured overseas by American companies.
While the purpose of any trade policy shift would be to bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S., researchers say that withdrawing entirely from NAFTA or increasing tariffs would be detrimental to U.S. employment. A study from the Center for Automotive Research (which was funded by an automotive trade group) found that withdrawing from NAFTA would negatively affect the auto industry’s ability to produce cars in North America. Without NAFTA and without a replacement trade treaty for NAFTA, the use of American-made parts in Mexican-assembled vehicles would drop drastically. Manufacturers in the U.S. could be forced to buy American, but the increased price of all-American materials would likely decrease demand. Both effects would result in job loss. In addition to rising manufacturing costs, American manufacturers could suffer from retaliatory tariffs placed by America’s trading partners, which could cut international trade and, therefore, American jobs. The study concluded that withdrawing from NAFTA or increasing tariffs to 35 percent “could result in the loss of at least 31,000 U.S. automotive and parts jobs.”
Auto manufacturing workers wouldn’t be the only victims of a NAFTA withdrawal, of course. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce estimates that 6 million American jobs rely on open trade with Mexico. Undoing NAFTA would also impact American consumers, who would likely see a major increase in prices, especially in the automotive sector and on imported goods.
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It is not unreasonable to conclude that the entry into the North American Free Trade Agreement in the 1990s cost some American jobs—along with a complex array of other factors, such as automation and increasingly competitive manufacturers from non-NAFTA countries. But a total rollback of the U.S.’s current integration into the global economy is unlikely to provide relief to U.S. manufacturing workers.
The best outcome of a NAFTA renegotiation would not be withdrawal, but a series of data-backed updates. NAFTA’s weak standards on environmental and labor provisions could be updated and enforced. The Mexico Institute’s Christopher Wilson wrote on Monday about changes that would benefit American manufacturers: for example, the elimination of obstacles to service exports or certain customs rules to encourage more Internet sales from the U.S. to Canada.
But these changes alone cannot strengthen the U.S. manufacturing sector, Wilson wrote. “Liberalizing trade opens U.S. workers to greater competition from around the world. Americans…need support in the form of greater investment in workforce development.”
Bahar’s Brookings piece also advocates training programs to transition workers to skilled manufacturing jobs. Manufacturers need skilled workers, and the U.S. is on the precipice of a major shortage. The Wall Street Journal reported in 2015 that the number of open manufacturing jobs actually stood, that year, at a fifteen-year high. The openings were largely due to issues employers faced in filling skilled roles. According to one recent publication from Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute, manufacturers are facing an increasing skills gap that could affect jobs significantly over the next decade. Job training programs are typically run at the state or local level, often with educational institutes or nonprofits. While Trump’s campaign promised increased federal support for such programs, that piece of his economic plan hasn’t received as much post-election talk.
Trump’s inauguration speech blasted past administrations for not doing enough to protect American manufacturing interests: “Politicians prospered, but the jobs left and the factories closed. The establishment protected itself, but not the citizens of our country.…Their triumphs have not been your triumphs.”
Whether Trump’s triumphs will be ours certainly remains to be seen.—Lauren Karch


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Brazilian insurance company BB Seguridade SA reported on Monday an almost 35% jump in its Q4 adjusted net income compared with the same period a year ago. Its securities filing says that its quarterly recurring net profit, which excludes one-off items such as proceeds from the sale of its stake in reinsurer IRB Brasil RE, came at 1.133 billion reais ($262.24 million). For 2020, the company expects a growth between 7% to 13% in operating result.
Chinese-owned grain trader COFCO International has added up Tony Tian, Helen Song and Alfonso Romero were to its executive committee, expanding the number of members to seven, and appointed Philip Xu as new managing director Brazil, replacing Valmor Schaffer. Tian will take on the additional role of Managing Director Regions for Brazil and North America and is to relocate from Geneva to Sao Paulo.
Grupo SBF, the formal name of Brazil’s sports goods chain Centauro, closed a $212 million deal to take over Nike operations in the country. Centauro’s shares (CNTO3.SA) rose more than 10% on Thursday mid-morning trading in Sao Paulo after the announcement. The deal, which will add 24 Nikes stores to the current Centauro’s 200 stores, still needs to be approved by Brazilian antitrust watchdog CADE.
Brazilian fashion retailer Lojas Renner SA reported an almost 17% jump in its fourth-quarter net income, as lower taxes and stronger operating results helped the company improve its margins. In a securities filing, the company said its quarterly net profit hit 513 million reais ($119.80 million) compared with 439.8 million reais a year earlier.
Brazil’s development bank BNDES sold on Wednesday $5.2 billion in common shares it owned in state-controlled oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA (PETR4.SA), the largest Petrobras offering in a decade. BNDES will send part of the profits to Brazil’s Treasury as dividends. The sale of Petrobras shares is the largest divestiture so far of the R$110 billion stock portfolio owned by the development bank.
Swedish truck and bus manufacturer Volvo announced an investment of R$ 1 billion ($237 million) in Brazil in the period between 2020 and 2023 for research and development of products and services, including construction of equipment and marine engines. Brazil was the second market of the group in the world in 2019 when heavy truck sales grew 58%, light heavy 55.5%, buses 73% and exports, mainly to Colombia and Chile, went up 77%.
Shares in Brazil’s budget airline Gol rose as much as 5.5% on Tuesday after signing a codeshare agreement with American Airlines, that will create “the most frequent service between the United States and South America”. Gol will connect customers to more than 30 destinations in the USA, and American will offer flights to Uruguay and Paraguay, in addition to the Brazilian cities of Curitiba and Foz do Iguaçu.
A strike by workers at Brazil’s Petrobras started on Saturday, has not yet affected “production or supply to the market” and “all of its oil, fuel and derivatives production units are operating within safety standards,” the state-owned oil company said. Around 14,750 workers are on strike, or 80% of the total in the 12 states where the industrial action is taking place, according to Federação Única dos Petroleiros (FUP).
Markets will see R$39.5 billion ($9.3 billion) in share sales in the coming weeks, including the biggest offer since 2010, thanks to the government’s efforts to shed assets and a rush to stocks amid a hunt for returns. Development bank BNDES is leading the charge, unloading a stake worth almost R$24 billion in Petrobras, as well as shares of meatpacker JBS SA. Brazilian equity offerings rose 213% last year to R$115.1 billion.
“ASF, coronavirus and a new outbreak of bird flu influence consumer habits and may drive Chinese demand for Brazilian meat,” said Francisco Turra, president of Brazil’s meat industry association ABPA. The new threat reported on Saturday comes as China has been trying to increase local poultry output to substitute for pork. Last year, Chinese imports of Brazilian chicken rose 34% while its imports of Brazilian pork jumped 61%.

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RUPERT — After years of planning an upgrade to the city’s center park, business owners, residents who voted for a bond to pay for it and people who worked on committees during the renovation planning stages talk about how they feel about the project.
Joyce Jensen, owner of The Gathering Place
“I’m excited about the park and the ice-skating rink,” Jensen said. “Our customers keep saying they hope we’re not doing away with the park.”
It was sad to see the grass and some of the trees go, she said, “And it will be nice when the dirt stops flying.”
The quilt and fabric shop celebrated its 20th anniversary in the old Roper’s building at the northwest corner of the Square in September and it is one of the largest of its type in the nation with more than 17,000 bolts of fabric — when an average shop carries around 2,500.
Jensen has lived in Rupert since 1954 and when the building came up for sale, she didn’t hesitate to make the investment.
“Many of our customers are tourists and they come from across the U.S. and from around the world,” Jensen said.
On average, customers from seven different states come into the shop every day and people from Salt Lake City and Boise visit daily.
She often directs her customers to eat at establishments on the Square and to relax at the park.
“They love to go across the street and spend time at the park,” Jensen said. “The park is a vital place for our customers.”
Her one concern with the new design is the change from two lanes of traffic to one.
Many of her customers drive to the shop in recreational vehicles so parking is also a concern.
“Overall, I’m really glad it’s being done,” Jensen said. “I think it will be real quaint and unique.”
Raul Rios, Rupert resident
“The park is the centerpiece of the city,” Rios said. “I’m OK with the changes as long as the park stays in the same place. It’s nice that they’re upgrading it. From the pictures I’ve seen it looks nice with the fountains.”
Rios grew up in the area and has many fond memories of the park.
“Especially during Christmas and the Fourth of July celebrations,” he said.
Rios is also concerned about the change to one lane of traffic.
“We come to the Square during my wife’s lunch break and we like to be able to get in and out quickly,” he said.
Nicole Pratt, owner of Mad River Laser
“A lot of work and planning has gone into it,” Pratt said. “I think we’ll now see a lot more business growth on the Square. I think it’s going to be a beautiful place where people can gather.”
Pratt said she has no concerns about any of the changes.
“I am happy about all of them,” she said. “Right now with parking on both sides of the road, if you have people pulling out of parking spaces at the same time, you have to really hug the middle of the road.
“Having one-lane, one way will probably be easier,” she said.
Pratt grew up ice skating so she is also looking forward to having a skating rink at the town’s center and she expects that all the new amenities at the park will further increase business at her shop.
“Nothing beats people actually coming to the Square and seeing the shop,” she said.
Becky Gomez, Rupert Square Task Force Committee member and manager at The Book Store
Gomez said when the task force began going over the master plan for the park they could not imagine how the funds would be raised.
“I grew up in Rupert and I don’t want it to become a ghost town,” Gomez said about the years of work that she invested in the renovation process.
She watches the construction going on at the park daily from The Book Store.
“I’ve watched them fell trees, dig holes and pull concrete and piping out of the ground. I was shocked by how much garbage was underneath the ground. It hurt to see the trees going down but they had bug infestations,” she said. “Change, however, is inevitable and you either let things fall apart or you do something to move forward.”
When customers question the work underway across the street, Gomez often explains the entire plan to them.
“Once people really understand the plans they are generally supportive of them,” she said. “It will be a nice place for people to come together and it will provide a sense of community again.”
Sydney Duffin, owner of Tease, The Hair Place
“I love it, I’m so excited,” Duffin said, who has a hair salon across from the Square. “I couldn’t be more thrilled with the upgrades. Let’s revamp the town.”
Duffin grew up in Rupert and only missed a couple of years of celebrating the Fourth of July at the Square while growing up.
The changes, she said, will bring only good things for her shop.
“At noontime it’s really busy on the Square,” she said. “Especially when it’s raining and the farmers are not in their fields. They come here to eat lunch and get a haircut.”


