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A Fifth-Grade Student Gives A Marketing Idea To Tesla Boss Elon Musk On Twitter, And He Loves it!
Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk is quite active on Twitter. From informing about what Tesla is currently working on to updates on SpaceX, Musk shares everything on Twitter. This time it was not Musk who shared an idea, but a fifth-grade student, Bria Loveday, who wrote to Musk suggesting an idea to his company Tesla. Her letter was posted on Twitter by her father Steven. And to much surprise, Musk seemed to be elated with the proposal sent via a letter.
"I have noticed that you do not advertise, but many people make homemade commercials for Tesla and some of them are very good, they look professional and they are entertaining. So, I think that you should run a competition on who can make the best homemade Tesla commercial and the winners will get their commercial aired. The cool part is that you still won't be taking the time and money to advertise for yourself," read a part of the letter Tweeted out to Musk by Bria's dad Steven.
@elonmusk Elon, my daughter wrote you a letter for a school project. She mailed it to Tesla, but I figured I'd paste here. Thank you! pic.twitter.com/ntGEL9WCh3— Steven (@Writer_StevenL) March 2, 2017
On Wednesday, Musk made an announcement on the social media responding to the letter -- Tesla will now hold a contest for home-made advertisements.
Thank you for the lovely letter. That sounds like a great idea. We'll do it! https://t.co/ss2WmkOGyk— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 2, 2017
Bria, who aspires to be a politician, wrote in the letter Tesla cars are the “best thing” she has even seen and she wishes to drive one someday.
Bria, in her letter, suggested that the winners might just get a "year of free Supercharging" or a "Model 3 Easter egg".
Tesla’s aversion to marketing
Musk agreeing to the campaign comes as a surprise as he has shunned spending money on advertisement for Tesla cars. A report by Global Equities Research points out that Tesla spends just $6 per car on advertising. Not surprisingly, makers of luxury cars spend the most on advertising. “For every Jaguar that finds a buyer, parent company Tata Motors spends $3,325. Lincoln shells out $2,550 on advertising for every car it sells”, says the report.
Global Securities analyst, Trip Chowdhary, estimated that Tesla spends even less at $6 per vehicle. The report quotes Chowdhary as saying, “Tesla power and leverage is unprecedented. $6 of Ad Spent per Vehicle for the product generating more than $8 Billion in revenues and more than $14 Billion in bookings is unheard of in the Industry.”
Now that Musk has agreed to hold a marketing competition for homemade videos, let’s all just start filming. Who knows we might end up winning a brand-new Tesla car.
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New Delhi: Google on Thursday introduced a brand new India-first characteristic on Maps the place customers can entry their present location to seek out the Plus Codes handle for his or her dwelling. Plus Codes are free, open-sourced, digital addresses that present easy and correct addresses for anyplace on Earth, together with for locations that do not have correct formal addresses. Google Sued for Deceptive Collection of Location Data on Android Devices.
“We piloted this characteristic in India a month in the past, and are thrilled to share that over 300,000 customers in India have already discovered their dwelling’s handle utilizing Plus Codes. We’re wanting ahead to increasing to extra varieties of locations,” Amanda Bishop, Product Supervisor, Google Maps stated in a press release.
Since its launch in 2018, Plus Codes have been adopted at scale by NGOs in India and governments because it serves the addressing wants of thousands and thousands of individuals. As a substitute of road and locality names, Plus Codes are based mostly on latitude and longitude and are displayed as a brief sequence of numbers and letters, offering accuracy proper as much as the doorstep, the model claims.
When saving a ‘Residence’ location on Google Maps, customers in India will see a brand new ‘Use your present location’ that makes use of their cellphone’s location to generate a Plus Code (if the placement precision meets minimal thresholds,) which they will then use as their Residence handle.
There may be additionally a brand new part on the prime of the “Saved” tab to make it simpler to retrieve, copy, and share these dwelling addresses. The characteristic is at the moment accessible on Android solely, with iOS to observe quickly.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 28, 2022 10:03 AM IST. For extra information and updates on politics, world, sports activities, leisure and life-style, go browsing to our web site latestly.com).

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Sales of Volkswagen models dropped 4.6 percent in China to 2.63 million units in 2015. Audi sales edged down 1.4 percent to 570,000 units.
However, its luxury cars continued to post strong growth. Porsche sales went up 23.6 percent to 58,000 units during the same period, while Lamborghini sold 17.8 percent more to 278 units.
Total auto sales, including vehicles made by Volkswagen’s two joint ventures with SAIC Motor and China FAW Group and those imported to China, stood at 3.55 million units for 2015, slightly down from 3.68 million a year ago.
Jochem Heizmann, CEO of Volkswagen China, said that the automaker’s future China business will focus on sport utility vehicles, electric cars and smart connectivity.
The automaker also plans to offer 21 different models for the Chinese market. Enditem


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Just when Hyosung started its party, Bajaj Auto has decided to crash it. The Pune based automaker Kawasaki is all set to get the bigger Ninja in India very soon. Kawasaki, Japan’s fourth largest two-wheeler maker will launch the New Ninja 650 in May-June. The company has launched a teaser on the website. Which say’s “What is bigger than a Ninja 250R” and “Green gets bigger very soon”.
The company has initiated a short teaser website for the upcoming Ninja 650R.Kawasaki Ninja 650R come with parallel-twin light weight, DOHC liquid-cooled engine with a powerful 649cc engine that generates around 70bhp of power and can reach a top speed of 200kmph.
Kawasaki Ninja 650R will be assembled at its Chakan plant and will be sold at the Bajaj Probiking showroom once it is launched in India. Check out the teaser website: Kawasaki Ninja 650
Video of Kawasaki Ninja 650R –
Also see – Kawasaki Ninja 650R to launch in India by June this year


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Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice reportedly has been rated for Xbox One by Taiwan's Game Software Ratings board.
The listing (first spotted by Reddit user kokokko416) shows an "unlisted" release date for the unconfirmed port, as well as its potential box art.
IGN has reached out to Ninja Theory for comment on whether the 2017 game could be coming to Xbox One.
While an Xbox One port hasn't officially been announced, the same ratings board previously outed several other games ahead of their reveals, including BioShock: The Collection and Rocket League for Xbox One.
Hellblade, which recently won a DICE award for Outstanding Achievement in Character, was initially released last August on PlayStation 4 and PC. IGN's Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice review called it a "masterclass of atmosphere, storytelling, and the marriage of mechanical and conceptual design."
Jordan is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter @jdsirani.


