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Altermail, worlds’ first blockchain-based communication platform, offers an alternative to email, messaging and file sharing. Altermail disrupts existing information sharing with the help of the latest technological innovation in blockchain. The company has attracted $75 200 from two grant programs and looks to scale its service with the next financing round.
Altermail addresses the gap in how people communicate online by providing a secure communication solution to anyone, individuals and businesses, seeking higher control over its data sharing and privacy management. The application of blockchain-based technology ensures that the exchange of encrypted information is only available to the information holder via a unique private key. The use of this technology eliminates the need to provide consent to use private data for the communication platform provider. Therefore the users’ identity and data remains confidential, in contrast to the traditional setup where email providers are free to share data with its partners for commercial purposes.
The reliability of the service is based on blockchain technology provided by the Secret Network & SCRT Lab’s proven smart contract technology. Altermail operates on a broad network of servers using Storj.io as file storage partner – currently 84 servers worldwide hold encrypted information of each Altermail user. To ensure additional security, each accounts’ files are scattered across multiple servers.
Plans to scale as part of Nordic Startup School
The current client-base of the company are businesses in the legal industry and individuals who value cost-efficient, safe communication service and are frontrunners in leveraging blockchain technology for their personal and business privacy management needs. Existing client base mainly is based in the US, France, Sweden, Germany, Japan, China, Russia and Mexico.
“Work on Altermail started in April 2021 with the assembling of the team to develop the solution and source the right skills to scale it. After we built the product and registered the business in August 2021, the company had so far attracted $75 200 or €65 000 funding from Secret Network and European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). We are now part of the Nordic Startup School to get the necessary mentoring for the next round of funding, planned for up to $6,9 or €6 million.” – Altermail Co founder and CEO Oskars Jepsis shares.
The company plans to scale its service up to 10 000 users until the end of the year and enter negotiations with venture capital firms who have already reached out to foster Altermail business development. Company also plans to release its own token for community governance – each holder will have access and ability to impact Altermail product development.


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This week : There is a lot of content so let’s add a Table of Contents shall we? It will be easier for our troops to aim for the information they really need. Castlevania, Disney, Cometh, Cryptolands or Walmart, we have everything you need.
But first, a GM from Serena Williams!
Table of Contents
- Cobie's threads on the backlash of gamer against NFTs
- Aiko's thread on the importance of organic community growth
- Lots of news on Cometh and Cometh Battle
- Lars Doucet's predictions for blockchain gaming in 2022
- Sorare, Sorare and Sorare
- Guilds of Guardians secondary sales and Podcast
- Axie Infinity new blog post on In Game Economic Balancing
- Sandbox Mega City Announcement and Seb Borget Decrypt Article
- NFT profile verification for Twitter
- NFT Treasure's Marketplace flipped Axie Infinity's one and BlackPool announcement
- Opensea's new Series C fundraising
- Cryptolands !
- Michael Arnold's thread and BlackPool is looking for contributors!
- Walmart Metaverse
- Alexis Ohanian on gaming as an onramp for Web3
- Kevin Vitale's thread about Gaming and the Web3 revolution
- Castlevania NFTs
- Polygon fees surge
- YGG milestones
- Vitality x Tezos partnership
- Disney metaverse announcement
- Moxie Marlinspike's (founder of signal) point of view on Web3
- Worlwide Webb NFT fighting tournament
- A must read thread on meeting in metaverse by Garet Scott
- An interesting thread from Cobie on how the outrage from gamers on NFTs is counterproductive.
And Cobie's response at the question “Is the environmental complaint the only reason gamers aren’t liking NFTs? Is there something else?”
2. Aiko wrote a thread about the importance for a game to grow a community organically as a tool to keep user retention, and its impact on the game economy.
3. Cometh Battle closed beta launched a few weeks ago and the dev team is improving the game update after update. In this week’s balancing update: New “secret” attribute; five new cards around the orbiters, minor balancing changes, and a new game mode: Private Battle.
Hazelstar shines bright in the latest BlackPool Cometh report. lots of alphas and key points for those who look inside.
Jerome de Tichey, co-founder of Cometh and President of Ethereum France talks about Gaming, Defi, and NFT in the latest Univers Bitcoin Podcast (In Baguette).
4. Lars Doucet explains his predictions for blockchain gaming in 2022 :
“We will see at least one blockchain game with over 1 million dollars in VC funding have its assets "go to zero", and we will NOT see ANOTHER blockchain game with over 1 million dollars in VC funding honor the failed game's NFT assets”
5. Brian O’Hagan, growth lead of Sorare, explains some data from 2021 and Sorare goals for 2022: mobile app, branding, a new sport (the bulletin writer bet is on American Football), and recruitment.
Speaking of hiring plans, Sorare is welcoming 6 new key hires for their New York Office.
We are proud to include our own troops in this Bulletin. YNWA makes a good point on how PFP projects never draw comparisons to yield generating games like Sorare.
6. Guild of Guardians
Guild of Guardians saw its biggest secondary market Guild sale yet with a Legend Guild gone for 39 ETH!
How much do you think a Mythic Guild token will go for? Julien Bouteloup has a clear idea.
About Mythic, the lucky owner of the NRGgg Mythic Reborne hero is selling it for 78.75 ETH. The owner of it will have the opportunity to go on an all-expense trip to Los Angeles to meet the NRGgg eSport teams. Snapshot: 22 January 2022.
Episode 2 of the official GoG Podcast is out with special guests GoGacademy and WT779.
7. Axie Infinity puts together a blog note on their thoughts about in-game economy and its balancing.
8. Sandbox’s co-founder and COO, Seb Borget, thinks that 2022 will be a breakout year for in-game NFTs in a new decrypt article.
The Sandbox announced multiple Hong Kong partnerships in film, music, entertainment, acting, professional services, finance, real estate, and gaming sectors to create Mega City, a new cultural hub, in the Metaverse.
9. Justin Taylor, Head of consumer product marketing for Twitter, is teasing an NFT Profile verification.
10. The Treasure NFT marketplace has flipped the Axie Infinity one and is now the 2nd largest NFT marketplace in the world!
BlackPool is backing Treasure DAO with a participation in the $3 million investment in $MAGIC led by 1kx, and acquired 347,222 $MAGIC. More alphas in the blog post.
11. Opensea announced new funding of 300 million dollars in Series C.
12. You like crypto? You like Lands but are tired of SandBox or Axie? You will like CryptoLands! An Island for crypto bros with crypto parties, crypto drinks, and crypto hangovers! What is your opinion? Web3 Fyre Festival or real project?
13. Michael Arnold, one of BlackPool’s core team members is coming back on a thread he wrote last January. Interested in contributing to BlackPool? DM him!
14. Tired of shopping? Walmart wants you to do your groceries in the Metaverse.
15. Reddit co-founder and founder of the VC firm 776, Alexis Ohanian, is sure that games will be an onramp for millions of people to Web3.
16. Kevin Vitale is in the same mindset and wrote a thread about gaming and the web3 revolution.
18. If you used Polygon this past week, you might have seen the fees surging. The cause is Sunflower Farmer, a Polygon Game. Owen Fernau wrote an interesting piece on it for the defiant.
19. YGG published its 2021 milestones and achievements in a medium article.
20. Vitality, a leading european esport organisation revealed a partnership with the Tezos blockchain to create a new fan experience.
21. Disney officially announced the creation of its own metaverse.
22. Moxie Marlinspike, the founder of the signal app wrote notes about its first impression of Web3.
Interesting takes of which Vitalik Buterin responded:
23. Worldwide Webb will host an open tournament for an NFT platform fighter game. Different collections of NFTs, each with different abilities. Will you be the final one standing ?
24. To end this bulletin, a very good thread by Garret Scott on meeting in the metaverse.
That’s all Folks ! Have a great week and see you IRL this week in Paris for the NFT special week, and soon back on Twitch !
Join the newsletter to receive the latest updates in your inbox.