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Apple mulls reversing course on touchscreen Macs
Thus far, Apple has resisted bringing touchscreens to the Mac lineup. Steve Jobs was famously opposed to the idea. Jobs called it an “ergonomically terrible” idea. “Touch surfaces don’t want to be vertical,” he said in 2010, around the time of the iPad’s introduction. “After an extended period of time, your arm wants to fall off.”
More recently in 2021, Apple marketing executive Tom Boger explained that the iPad is the world’s “best touch computer” and the Mac is “totally optimized for direct input.”
At the time, Boger said Apple didn’t have a reason to change that and bring touchscreen capabilities to the Mac. Apparently, things have now changed, and Apple thinks it’s time to consider a touchscreen Mac.
Touchscreen MacBook Pro in the works
As part of this effort, the company is testing a MacBook Pro with touchscreen capabilities. Apple is considering releasing this as soon as 2025, but there are ongoing deliberations inside the company that could impact that timeline.
The MacBook Pro revamp being tested inside Apple retains a “traditional laptop design” that includes a standard trackpad and keyboard. The difference, of course, is that the screen would “support touch input and gestures – just like an iPhone and iPad.”
If the company decides to move forward with launching touchscreen Macs, Bloomberg says that the technology could eventually expand to other models in the lineup as well.


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NKY company cuts deal with Cincinnati casino
US Playing Card to make decks for Horseshoe Casino
A local company already makes more than half the playing cards for casinos across the U.S., and they'll deal out hands to Horseshoe Casino, as well.
U.S. Playing Card was selected as the Cincinnati casino's supplier when it opens in March.
"We've been local for over 128 years, so the addition of Horseshoe Casino here in Cincinnati, it's just a great addition for the Caeser's Entertainment Group and, as well as us," said Mike Slaughter, president of global sales for the manufacturer.
Slaughter said the company has been supplying cards for about 50 years to Caesar's Entertainment.
The added production will secure jobs for the company's more than 350 employees and will likely result in new jobs in the future, officials said.
"We hope to continue to expand," Slaughter said. "We have a quite large facility here so we have plenty of room to expand."
Casino-grade cards are different from the decks used at home. They are specially inspected, and they aren't used long in casino games.
"It varies," Slaughter said. "Most casinos, on average, depending upon the game, might go from anywhere from 1,000 decks a year to over 30,000 decks, depending on the market."


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Bulking Up on Organics
Feeding all the pigs, chickens, geese and turkeys of Stone Barns is a big undertaking. As omnivorous animals, they need a balanced, mixed ration of grains, in addition to forage, to grow well. And our desire to feed them organic grains from well-managed farms adds considerable complexity to the enterprise.
Buying in bulk is critical to a farm operation of Stone Barns’ scale, and our three huge storage bins in the barnyard are intended to store bulk feed. A few years ago, however, the storage bins fell into disrepair—and repairing an 8-ton bin standing 40 feet tall isn’t a simple task or quick fix, notes Livestock Farm Manager Craig Haney.
Six of the eight years that the farm at Stone Barns Center has been operating, we have used organic grain to feed our livestock. But the infrastructure problem forced Craig to turn to conventional grain, because “bagged organic feed was crazy expensive,” he says. Compounding the problem was finding a steady, reliable source of organic grain, period.
This winter, Craig started buying bulk organic feed from Lakeview Organic Grain, in Penn Yan, N.Y., which delivers the soy, sunflower, flax and corn to the farm by the truckload to store in our newly repaired barnyard bins. Lakeview is one of only two organic feed mills in New York State supplying organic grains to farmers in the region.
“This is one step toward moving the farm closer to self-reliance, one of Stone Barns Center’s goals,” says Craig. “Knowing who the growers are and understanding where the grain comes from is imperative for accountability and sustainability.”
Despite growing demand from farm operations like Stone Barns, times are volatile in the organic grain business. In its winter newsletter, Lakeview Organic Grain reported that organic grain prices are rising everywhere due to a year of multiple natural disasters and farmland loss. It reports:
The big organic brokers in the Midwest are estimating that, as a country, we will run out of North American-grown organic corn in April and soybeans by early May. After that, organic grain will have to be imported, primarily from India, Brazil and China. The loss of thousands of organic grain acres, mostly in the Midwest, is definitely being felt. With over 60% of US corn being used by the mega-organic poultry operations in the west, keeping the Northeast supplied with grain until 2012 harvest will be a scramble. Enough bad news? Oh no, there is more! Small grains in the Northeast were pretty much a disaster this year, so we’ll be bringing in 1000T barley from Saskatchewan.
This is just a little peek into the trials and tribulations of finding a steady source of bulk organic grains for the animals of Stone Barns. Craig notes that perhaps the long-term remedy to the problems of supply is the development of more local and regional “foodsheds” around the United States. If organic grains could be grown in different regions of the country, it would build a measure of resiliency into the system—so if one region is particularly hard hit by extreme weather events, then another region would be able to export to areas in need.
“It’s kind of how agriculture already exists but many potentially productive areas aren’t available either because of land costs or lack of infrastructure,” says Craig. “Not all areas of the country are suited for growing grain, but there are many areas besides the Great Plains that could.”
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MILAN, Italy (Dec. 21, 2009)—Pirelli & C. S.p.A. has secured $72.5 million in financing from the European Investment Bank that it plans to use to help pay for a previously announced capacity increase at its car and light truck tire plant in Slatina, Romania.
Pirelli disclosed in October 2008 plans to invest more than $360 million through 2011 at its tire, steel cord and particulate filter plants in Romania. Pirelli has not disclosed the scale of its expansion plans for the three-year-old tire plant, but environmental impact documents available from the EIB state Pirelli's intention is to double the plant's capacity, which earlier Pirelli said was to be 5 million units a year by year-end 2009.
The parties did not disclose the loan's length or terms.
The new financing deal consolidates the relationship between Pirelli and the EIB, which granted the Italian tire maker a $149 million loan in November to support environmentally related tire research and development projects through 2012.
The EIB is the European Union's financing institution, whose purpose is to contribute to the integration, balanced development and economic and social cohesion of the EU's member states by financing sound investment.


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With Shin Megami Tensei 5 having finally launched for the Nintendo Switch, questions are going to be asked soon about what lies next for Atlus- and the company seems to have some big plans for 2022.
In a recent annual end-of-the-year feature, Famitsu interviews over 100 developers as they look ahead to 2022- one of them was Atlus’ product manager Shinjiro Takada, who says that sometime next year, Atlus is planning on releasing a major game that will “become a pillar of Atlus”.
“I chose ‘challenge’ as the keyword for 2022, with the hope to release a game that will become a pillar for Atlus,” Takada said (translated by Persona Central). “All of us at Atlus are working hard to develop this game so that it will be interesting and satisfying for everyone, so please look forward to it.”
The game that instantly comes to mind here is Project Re Fantasy. The new fantasy RPG IP, led by Persona director Katsura Hashino by Atlus’ new internal team Studio Zero, was first talked about way back in 2017. Around this time last year, Atlus suggested that concrete details on the game would be arriving sometime in 2021, though we can probably assume that the ongoing pandemic presented obstacles there. Earlier this year, the developer also said that Project Re Fantasy was making progress “little by little”.
Of course, Atlus has started staffing up for the next mainline Persona game as well, though it’s safe to say that that one’s probably several years off yet. Rumours have suggested that a multiplatform Persona 3 Portable remaster and Switch and PS4 versions of Persona 4 Golden are inbound as well, though it remains to be seen how accurate that is.
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The US is trying to suppress the rising stature of India in the global trading system.
US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross recently visited India to raise the issue of supposedly high barriers to trade erected by India. This visit was preceded by a series of measures announced by the US against India, including putting India on the Priority Watch List in its annual Special 301 Report, terminating Iran’s oil sanction waivers available to India along with other countries, highlighting data localisation requirements in India as a key barrier to digital trade in the USTR National Trade Estimate report, announcement to terminate India’s designation as beneficiary developing country under the Generalized System of Preferences, among others.
The visit was immediately followed by the US announcement to increase H1B visa fee, which will affect Indian IT services exports to the US. Although many of these measures are not exclusively for India and include other countries too, they are intended to kill two or probably many birds with one stone.
The American tactic of announcing these threatening measures is to hit economically hard and arm-twist India so as to bring it to the negotiating table, and compel India to accept the American demands of increased market access through reduced tariffs on dairy products, wheat and Harley-Davidson motorcycles; removing the price caps fixed by the Indian government on medical devices of interest to US producers; change in India’s domestic IP laws for protecting windfall monopoly profits of the US IP holders, particularly in the pharmaceutical sector; no restrictions on cross-border data flows; roll-back measures pertaining to data localisation in financial services taken by RBI; and not to finalise the policy for its evolving e-commerce sector along the lines of the main elements contained in the draft e-commerce policy.
The US is also apparently unhappy with India’s submission in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) this February, cosponsored with the European Union and other WTO members on reforming the dispute settlement mechanism of the WTO. The US has been blocking new appointments to the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) of the WTO, arguing over its role and leaving it with the bare minimum needed to function. The suggested reforms in India’s cosponsored paper widely differ from the position taken by the US on the functioning of the DSB and the reforms proposed by the US.
The US cherry-picked data to portray India as a highly protected country and described it as ‘tariff king’. But it is contrary to the fact. The highest tariff in India is 150% on alcoholic beverages, whereas in the US the highest tariff is 350% on tobacco products. Some other items having high tariff in the US include peanuts (163.8%), washing machine and parts (50%), footwear (48%), among others.
Not only this, India’s highest tariff is much lower than applied by many other countries such as South Korea (807% on sweet potato, quinoa and some cereals), Japan (736% on cereals and preparations), Australia (163% on transport equipment), to name a few. Even from the average tariff perspective, India’s average applied tariff is 13.4%, much below its average bound tariff at the WTO.
Apart from this, while talking about protectionism, why only for goods? Why not for services also? Going by the analogy used by the US, it should be called ‘visa fee king’ as the US imposes very high visa fees on H1B and L1, the two most prominent visas used by service providers to deliver services in the US through temporary movement of their employees.
This is not the first instance of the US cherry-picking data to put forth its interests. In its submission ‘An undifferentiated WTO: Self-declared development status risks institutional irrelevance’ in the WTO in January 2019, the US used selective data to claim that India and some other developing countries had made great development strides over the years and hence should not be allowed to take benefits of the special and differential (S&D) provisions of the WTO.
This is again contrary to the facts. While there is no denial that India and other developing countries have made progress over the years, the development divide is still very much present between developed and developing countries, and hence the need for continuance of S&D provisions.
The US is well aware that if there is any country after China that can challenge the hegemony of the US in the future, it is India. Therefore, the US is using these threatening and other tactics to suppress the rising stature of India in the global trading system, and to curtail the potential of the country to grow economically.
India has so far stood firm on most of these issues in its dealings with the US bilaterally as well as at the WTO. There is no reason to depart from this firm approach now. The government response and policy formulation should be driven by domestic requirements and not by any dictate from the US. At the same time, track II economic diplomacy through chambers of commerce and industry lobby groups could be encouraged to make the US aware of the losses that will incur to both sides, if such posturing by the US against India continues.
The author is Associate professor, Centre for WTO Studies, IIFT, Delhi. Views are personal