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Home-delivery cannabis operation another step closer to state licensing
Following impassioned pleas to expedite the approval process from Aaron and Janelle Goines, who aspire to launch a cannabis business referred to as The Emerald Turtle, the Board of Selectmen voted to authorize the negotiation of a marijuana host community agreement.
With plans to operate out of a location at 10 Little Brook Rd., the Goines’ would cultivate marijuana, manufacture a variety of cannabis products — and deliver those products directly to customers.
At a community outreach meeting in February, Blake Mensing, legal counsel for Emerald Turtle Cove Management, explained that the Goines plan to apply for three licenses from the state Cannabis Control Commission: a wholesale delivery model license, a cultivation license and a product manufacturing license.
The delivery license was newly created by the commission and, for the next three years, made exclusively available to economic empowerment applicants and social equity program participants such as Aaron and Janelle Goines.
The social equity program was designed to benefit disproportionately harmed people, whom the state described as “those most impacted by the War on Drugs, marijuana prohibition, disproportionate arrests and incarceration.” Similarly, the economic empowerment priority application review was available to those whose business practices promote “economic empowerment in disproportionately impacted communities.” Wareham is one of those disproportionately impacted communities.
Before they can apply for Cannabis Control Commission licenses and make use of the exclusivity period established for applicants such as the Goines’, however, the town must negotiate the state-required host community agreement with The Emerald Turtle.
“This has been a long and arduous journey to go through,” Aaron Goines said. “My wife and I were instrumental in the actual design of the delivery operator license. [...] We are part of a movement in this community.”
He continued, noting that the three-year exclusivity period is a limited-time opportunity for he and Janelle to get their business off the ground. He said that Middleboro, Wareham’s “next door neighbor” has already cleared a path for three of these delivery operators to move forward, which will allow those other operators to launch before the Goines’ can establish their business.
“This is very critical, right now, that this has to be expedited as much as possible under your powers. We are trying to be partners with the town of Wareham. [...] We are ready to operate the second that we are able to get an HCA [...] with you guys, because we need to optimize every single day of the exclusivity period, which will benefit us, everybody that works for us — and will benefit the taxpayers of this town.
“So I beg of you as somebody who has paid out of pocket for this building, we need to get this delivery license up and running in Wareham ASAP because Middleboro right next door is going to come in. It’s going to be an all-out assault taking tax revenues from this town that should be for [Wareham].”
Further delays would be detrimental to the business’ prospects, Aaron said.
“We’re now a year into this,” he said. “I am speaking to you as somebody that cannot continue to keep paying out of pocket. People go bankrupt before they get a chance to get in this business — and it starts at a town level. So, please, let us go to work for you, for the town, for the residents.”
His request, in a nutshell, was simple: “I beg of you guys. [...] Whatever you can do in your power, please speed this up.”
Janelle Goines also asked the board to approve the negotiation of all three aspects of the business cultivation, manufacturing and delivery.
“Holding us off from negotiating it is just prolonging our process, because we have to come back to you with what is negotiated and it has to be approved, regardless, so why are we being stopped from negotiation?”
After a somewhat heated discussion, the board approved the negotiation of a host community agreement for all aspects of the business.
Part of the board members’ initial hesitation to approve negotiations was the ongoing and as yet unresolved debate about whether or not the town should limit the number of marijuana delivery operators in Wareham — and, if limited, what the number should be limited to.
Selectman Patrick Tropeano said he didn’t like the “whole idea of delivery at all,” but he acknowledged some delivery of cannabis products was inevitable under state regulations. He said he thought it was important to put regulations in place limiting the number of delivery operators in place before negotiating a host community agreement with the Goines.
“I can see us negotiating the first couple parts, but not the delivery yet,” Tropeano said.
Selectman Peter Teitelbaum noted that there is an article being considered for a vote at the Annual Spring Town Meeting currently scheduled for May 8 that would limit the number of delivery operators to three.
Attorney Mensing pointed out that the host community agreement would be the “springboard” to apply for the state licensing, and asked the board to approve the negotiation of the host community agreement.
Selectman Alan Slavin expressed sympathy for the business owners and supported the move to authorize the negotiation of a host community agreement for the cultivation, manufacturing and delivery aspects of the Goines’ planned business.
“I apologize for how long this is taking, Aaron,” he said. “Hopefully, we’ll get this done.”
The board voted 4-0-1 to authorize the negotiation of the host community agreement for cultivation, manufacturing and delivery — contingent on the issue of Wareham cannabis delivery operator restrictions being resolved. Selectman Judith Whiteside was the lone “present” vote.
In the weeks to come, Town Administrator Derek Sullivan and Director of Planning Ken Buckland will negotiate the host community agreement and potential community impact fee. When reached, the agreement will come before the Board of Selectmen again for approval.