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What is Blockchain?
Much is being said these days about blockchain, also referred to as distributed ledger technology, and its impact on business. Let’s be honest with each other: are you familiar with blockchain? If you are not, then the good news is that you are not alone. And if you are extremely familiar, you are in fairly limited company. According to a recent survey conducted by APQC’s research partner, The Center for the Global Enterprise, only about a third of respondents would categorize themselves as moderately familiar with blockchains, and only 6 percent called themselves extremely familiar.
That data isn’t surprising because out of 101 respondents, only 1 percent said their organization is currently using blockchain – certainly not anywhere near widespread adoption.
However, ignore this technology at your own peril. One-third of respondents indicated that their organization is likely to invest in blockchains in the next two years. You don’t want to be the last to understand what it is and what it means for your organization.
To discuss the business benefits of blockchains, APQC spoke with Rich de Moll, vice president of blockchain solutions and transformation at IBM. According to deMoll, blockchain is a huge disruptor that provides new capabilities to executives who are finding it harder to continually squeeze more improvement out of their processes and technology. He asserts that 2017 is the year of experimentation, and we will see more adopters in 2018 targeting improvements in costs, transparency, control, and business insight into operational activities.
The Heart of Blockchains
Blockchains are a totally different technology and framework to identify and deliver increased value. They span across business networks, trading partners, buyers, sellers, logistics providers, banks, third parties, brokers, and importers. At the heart of blockchain technology is a ledger distributed across all participants to enable a common view; one version of the truth. For instance, the buyer and seller see the same version of the purchase order and invoice. Additionally, it’s called blockchain because each data element is encrypted in a block. These blocks are chained together across the shared ledgers so it should be much harder to hack it.
The biggest challenge to implementing blockchain right now is finding people with the necessary skills to use the technology. However, since its success requires at least two entities to be involved, it’s unsurprising that the second biggest hurdle is adoption by other companies. It cannot be implemented in “single-player mode.”
To learn more about blockchains, read the rest of APQC's interview with Rich de Moll.Tweet


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Elon Musk Says You Can Now Buy a Tesla With Bitcoin
【Summary】Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk said on Wednesday that you can now buy a Tesla electric vehicle with Bitcoin, which might help to boost acceptance of the use of cryptocurrency in the auto industry.
Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk said on Wednesday that you can now buy a Tesla electric vehicle with Bitcoin, which might help to boost acceptance of the use of cryptocurrency in the auto industry or for commerce.
In a tweet, Musk wrote, "You can now buy a Tesla with bitcoin." However its not clear if Tesla will eventually offer the bitcoin payment option for customers in the U.S. In his Twitter post, Musk added that the option would be available outside the U.S. later this year.
Tesla made headlines last month when Musk purchased $1.5 billion worth of bitcoin and said that Tesla would soon accept it as a form of payment. Musk's bitcoin purchase in early February resulted in its price jumping roughly 10% to a record high topping $44,000. But in the following weeks Musk's bold move sparked widespread interest in the cryptocurrency, sending its price to a record high of nearly $62,000 over the following weeks.
The price of bitcoin has since fallen from its record highs, but it rose round 4% after Musk's announcement. As of Wednesday, each bitcoin is worth $56,649.20.
What is Bitcoin?
Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are referred to as "digital currency." The technology emerged in 2008. Bitcoin transactions are made without the use of banks or any other financial institution, therefore they are not subject to fees or other charges third parties like banks collect from the movement of money between two parties.
Bitcoin can be used to make a purchase from any company that accepts the digital currency as payment.
Every transaction of Bitcoin from one party to another is stored in a distributed ledger called a blockchain that keeps track of all transactions. Each time a transaction occurs, the ledger is updated and shared among users, so the transfer of bitcoin ownership is entirely traceable.
This distributed and shared ledger offers the highest level of security. The field of cryptography is the foundation of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, making each transaction highly secure.
Anyone with a computer can set up a Bitcoin address to anonymously receive or transfer the digital currency.
Tesla has already pioneered the use of new technology in the auto industry, including autonomous driving technology and building fully-electric vehicles that support over-the-air (OTA) software updates. But Tesla's plan to accept bitcoin as a form of payment for one of its electric vehicles or other products is unprecedented in the auto industry.
The company's investment in bitcoin further cements Tesla's position as an auto industry disruptor. However it is still unclear if legacy automakers will eventually come to accept the digital currency as a form of payment.
Software giant Microsoft was one of the first companies to accept Bitcoin back in 2014. The company allows customers in the U.S. to use bitcoin to purchase digital content, including apps and games for Windows products and its Xbox video game platform.
Originally hailing from New Jersey, Eric is a automotive & technology reporter covering the high-tech industry here in Silicon Valley. He has over 15 years of automotive experience and a bachelors degree in computer science. These skills, combined with technical writing and news reporting, allows him to fully understand and identify new and innovative technologies in the auto industry and beyond. He has worked at Uber on self-driving cars and as a technical writer, helping people to understand and work with technology.
Luxury-Electric Automaker Lucid Motors to Launch its Much-Anticipated IPO Next Week
Luxury Brand Mercedes-Benz to Go All-Electric by 2030
Uber Freight Aims to Build the World’s Most Comprehensive Logistics Network with its $2.25 Billion Acquisition of Transplace
Ford & Argo AI to Deploy Self-driving Vehicles on Lyft’s Ride-Hailing Network This Year
Intel’s Autonomous Driving Arm Mobileye is Testing its Self-driving Technology in New York City
The Upcoming Lucid Air Sedan Will Ride on High-Tech Pirelli Tires Designed for EVs
Solar-Electric Car Startup Sono Motors to Use a Connected Vehicle Software Platform From Silicon Valley-based Sibros
Ford Motor Co is Recalling Nearly 775,000 Ford Explorer Models a Second Time for Rear Suspension Problem
- General Motors, Shell Partner to Increase Charging Infrastructure
- Tesla Chief Elon Musk Says 'Red Tape' is Causing Delays in Completing its Berlin Gigafactory
- XPeng Launches its New & Improved G3i SUV in China, a More Affordable Alternative to the Tesla Model Y
- Ford Reveals the Maverick Pickup With Standard Hybrid Powertrain Starting at Just $19,995
- Mobileye & ZF to Supply Automaker Toyota With Advanced Safety & Perception Technology for its Future Models
- General Motors Opens its Subscription-based OnStar Guardian App to the Public
- Audi Confirms Plans to Go All-Electric By 2026
- Ford & Argo AI to Deploy Self-driving Vehicles on Lyft’s Ride-Hailing Network This Year
- Ford Mustang Mach-E Helping Brand Reach New Buyers
- Tesla to Hold Off Buying Land to Expand its Shanghai Factory Due to Ongoing U.S.-China Tensions