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Vancouver: Vancouver Police have said their officers have made more than 200 arrests and recovered $80,000 in stolen merchandise during a three-week crackdown on chronic and violent shoplifters throughout the city.
“Retail crime is growing in major cities throughout North America, and in Vancouver we continue to see an alarming trend of repeat offenders and people using violence to commit their crimes,” said Staff Sergeant Mario Mastropieri of VPD’s Operations Division.
“Business owners are frustrated by the financial losses and by the danger employees face for merely coming to work to earn a living, so we’re doing everything we can to help everyone feel safe again,” he added.
The police said during the three-week operation, called Project Barcode, Vancouver Police Department (VPD) officers worked closely with management, staff, and security at stores throughout the city to identify and arrest chronic and violent offenders.
“VPD officers staged outside participating retailers while staff inside the businesses watched for known offenders and other shoplifters. As the thieves made their way toward the exits, staff notified the waiting officers, who took the suspects into custody,” reads the press release issued by the VPD.
The police said the cooperation between police and store staff allowed VPD to easily apprehend thieves, while minimizing the violence retail employees often face when attempted to stop people from stealing.
The police said 28 retailers participated in the project, 280 thefts were investigated, 217 people, with a combined total of 4,695 previous convictions, were arrested, 278 criminal charges were recommend to Crown counsel, 47 repeat offenders were arrested, $79,679 in stolen merchandise was recovered and returned to store shelves and 24 weapons were seized.


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One can’t deny the fact that the ‘Ambani Garage’ is one of the most desirable car collections in India. The country’s richest person and business tycoon Mukesh Ambani and his family members have a nice taste in luxury cars and supercars and keep on acquiring the latest offerings of the high-end automotive world.
Apart from the flagship luxury sedans and SUVs from luxury carmakers, the businessman also owns a slew of high-end supercars from elusive car brands. One such popular and desirable supercar in his collection is the flagship Aston Martin offering, the DB11 grand tourer.
One of the most expensive grand tourers in the world, the Aston Martin DB11 two-door coupe is a rare sight on Indian roads. Only a few lucky ones own this car, which is known to have one of the best combinations of both sportiness and luxury on wheels. The Ambani family owns a black-coloured Aston Martin DB11, which is sometimes spied on the roads of Mumbai. In a YouTube video uploaded by CS 12 Vlogs, someone caught a glimpse of Mukesh Ambani’s Aston Martin DB11 being driven on the roads of Mumbai.
No security cars
In the video, we can see that the DB11 isn’t followed by any security car, which is unusual for a car from Ambani Garage. Usually, cars belonging to Mukesh Ambani’s collection are seen with convoy cars with security guards in them. This indicates that the car was being driven by a driver, and was not having any family member of Ambani in it. The Aston Martin DB11 seen in the video is owned by Exotic Cars, which is a company registered under Mukesh Ambani’s widespread group of industries.
The DB11 is not the first Aston Martin owned by Mukesh Ambani, as the businessman has also owned V8 Vantage and the four-door Rapide in the past. The Rapide was involved in a much-publicized car crash, which grabbed a lot of headlines many years ago. This car was reportedly crashed by one of the drivers of the Ambani family, while some claim that the car was being driven by Anant Ambani when the accident took place.
The Aston Martin DB11 is offered in both coupe and convertible versions in India, though it is the former which has sold in more numbers in India. Both versions of the DB11 are offered with two twin-turbocharged engine options – a 4.0-litre 510 PS V8 engine and a 5.2-litre 640 PS V12 engine. The DB11 owned by Mukesh Ambani, as seen in the video, is the more powerful, range-topping V12 version.


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Negotiated cash fed cattle trade ended up steady in the Southern Plains last week at $109/cwt. on a live basis. Prices were $1-$2 higher in Nebraska at $113.00-$113.50 and at $112-$114 in the western Corn Belt. Dressed trade was steady to $2 higher at $180.
Likewise, the 5-area direct weekly average price for steers was $1.11 higher week to week on Monday at $111.24/cwt. on a live basis. Live heifers traded $1.25 higher at $110.82.
Cattle futures closed mainly narrowly mixed on Monday after early follow through support.
Live Cattle futures closed mixed, from an average of 66¢ lower in the front three contracts to an average of 23¢ higher.
Feeder Cattle futures closed narrowly mixed from 17¢ lower to 7¢ higher.
Wholesale beef values were steady to weak on moderate demand and moderate to heavy offerings, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.
Choice boxed beef cutout value was 21¢ lower Monday afternoon at $217.46/cwt. Select was 39¢ lower at $194.41.
Corn futures closed mixed, from fractionally higher to 4¢ higher through Jul ‘20, and then mostly 1¢ to 2¢ lower.
Soybean futures closed 3¢ higher.
Major U.S. financial indices closed lower Monday, led by tech stocks.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 115 points lower. The S&P 500 closed 14 points lower. The NASDAQ was down 63 points.
U.S. beef exports continue to reflect resilience in the face of ongoing trade barriers, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF).
U.S. beef exports in May were steady year-over-year in volume at 117,541 metric tons (mt), but 1% more in value at $727.6 million—the second-highest on record.
For January through May, beef exports were 3% below last year’s record pace in volume (530,088 mt) but only slightly lower in value at $3.3 billion.
Beef export value per head of fed slaughter averaged $312.85 in May, down slightly from a year ago. For January through May, beef export value averaged $309.33 per head, down 3%.
Korea and Taiwan Set the Pace
Beef exports to South Korea remained on a record pace in May, climbing 11% to 23,004 mt and 13% in value to $165 million. January-May exports to Korea were 11% above last year in volume (101,761 mt) and 15% higher in value ($743.5 million).
Beef exports to Taiwan also strengthened for the second straight month at 5,873 mt in May (up 27% from a year ago), valued at $52.6 million (up 28%). Through May, exports to Taiwan were 11% above last year’s record pace in volume (24,478 mt) and 4% higher in value ($218.2 million).
May export volume to leading market Japan also bounced back, despite the U.S. disadvantage borne by the lack of a trade agreement with that nation.
According to USMEF, all of U.S. pork and beef’s major competitors gained tariff relief in Japan this year through the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the economic partnership agreement between Japan and the European Union.
“The explosive growth U.S. beef has achieved in Korea and Taiwan is a testament to the quality of the product and the outstanding customer base the U.S. industry has established over the years,” explains Dan Halstrom, USMEF President and CEO. “That same dynamic is present in Japan, on an even larger scale. But for Japan to remain in the ‘strong growth’ column, it is essential that we have market access comparable to our key competitors.”
Pork Exports Show Signs of Renewed Strength
U.S. pork exports in May were also steady with the previous year at 217,999 mt. Value was 1% higher at 567.8 million—the highest monthly value total since April 2018. For January through May, however, pork exports were 4% below last year in volume (1.035 million mt) and 10% less in value at $2.57 billion.
Although pork exports to Mexico remained slow—the 20% retaliatory duty on most U.S. pork entering that nation wasn’t removed until May 20—exports to China/Hong Kong rebounded, despite the ongoing 50% retaliatory duty on U.S. pork going to China. U.S. pork exports to the region were 33% more year over year for volume (45,422 mt) and 5% more in value at $84 million. Through the first five months of 2019, though, exports to the region trailed last year by 7% in volume (173,642 mt) and 25% in value ($326 million).
“May export results for U.S. pork were very encouraging, especially the renewed momentum in Japan and China/Hong Kong,” Halstrom says. “When exports to Mexico get back on track and trade talks with Japan and China show progress, this will be a very welcome lift for the U.S. pork industry.”