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|JM Javelosa |||Dec 04, 2015 12:26 AM EST|
In 2008, Edison Chen's name became synomous to tawdry scandal after numerous, compromising photos were leaked of himself with numerous high-profile celebrities engaging in sexual acts.
The leaked photos, which featured the likes of Cecilia Cheung, Bobo Chan, Rachel Ngan and Gillian Chung, prompted the untimely retirement of the popular Hong Kong hip hop artist and actor from the industry.
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Since then, the former star has been keeping himself busy with various business ventures, including his own brand, CLOT.
In the last couple of years, however, Edison's familiar face has been seen gracing the screen once again, albeit briefly, and has released a few albums.
Most recently, the 35-year old subject of what is arguably one of Asia's biggest scandals was the center of a three-part miniseries called Being EDC for Vice China, which documented his story.
Among the more pivotal scenes, Edison can be seen looking back at the impact that his 2008 photo scandal caused numerous prominent women in the showbiz industry after the scandalous images were leaked by the computer shop that repaired his laptop.
Edison shares how his personal life was dragged through the mud and recalls how he inadvertently lost "thousands of friends that I could count on" who, after the incident, "wanted nothing to do with me anymore."
Despite the challenges of that period, Edison believes that it also lent himself to build character, allowing him to grow his business ventures that reportedly now make more than $10 million dollars annually.
As for whether or not Edison would change anything about his past if he could, the star says that he "wouldn't change a thing," citing that he is, in fact, "very happy today."
©2015 Chinatopix All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission
China's former Chief of the Ministry of Public Security, Zhou Yongkang, has been given a life sentence after he was found guilty of abusing his office, bribery and deliberately ... Full Article
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Microsoft Surface Pro 5 Rumors and Release Date: What is the Latest?


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Today, 70 percent of undergrads and 96 percent of graduate students have at least one credit card in their own name, and few know how to properly manage their accounts, according to a study entitled Financial Literacy and Credit Cards: A Multi Campus Survey, published in the International Journal of Business and Social Science. About 36 percent of college kids have two or more credit cards in their name.
Just 9.4 percent of those polled said they pay their balances off in full at the end of every month, and very few actually knew the cost of their accounts, the report said. Only 14.6 percent knew the interest rate on their card, while 24.3 percent and 29.2 percent claimed knowledge of their late payment and over-balance penalty fees, respectively. Altogether, only about 10 percent said they knew all three.
The Credit CARD Act requires consumers under the age of 21 to either obtain an adult co-signer on their account or provide proof they can afford a credit card on their own.


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A new video ad campaign from Bing is designed to educate users about how to spot fake job advertisements.
The campaign was unveiled on Monday by the company, which has been battling an escalating crisis of job ad fraud and fraudulent activity.
It follows a campaign from the advertising company last month that targeted consumers and businesses that advertised on Facebook, LinkedIn and other social media platforms.
The new campaign was first launched by Bing on the Google Search engine, using a combination of video and audio ads to reach a wider audience.
The video adverts are meant to be viewed by the average user, not just advertisers, to highlight the challenges of working in a world that is increasingly digital and digital-centric, said Bing CEO Brad Smith.
“If you’re going to do something online that you feel is a good fit for your audience, you have to be willing to share that,” he said.
The adverts, which are also shown on Google News and on Google Search, feature the Google search engine as the protagonist, with a narrator explaining that “every day, we’re bombarded with a million ads”.
The narrator says that job ads are often targeted to young people, and is then interrupted by a video of a man who says “the world is changing”.
“This guy is just looking for work,” the narrator says.
“He doesn’t have any qualifications, but he’s got this idea he could be a great writer, so he’ll do anything he can to get a job.”
The narrator then shows a picture of the man, who is seen walking past a small coffee shop.
“Weird,” the video says, adding: “It’s like the world is being run by a bunch of robots.”
The video then shows the man at the coffee shop, which is owned by a young woman who says: “This is just a test run.
This is a test.”
Bing said the video was part of a larger campaign to highlight some of the challenges that people face when they search for work online.
“There’s always a temptation to use these types of ads, to see how many people see them,” said Smith.
“The truth is there are a lot of us who find the work search for jobs and not so many people who are really interested in it.”
It’s not just people who find jobs on the internet who are getting into this.
“He said the ads also highlight the need for people to be aware of what they’re buying and the dangers that can be associated with buying the work of people who have no qualifications.”
What we’re really working on right now is really trying to find the best ways to be effective in making people aware of the dangers of using these types.””
We are constantly evolving and constantly evolving our ways of doing things.”
What we’re really working on right now is really trying to find the best ways to be effective in making people aware of the dangers of using these types.
“You need to be vigilant about the risks you’re taking, and the best way to deal with those risks is to have a good understanding of what’s happening.”BING has been under pressure to curb fake job adverts in recent months following a wave of job fraud in Australia, including the arrest of former Australian Federal Police commissioner Neil Gaughan and an investigation by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet into fake job advert sites.
The investigation by a Federal Government taskforce has been linked to an online advertisement scam that saw thousands of Australians fall victim to the scam, including hundreds of children.
The advertising company has since been shut down.