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The inaugural New West Summit -- devoted to the marriage of pot, tech, business and media -- serves as the site for a kind of passing of the torch. Or should we say a passing of the pipe?
Robots, space travel and living in the Matrix. CNET editors from around the globe get personal about the tech that fires them up the most.
Commentary: A lifelong music lover, I've found that Spotify's streaming service is the best way to hear the songs I love most. To me, music services like this count among the most exciting technological achievements today.
Commentary: Who is this wild-eyed woman staking out the same city as Matt Murdock in the popular "Daredevil"? CNET's Bonnie Burton explains why Netflix's upcoming superpowered P.I. show should pack a punch.
The Google co-founder talks about connecting remote populations to the Internet and picking the name "Alphabet" for Google's new parent company.
No matter how hard Yahoo tries to restore its luster as a top Internet destination, its shares of China's e-commerce giant Alibaba are all anyone seems to care about. Still, CEO Marissa Mayer keeps trying. Her latest move: A new search-ad deal with Google.
Technically Incorrect: A new survey of Star Wars fans finds that most expect the new movie to be the best of all. However, some would turn to Vaderian arts to secure their favorite Star Wars toys.
Not sure if you want the iPhone 6S or 6S Plus, but you're ready for a new phone? Fear not. There are plenty of other big-name handsets launching in the next few weeks.
Microsoft updated Word, Excel and PowerPoint with new sharing and collaboration features to help you work better together.
In response to Verizon's plans to move to 5G, AT&T's Glenn Lurie says he prefers to wait until the industry can agree on what the technology will look like before making any proclamations.
Help us sort through all the new Apple announcements to figure out which stood out most, and why.


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KATHMANDU: The gold price has increased by Rs 600 per tola to trade at Rs 92,700 per tola today. The fine gold was traded at Rs 92,100 on Thursday.
The worked gold has fetched Rs 92,200 in the domestic market, according to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association (FeNeGoSiDA). It was traded at Rs 91,600 per tola on Thursday. Similarly, the silver price has increased by Rs 15 per tola to trade at 1,260 per tola, according to the FeNeGoSiDA.
The gold price in the international market is around $1,818.40 per ounce (oz) today.
(1 tola is equivalent to 11.66 grams, 1 ounce is equivalent to 28.3495 grams)


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2 Sep 2021
IDTechEx Dissects the Market for Solid-state Batteries in New Report
This article explores the history of solid-state batteries and looks ahead at regional development, sharing some of the research from the new IDTechEx report, "Solid-State and Polymer Batteries 2021-2031: Technology, Forecasts, Players".
23 Jun 2021
Solid-State Battery Market Will Grow to $8 Billion by 2031
With an increasing number of players working in this field and some milestones being achieved, the solid-state battery market is expected to grow to $ 8 billion by 2031, according to IDTechEx's new report "Solid-State and Polymer Batteries 2021-2031: Technology, Forecasts, Players".
9 Nov 2020
Solid Power is a spin-out from the University of Colorado Boulder developing sulfide-based all solid-state batteries (ASSB) and has been in operation since 2014.
5 Oct 2020
Regional Development of Solid-State Batteries
The rapid growth of the electric vehicle market has driven the development, manufacture and sales of batteries, especially lithium-ion batteries. In the meantime, a number of companies are betting on the next big energy storage technologies. Solid-state batteries are one of them.
28 Jul 2020
Solid-State Batteries Will Create a $6 Billion Market in 2030
Solid-state batteries keep on attracting tremendous attention and investment with the maturing technologies and closeness to mass production.
18 Nov 2019
Solid State Batteries at the IDTechEx Show!
Find out how companies are continuing to improve cell and battery performance and the post Li-ion batteries being developed to break through these limits at Energy Storage Innovations USA, hosted by IDTechEx.
29 May 2019
A Solid Future: New Opportunities enabled by Solid State Batteries
Solid state batteries have been considered as the avenue to the next generation energy storage solutions. According to IDTechEx's research "Solid-State and Polymer Batteries 2019-2029: Technology, Patents, Forecasts, Players" www.idtechex.com/solid.
19 Apr 2019
Partners to develop solid state batteries for future electric vehicles
Solid Power is teaming up with Ford Motor Company to develop all solid-state batteries for next-generation electric vehicles.
4 Apr 2017
Solid-state electrolytes and the quest for a safer battery
2016 was the year of Li-ion batteries' silver jubilee, a coming of age that has not been hassle-free, as Samsung's Firegate showed us. This year might mark the first significant switch to new materials in the electrolyte compartment, with both large and small companies trying to bring inorganic and polymer electrolytes to commercial fruition.
6 Oct 2016
A solid future for batteries at IDTechEx's Energy Storage Innovations
At IDTechEx we believe that the future of the energy, mobility, electronics, and communications industry will be strongly shaped by the development of one key enabling technology, that is, energy storage. At the historical tipping point of structural change in these sectors there has never been a better time for a dedicated forum on energy storage as key enabling technology.
22 Sep 2016
Liar Liar phones on fire! The story behind the Galaxy Note 7
The South Korean giant Samsung just got itself into dire straits as the story behind the reported battery fires related to the Galaxy Note 7 unfolds even further. As of September, 92 accidents have been reported in the US alone.
20 Sep 2016
Liar, liar, phones on fire! The story behind the Galaxy Note 7
The South Korean giant Samsung just got itself into dire straits as the story behind the reported battery fires related to the Galaxy Note 7 unfolds even further. As of September, 92 accidents have been reported in the US alone. IDTechEx expert Dr Lorenzo Grande gives the lowdown on Samsung's battery woes.


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Every few weeks, Google updates your ARCore support list with new devices. This time, Google added two new LG flagship phones – G8 and V50 – as well as four iPad models and iPhone XR.
No more noise, here are the new additions:
- LG G8 ThinQ
- LG V50 ThinQ
- Apple iPhone XR
- Apple iPad Air Third Generation
- Apple iPad mini 5th generation
- Apple 12.9-inch. iPad Pro (3rd Generation)
- Apple 11-in. iPad Pro
Not surprisingly, LG's latest flagship companies are making the list. As for iOS, XS and XS Max devices were already supported, so adding XR surrounds ARCore for the current iPhone version. Those of you with the newer iPads will be pleased to see that there are already ten on the list.
Much of this list of ARCore support is just a confirmation of what we already knew (or at least we could accept). And it should not be a surprise for anyone who has the result that the latest Google Pixel phones join these famous rows. However, to be completed, welcome the latest ARCore phones:
- Google Pixel 3a
- Google Pixel 3a XL
We talked only about all these obvious additions to Google's ARCore lists – as when a new flagship is released, it's pretty sure we'll see it sooner or later. But there is an exception that proves the rule, and this is something we have with the last two phones confirmed for ARCore support:
- General Mobile GM 9 Plus
- Sharp AQUOS R3