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https://www.applesecrets.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/AppleSecrets.png 0 0 https://www.applesecrets.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/AppleSecrets.png 2012-07-12 19:38:022012-07-12 19:38:02San Francisco sours on Apple computers – Phys.Org
San Francisco sours on Apple computers
San Francisco city officials on Thursday said that they have soured on Apple computers due to the Macintosh maker's decision to bail out of a program to promote making electronics earth friendly.
City of San Francisco Bans Apple Computers
Feds rethinking buying Apple products
Apple not green enough to suit SF policy


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Ahmed spoke at the United States Trade Representative (USTR) hearing in Washington on Thursday.
A total of 3,500 workers and mid-level managers of different garment factories have already been trained after a deadly fire incident at Tazreen Fashions in Ashulia on November 24 last year.
BGMEA, a platform of garment owners, in collaboration with Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence conducted the training.
The secretary said a new national action plan on fire safety and a fresh labour law will be passed in three months to make rules time-befitting.
Ahmed led a 13-member delegation to the USTR hearing in an effort to retain the generalised system of preferences (GSP).
American Federation of Labour and Congress of Industrial Organisations, the largest trade body in the US, filed a petition with USTR, seeking to cancel the GSP, which is a special duty-waiver scheme of the US for the least developed countries for bad working conditions in factories. Garment exports to the US market are not covered by GSP.
Bangladesh employs nearly four million workers in the ready-made garments sector, most of whom are women, and the sector got rid of child labour, Ahmed said in response to questions placed by the judges’ panel at the hearing.
On the death case of Aminul Islam, a leader of Bangladesh Centre for Workers Solidarity, who was killed last April, Ahmed said the government has declared Tk 1 lakh as reward for information to solve the case. The case has already been referred to the Criminal Investigation Department.
Bangladesh signed an agreement with USAID on March 21 to improve the labour conditions in the shrimp sector, he said. Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin, the immediate past president of BGMEA and a member of the delegation, said child labour in the garment sector has been stopped after Senator Harkin’s bill.
Textiles | On 20th Jan 2017
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Giorgio Mantovani, MD of Corman, with a presence in both Milano and New...
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Schlegel und Partner
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Apparel/Garments | On 19th Jan 2017


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Could the U.S. Postal Service help the nearly 70 million Americans who are cut off in some way from the mainstream financial system? We’re talking about people who, because they lack ready or full access to normal banking services, paid $89 billion in fees and interest to alternative financial service outlets such as payday lenders and check cashers in 2012 alone. They are the financially underserved – also known as the underbanked or unbanked – and many of them are one unexpected expense away from bankruptcy or homelessness.
Who doesn’t like finding a package they ordered online on their doorstep at an unexpected time, like, say, late in the evening just before you turn out the porch light for the night?
Consumers have come to expect quick delivery of parcels, often at odd hours of the day. This new paradigm...Read More


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A new generation of drones have arrived. Ideal for filming landscape videos and photos, the Parrot Anafi has a 21-megapixel Sony CMOS sensor capable of producing stunning 4K HDR videos. Its wide-angle aspherical lens is engineered to reduce lens flare and chromatic aberrations, producing exceptional results. The built-in gimbal, which can be tilted up to 180-degrees and has 3-axis image stabilization, is an unprecedented feature that maximizes possibilities as well as allows impeccable low-angle shooting. You can even capture moments up in the air, thanks to the drone’s innovative 2.8X lossless zoom technology, still in high-definition. Lightweight and foldable, this drone can fit perfectly in your backpack or suitcase.
Also published in GADGETS MAGAZINE July 2018


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The Original Bitcoin Protocol: What is It and Why Does It Matter?
So, what if BSV is essentially the original Bitcoin? Is it not merely a title that would be difficult for people to believe in?
15:06 06 October 2021
MNP, the top five accounting, tax and business consulting company in Canada, has released on August 25, 2021 an extensive independent report entitled “The Original Bitcoin Protocol: What is It and Why Does It Matter?”
The MNP report provides an in-depth comparison of the relevant Bitcoin implementations BTC and BSV against the writings of Bitcoin white paper author Satoshi Nakamoto, gleaning the original intention of the Bitcoin creator. The unequivocal findings state that BSV is the closest to the original Bitcoin.
“After examining BTC and BSV compared to the original vision set forth in the whitepaper, forum posts, emails, and other writings by Satoshi, it is our opinion BSV is the implementation that currently best represents what Satoshi originally intended,” the MNP report concluded.
So, what if BSV is essentially the original Bitcoin? Is it not merely a title that would be difficult for people to believe in? Why does it really matter?
These questions are all valid, and also questions that can also easily be answered. First off, for many, being the original is used as a title to better market products and services. The same is true for BTC. Being hailed as the original Bitcoin makes it a premium digital currency; in fact, the pioneer of all digital currencies, the one that started it all.
It is one of the main reasons why BTC is the highest priced digital currency—it is a coveted item, much like an authentic artwork by a famous artist, such as Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt and Jackson Pollock.
However, what BTC retained is actually just the original ticker symbol for Bitcoin. The first hard fork is the result of scaling battles and protocol changes. While Satoshi envisioned Bitcoin to be a scalable blockchain in order to become more than just a payment system and transition to technological plumbing that would enable global businesses to improve their systems and streamline daily processes, BTC has continuously refused to scale.
Instead, it chose to alter the original Bitcoin protocol to be able to record transactions off-chain and rely on second-tier solutions that would compensate for the base layer, which is the blockchain, not having the ability to scale. In stark contrast to BTC, BSV has fully committed all its resources to realizing Satoshi’s original vision.
“BTC is considered the original chain that was worked on by Satoshi until development was taken over by the community. BSV was established with the clear intent to implement Bitcoin according to Satoshi’s vision by restoring the original code and adhering to the design principles expressed in the whitepaper, forum posts, and emails,” the MNP report stated.
And BSV’s commitment to Satoshi’s vision has come to fruition. It has restored the original Bitcoin protocol, unlocked unbounded scaling and continuously increased its throughput, at the same time lowering its transaction fees.
BTC stagnated using the initial block size cap set by Satoshi at 1MB and a maximum throughput of only seven transactions per second (tps) at high transaction fees that peaked at over $50. On the other hand, a record-breaking 2GB block has recently been mined on the BSV blockchain; the throughput is set to be increased this year to over 50,000 tps, matching the capacity of the VISA network; and transaction fees are at an all-time low, averaging $0.0038 per transaction.
And this is just the beginning. As the BSV blockchain continues to scale, terabyte-size blocks and millions of tps are possible not too far into the future, allowing for Satoshi’s vision to be realized through mass adoption of Bitcoin.
This is also where BSV’s energy efficiency and sustainability lie. While BTC miners rely solely on the fixed subsidy of 6.25 coins awarded for every block added to the blockchain, BSV miners can bank on earning more in transaction fees and treating the fixed subsidy as what it was meant to be—block rewards.
In fact, the 2GB mined recently has earned the miner 10.01 in BSV coins—almost double that of the 6.25 coins. The fixed subsidy is halved every four years, with the next one happening in 2024, effectively reducing rewards to just 3.125 coins. With this, it would not be sustainable for miners to continue mining BTC.
And because BTC has no real utility and only benefits the select few who can afford to transact with and buy BTC, which is currently priced at $42,423.20 and has reached an all-time high of over $63,000 this year, its high energy consumption through the use of Proof of Work is proven to be a waste.
“And that’s where BTC falls down because no one actually sees any utility there. They just see a ton of money being thrown around for no comprehensible reason. But the connection between that utility and Proof of Work is a challenge I think for us in explaining why BSV can actually provide huge benefits to society at large at a cost that is justifiable,” nChain CTO and BSV Infrastructure Team Technical Director Steve Shadders explained in the most recent CoinGeek Conference.
With already hundreds of firms from all over the world building applications and platforms on the BSV blockchain that includes a global healthcare database, a national digital ledger for a small country, supply chain management solutions and a national voting platform, it is clear that BSV can benefit the global population.
The numbers outlined above show the big difference between what the original Bitcoin as envisioned by Satoshi truly is and what people believe as the original Bitcoin. The original Bitcoin is not meant to become a pseudo digital gold that acts as a speculative investment at best. It is meant to provide utility across many different industries. With 1MB blocks, seven tps, expensive transaction fees, a highly volatile price and massive energy wastage, it would not be practical for businesses to use BTC as a payment system—what more as a distributed ledger that can be used as a global database. And this is why BSV being the original Bitcoin matters.