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Two entrepreneurs are tackling Kenya’s biggest road problems: crime and deadly accidents. Carjacking is the most common crime in Kenya, with reports of up to ten carjackings a day. Meanwhile, a report released late last year, cites traffic accidents as the third leading cause of death in the country. The US
In much of East Africa, motorcycles operate as cheap taxis, called boda boda’s. Their drivers cut through clogged streets and narrow alleys avoiding the traffic that burdens cities like Nairobi and Kampala. People take boda boda taxi’s to work, to school, home after a night out, and in Uganda, an enterprising driver runs boda boda tours – sight-seeing and safaris from the back seat of a motorcycle. In the 1960s and 70s, they became well known as an inexpensive way to make the journey from Kenya to its eastern border with Uganda. The motorcycles earned the nickname boda boda, slang for border-border. In Kenya, most hospitals have dedicated entire wards to treating boda boda drivers and passengers. In the capitol city, Nairobi, some of the worst traffic jams can take an hour to travel one mile. Nairobi’s streets are even more clogged by a rise in food delivery drivers responding to an increased appetite for pizza, cupcakes and other western indulgences. Who better to design solutions to local problems than two young Kenyan entrepreneurs?
After Charles Muchene graduated with a degree in electrical engineering, he came up with a winning idea to reduce traffic accidents, particularly for boda boda drivers. Muchene’s CladLight is a vest hardwired and fitted with blinking arrow lights on the back, signaling a driver’s intent to turn left, right, or brake. The lights are activated in sync with the vehicle’s indicator system, responding to the driver’s engagement of the lever. Muchene won a place at Nailab, a Nairobi incubator, where he spent six months refining his startup idea and prototype. Together with his brother, Muchene invested about $25, 000, in addition to $11, 000 they won in funding. Using those funds, Muchene has been able to order parts from China, and travel to the Netherlands, where he’s found good engineers, and lower production costs than Africa.
The brothers have just been approved for a patent for their CladLight vest in Kenya and are busy applying for patents in other countries. Their upcoming roll out is well timed: the Kenya transportation authority just made it mandatory that every motorcycle sold, must come with two helmets and two visibility vests. Muchene is in talks with dealerships to bundle his vests with motorcycle sales.
Muchene has overcome challenges like making the lights removable, so they can be placed on the back of a large pizza delivery box, which normally restricts visibility, and guaranteeing vests are weatherproof. He now says the possibilities for CladLight, which retails for about $50, are endless.
“The market is big. We’ve had inquiries from all over the world – places that have motorcycles and bicycles, even skaters have approached us. The product has potential for anybody moving along on the road.”
Once they start saturating the local market, Muchene and his brother hope to go global with CladLight.
24-year old Kelvin Macharia’s business was inspired by the rough neighborhood where he grew up, a few hours outside of Nairobi. Crime was a part of everyday life, which convinced him that if he could come up with an innovative product to battle it, he might be on to something. After winning a place at a leadership academy, he founded Sunrise Tracking with just $300 in order to pay his way through University, back in 2012.
“There’s a lot insecurity in Kenya. It’s a national and international concern; so I figured it was sustainable,” Macharia says.
Car tracking is big business in a city where carjacking is the most common type of crime.
Despite competitors in the market, Macharia tapped what the others had overlooked. He created a system, available online and through a mobile app, that alerts the car owner of detailed car movements: when the ignition is turned on, when the battery is being removed, when the door is opened, and other motions.
“I took the existing product and improved on it and made it user-friendly. It’s so obvious; I don’t know why nobody thought of it before. I just saw the need and visualized it and went for it,” Macharia says.
His tracking system serves two purposes: anti-theft and security, as well as fleet management, which attracts corporate clients who want to monitor mileage, operations, speed limits, and even turning sharp corners.
Sunrise Tracking has 40 percent of the market share, and turns over $30-40, 000 per year.


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Cryptocurrency News: According to reports from a Nigerian newspaper, Nigeria is in the process of legalizing Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies to keep up with the growth of the digital market.
The Nigerian newspaper had an interview with the representative of the House of Capital Markets Commissions. He said that if the Investment and Securities Amendment Bill 2007, cryptocurrencies and other digital currencies would be recognized as investment capital.
Also read: What is Chatgpt and why is it popular?
Chairman Bangida Ibrahim of Capital Markets said:
“As I said earlier during the second reading, we need an efficient and vibrant capital market in Nigeria. To do this, we need to be up to date [with] global practices.
Ibrahim, former President of Nigeria, reportedly said:
“It’s not about lifting the ban, we’re looking at the legality: what’s legal and what’s within the scope of our operations in Nigeria.”
He also added that this is not a U-turn on the ban, but a good way to regulate cryptos in the country.
In February 2021, the Nigerian government banned all kind of crypto activity in the country, including trading. The Central Bank of Nigeria has ordered to close the accounts of people in banks who trade digital currencies.
Cryptocurrency News: Reasons to lift the crypto ban
However, CBN later realized that these people were not trading on local accounts. Thus, it is not possible for the bank to follow the trade and ban it altogether. Bitcoin was the most searched word on Google in Nigeria compared to any other country. It only trailed the United States in terms of Bitcoin trading. People have embraced cryptocurrencies more, since it was banned.
Also read: What is physical NFT?
eNaira, CBN has issued this currency as a digital currency for Nigeria. Nevertheless, it has only seen an adoption of 0.50% in the last 12 months. This data shows that people are clearly not interested in it.
According to a study by CoinGecko, in April this year, Nigerians are the most crypto curious people. This could be due to rising inflation and other economic disturbances. In September 2022, Nigerians were also in talks with Binance to make it a crypto-friendly nation and facilitate the movement of digital currencies.
The content presented may include the personal opinion of the author and is subject to market conditions. Do your market research before investing in cryptocurrencies. The author or publication assumes no responsibility for your personal financial loss.