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Sep 20, 2013
LVMH buys into shoe designer Nicholas Kirkwood
Sep 20, 2013
PARIS, France - British upmarket shoe designer Nicholas Kirkwood has won the lucrative endorsement of the world's biggest luxury goods group in a deal which could lead to his signature footwear adorning the feet of more of the world's wealthiest women.
French group LVMH, best known for more established brands such as Louis Vuitton, Celine, Fendi and Kenzo, is buying a majority stake in Kirkwood's company for an undisclosed sum as it aims to reinforce its stable of hot young designers.
Kirkwood, 33, whose stilettos and other sculptural designs have been worn by celebrities such as Sex and the City actress Sarah Jessica Parker and British model and TV presenter Alexa Chung, studied fine art at Central Saint Martins college in London.
He later learned the craft of shoemaking at London-based Cordwainers College before founding his shoe brand in 2004 together with his business partner Christopher Suarez.
LVMH and arch rival Kering, whose own young designer stable includes British fashion brand Christopher Kane and since this month the American brand Altuzarra, are vying to establish a reputation as backers of budding fashion talents.
LVMH earlier this year took a minority stake in young French fashion brand Maxime Simoens.
"This acquisition affirms the ongoing commitment of LVMH to nurture talent and creativity, considered as the heart of any success in the industry in which they are leaders," LVMH said in a statement.
Kirkwood's collections are already distributed in 150 leading department and specialty stores around the world as well as three flagship stores in London, New York and Las Vegas.
© Thomson Reuters 2023 All rights reserved.