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KEMET Co. (NYSE:KEM) – Equities research analysts at B. Riley cut their Q1 2020 earnings estimates for KEMET in a report released on Thursday, July 18th. B. Riley analyst C. Ellis now expects that the electronics maker will post earnings per share of $0.67 for the quarter, down from their previous forecast of $0.73. B. Riley has a “Buy” rating and a $26.00 price target on the stock. B. Riley also issued estimates for KEMET’s Q2 2020 earnings at $0.71 EPS, Q3 2020 earnings at $0.70 EPS, Q4 2020 earnings at $0.78 EPS, Q1 2021 earnings at $0.79 EPS, Q2 2021 earnings at $0.79 EPS, Q3 2021 earnings at $0.75 EPS and FY2021 earnings at $3.08 EPS.
KEMET (NYSE:KEM) last released its earnings results on Thursday, May 16th. The electronics maker reported $1.05 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.97 by $0.08. KEMET had a net margin of 14.94% and a return on equity of 36.66%. The firm had revenue of $355.79 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $341.19 million. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.45 earnings per share. KEMET’s revenue was up 11.9% compared to the same quarter last year.
KEM opened at $19.31 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 2.31, a quick ratio of 1.44 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42. KEMET has a 52-week low of $15.55 and a 52-week high of $29.40. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $17.91. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.12 billion, a P/E ratio of 5.73 and a beta of 2.56.
In other news, VP Shignori Oyama sold 3,102 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $16.88, for a total value of $52,361.76. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 142,473 shares in the company, valued at $2,404,944.24. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, SVP Ronald James Assaf sold 3,334 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $18.01, for a total transaction of $60,045.34. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 63,390 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,141,653.90. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 13,104 shares of company stock valued at $236,499. 1.76% of the stock is owned by insiders.
Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. NEXT Financial Group Inc bought a new position in KEMET in the 2nd quarter valued at about $59,000. Truvestments Capital LLC bought a new position in KEMET in the 2nd quarter valued at about $73,000. New Jersey Better Educational Savings Trust bought a new position in KEMET in the 2nd quarter valued at about $263,000. Centaurus Financial Inc. bought a new position in KEMET in the 1st quarter valued at about $42,000. Finally, First Trust Advisors LP grew its position in KEMET by 154.0% in the 1st quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 204,861 shares of the electronics maker’s stock valued at $3,476,000 after buying an additional 124,206 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.47% of the company’s stock.
KEMET Company Profile
KEMET Corporation manufactures and sells passive electronic components under the KEMET brand worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Solid Capacitors, Film and Electrolytic; and Electro-Magnetic, Sensors, and Actuators. It offers tantalum, aluminum polymer, and ceramic capacitors; film, paper, and wet aluminum electrolytic capacitors; electromagnetic interference filters; and electro-magnetic compatible materials and devices, piezo materials and actuators, and various types of sensors.
Read More: Resistance Level
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The mobile gaming sector is constantly growing and is already the highest revenue earner in the gaming industry. It has replaced traditional PC and console gaming as a more convenient and casual entertainment source. But, as mobile gaming gets more popular with each passing year, this also leads to the big question – can mobile gaming completely replace traditional PC and console gaming and what can we expect from the gaming industry in the following years? Read this article and find out.
The current State of the Mobile Market
The mobile gaming industry is standing at a more impressive position than ever this year, with more than 2 billion mobile gaming enthusiasts. There are thousands of types of online games, most of them free and only a tap away. This includes casual games, sports games, massive multiplayer games, but also online casino games, both free and real money ones.
The last type of online games is especially important in all of this, as there has been an exponential growth of online mobile casinos in the USA and all around the world. Online gambling has also taken over traditional land-based casinos in popularity, as there are even reputable authorities licensing these mobile casinos, allowing mobile casino players from the USA to browse through the best legal new jersey online casinos and play conveniently and safely online.
Why Has Mobile Gaming Gotten so Popular?
The financial and revenue numbers on their own are telltale signs that the gaming industry is becoming more oriented towards mobile players over consoles and desktop computers. How did this switch happen and why have mobile games become the most popular genre?
The biggest reason behind the massive popularity of mobile gaming is the fact that the gaming population has exploded in the last few years. This means that gamers haven’t really suddenly switched their gaming habits and all moved from PCs and consoles to mobile devices, but instead that there has been a huge spike of casual gamers who prefer playing on their mobile devices.
This spike has been aided by developers who have realised that mobile and tablet devices are very lucrative gaming platforms. More and more developers are jumping on this bandwagon and shifting their resources towards mobile gaming. There has even been some controversial news, such as the mobile-based Diablo Immortal game, Blizzard’s upcoming mobile instalment of their famous franchise, a game that brought up a lot of dust when it was announced.
Speaking of big game franchises, popular multiplayer games like Fortnite and PUBG are already playable on mobile, paving the way to other big franchises and companies to bring their games to mobile and tablet devices.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Mobile Gaming
As we’ve mentioned before, the demographics of gamers has significantly changed over the last few years, and just like any other gaming platform, mobile gaming has its advantages and disadvantages.
Mobile Gaming Advantages
The main advantage of mobile games is the fact that they are very convenient and easy to access. You can install tons of games on your mobile or tablet device and enjoy good titles while at home or on the go. Many mobile games also provide players with opportunities to interact with people they share similar interests with.
Mobile Gaming Disadvantages
While very convenient and accessible to all mobile users, mobile games have some drawbacks compared to PC and console titles. The current level of mobile games still can’t go up against these two platforms, as PCs and consoles are capable of running bigger, more immersive, better-looking games with real storylines. Mobile games are designed to offer a simple and casual pastime suitable for all players.
How will Mobile Gaming Look in the Future?
With such great market potential, the question becomes – what will the mobile gaming market look like in the future? Nobody has expected mobile games to become so popular so quickly so it would be very difficult to predict how this mobile gaming trend will shape up. The popularisation of mobile gaming won’t lead to the demise of PC and console gaming although it can potentially affect the diversity and quality of games on these two platforms. For now, we can enjoy the best of both worlds and carefully observe what the future of gaming will bring us. For more information on the latest mobile gaming news, as well as all other tech-related topics, make sure to read our newest Internet and Tech articles.


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Updated: Jun 27, 2020
Live video streaming is thriving as a medium. Every year, we like to take a moment to reflect on the trends of the year past and also try to predict the video streaming industry trends of tomorrow. At the beautiful junction of improved connectivity and technological advancement, live video is accessible to virtually everyone. This democratization of live video has introduced enormous opportunities for experimentation, which has given rise to various trends. And there’s more to come: Cisco projects that live video will account for 17 percent of all Internet video traffic by 2022. That’s a 15-fold increase from 2017 to 2022. It’s an exciting time for the industry, and it’s equally exciting to consider what’s on the horizon for live video streaming. Let’s dig into the top live video streaming industry trends of today and tomorrow.
Top live video streaming industry trends of 2019
1. More industries are leveraging live video With live video as accessible as it is, many industries are using it for both internal and external purposes. Educational institutions, enterprises, governments, healthcare providers, and other organizations are all live streaming for a variety of reasons. Overwhelmingly, live video is helping organizations enhance their workflows and improve communication, driving efficiency overall. Live streaming is changing the way students learn. According to Kaltura’s 2019 State of Video in Educationreport, 53 percent of educational institutions live stream conferences, school events, and lectures. This figure has grown steadily over the past few years and is projected to soar even higher. Remote access to lectures and events helps students better retain knowledge, comprehend material, and take part in school events wherever they are. Businesses are increasingly using webcasting for large-scale communications. Kaltura’s 2018 State of Video in Enterprise report found that 80 percent of large companies broadcast events live. Enterprises also use live video for internal communications, employee training, webinars, live event broadcasts, and town hall meetings. Similarly, healthcare organizations are using live video for telemedicine, conference streaming, and staff training. Governments are streaming court hearings, town hall meetings, and mandated sessions. This trend is projected to grow even further as more organizations add live streaming to their arsenals: Brandlive’s 2019 Video Solutions Benchmark Report found that live video capture is a top priority for companies evaluating video solutions.
2. Consumers are cutting the cord in favor of OTT services Any discussion about streaming video today wouldn’t be complete without mention of OTT (over-the-top) video platforms. OTT refers to any streaming media service offered directly to viewers over the Internet (rather than through a satellite or cable provider). Consumers across the US – in greater numbers each year – are cancelling their TV subscriptions entirely (aka “cutting the cord”) in favor of OTT services like Hulu and Netflix. The choice to switch only makes sense: traditional broadcast TV bundles are often overpriced and available on a limited number of devices. Services like Roku and Apple TV offer much more flexibility in terms of pricing and device support. To stay competitive, many broadcast networks are launching their own OTT platforms (e.g., Disney+) and partnering up with popular online video platforms like YouTube to appeal to younger audiences. While many consumers have in fact cut the cord, others are still reluctant to do so. One of the major issues with online streaming is latency. Internet live video is often a minute or more behind its TV broadcast counterpart, which can cause annoying spoilers for fans. As Limelight highlights in its 2019 State of Online Video report, 58 percent of consumers would be more likely to watch live sports online if there was no delay compared to the TV broadcast. OTT platform providers are always looking for new ways to incentivize viewers to pick and stick with them. This includes producing original content and providing as much content variety as possible. This, however, introduces a new dilemma for consumers: what to watch? It can be hard to decide with so many streaming services to choose from and so much new content being produced daily. AI and machine learning can help here by creating personalized viewer experiences. Using algorithms, platforms can analyze vast amounts of user and video metadata (viewing history and other preferences) and make educated guesses as to what a viewer might be interested in watching, keeping them engaged for longer.
3. Live video is a fixture in marketing plans Live video is reinventing the way brands think about marketing and e-commerce. It has already proved itself as an essential marketing tool, helping brands grow and better engage their audiences. Today, we see brands going live regularly on social media and other content delivery networks (CDNs). During these streams, they promote products, interact with viewers, answer questions. All of these activities build a strong community around the brand. Thus, by introducing the element of authentic human interaction, live video helps brands come across as more transparent and approachable. Knowing this, brands are zeroing in on live video more than ever. A 2018 study by Brandlive and IBMreported that about 95 percent of companies consider live video to be an important part of their marketing mix for the upcoming year, and 25 percent agreed that “live content will be a top priority, edging out pre-recorded video.” Over 50 percent said their budgets for live content will increase compared to the previous year.
4. Social media is driving live video adoption We’ve witnessed the rise of live video journalism on social media, capturing life-changing events in the most polarized parts of the world. We’re seeing gaming and eSports live streams constantly break viewership records. Many online creators today are able to make a living going live. Thousands of houses of worship are streaming their services, connecting people together in prayer and in spirit. Live video apps like Periscope and Snapchat have skyrocketed in popularity, especially among younger audiences. Sending live video clips to communicate with peers feels natural to this generation. Perhaps just a decade ago, we felt awkward jumping on a video call. Similarly, we sometimes felt embarrassed watching someone else’s poorly produced live video. We are now more forgiving (and much more appreciative) of the more natural, genuine human behavior that comes across in live media.