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Push to allow dogs in shops, restaurants and hotels
Dogs could potentially travel in commercial plane cabins from December – and now there’s a push for our four-legged friends to join us in shops, restaurants and hotels as well.
After the possibility of pets being allowed in economy or business class on Australian planes was raised in June, there’s now a push for our four-legged friends to be permitted entry to shops, restaurants and hotels.
Like many things, the Covid-19 pandemic has profoundly shifted people’s relationships with their dogs, veteran dog trainer Heather Northover told the ABC, with prolonged working from home conditions marking a turning point in “responsible dog ownership”.
“It’s helped people bond with their dogs,” Ms Northover, who has spent more than 40 years in the industry, said.
“I hope that it’s a beginning for Australians to adopt more responsible dog ownership and start to enjoy their dogs more and look after them a bit better.
“Ultimately, what I’d like to see is Australia start to move down the same pathways that we see in Europe and America where dogs are really considered part of the family.”
While dogs are Australia’s most popular pet – with more than five million of them across the country – in places like Europe, the UK and the US, “people tend to live with their dogs inside, they go down the street with them, they go to cafes, they stay in hotels with their dogs”, Ms Northover added.
“Here in Australia, that doesn’t happen very much because people tend to get a puppy and then when it’s not cute anymore, it goes outside and it learns to just look after itself,” she said.
Under current laws in Australia, owners face many restrictions over where they can take their pooch, with local councils enforcing no-go zones at parks and beaches, with noncompliance often carrying a hefty penalty.
There are also leash laws that require all dogs to be on a lead in public places unless in a designated off-leash area.
At food venues, according to Food Standards Australia and New Zealand, “pet dogs may be permitted, but only in outdoor dining areas that are not enclosed”.
It’s at the discretion of the business owner to “decide whether or not you let customers have their dogs in outdoor dining areas” and “you can also say under what circumstances the dogs are allowed” (for example, customers being told their dog must be on a lead) – though different rules apply for service animals.
But “a silver lining” to the pandemic could be a change in this attitude nationwide.
“We have seen this year questions about dogs being allowed on public transport and in motels and in cafes,” Ms Northover said.
“It’s actually a good side effect of [Covid-19] that people are paying more attention to their dogs and becoming more interested in these little animals they’re sharing their lives with.
“They can have someone to talk to and someone to go for walks with and someone to spend their day with.”
Earlier this year, The Australian reported that the strict ban on animals in plane cabins would be relaxed from December 2 – leaving it up to individual airlines to decide whether or not to allow pets in the cabin of their own planes.
Currently, only service dogs are allowed to travel in plane cabins and all other animals are kept in the cargo hold on commercial flights under strict rules enforced by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).
Qantas and Jetstar ruled out the possibility, but a Virgin Australia spokesman told the newspaper that they airline would “consider the regulatory changes as part of a wider pet travel review we’re currently undertaking”.
The new CASA rules suggest airlines consider how animals are contained and restrained, their reactions to noise, the nuisance to other passengers, the distraction of flight crew, as well as how “excrements or fluids” would be contained.


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SEOUL, May 22 (Reuters) - South Korean exports during the first 20 days of this month rose 3.4 percent from a year ago in U.S. dollar terms, customs data showed on Monday, while imports grew at 11.7 percent.
Exports of semiconductors and petroleum products rose 41.0 percent and 35.2 percent respectively year-on-year, Korea Customs said in a statement.
South Korea posted a trade surplus of $687 million for the May 1-20 period, Reuters calculated from customs agency data.
Full-month exports data for May will be issued on June 1. (Reporting by Dahee Kim; Editing by Christine Kim)


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If the first-quarter results reported April 21 by 3PL giant C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc. are any indication, the specter of tightening truck capacity is no longer an abstract notion.
Eden Prairie, Minn.-based Robinson posted strong revenue and volume figures across its multimodal product line, with transportation revenues up 24.3 percent year over year, and truckload volumes up 22 percent in the same period. Total revenues rose 22.9 percent to $2.07 billion.
At the same time, its transportation "net" revenues, which back out the impact of transportation costs, declined 4.3 percent, Robinson said. Net revenues for Robinson's truck services—by far the largest component of its business—declined by 5.7 percent year over year. Meanwhile, the company's margins on its net transportation revenue declined to 17.4 percent from 22.9 percent in 2009's first quarter. The company attributed the decline to higher transportation and fuel costs, as well as lower prices charged to customers. Excluding the impact of changes in fuel prices, Robinson said the truckload rates it charges customers declined 3 percent year over year.
In a statement, John P. Wiehoff, Robinson's chairman and CEO, said the dual trends of strong volume growth and reduced margins "have continued into the first three weeks of April," with the company's net revenue so far this month running comparable to the first-quarter trends. Wiehoff said fluctuations in Robinson's net revenue margins are a "part of our business model that we believe we are very capable of managing, but are difficult to predict and can have a significant impact on our results in the short term."
Analysts said the trend toward tighter capacity had been expected, and they lauded Robinson for effectively managing through the headwinds. Jon A. Langenfeld, transport analyst at Milwaukee-based Robert W. Baird & Co., said he expects near-term pressure on Robinson's yields as the company works to pass through its higher costs to shippers in the form of rate increases. Langenfeld expects larger shippers to begin accepting price hikes in the year's second half, which should then help lift Robinson's margins. Evan Armstrong, president of Armstrong & Associates, a research and consulting firm that closely follows the 3PL sector, said Robinson's carriers have been hiking rates faster than the company can pass them on. Armstrong said it would take about six months from the time Robinson absorbs the higher rates from carriers to when shippers feel the impact.
Today's standard shipper-carrier contracts are one year in duration and have no volume or capacity commitments, Armstrong said. As a result, shippers balking at paying higher rates later in the year may find their carriers or 3PLs refusing to handle their cargo. Non-contract or "spot" rates are already rising, Armstrong said.
Tightening capacity "may be a rude awakening for shippers who think they are going to pay the rates they were getting before," during times of economic weakness, he said.
Robinson is the nation's largest 3PL based on total revenues, according to Armstrong data. Robinson's influence in the marketplace means that the current trends affecting its business will spill over to the 3PL sector as a whole, Armstrong said.


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KUCHING: CMS Agrotech Sdn Bhd expects its research and development (R&D) initiative to turn empty palm oil fruit bunches into biofertilizers to be completed by June next year.
The activity is carried out in collaboration with Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) under an “improvement of the composting technology for production of value-added compost/biofertilizer” project, which was initiated three years ago.
The method used to convert these empty fruit bunches into biofertilizers is through inoculation of effective microbes and nutrient isolates.
“The microbes have been isolated and are being characterised to ensure their effectiveness,” Cahya Mata Sara- wak Bhd (CMS) said in a filing with Bursa Malaysia. CMS Agrotech, which is 100% owned by CMS Infra Trading Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned unit of CMS, is involved in manufacturing of organic compost and fertilizers.
CMS said the joint R&D partnership with Unimas also involved the development of antagonistic bacteria for biological control of plant diseases.
According to an oil palm plantation owner, the empty palm oil fruit bunches are mainly used as mulch in plantations and also as an alternative fuel for electricity generation.
Malaysia is reported to produce an estimated 20 million tonnes of such empty bunches from crude palm oil processing annually.
In a separate filing, CMS said it had bought back 801,000 company shares priced between RM4.43 and RM4.60 apiece for more than RM3.6mil between Sept 6 and 13.
Substantial shareholder Employee Provident Fund Board sold 160,000 shares on Sept 18, reducing its stake in CMS to 18.55 million shares.