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Welcome back to This Week in Apps, the Extra Crunch series that recaps the latest OS news, the applications they support and the money that flows through it all.
The app industry is as hot as ever, with a record 204 billion downloads and $120 billion in consumer spending in 2019. People are now spending three hours and 40 minutes per day using apps, rivaling TV. Apps aren’t just a way to pass idle hours — they’re a big business. In 2019, mobile-first companies had a combined $544 billion valuation, 6.5x higher than those without a mobile focus.
In this Extra Crunch series, we help you keep up with the latest news from the world of apps, delivered on a weekly basis.
This week, we’re tracking the continued ramifications of the in-app purchases incident ignited by Basecamp, which has emboldened more developers to voice their gripes with Apple publicly in the past few days. The app stores are also this week enmeshed in world of politics, ranging from the India-China border dispute to apps impacted by China’s big brother-esque regulations to the latest with Apple’s antitrust probe.
Dozens of Chinese apps banned in India
In a major upset to mobile app businesses competing on a global stage, India this week blocked 59 apps developed by Chinese firms, due to concerns that the apps were engaging in activities that threatened the “national security and defense of India,” according to the Indian government.
The ban itself is a political power move as it follows deadly clashes between Indian and Chinese troops along the disputed Himalayan border in June, which led to the death of at least 20 Indian soldiers on June 16. (China didn’t disclose its casualties.) Indian government officials claimed they had received reports of the apps stealing and transmitting user data in an unauthorized manner to servers outside the country. This is what necessitated the ban, they said.
India’s move could prove to have larger repercussions, as it sets the stage for a world where Chinese internet companies are excluded from key markets. This isn’t something that’s limited to apps, of course. For instance, the U.S. is rallying its allies to stop using Huawei technologies for 5G. But China’s policies could mean its more successful apps, like TikTok, will lose key markets and therefore, forfeit revenue and power.
- India’s ban threatens TikTok’s growth in a key market
The move to ban the Chinese apps in India most notably impacts TikTok. To date, India had been the app’s largest overseas market until now, with some 200M+ users across around 611M lifetime downloads. In the most recent quarter, TikTok and the 58 other banned apps combined, had been downloaded around 330M times. The ban is estimated to impact roughly one in three smartphone users in India, according to research firm Counterpoint.
Google and Apple began to comply with New Delhi’s order on Thursday, to prevent Indian users from accessing the banned apps. In addition, India’s Department of Telecommunications ordered telecom networks and ISPs to block access to those 59 apps immediately.
Kevin Mayer, the chief executive of TikTok, said on Wednesday his app was in compliance with Indian privacy and security requirements and he was looking forward to meeting with various stakeholders in the Indian government to discuss.
Chinese app companies have had success, until now, in tapping into the Indian market to drive growth. But Indian smartphone users have become wary about how many Chinese companies have managed to gain a spot on their homescreen. Recently, an app called “Remove China Apps” gained popularity in India to detect and delete apps developed by Chinese firms. Google has since removed the app from Google Play. It also introduced changes in Android 11 that makes it more difficult for app developers to access a broader list of installed apps.
Apple freezes updates for thousands of games on the China App Store
Apple has stopped updating tens of thousands of mobile games on the China App Store after being pressured by the Chinese government to comply with its local regulations, according to a report this week by The Financial Times. The issue has to do with China’s requirement that all games show proof of having a government-granted Internet Content Provider license. Though the requirement has been in place since 2016, Apple has allowed games to continue to publish and operate while they wait for their review — something that takes time and can be difficult to obtain. Currently, there are around 60,000 games that need a license in order to legally operate in China, but Chinese regulators have only issued around 43,000 licenses since 2010, The FT said.
This move could have a significant impact on App Store revenue, Apple’s largest App Store market. Sensor Tower estimates that Apple’s China App Store generates $16.4B per year compared with the U.S.’s $15.4B. Newzoo, meanwhile, estimates iOS to generate 53% of total game revenue for China, which is around $13B.
iOS developer backlash continues
Basecamp’s willingness to broadcast its frustrations over Apple’s in-app purchase (IAP) policies led to other developers deciding to speak up over their troubles with Apple and App Store rejections. In years past, developers would typically keep such grievances private for fear of backlash. But with the ongoing antitrust probe and other recent events, some developers believe they now have the chance to say their piece without repercussions.
- Down Dog speaks out against auto-converting subscriptions
This week, for example, yoga app developer Down Dog claimed Apple rejected its update for not agreeing to turn its free trial into a paid subscription when users don’t cancel. The developer said they experimented with auto-charging trials in the past, but it was problematic. Fewer users tried the product as a result and they faced a large number of refund requests.
The issue, they seem to be claiming, is that Apple doesn’t just want subscription revenue, it also wants to tell developers how to run their business. The developer positions its free trial that doesn’t convert to a subscription as a consumer-friendly practice.
In reality, the developer is hoping to funnel more subscriptions through its website after the trial ends to avoid Apple’s commission. Users who want to become paid customers can either subscribe through IAP or the developers’s website, the company said on Twitter. (Of course, the app can’t tell its users that’s the case.)
Finding ways to retain more revenue is a valid concern for app businesses, but dressing up this decision as solely a pro-consumer practice (not auto-charging, that is) is a bit disingenuous. While many users may like that the app doesn’t auto-convert to a paid subscription, that could speak more to the fact that users aren’t perceiving there to be enough value in the paid experience or that they don’t like subscription business model, in this case.
- AnyList explains why it won’t support Sign In With Apple
Meanwhile, on the non-IAP front, developer AnyList announced it won’t support Sign In With Apple, per the new June 30th rule. The developer argues that third-party login systems, in general, become customer support headaches for developers. On top of this, Apple’s system ties accounts to a user’s iCloud email — but these emails are often unused and unchecked, as many customers today use Gmail, Yahoo, or Hotmail. Meaning, the developer can’t effectively use the iCloud address for support messages.
In addition, customers who use the private “Hide My Email” option can’t easily find the address in order to log on other platforms — like Android. This also impacts AnyList users’ ability to collaborate on lists — a key feature for its app, where a user shares a list by typing in the email of another person.
The post goes on to note the Sign In With Apple system had a security flaw that Apple paid out a bug bounty on, but that felt like piling on and detracted from the more critical points the post were making. Bug bounties are commonly used to help companies identify holes in products, and doesn’t necessarily mean the system is so massively insecure that it is unusable.
But overall, the issues brought up here feel like valid concerns that aren’t unique to AnyList’s app, in some cases. Apple is mandating Sign In With Apple as part of its efforts to become a more consumer privacy-minded company. But it has also pushed off a lot of the headaches around customer support to developers to figure out, instead of offering them tools to effectively support their app users.
Perhaps, Apple should have introduced a platform for in-app customer support messages that developers could plug into, without gaining access to personal private details of their users, for example. Or maybe, Apple could have offered to relay support messages to the customer’s mobile number, instead of (or in addition to) forcing use of iCloud emails. Or maybe, as AnyList argues, adopting Sign In With Apple should be a developer choice — or at least one that can be appealed before an app is rejected.
- Apple’s App Store rules under regulatory scrutiny in U.S.
According to Bloomberg, Justice Department lawyers met with App Store developers, large and small, as recently as last week to ask about App Store rules that require developers to use the App Store for subscriptions, and whether Apple’s lowering of its 30% commission would solve problems. In addition, the DOJ asked about the overall App Store review process as a whole and about Google Play. This investigation has been ongoing since mid-2019, but no final decision has been made about whether to bring a case, the report said. Bloomberg is one of now several outlets to report on the talks.
This same week, an Apple executive defended the App Store rules, amid both this and the ongoing E.U. antitrust probe, saying that its store compares to a “quality department store” where Apple need to ensure all apps meet the same baseline quality and reliability standards. That’s a valid defense for having policies in general, but doesn’t quite address the issues around how those policies have been enforced.
Apple cancels some Arcade Games as strategy shifts
Apple ended its contract for multiple future Apple Arcade titles, according to Bloomberg. The company told the impacted developers their upcoming games didn’t have the engagement Apple is seeking, the unnamed developers claimed. Apple now wants Arcade titles to drive repeat usage to retain subscribers — a hint that Apple may be looking to tweak Arcade to better hook subscribers on its games, rather it being than a playground where particular genres — including those that don’t work well as free-to-play models — can flourish.
Apple paid the developers through their milestones, but the canceled contracts have put some business into financial disarray among the pandemic. Apple, in response, said it was always planning to make changes to Arcade based on subscriber feedback. Arcade is one of now several subscription offerings that comprise Apple’s ‘services’ revenue. But like any subscription, Apple is looking for ways to reduce churn and increase retention. That could mean, over time, Arcade starts looking more like the App Store in terms of its content with the hook being the exclusivity and not necessarily the differentiated gaming genres it supports.
Facebook shuts down its TikTok clone, Lasso
Despite having an ideal moment to make the push into India (see above!), Facebook threw in the towel on Lasso, its year-and-a-half old TikTok clone. The app, which had also offered an algorithmic feed of short videos overlaid on music, will close down on July 10.
Lasso had been available in Colombia, Mexico, the U.S., Argentina, Chile, Peru, Panama, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Ecuador and Uruguay, However, it never broke out to become a mobile hit — something Facebook can’t seem to produce independently these days. In its largest market, Mexico, the app had fewer than 80,000 daily actives on Android, according to App Annie.
PUBG Mobile doubles its lifetime revenue to $3B in 7 months
The game was already one of the most successful on the mobile market before the coronavirus pandemic hit, and an example of consumers’ growing interest in cross-platform gaming. But the resulting impacts of COVID-19 lockdowns and self-quarantines has accelerated consumer spending in this title. According a report from Sensor Tower, the Tencent-backed game doubled its lifetime revenue in just over seven months to more than $3 billion globally, including the combined player spending from Game For Peace, the title’s Chinese localization, and global revenue for PUBG Mobile. So far in 2020, the two game reached $1.3B with revenue peaking a $270M in March during the height of coronavirus lockdowns.
Industry insiders don’t think the coronavirus bump is something that will drop when lockdowns are over. Rather it pushed the industry — be it gaming, streaming, ecommerce or anything else — to reach certain milestones faster than anticipated.
WhatsApp’s update adds QR codes, animated stickers, and more
WhatsApp’s messaging app got a handy little upgrade this week, with the addition of new animated sticker packs, dark mode support for web and desktop, improvements to group video calls, and, QR codes. The latter has been a popular way for messaging app users to connect — new friends can scan each other’s QR code to add them to WhatsApp’s contacts — but had yet to be offered.
Google removes 25 malicious Android apps
Google’s policing of its Play Store still leaves a lot to be desired. This week, the company removed 25 malicious Android applications that were caught stealing Facebook credentials from their users, ZDNet reported. The apps had posed as step counters, image editors, video editors, wallpaper apps, flashlight applications, file managers, and mobile games. The apps worked but contained malicious code. Together, the apps had 2.34 million downloads.
Facebook kills its experimental Pinterest rival
Facebook’s recently launched app, Hobbi, an experiment in short-form content creation around personal projects, hobbies and other Pinterest-y content, is already shutting down. The app first arrived on iOS in February as one of now several launches from Facebook’s internal R&D group, the NPE Team. Hobbi users have been notified by way of push notification that the app is shutting down on July 10, 2020. In the few months it’s been live on the U.S. App Store, Hobbi only gained 7,000 downloads, according to estimates from Sensor Tower. Apptopia also reported the app had under 10,000 downloads and saw minimal gains during May and June.
Global app revenue jumped to $50B in the first half of 2020, due to COVID impacts
Consumer spending on mobile apps and app installs grew significantly during the first half of 2020, in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new data from Sensor Tower. In the first half of the year, consumers spent $50.1 billion worldwide across the App Store and Google Play — a figure that’s up 23.4% from the first half of 2019. Previously, revenue had grown 20% between the first half of 2018 and 2019, for comparison. In addition, first-time app installs were up 26.1% year-over-year in the first half of 2020 to reach 71.5 billion downloads.
Apple’s App Store accounted for 18.3 billion of those downloads, up 22.8% year-over-year, while Google Play delivered 53.2 billion new app installs, up 27.3%. You can read a fuller analysis of H1 2020 trends here.
- Developers reveal the good and bad of WWDC 2020 going online, developer feedback via William Gallagher, Appleinsider
- Some Thoughts on Hey (Basecamp’s Hey may have won a battle with Apple, but is the app actually working paying for?), review via M.G. Siegler, 500ish
- The Modern Mobile App Needs a Revamp, analysis via Lucas Matney, TechCrunch
Funding and M&A
- Chinese online learning app Zuoyebang raises $750M. U.S. investment firm Tiger Global and Hong Kong-based private equity firm FountainVest Partners led the six-year-old startup’s Series E. The app offers online courses, runs live lessons, and allows students to take a picture of a problem, then upload it to the app and get its solution.
- OurPeople, a team communication and engagement platform for deskless workers, raises $2M. Leading the round is Alpine Meridian, an investment firm that specialises in digital media, e-commerce and healthcare, and entrepreneur Robert Neveu.
- Live broadcasting platform Caffeine raises $113M in Series D funding round. The service runs online and on iOS and Android.
- Dish and Boost Mobile’s merger completes, allowing Dish to enter the consumer wireless market and compete against Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. (Disclosure: Verizon owns TechCrunch.)
- SciPlay acquires Israeli game developer Come2Play for undisclosed sum (h/t Apptopia)
- GAMEE acquired by Animoca Brands, a family of various global gaming companies (h/t Apptopia)
Apple’s Design Awards were announced this week, instead of during the week of WWDC as usual. Big winners leveraged Apple Pencil, spatial audio, CoreML and Metal 2 technologies among other things. All apps are worth a download, if only to see where Apple’s favor currently lies.
- Photo and video editor Darkroom
- Animation app Looom
- CAD editor Shapr3D
- Sheet music app StaffPad
- Mobile game Sayonara Wild Hearts
- Social quest game Sky: Children of the Light
- Nonlinear puzzler game Song of Bloom
- Mobile adventure game Where Cards Fall