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In an unusual move, Nissan’s luxury brand has decided to keep the existing G37 sedan on sale even as it puts its successor model, the Q50, on sale this week.
That’s right, the new and the old version of the same model — albeit with different names — will be on sale at the same time. The only other model where we know that to be the same case is the Chevrolet Impala. General Motors is selling the old Impala to rental car fleets even as the new and highly regarded one is sold to individual customers at dealerships.
What gives? Well, it turns out that Infiniti was a blindsided when BMW announced its 320i compact sedan with a four-engine and a relatively cheap price. The new Q50 is only offered with a six-cylinder motor and comes with a starting price that’s about $3,000 more than the BMW.
To compete for price-sensitive customers, Infiniti decided to keep the old G37 around, priced at $32,550 before destination charges of $905. The new Q50 starts at $36,700.
“We talked to the dealers about this, and they were all for it,” says Darrell Ida, Infinti’s director of product planning in the U.S. He says they wanted a value-oriented model on their lots.
The price-cut move should not alienate recent customers of the G37. The new price is close to what many customers actually paid for their new cars, less than the sticker price.
The entire Infiniti model line is being given new names that all start with the letter Q. The G37 sedan, however, will keep its old name — for now. Ida says the decision to rename it with a Q designation is still under discussion.


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Markus “Notch” Persson just announced on Twitter that the game officially sold over 14 Million units on PC alone.
Good game is good
If only there were things to do other than building stuff, Like story NPCs etc. That tales of kingdom mod. was great.
This is barely news. Do we really need an update every million more copies that Minecraft sells?
actually yes, they do the same thing to COD, so why not? lol
Why you so jelly?
I would never expect in todays world a game with no story mode or nice graphics to sell this much. I"m not into the game but I'm glad more people bought it than pirate it.
i guess your one of those guys that think pc gamers dont buy games. you can continue on living in denial
Notch right about now http://i.imgur.com/O7EEkYa....
Surely a record for pc no?
Well The Sims 1 and 2 have sold more and WoW has sold 14M so considering Minecraft is not to old yeah it could be called a record. I would not think of that as a joke, when a small indie title released exclusivly on consoles and sells that many copies you let me know. This game had zero advertisement and has sold 14M copies on PC alone meanwhile MS spends millions of dollars on advertising and yet not one of them has sold as well as Minecraft (even the 360 version has outsold almost all 360 exlusives titles except Halo 3 and Kinect Adventures). That is all because of the massive popularity it has on Youtube and the rest of the internet alone. The fact this game has sold probably almost 30M units across all platforms it is on and has probably zero ads (other than probably XBLA and PSN banners) is insane.
N4G is a community of gamers posting and discussing the latest game news. It’s part of NewsBoiler, a network of social news sites covering today’s pop culture.


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Tim Hortons Everything Croissant Breakfast Sandwich launches in Canada
A very intriguing breakfast sandwich was just introduced across Canada today: the Tim Hortons Everything Croissant Breakfast Sandwich.
“It starts with a delicious buttery croissant that’s baked fresh in-restaurant daily and topped with our Everything Seasoning, which has an amazing mix of savoury flavours,” said Tallis Voakes, the director of culinary innovation at Tim Hortons, in a press release.
“Then you’ve got your 100% Canadian fresh cracked egg, bacon or sausage, a slice of cheese, and all together, the Everything Croissant Breakfast Sandwich is an amazing hot breakfast that is a game-changer for your morning routine,” Voakes added.
It’s an interesting time for the menu at Tims right now, especially with the announcement that the Walnut Crunch and the Cherry Stick donuts will be making a comeback for the first time in more than 10 years.
- You might also like:
- 10 famous fast-food sauces ranked from worst to best
- 8 discontinued Tim Hortons items we miss ordering
- 48 hours in London: The ultimate guide for foodies (PHOTOS)
If a butter and flaky croissant isn’t your thing, you can also enjoy the Tims Everything Seasoning on the Everything Bagel BELT.
This Tim Hortons Everything Croissant Breakfast Sandwich (and Everything Bagel BELT) is available now at participating restaurants across Canada.


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BUFFALO, N.Y. and HOUSTON, Sept. 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- National Air Cargo Holdings, Inc., a multinational organization combining global freight logistics solutions with a Part 121 US Air Carrier ("National Air Cargo" or the "Company"), provided relief supplies to Houston citizens still affected by Hurricane Harvey, one of the most devastating Tropical Storms to affect North America in the last decade.
The products, donated by local grocery stores in Boynton Beach, Florida and parents and students from the American Heritage School, were transported via a 53-foot tractor trailer from Delray Beach, Florida to a relief center in Conroe, Texas.
Organized by National Air Cargo, volunteers loaded 23 skids of supplies before the tractor trailer made its 16 hours and 45-minute journey to Conroe, a small city 40 miles North of Downtown Houston that was badly affected by flooding from Hurricane Harvey. Conroe, a city with just over 80,000 residents, was devastated by the overflow of nearby Lake Conroe, a 21,000-acre body of water that burst into Montgomery and Conroe counties, causing mass flooding and severe damage to many area neighborhoods.
Christopher Alf, Chairman and CEO of National Air Cargo, commented, "In National's 25-year history we have always been committed to assisting those in need any way we can. As a multinational company, National Air Cargo is proud to be a part of the effort to help those in need – this is our commitment to excellence."
Lori Alf, Director of National Air Cargo Holdings, Inc., coordinated the relief efforts with the Headmaster American Heritage, Robert Stone. Mrs. Alf stated, "I am so proud of the American Heritage family, a generous and giving educational community that is always there to help others, even in the face of imminent danger from the incoming Hurricane Irma."
The relief effort organized by National Air Cargo is one of many, including the Company's donation of transportation and goods to victims of Hurricane Matthew in Haiti in 2016. The Company remains committed to supporting those in need and will continue to provide logistics and transportation support to those affected by natural disasters around the world.
About National Air Cargo Holdings, Inc.
National Air Cargo Holdings, Inc. is a multinational logistics corporation that combines a global network of multi-modal freight forwarding enterprises with a Part 121 U.S. Certified Air Carrier with World Wide Operating Authority for both passenger and cargo aircraft, National Airlines. National Air Cargo Holdings, Inc. has specialized in high-value custom transportation needs for corporations and governments for over 25 years. The Company provides global access to on-demand and customized logistics solutions the world over. National Airlines routinely flies from the U.S and Europe to the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australia, as well as North and South America.
View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/national-air-cargo-holdings-inc-delivers-much-needed-aide-to-hurricane-harvey-victims-300526897.html
SOURCE National Air Cargo Holdings, Inc.
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Søren Skou, CEO of A.P. Moller – Maersk
Despite the negative impact on global economies from the COVID-19 pandemic, A.P. Moller – Maersk improved profitability during the third quarter this year (Q3 2020).
On its report released today, November 18, 2020, this Danish giant shipping and logistics company enjoyed a 39% increase in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA), to $2.3 billion, compared to the same period last year.
However, its revenue slightly decreased by 1.4%, to $9.9 billion.
Søren Skou, CEO of A.P. Moller – Maersk, explained that though the revenue slightly decreased, but net income was increasing significantly, thanks to a stringent costs control, agile capacity management, strong focus on customer offerings with further traction in uptake of digital services, and some benefit from a sequential demand recovery compared to the second quarter.
“Despite COVID-19 negatively affecting activities in most of our businesses, our disciplined execution of the strategy led to solid earnings and cash flow growth in Q3. At the same time, we managed to further integrate and simplify the organisation in Ocean & Logistics, we closed the acquisition of KGH Customs Services and continued the integration of Performance Team, supporting our strong financial performance in Logistics & Services,” Skou said.
The main performance driver this quarter was Ocean which, despite decreasing volumes of 3.6%, improved profitability by $511 million to $1.8 billion, reaching an EBITDA margin of 25.4% on the back of a continued agile capacity deployment, lower costs and a temporary spike in short-term freight rates due to a sudden demand pick-up on some routes.
In addition, the performance was strongly supported by Logistics & Services which benefitted from significant demand in supply chain management, intermodal and the acquired Performance Team.
In Q3, revenue in Logistics & Services grew 11% and profitability increased by 44%, achieving an EBITDA of $131 million, up from $ 91 million in 2019, despite restructuring costs of $40 million.
“In Terminals & Towage, our effort to become a world-class operator enabled us to continue to expand margins and grow earnings, despite lower volumes and revenue,” Skou further explained relating another business unit of the group.
Cash return on invested capital (CROIC), last twelve months, increased from 9.9% to 13.9% due to stronger cash flow from operating activities and lower gross CAPEX. Return on invested capital (ROIC), last twelve months, increased from 3% to 5.9% as earnings improved and invested capital declined slightly.
The free cash flow generation of USD 3bn in the first nine months of 2020, allowed the company to return cash to shareholders, finance acquisitions and reduce debt with net interest-bearing debt decreasing further to USD 10.8bn by the end of Q3 compared to USD 11.7bn by the end of 2019.
“Throughout the pandemic, our main priorities have been keeping our employees safe, keeping our global network and ports operating to serve our customers and supporting the societies we are part of. This continues to be our focus as demand has begun to partially recover.
Our progress in earnings and in our transformation allows us to look confidently past the extraordinary 2020, however we remain well aware of the high level of uncertainty the pandemic and associated lock downs continue to pose in the coming quarters,” Skou further explained.
Increasing Target for 2020
Given the current momentum across the business, A.P. Moller – Maersk expects, as announced on 17 November 2020, EBITDA before restructuring and integration costs in the range of $8 billion to $8.5billion, from previously between $7,5 billon to $8billion as announced on 13 October 2020.
The global demand growth for containers is expected to contract by 4-5% in 2020 due to COVID-19.
Organic volume growth in Ocean is now expected to be slightly below the average market growth from previously in line with or slightly below the market.
For 2020, the guidance on capital expenditures (CAPEX) is expected to be $1.5 billion, and with the expectation of a high cash conversion (cash flow from operations compared to EBITDA).
For 2021-2022, the accumulated guidance on capital expenditures is expected to be between $4.5 billion and $ 5.5 billion with the expectation of a high cash conversion.