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Greek toy retailer Jumbo’s sales beat target
Greece’s largest toy seller Jumbo saw an 8 percent rise in sales for its fiscal year, helped by a robust performance in Cyprus and Bulgaria, the company said on Tuesday.
The rise beat Jumbo’s guidance for annual sales growth of 4-6 percent, the company said in a corporate update.
Jumbo, which operates 52 stores in Greece and another 14 in Cyprus, Bulgaria and Romania, said sales rose to 541.8 million euros in the 12 months to the end of June, from 502.2 million euros in the previous period.
Retail sales in Greece have been hit hard by an austerity-induced recession, which has wiped out about a third of Greek household incomes.
But Jumbo has fared relatively well due to a double-digit percentage rise in Cyprus and Bulgaria and the opening of its first two stores in Romania.


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The new about job growth nationally may be tepid as many companies say they are still holding back hiring more workers, but the auto industry is bucking that trend. Automakers and parts companies are about to go on a hiring spree to find engineers, technicians and factory workers to build the next generation of vehicles.
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MATTHEWS, N.C. — More than $220,000 worth of marijuana was shipped to a Matthews TCBY, according to police.
An employee at the frozen yogurt shop in the Providence Plantation Shopping Center on Weddington Road told police she found three packages at the store earlier this month.
When she opened the packages, she said she found the drugs.
“You never know what you are going to get for Christmas,” visitor Richard Debetta said.
TCBY officials told Channel 9 the packages weren't intended for the Matthews TCBY, and that they were instead intended for the postal store next door.
The store manager at the postal store said the packages were supposed to be sent to a P.O. Box and that the intended recipient's information has now been turned over to authorities.
The two stores are located next to each other in the Providence Plantation shopping center.
“You wouldn't want anything like this happening where you live, so it is definitely surprising,” visitor Daniel Johnson said.
"It is a shame we have to go through this," Debetta said. "You don't want it to get into kids hands that's for sure."
Police said no arrests have been made, and TCBY officials said the origins of the packages are unclear.
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Cox Media Group


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The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said retail sales volumes during July were 3 per cent higher than a year ago, driven by the highest increase in food sales since April 2011.
The ONS said: “Feedback from supermarkets suggested that the sunny weather boosted sales across a range of products including food, alcohol, clothing and outdoor items.”
Compared with June, sales volumes were 1.1 per cent higher in July, well ahead of analysts’ forecasts for a 0.7 per cent month-on-month increase.
Economists said the “feel-good” factor in the wake of Andy Murray’s Wimbledon victory and the birth of Prince George will have contributed to the rise, but the heatwave was the most important factor in last month’s better-than-expected performance.
Chris Williamson, chief economist at Markit, said: “This pace of growth of retail sales is unlikely to persist, but a further upturn in consumer confidence, an improving labour market, rising house prices and greater confidence that interest rates will stay low for longer should all help ensure that consumer spending plays a role in helping to sustain the economic recovery in coming months.”


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The endurance-ready Suzuki GSX-R1000 built by the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team (SERT) is a formidable race machine.
Suzuki has won 14 titles in the FIM EWC and they’re looking for their 15th championship win this season.
Suzuki is currently third in the manufacturer’s championship after a rough start in the first two opening rounds.
One of the most competitive teams in the FIM Endurance World Championship is looking primed and ready to take on this year’s endurance season with their latest Suzuki GSX-R1000. The Suzuki Endurance Racing Team of better known as SERT has had a rough start this year but they’re looking to bounce back especially at the annual Suzuka 8 Hours which will happen from 27 to 29 July 2018.
The factory-supported racing team will be using the latest generation of the Suzuki GSX-R1000. Paired with three experienced endurance racers which are Vincent Philippe, Etienne Masson, and Gregg Black, they now sit in sixth overall place this season after finishing seventh in Bol D’Or and 24th in 24 Hours Motos.
The French team is still getting to know the brand new machinery and based on the manufacturers ranking, Suzuki is in third place (and not too far behind Yamaha and Kawasaki). As for the championship, SERT has a long way to go to catch up with the current leader which is the F.C.C. TSR Honda and their Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade.
With three rounds remaining and 14 titles under their belt, the 15th title looks a bit farfetched but in the world of motorcycle endurance racing, anything can happen. For now, sit back and soak in all the beauty that is this Suzuki GSX-R1000.
Image source: Suzuki Racing