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Samsung Galaxy Note but don't want to wait for it to hit AT&T or pay the outrageous price the international version is selling for, BLU Studio has you covered. Available now is their Note-challenging 5.3" Android 2.3 Gingerbread powered smartphone with a huge 2,500 mAh battery. The rest of the specs might not match the Note -- but the price doesn't either.
DROID 4 just announced Verizon looks ready to start clearing the shelves of the older 3G version because they are now offering it at a great price.
HTC Amaze 4G, which will be reduced from $229.99 to just $49.99.
an awesome sale for the holiday season, wherein hundreds of thousands of albums and individual tracks were priced at half off. Though the promotion was marked as a limited time offer when it began in mid-December. Hark, but Christmas has come and gone, and the sale doesn't seem to be going anywhere. What are you waiting for? Go buy music now, because it isn't any cheaper anywhere else, and it might not be so for long.
Gameloft is poised to take advantage of new potential users, one dollar at a time. The company is putting all of its Android games on sale this weekend to celebrate New Years. You read that right, folks: all of them. Every last Gameloft game, no more than 99¢.
great music deals in since its initial launch, and now they're offering one of the largest yet: Over half a million albums for $4.99 and over teem million tracks for 49¢. The music includes latest chart toppers from LMFAO to older legendary hits from Stevie Wonder. However, you won't find Sony albums or artist hub tracks in the sale.


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It's time to plan your 2020 choice: Aeroplan or Air Canada's new loyalty program?
'Start using up those miles because we don't know what the future holds,' says expert
Air Canada and the popular Aeroplan loyalty program are breaking up in 2020. For now, nothing changes and your miles are safe.
But that doesn't necessarily mean you should put your seat back and relax. You may want to consider making some strategic moves and decide where your loyalties lie.
"You need to start getting an idea, planning what you're going to do for the future," says rewards expert Patrick Sojka.
Come June 30, 2020, Air Canada is launching its own loyalty program. From that date forward, passengers earning miles by flying Air Canada will only be able to use them in the airline's program.
According to Air Canada's website, Aeroplan members should still be able to redeem separate miles earned in that program for Air Canada flights. However, they won't be able to use Aeroplan points for flights with the airline's rewards partners including Lufthansa, United, and Air China.
So if you're aiming to redeem points for a seat on a partner airline, you may want to plan ahead, says Sojka, of Calgary-based resource site Rewards Canada.
"Now's the time to start using up those miles because we don't know what the future holds."
Where do your loyalties lie?
Many of the details about Air Canada's new program and what Aeroplan will do in response are still up in the air. But some members have already started making plans and even choosing sides.
Ottawa-based travel blogger Anshul Singh plans to burn through his remaining Aeroplan points and convert to Air Canada's loyalty program.
"I'm just counting down to 2020 to hear more about this new program and switch over," says the frequent flyer.
Singh hopes Air Canada will offer members more flight options.
"Air Canada will have complete control over the inventory and how many flights they can release," he says. "If it's done right, Air Canada can really hit a home run with this one."
Singh also uses a TD Aeroplan rewards credit card to earn points, but he says that won't deter him from switching. That's because he believes Air Canada will partner with a bank to offer a rewards credit card.
"I may have to let go of my TD card," says Singh
Sticking with Aeroplan
Gobinder Brar in Brampton, Ont., has also chosen sides: He plans to stick with Aeroplan — as long as he can still get his money's worth.
"My main concern is that my points don't get devalued, because I have a lot and I need to spend them," says Brar.
The software consultant used to travel a lot for work and has stockpiled a whopping 300,000 Aeroplan points.
Now he often redeems his miles for gift cards at retailers like Costco. Besides flights, Aeroplan offers an array of merchandise rewards.
"I do like the fact I can get more variety of stuff with my points," he says.
Brar mainly collects his miles not by flying but by getting gas at Esso — a partnering retailer with Aeroplan. Now that Air Canada is leaving the nest, Brar hopes that Aeroplan may sign up more retailers.
"If Aeroplan would go out and offer the ability to accumulate miles at more places, that would definitely be a benefit," he says.
Taking the best offer
Because Air Canada miles and Aeroplan miles apparently won't be transferable, some people may decide to pledge allegiance to both programs.
Aeroplan member Len Dvorkin believes it's smarter to stick with one, although he hasn't made up his mind which way he'll go.
"I see myself focusing on which one is best," says Dvorkin
He has just cashed in more than 200,000 Aeroplan miles for a trip to Europe with his wife. It involves multiple stops and two partner carriers — Lufthansa and Polish Airlines — to make all his destinations.
But Dvorkin isn't too concerned about Air Canada's claim that Aeroplan members won't be able to access partner airlines come 2020.
"I'm not panicking about that one because they will fix it. It is too important a feature," says Dvorkin who lives in Thornhill, Ont.
Aimia, the parent company of Aeroplan, told CBC News that it's already considering new partners, although it did not specify which ones.
"We are very confident we'll have alternative ways for members to use their miles," said Aimia's group chief executive, David Johnston.
He added that with five million active members buying up around $700 million worth of airline seats every year, it shouldn't be difficult for Aeroplan to make new friends.
"There's a very attractive membership base for other companies to want to partner with us."
Still time for a deal?
Dvorkin also isn't convinced that in 2020 he won't be able to combine his Aeroplan miles with miles earned by flying Air Canada. "I wouldn't be surprised," he says if Air Canada and Aeroplan reach some kind of agreement.
He hopes that with increased competition, either Air Canada or Aeroplan might lower some of the fees for booking a flight using miles.
In 2014, CBC News interviewed Dvorkin after he got stuck paying $2,565 in added charges when using Aeroplan points for three round-trip Air Canada tickets from Toronto to Milan.
"Maybe there will be a little bit of healthy competition for our attention," he says.