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Read more about Automotive News Info here.
Can Evs Be Clear On A Dirty Electrical Grid?
A four.4-liter TwinPower turbo V-8 engine with an electric motor pumps out 644 hp and propels the three-ton beast from zero to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds. The XM can deliver an estimated 30 miles of zero-emission driving on a single cost. GM President Mark Reuss advised investors in November that the Envista compact crossover would come to the U.S. from China; it’s anticipated in the second half of 2023. Spy photographers lately have captured the freshened Encore GX with Buick’s new emblem, in addition to two small, closely camouflaged EVs.
Via Motors And Eavx To Associate And Develop Class 2-5 Electric Trucks
Motor vehicle crashes price U.S. society $340 billion in 2019 alone, in accordance with a model new examine by NHTSA. Distracted driving cost the country $98 billion, while site visitors congestion …


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Nigerian manufacturers are lamenting over the rising cost of fuel in the West African nation with a call on the Federal Government to cushion them as a litre of diesel is now sold at N720 (an equivalent of $1.73).
According to the Manufacturers Association, it is getting extremely difficult to produce to serve the country in the face of fuel hikes coupled with load shedding.
“There is no power supply. We are having 30 per cent of what it used to be, whereas the disposable income of people is not increasing and the cost of products is going up.
“Even in my factory now, we are only running one shift instead of three shifts of eight hours each. Other businesses are also running limited hours on diesel as they cannot afford to use generators all day,” Mr Lanre Popoola, Chairman of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo branches said in an interview with the media.
According to him, if the situation persisted, it could lead to bigger issues that would further affect the nation’s economy and increase the hardship of Nigerians.
He told the press that “The worst part is that diesel suppliers cannot agree for organisations to make a flexible payment plan such as instalments, while they deliver the products in trust.
“They cannot, again, supply you with diesel and allow you to pay in two weeks. It is either you do cash and carry, or pay ahead because they too cannot predict the cost of the product.
“And I don’t blame them. Imagine you bought diesel last week at N630 per litre and the next day it is sold for N730 per litre. How will you replace your stock,” he said.
Popoola stated that the way forward was for the government to assist manufacturers by giving some rebate on diesel, adding that, that was the only lifeline.
“Aside from manufacturers, for transporters that are bringing food from the North or taking products to the East or Lagos, now the cost of their logistics would have doubled by 100 per cent if not 200 per cent.
“Maybe the government can come in and do a kind of palliative for us. It is either we have light 24 hours per week to run our factories or do a palliative on diesel.
“But unfortunately, we don’t produce diesel in this country. If the refineries are working, it is a different ball game: the country would have had it better now if the refineries are working.
“So the more the international prices of petroleum products go up, the higher the prices of what we are going to get from them,” Popoola explained.


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The trade agreement between economic superpowers China and the United States will lead to the growth of global trade disputes in the next two years, says Russian presidential adviser Maksim Oreshkin.
In an interview with Russia 24 TV channel, the former Russian economic development minister said the trade deal raises a number of questions.
“We see the Europeans’ reaction to the US-China deal, we see that the Chinese pledge to increase purchases of American goods causes very serious concerns,” said Oreshkin.
He added that there is a question about China’s switch to American products, and whether it means additional barriers on European goods.
“This is such a big ticking time bomb and I think it certainly won’t explode this year, but starting from 2021-2022 we will see a lot of disputes in the US-China-Europe triangle with the inclusion of other countries.”
Oreshkin noted that Russia remains a supporter of multilateral formats when it comes to world trade. “I don’t think that bilateralism is a new future for world trade policy. Russia will certainly remain a supporter of the multilateral formats, [such as] the WTO…” he said.


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Xbox Series X Pricing, Xbox Series S Announcements May Have Been Delayed To September – Rumor
Some Xbox announcements that were supposed to be made this month, likely the Xbox Series X pricing info and the Xbox Series S reveal, are rumored to have been delayed.
Speaking on the ResetERA forums, shinobi, who proved in the past to be reliable, revealed that news about Xbox stuff that's been going around recently will come later than anticipated due to the Halo Infinite delay.
At the same time, expect news about other Xbox stuff that's been going around recently to come a bit later too.
Stuff that was planned for this month pushed to next month.
As the" Xbox stuff that's been going around recently" definitely refers to the Xbox Series S, it's likely that shinobi is talking about the console's announcement getting delayed. Since it's also likely that Microsoft will announce the Xbox Series X price only after the Xbox Series S has been revealed, it seems like we will have to wait a bit longer to learn how much the next-gen console will cost when it launches this November.
The Halo Infinite delay is definitely going to impact the Xbox Series X considerably. Yesterday, 343 Industries confirmed that the game will launch in 2021 due to a variety of reasons.
Today I want to share an important Halo Infinite development update with the community. We have made the difficult decision to shift our release to 2021 to ensure the team has adequate time to deliver a Halo game experience that meets our vision.
The decision to shift our release is the result of multiple factors that have contributed to development challenges, including the ongoing COVID-related impacts affecting us all this year. I want to acknowledge the hard work from our team at 343 Industries, who have remained committed to making a great game and finding solutions to development challenges. However, it is not sustainable for the well-being of our team or the overall success of the game to ship it this holiday.
The Xbox Series X launches this November in all regions.


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Michael Reckhow, Product Manager of Facebook, said, “Today we’re excited to introduce Instant Articles, a fast and interactive experience for reading articles in News Feed.”
Instant Articles are fast in loading almost ten times faster than standard mobile web articles, so readers can just take a glance and go ahead if they want to read. “So you get to the stories you want to read instantly,” said Reckhow.
Otherwise, reports in the Facebook app take about eight seconds to load, by far the slowest single content type on Facebook. Using the same technology that loads photos and videos quickly in Facebook mobile app, Instant Articles is faster and also comes with new features like tilt-to-pan photos, auto-play video, embedded audio captions, and interactive maps, said Facebook on its official blog post.
The feature will “let you explore the story in beautiful new ways,” assures Facebook. “Instant Articles is a tool for publishers to create fast, interactive articles on Facebook and was designed to give them control over their stories, brand experience and monetization opportunities.”
While the new feature will affect and impact the readership of established news agencies and top newspapers, the new feature should come as a great relief for those in the second rung of the layer providing specific and tailor-made news in the Instant Articles, like the National Geographic et al.
The long-anticipated move by Facebook has triggered hot debate among the news editors and business honchos some of them arguing that it can help struggling media groups, while others disputed it saying news organizations will lose control over their content with Facebook’s platform Instant Articles.
Zoom in to explore high-resolution photos and watch auto-play videos come alive as you scroll through stories, besides exploring interactive maps, listening to audio captions, and even liking and commenting on individual parts of an article in-line.
Facebook has designed Instant Articles to give publishers control over their stories, sell brand and benefit from monetization as publishers can sell ads in their articles and keep the revenue, or they can choose to use Facebook’s Audience Network to monetize unsold inventory. Publishers can track data and traffic through comScore and other analytics tools.
“Fundamentally, this is a tool that enables publishers to provide a better experience for their readers on Facebook” said Facebook Chief Product Officer Chris Cox. “Instant Articles lets them deliver fast, interactive articles while maintaining control of their content and business models.”
Facebook is currently with nine global news providers for Instant Articles: The New York Times, National Geographic, BuzzFeed, NBC, The Atlantic, The Guardian, BBC News, Spiegel and Bild.
Mark Thompson, CEO of the New York Times said, “The New York Times already has a significant and growing audience on Facebook. We’re participating in Instant Articles to explore ways of growing the number of Times users on Facebook, improving their experience of our journalism and deepening their engagement. We have a long tradition of meeting readers where they are and that means being available not just on our own sites, but on the social platforms frequented by many current and potential Times users.”
“It is great to see Facebook trialing new ways for quality journalism to flourish on mobile,” said Tony Danker, International Director, Guardian News & Media. “The Guardian is keen to test how the new platform can provide an even more engaging experience for our readers. It is then vital that, over time, Instant Articles delivers recurring benefit for publishers, whose continued investment in original content underpins its success.”
Instant Articles is launching on Facebook for iPhone with stories published by The New York Times, BuzzFeed, National Geographic, NBC and The Atlantic. “We will continue developing Instant Articles with our partners over the coming months and will listen to feedback from readers to help us improve the experience,” said the company in its statement.