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British pound rises on Brexit draft deal
Pound soared Thursday to within a whisker of $1.30, striking five-month peaks after the European Union reached a draft Brexit withdrawal deal with London.
The pound quickly rose more than one percent to $1.2990 before profit-taking set in. The euro slid to 85.76 pence as the news flashed across traders’ screens.
The British capital’s benchmark FTSE 100 shares index meanwhile accelerated gains to stand 0.6 percent higher compared with Wednesday’s closing level.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will still have to take the accord to a sceptical UK parliament for its backing on Saturday.
It is unclear how many of his Conservative MPs will back the deal, and if the opposition could vote it down or attempt to force a fresh referendum to approve or reject it.
“In typical eleventh-hour fashion, the UK and EU have agreed a new Brexit deal, sending the pound soaring,” said Oanda analyst Craig Erlam.
“The pound peaked around $1.30 in a knee jerk rally, following confirmation of the agreement before some profit taking kicked in.”
News of the last-ditch Brexit deal came just hours before an EU summit that is expected to give it a seal of approval.
“It has been a dream start to the day for Boris Johnson, as the announcement… has seen the pound marching towards the landmark $1.30 barrier for the first time in over five months,” said OFX analyst Sebastien Clements.
In volatile deals, the pound had dived earlier after Johnson’s allies in Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) pre-emptively rejected the compromise deal.
“Reports that a Brexit deal has been reached has sent stocks as well as sterling soaring,” added CMC Markets analyst David Madden.
“Brexit has been millstone hanging over the markets in recent months, so now that progress is being made, dealers are snapping up sterling plus stocks.
“Whether the deal will get approval in Westminster is a different story, but for now, the mood is optimistic,” he added.
The DUP are against any deal that would tie Northern Ireland to EU rules but cut the rest of the United Kingdom loose.
In Asia, most markets were in the red, with traders unable to take advantage of weak US retail data that raised the chances of another Federal Reserve interest rate cut.
Comments in the Fed’s Beige Book update on the economy also pointed to a slowdown in the world’s biggest economy.
Oil prices fell as data pointed to a sharp rise in US stockpiles that reinforced worries about the impact on demand from the China-US trade war and the global economic slowdown.
– Key figures around 1045 GMT –
Pound/dollar: UP at $1.2891 from $1.2832 at 2100 GMT
Euro/pound: DOWN at 86.22 pence from 86.28 pence
Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1111 from $1.1033
Dollar/yen: UP at 108.79 yen from 108.76 yen
London – FTSE 100: UP 0.6 percent at 7,209.42 points
Paris – CAC 40: UP 0.2 percent at 5,707.28
Frankfurt – DAX 30: UP 0.6 percent at 12,740.91
EURO STOXX 50: UP 0.3 percent at 3,610.94
Tokyo – Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.1 percent at 22,451.86 (close)
Hong Kong – Hang Seng: UP 0.7 percent at 26,848.49 (close)
Shanghai – Composite: DOWN 0.1 percent at 2,977.33 (close)
New York – Dow: DOWN 0.1 percent at 27,001.98 (close)
Brent North Sea crude: DOWN 0.3 percent at $59.26 per barrel
West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.4 percent at $53.26


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Industry experts have sought zero-rating of goods and services tax (GST) on healthcare services and not just exemption from GST to reduce healthcare costs.
At present, hospital services in India are exempt from GST. So there is no GST being charged to patients. Unlike in some countries like the UAE, where hospital services are charged at zero rates, in India, the services are categorized under the exempt category.
“The issue with the exempt categorization is that there can be no input credit availed on the purchases made by hospitals for the goods and services on which GST is paid in the range of 5 to 18 percent, which in turn increases the input cost,” experts informed.
“To reduce the cost of healthcare, the Government should consider categorizing healthcare services under zero rate instead of the present “exempt” category. This would enable the hospitals to take the benefit of input credit for the GST paid, which benefit can then be passed on to the patients in the form of lower pricing,” said Dr. Azad Moopen, Founder Chairman and Managing Director, Aster DM Healthcare.
Since GST is not payable on health care services, health care service providers are not eligible to avail credit on the input taxes paid by it, which ultimately becomes a cost for the service provider.
“The Government should consider zero rating of healthcare services for a period of 24 months during this pandemic period, which will not only ensure that the input tax credit chain is intact but also ensure that the input taxes are not loaded into the cost of healthcare services. Currently, GST paid on inputs, input services and capital goods used for healthcare services are not eligible for input tax credit since the output service is exempt. Zero-rating would not break the chain of duty / tax flows in the structure. This will also ensure immediate relief to the healthcare sector to navigate the current pandemic,” according to an industry source.
Experts have also suggested that in the event that the Government believes that zero-rating benefit is not sustainable, it has been urged that the Government may consider the option to treat the health care services as taxable supply of services at a lower rate of 5% after the period of 24 months. This would go a long way in keeping healthcare services costs affordable, without breaking the input tax credit chain.
Dr. Anant Pandhare, Medical Director, Dr. Hedgewar Hospital informed, “Applicable GST rates in hospitals for healthcare commodities like contraceptives and blood is 0%, for medicines and other vaccines is 5%, other vital medical commodities like Surgical Items is 12%, for Wheel Chair is 18% and Wing Scale is 28% respectively.”
“High healthcare costs will reduce access to health care, and deplete retirement savings, thus affecting patients. Therefore, rationalisation of the GST rate structure in the healthcare sectors is one of the simplest yet significant steps towards opening the possibility for reducing healthcare costs. However, this requires a comprehensive study to find out embedded taxes segment-wise including hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, etc. Post this, the measures to allow free flow of input tax credits can be explored by applying the most rational GST rate structure,” Dr Pandhare added.
“The rising healthcare costs will keep life-saving medicines and machines away from the majority of the people. In India, people avoid needed medical care due to concerns about costs and this is the most challenging issue in the health sector. If the costs continue to rise, we will witness a significant reduction in employment-based insurance and increased financial risk. It will generate substantial economic pressures in the labour market as well. To sum this up, people will have less to spend on other goods and services,” Dr Pandhare concluded.
Talking about the rationalization of GST for the healthcare sector, Dr. Devesh Kumar Singh, Chairman, Noida International Institute of Medical Sciences said “The health-care industry has been hit by the GST tax rates and various other rules and regulations. Currently, GST ranges from 18% to 28% based on treatment slabs of Rs 7,500 and above. Healthcare and holistic wellness have become more important amid the pandemic, so GST rationalization in healthcare sector is very much needed especially in the private sector as the burden of taxes on inputs will be relieved.”
Dr Singh further added, “GST rationalization will make the healthcare products such as medicines and supplements critical care and life saving equipment and drugs affordable and accessible for all. Health service providers would be able to avail loans at lower rates and be able to invest more on infrastructural developments and bridge the resource gap, adopt IoT & Digital technologies, invest in R&D and upskill the workforce. The cost of treatment is up due to higher tax rates, as GST has increased the cost of various medical equipment. All the imported medicines became getting expensive after the new GST norms. If this is done, the overall cost of healthcare services will actually come down benefitting larger section of the people.”
Echoing similar views, Dr. Shuchin Bajaj, Founder Director, Ujala Cygnus Group of Hospitals added “Hospitals and healthcare providers are being charged GST for almost everything that we buy including consumables equipment, medicines and also on the rent that we pay to the landlords for running our hospitals. But unfortunately, we don’t get any input credit on the GST as we don’t charge any GST on the medical services we give to our patients that hits the bottom lines of the hospitals a lot. So, it is a request to the government that if at least there would be a GST waiver on rentals for the hospital buildings that would be a great help. If not, then we should be allowed to claim input credit for the GST that we pay for consumables medicines and rentals which can be as high as 18% for the rentals and other equipment.”