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The pullback in the share prices of Canadian marijuana stocks has investors wondering which pot companies might be attractive to buy right now.
Cronos just released its latest quarterly results. Revenue for the three months ending September 30 came in at $3.8 million compared to $1.3 million in the same period last year. The company sold 514 kg of cannabis compared to 164 kg in Q3 2017.
The rise is attributed to increased production and growing shipments to both the Canadian and international medical marijuana markets, as well as the initial supplies sent to the Canadian provinces ahead of the opening of the recreational adult-use cannabis market. Cronos has supply agreements with Ontario, British Columbia, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia.
Cronos recently complete the construction of a 286,000-square-foot production facility, and the first round of cultivation is expected by the end of 2018. In addition, the company is planning to build a new 850,000-square-foot greenhouse in Kingsville, Ontario. The site will eventually produce 70,000 kg of cannabis per year.
Once the new facilities are in full production, Cronos expects to expand its portfolio of supply agreements to include additional provinces.
Cronos is planning to disrupt the young cannabis market through innovative research and development. The company has a partnership with Ginko Bioworks that will see the two companies produce cannabinoids in a lab setting that will replicate those that are currently taken from the plants. The initial focus is on eight specific cannabinoids that would have significant commercial value for pharmaceutical or consumable applications.
The goal is to bypass the need to spend on expensive cultivation and extraction facilities.
In addition, Cronos recently announced a sponsored research agreement with the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. The goal is the study the potential benefits of using cannabinoids for treatment of skin disorders. The pre-clinical studies will take place over the next three years.
Cronos has launched a new joint venture in Colombia. The partnership, named NatuEra, will develop, cultivate, and export cannabis-based medical and consumer products for Latin America.
Should you buy?
Cronos has traded in a range of $4-20 per share over the past year. The recent drop in the market brought the stock down from the highs to the current price of $10.80. That puts the market capitalization at roughly 1.9 billion.
Based on the company’s existing revenue stream, the stock is very expensive, so investors have to believe Cronos will get its new facilities up and running as expected and secure the necessary supply agreements.
The partnership with Ginko Bioworks is worth watching. If the companies are able to meet their goals of producing large volumes of cannabinoids in the lab environment, there could be significant upside potential for the stock.
At this point, however, I would keep any new investment small, given the early stages of the research agreements.
Some pundits speculate Cronos could become a takeover target, as the industry continues to consolidate, but betting on a big premium over the current stock price would be risky.
If you are not comfortable with the cannabis stock valuations, other disruptor opportunities are emerging in the market today.


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The Camera Bag: Leica M9 made out of Lego
posted Monday, October 1, 2012 at 1:49 PM EDT
Artist Chris McVeigh (aka powerpig) has made this super cool Leica M9 replica entirely out of Lego pieces.
According to McVeigh, his Lego Leica M9 was inspired by a "stunning" Leica M8 Lego replica made by artist H.Y. Leung (aka Mr.Attacki) earlier this year.
"In order to prevent any sort of duplication of his build, I purposely avoided referencing his photos during the development of my M9," McVeigh wrote on Flickr.
"Happily, my build would go in a slightly different direction. The M9 I patterned my build on has soft brown body and a different lens, which gives it a distinctly different look."
(Via Leica Rumors)


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The European Union has filed antitrust charges against Amazon, accusing the online retail giant of using business data to gain an unfair advantage over merchants operating on its platform. The charges follow a two-year investigation into Amazon’s dual role as a marketplace as well as a vendor, competing with other companies that are also using its platform.
Amazon founder and chief executive Jeff Bezos said on Wednesday from New Delhi that his e-commerce behemoth will invest $1 billion to bring small and medium businesses in India online. He also pledged that his company will export $10 billion worth of “Made In India” goods by 2025. The news—which was announced during Amazon Smbhav, a two-day summit aimed at bringing business owners together—was met with applause.
Amazon will no longer build its additional headquarters in New York City. The decision announced Thursday comes after an outcry from local politicians, union leaders and community organizers who had organized weeks of protests against massive financial breaks promised to Amazon, one of the world’s most valuable companies. It is also a big reversal of its much-hyped decision to build the campus in Queens after a highly publicized nationwide search that lasted over a year. Amazon said it will not search for a new location for another HQ to replace New York City.
Amazon is defending its facial recognition technology after the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) says it reads ‘like a user manual for authoritarian surveillance.’ Amazon originally pitched the technology to law enforcement agencies to aid criminal investigators by recognizing suspects in photos and videos. The ACLU claims the technology ‘poses a grave threat’ to privacy.
Amazon sales soared over the Christmas season, rising 21% from the previous year, in sharp contrast to weakness reported by other retailers. The e-commerce juggernaut said it earned $87bn in sales in the last three months of 2019, well ahead of analyst expectations. The news sent the firm’s share price up more than 10% in after-hours trade. If prices hold it would return Amazon’s market valuation to above $1tn, joining Microsoft, Apple and Google.
The world’s richest couple revealed the terms of their divorce on Thursday as Jeff and McKenzie Bezos – seen as the “parents” of the global online retail giant and media company Amazon – wrapped up their painful split. MacKenzie, now the ex-wife of Amazon’s founder and chief executive officer Jeff, will give 75% of their stake in the company and all voting rights to the billionaire entrepreneur. Jeff and MacKenzie’s total stake in Amazon of $143bn had made them the richest couple in the world.
Amazon announced on Thursday its plan to buy online pharmacy PillPack in a move into the healthcare industry. The announcement caused the stocks of other pharmacy chains to tumble. Amazon is looking to expand its Delivery Service Partners program by allowing small business owners to build their own company with up to 40 delivery vehicles.
An investigation has opened after gold miners allegedly murdered uncontacted members of an Amazonian tribe after some heard the miners bragging about the killings in a bar. The attack allegedly happened last month, and if reports come back true, would mean 1/5th of the entire tribe have been killed.
Amazon is planning to charge $2.8million for advertising packages which include 30-second spots during their stream of the NFL games. Amazon reportedly paid a whopping $50million for the rights to stream this season’s 10 Thursday night games, overtaking Twitter who paid $10million last year. Live streamed games will only be available to Amazon Prime subscribers.