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[Source: CityScape/CVS Press Release]
Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon will be joined by officials from CVS/Pharmacy and CityScape developer, RED Development welcoming the opening of the first drug store in downtown Phoenix in more than 30 years at a ceremonial ribbon-cutting to celebrate the opening of the new, 7-day-a-week store and pharmacy for downtown Phoenix workers, residents, tourists, and entertainment visitors.
The Mayor will then take his turn serving customers, before making his own impulse chocolate purchase and heading back to City Hall.
CVS/pharmacy will occupy 13,000 square feet at the intersection of 1st Avenue and Jefferson Street, beneath Lucky Strike Lanes and Lounge on CityScape’s western-most block, and adjacent to the redeveloped Patriot’s Square.
WHEN: 9 a.m. on Monday, July 26
WHERE: CVS/pharmacy at CityScape, 50 West Jefferson in downtown Phoenix


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HONG KONG, Feb 20 (Reuters) - These are some of the leading stories in Hong Kong newspapers on Thursday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
-- The Chinese Gold & Silver Exchange Society is prepared to spend HK$1 billion ($128.94 million) to set up its metal warehouse in Qianhai, according to President Haywood Cheung Tak-hay. Qianhai is a testing ground for the free flow of yuan and other policies to encourage overseas investment. (link.reuters.com/cyj96v)
-- Fast Retailing, the parent company of Japanese fashion chain store Uniqlo, will consider listing directly in the city if its Hong Kong depositary receipts are well received and the exchange could adapt to paperless trading in the future. (link.reuters.com/hyj96v)
-- Giveaways in next Wednesday's budget could be at least 30 per cent less than the HK$33 billion ($4.26 billion) doled out last year. Hong Kong's Financial Secretary John Tsang is expected to cut the salaries tax rebate and property rate waivers. (link.reuters.com/jyj96v)
-- Chinese pork supplier Huisheng International is set to become the second most oversubscribed initial public offering in Hong Kong after nightclub operator Magnum. Huisheng has frozen HK$26.8 billion ($3.46 billion) after the third day of bookbuilding, representing oversubscription by 1,089 times. (link.reuters.com/kyj96v)
-- Sun Hung Kai Properties is in no hurry to raise prices at the Riva residential development even though the first batch of flats released this year got sold within hours, according to deputy managing director Victor Lui. (link.reuters.com/nyj96v)
-- Kingworld Medicines aims to team up with partners in China, including Tencent, to sell pharmaceutical products online, according to Executive Director Li Yusheng.
-- China Everbright Ltd aims to spin off its aircraft leasing business and has submitted a listing application of its China Aircraft Leasing Co Ltd to the Hong Kong stock exchange, according to chief executive officer Chen Shuang.
For Chinese newspapers, see............... ($1 = 7.7555 Hong Kong dollars) (Reporting by Donny Kwok; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)


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Shares of Lululemon are inching higher on Thursday after the yoga apparel retailer reported fourth-quarter earnings that were little changed from a year ago. The company also forecast first-quarter profit that fell short of analyst expectations. Lululemon dealt with an array of problems in 2013, including its decision to pull black yoga pants from shelves after they were found to be too sheer. Now, CEO Laurent Potdevin calls 2014 an "investment year" geared toward getting back on track.
Stocks in this video:


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A woman has claimed her DoorDash order came with a free side of fat shaming — in the form of a passive aggressive note.
TikTok user Marina, 26, blasted the food delivery service after she found a personal note in the bag of junk food her girlfriend had ordered, which read: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” and included an apple in the bag.
In the clip, which has been viewed over 10,000 times, Marina said her girlfriend — who didn’t want to be on camera — has digestive issues and was told to gain weight. So, she ordered a bag of Cheetos, a box of Delimex taquitos and a Dr Pepper from DoorMart, a subsidiary of DoorDash.
Marina explained her girlfriend “can’t eat apples, so the rude gesture doesn’t apply,” and that it’s a “fatphobic” remark to make.
“This is food-shaming as f–k, fatphobic as f–k, ableist as f–k, and just so inappropriate,” Marina said in the clip. “If you’re delivering someone’s food, why are you going to be judging them?”
Followers couldn’t believe the note, commenting in disbelief.
“It would’ve literally taken them zero effort to just not leave that note,” one user pointed out.
“That’s so insane, especially since they don’t know what situation anyone is in,” another pointed out. “They shouldn’t be making ANY judgements, period.”
DoorDash told the Post they are urgently investigating the incident.
“If what has been reported is true, it is offensive and unacceptable,” a spokesperson said. “We take the report seriously and we’re investigating. We want everyone who uses our platform to have a safe, enjoyable experience and we have no tolerance for hate or discrimination of any kind. “
Comments are closed.


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Turmoil at Barclays as whistleblower reveals 27,000 customers personal details were sold on black market
Barclays will detail the full extent of plans to shrink its investment bank, along with a raft of job cuts, when it releases its annual figures tomorrow.
The lender was left reeling from a fresh crisis after it emerged at the weekend that stolen personal details of 27,000 customers have been sold to rogue traders.
The bank along with the police, the Information Commissioner and City watchdogs have launched an investigation into what is thought to be the worst data breach case ever at high street bank.
Overhaul plans: Barclays is to cut the size of its investment bank by a fifth
It could not have come at a worse time for chief executive Antony Jenkins, who is also expected to update on plans to overhaul the bank’s culture and practices.
He is to cut the size of its investment bank by a fifth in an attempt to show the Bank of England that Barclays can be trusted once again.
Over the year Barclays has put aside £2billion for customer mis-selling scandals.
It is hoping to slash the headcount across the bank to 100,000 from 140,000 in coming years.
The firm is expected to show a 7 per cent fall in fourth quarter revenues to £1.95billion from £2.1billion the previous quarter, leaving underlying pre-tax profit down 17 per cent to £3.6billion.
While Jenkins has waved his bonus of up to £2.75million, Barclays will confirm its overall bonus pool for 2013 tomorrow. This is expected to rise 10 per cent to £2.4billion.
Bank of England Governor Mark Carney will fight to restore his credibility this week after his innovation of ‘forward guidance’ floundered.
Last year he said interest rates would not rise until unemployment fell to 7 per cent, which he predicted would not happen for two years.
But it has already fallen to 7.1 per cent and Carney will need to amend his criteria for forward guidance when he delivers the Bank’s inflation report on Wednesday.
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Several long-standing businesses are up for sale in the trendy suburb of Thirroul, some shop owners say heartbreak forced them to sell while others just want a break to retire.
Homewares haven Nest Emporium, the adjacent Soul Obsession shoe store, retail boutique Magnolia Collective, and Cucina cafe are all listed for sale (as of December 10), while cafe Revive 2515 was recently up for sale but is understood to have changed hands.
A "ridiculous" rent increase, bad reviews and caring for her elderly mother have put Elisabeth Dignam at the end of her tether, with the Soul Obsession owner calling it quits in February.
She understands she may not exude a warm, welcoming presence every day of the year in her shop on the corner of Lawrence Hargrave Drive and McCauley Street but wants customers to think twice when writing negative reviews.
"And like the rent, it's out of hand," Ms Dignam said. "Then wages are ridiculous and insurances ... and I just don't have it in me to move again."
Selling up will be bitter-sweet for the retailer of 22 years, especially as her children have grown up around shoe boxes and stylish clothes, the shop almost their "second home".
"It's just not even feasible anymore," she said. "I'm closing down at the end of February, I'll be finished. I've just got to [sell] all the stuff that's in there."
Next door at Nest Melinda Charlesworth is leaving on a more positive note.
The business owner feels "exhausted" after making it through the COVID years and is ready to transition to retirement, but will miss the loyalty of local customers and their smiling faces.
"The business is 20-years-old and I've had it for seven ... it's time for someone with fresh energy to take the business forward," she told the Mercury.
"Nest was the original homewares shop in Wollongong ... that's why I wanted to sell it rather than just walk away when I was retiring. The brand is bigger than just the owner."
Justin Bunt from MMJ Business Sales was confident to have a new owner giving the Revive 2515 cafe a refresh in the new year. Despite rising property prices in the popular seaside suburb, he believed it was still highly sought for people to do business.
"'High rents' are a case-by-case basis and depends on the landlord and whether the business is the right fit for the space," he said.
"[Thirroul] has got that great double strength of a really supportive local community plus a lot of the day-trippers from Sydney that come down.
"Even when it's a quieter month it's still busy, like, it [trade] doesn't fall away like other tourist towns can do. But it still does go crazy at holiday time, so you get the best of both worlds."
Meantime, Enzo Conti of Conti Business Brokers said the shop-fronts he manages were never vacant for long once an operator decided to leave - such as Jin's Place moving into where the defunct Busters Tavern/Papis Burgers once was, and the owners of Opus coffee set to open in the old Noel and Gladys site.


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Dreamlords: Resurrection Articles
We are very excited to announce that concept Artist Bjorn has just published the third update to our exclusive Dreamlords Monster Design Blog! Don't miss the new update and opportunity to help forge this beast!
The Dreamlords concept artist, Björn has just made his second update in our exclusive Monster Design Blog! Make sure to check it out and feel free to take part in its evolution!
After a few days of gathering dozens of ideas from our community - the concept artist Björn has posted his first update of the monster! Check to see how it is coming along and help shape it!
The MMO, Dreamlords has announced that they have reached the Beta Phase of their game's development. AS with most MMOs, the first Beta Phase is closed, with the Open Beta still some time away, but they are still looking for more applicants to be added in throughout the beta.
MMORPG.com is proud to present our first ever monster design blog feature. We have partnered with Lockpick Entertainment to allow our community to help design a monster in their upcoming MMO "Deamlords"!
As the people over at Dreamlords prepare for their beta phase, they have provided us with some information on the game's races, as well as some screenshots from the alpha stage of the game's development.