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Rabbit Advocacy Animal Matters
Canadian Cattle, Sheep and Goat Producers Gain Market Access to Philippines
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Ottawa, Ontario, January 24, 2012– Canadian cattle, sheep and goat producers will benefit from new access to yet another international market. Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and International Trade Minister Ed Fast announced today that the Government of Canada has secured live ruminant market access to the Philippines.
"The Philippines’ market is now open for Canadian exports of live cattle, sheep and goats," said Minister Ritz. "Step by step, market by market, the Harper Government is working closely with industry to increase market access for Canada’s safe, high quality products, in turn driving profitability for our producers and growing our economy."
"Canada welcomes this decision by the Philippines. This is yet another win for Canadian workers and producers and their families," said Minister Fast. "Our government understands the importance for our farmers and producers to gain access to new markets. We will continue to work on their behalf because we know that free and open trade is the best way to create jobs and prosperity for hardworking Canadians."
The Philippines imports $9 million annually worth of cattle and nearly $300, 000 of sheep and goats. Canadian producers now have the ability to compete for sales in this market. This new market access further strengthens the trade relationship between Canada and the Philippines. The Philippines is an important commercial market for Canada, importing more than $235 million worth of Canadian agricultural and agri-food products in 2010.
Following the announcement made last week that Canadian beef under 30 months of age can re-enter the South Korean market, today’s announcement demonstrates the continued efforts of the Harper Government to diversify international markets and maximize trade opportunities for the benefit of Canadian producers.
Comment: Our morally bankrupt government considers this an economic coup.
October 15, 2018 Government of Canada secures new access in key ASEAN markets
“Canada is building strong markets around the world which will benefit our farmers and food processors. These recent market access gains are setting the stage for deeper bilateral economic relations between Canada and the ASEAN region, and will contribute to our government’s goal of reaching $75 billion in agri-food exports by 2025.” - Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
November 23, 2018 Canada Has Long Exported Animal Cruelty By The Millions (excerpt)
The transportation of farmed animals over long distances, most frequently by ship, has received significant scrutiny from animal advocacy organizations and society in general since the first evidence of what animals endure during the journey began appearing in 2003.
In response to growing public concern and scrutiny, some of the largest exporting countries have ended the practice, sometimes temporarily, sometimes permanently. New Zealand effectively banned live export for the purpose of slaughter in 2007 after it was exposed that 4,000 sheep died on a ship bound for Saudi Arabia some years earlier.
Australian authorities have temporarily suspended live exports to a number of countries, including Saudi Arabia in 2003, Egypt in 2006, Indonesia in 2011, Gaza in 2013, Jordan in 2014, and specific facilities in Vietnam in 2016. Each suspension followed the release of footage showing inhumane transport conditions or horrific abuse in slaughterhouses upon arrival at the country of destination.
Although less widely known, Canada is one of the world's leading exporters of live animals and animal products. In 2014, Canada was the world's fifth-largest exporter of agriculture and agri-foods. Last year alone, Canada exported over 24 million live animals. Chicks and turkey poults accounted for the vast majority at over 17 million, with other young animals, such as calves and piglets, also intended for fattening, generally in the US, accounting for another nearly five million. The remaining two million animals endured the longest journeys, travelling thousands of kilometres by ship or cargo plane to countries where few to no animal welfare regulations exist.
Not included in this already staggering statistic are the nearly 40 million fertilized eggs of various species exported by Canada. Information on what becomes of these birds seems particularly elusive, but may include a delicacy called balut, whereby a bird embryo (usually a duck) close to hatching is boiled alive and eaten from the shell.
And the numbers continue to rise. The Canadian government announced in its 2017 budget its intention to increase overall agricultural exports by 40 per cent by 2025. Along with animal products, the goal includes expanding the number of live animals exported. Canadian politicians and industry leaders are particularly keen on expanding market shares in China. The agricultural press excitedly covers trade mission after trade mission with industry representatives joining federal ministers on expensive trips abroad. Just last week, the chair of Canadian Pork International accompanied Federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Lawrence MacAulay on a 10-day trade mission to China.
Comment: Canada’s federal government routinely sacrifices animal welfare and bows to industry in its relentless pursuit of profit. Meanwhile, the inhumane treatment of farm animals is resonating with ordinary Canadians, many of whom have and are modifying their diets to reflect their moral values.
Ban Live Export - Animals International Every day, right across the world, vulnerable animals are enduring dangerous journeys on trucks and on ships, just to be killed for their meat — often horrifically — at their destination.
Visit our Facebook page, Canadians Against Live Export
Canadian Meat Council: exports, consumption, and other news
Take action - For the current status of Canadian politicians see: Members of Parliament, Canada


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Discounts dwindle as cruise line outlook improves - CEOs
Strong advance bookings so far this year
The world's biggest cruise lines have seen strong advance bookings so far this year and are paring away discounts that lured passengers aboard during the global economic crisis, their chief executive officers have said.
But none expected an immediate return to the revenue yields they enjoyed before the crash.
And while new ship orders have resumed after a record 20-month drought, the chief executive officers expected the pace of new shipbuilding to remain slow for the next couple of years.
The mood at the annual Cruise Shipping Miami Conference was decidedly brighter than it was in 2009, a year Norwegian Cruise Line chief executive officer Keven Sheehan described as "scary".
"We're seeing solid signs of recovery, albeit one that will play out over the next couple of years," said Sheehan, whose line is jointly owned by two US private equity firms, Apollo Management and TPG, and by Genting Hong Kong Ltd, which was formerly known as Star Cruises Limited.
Major lines cut ticket prices by 10 per cent to 20 per cent last year as consumers kept purse strings tight.
That lured vacationers aboard and filled the ships with 13.4 million passengers, up by 430,000 passengers from 2008, according to the Cruise Lines International Association.
But net yields, a measure of revenue generated per bed per day, were down 16 per cent during the first nine months of 2009, before starting to rebound at the end of the year.
Several CEOs said they had seen strong advance bookings during the crucial January-March "wave season", which is when many travellers start planning vacations and is traditionally the industry's busiest booking period.
Bookings were solid enough for some of the big players to raise rates. Carnival Cruise Lines, the flagship line for No.1 cruise company Carnival Corp. is raising rates by up to five per cent for summer sailings, effective March 22.
Norwegian, the No. 3 cruise company, is raising prices by up to seven per cent fleetwide, effective April 2. It said it had seen an unprecedented year-to-date increase in booking volume in January and February, driven in part by interest in its new mega-ship Norwegian Epic, which is due to debut in June.
"We think the market is going to recover pricing," said Carnival Cruise Lines chief executive officer Gerald Cahill.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, the No. 2 cruise company by market share, expects net yields to rise three per cent to six per cent this year compared with 2009.
But Richard Sasso, chief executive officer of Italian-based MSC Cruises, was the only one on the CEO panel who would go out on a limb to estimate when net yields might return to pre-meltdown levels. MSC expects that to happen in six months, he said.
Mr Sheehan said the stock market seemed to have regained confidence in cruising, noting that share prices were up by 100 per cent or more for his rivals, Carnival and Royal Caribbean, compared with a year ago.
"We should all feel a sense of cautious optimism that the industry is being looked upon so favourably," he added.
New ship orders have begun to trickle in again, although the CEOs expect their fleets to expand at a slower pace than in recent years as they struggle to absorb capacity now coming on line.
More than 20 new ships were ordered between 2006 and April 2008, when orders screeched to a halt.
The unprecedented 20-month drought ended in December when Carnival ordered a new ship, then signed memoranda for three more as the economy began to improve and European shipbuilders lowered rates.
But the ships ordered before the crash are still arriving, boosting supply as the cruise lines try to rebuild prices. Fourteen new ships were launched in 2009, boosting capacity by more than 20,000 berths.
"It probably means that we will expand our capacity at a little bit slower rate than we have historically," Mr Cahill said.
Carnival Corp., which averaged five to six new ships a year among its 11 lines for 2008 to 2010, expects to add only two to three a year for the next two years.
"Further new builds are going to continue and I think that's very important because new builds are where the new ideas in the industry come out, but they're going to be at a more measured pace," remarked Mr Cahill.
In the meantime, the CEOs said, look for older ships to be refurbished to better compete with newer ships that come decked out with amusements such as baseball batting cages, ice skating rinks, zip lines, bowling alleys and high-end spas.