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To say that wallpaper is making a comeback is a definite understatement. In the space of a few years, it’s gone from stodgy and weak to totally chic.
Adorned with everything from glass beads to mirrored tiles to tiny Swarovski crystals, today’s papers are artistic, innovative and fun.
“I think people think of wallpaper as being ultra traditional,” said Stacy Senior Allan, marketing director for Thibaut Inc. “And it really hasn’t been for quite some time, but people are now starting to realize some of the great products that are out there.”
So after years of stripping paper down from walls, homeowners are once again hanging it up. But the paper they’re hanging doesn’t bear the same tired patterns of years past.
“Wallpaper companies like us, we’ve gotten more gutsy and experimental in what we do,” Senior Allan said. “We now use a lot of layering — metallics, all sorts of textures — to make it really different from paint so it’s worth the time and money and it enhances the character of the space.”
Homeowners and designers are taking the trend a step further, using unique papers in even more unique ways.
“Glam is in,” said registered interior designer Leslie Shankman-Cohn, a partner in Memphis-based Jill Hertz Interior Design.
Cohn added that in one current project, she’s using a soft green, pearlized, lattice-patterned paper on the ceiling of a white-walled entryway to call attention upward to the glass chandelier.
“It’s so very glam,” she said. “And the high-gloss white walls complement it because there’s a lot of color throughout the rest of the house.”
Even the patterns wallpaper manufacturers are turning out today differ from those in years past.
“Designs today are large-scale, more graphic, with brighter colors,” said Theresa Roh-Roberson, director of marketing and public relations for Memphis-based Seabrook Wallcoverings, a national wallpaper distributor. “You could have, for instance, a very traditional motif like a damask medallion, but instead of a small medallion, they’ve made it 12 inches big. So even though it’s a traditional damask, you’ve got this new twist. And it’s got a contemporary flavor because it’s a bright color, maybe fuchsia on a lime green background.”
To keep these modern motifs and intense colors from screaming too loudly, papers are being used in different applications than in the past. It’s very common these days to walk into a room where only one wall is papered — creating an instant focal point.
“A lot of times with these new designs that are larger scale, really, they’re like artwork for the wall,” Roh-Roberson said. “So you’ll do one focal wall with wall covering and treat it like a work of art.”
That’s not a new trend, but it is one the design world hasn’t seen in a while.
“I’m shocked that has come back, but I think the patterns now really work with that,” Senior Allan said. “A simple, graphic pattern can give a great effect. If you don’t have art or a lot of detail, it can really do a lot to a room. And you can pick a paint that picks up one of the colors in the paper for the rest of the walls.”
The world of wallpaper also hasn’t escaped another trend in home design: sustainability. Manufacturers are touting eco-friendly lines that incorporate water-based inks and natural materials.
“For example, cork wallpaper is back in,” Cohn said. “It was installed in the ’60s in my house and is still as beautiful and as current today as it was then. And grasscloth is back, but it isn’t your mother’s grasscloth. It may have a pink background with stenciling on top.
“Everything is more upscale and has more depth to it.”
One thing designers and manufacturers stress about wallpaper is that proper installation is key. Many homeowners shy away from wallcoverings because of a perceived fear that they’re difficult to take down. But with proper preparation, that’s rarely the case, Senior Allan said.
“If you prep your walls with a good-quality primer, the wallpaper will go up easily and come down easily,” she said. “It literally peels off the wall.”
Cohn added that wallpaper “is not a lifetime commitment.”
“But the prep work is as important, if not more important, than the choice of paper.”
And, she added, wallpaper is a great way to achieve a polished, pulled-together look in a space.
“You want people to walk in and say, ‘Wow, this room is wonderful,'” she said. “Wallpaper is a great way to achieve that.”
Stacey Wiedower is a home and design writer and a staff designer at Memphis-based Virginia Rippee & Associates Interior Design. Read more from her at designinsider.blogspot.com.
Five Tips for Knockout Walls:
Paper just one wall for an artistic accent. When used sparingly and in just the right spot, wallpaper can serve as a great focal point or even substitute for artwork in a space.
Go all-out in a powder room. Often windowless and devoid of architectural interest, small powder rooms are a perfect place to experiment with bold patterns and fun colors that would overpower a larger room.
Prep properly. Many people fear wallpaper because they think it’s difficult to take down, and when it’s improperly installed, it is. But when walls are prepared and primed correctly, almost any wallpaper will come down easily, the pros claim.
Use wallcoverings in unexpected ways. Try papering a ceiling to add another dimension to a room. Place a graphic-patterned paper in a large frame for instant artwork. Or consider using paper on the door panels of a small cabinet or on the back wall of bookshelves for a punch of color.
Have fun with it. Today’s papers feature a wide assortment of unusual add-ons that bring new layers of texture into a space. Look for flocked or metallic papers, or papers adorned with glass beads, sand, mirrors and more.
READ MORE ON THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL WEBSITE
Image courtesy of the Commercial Appeal


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STOCKHOLM, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Investment company Kinnevik will hand out its 37.2% stake in telecoms operator Millicom to shareholders as it presses on with its strategy to increase its exposure to private Nordic companies.
Sweden’s Kinnevik said in June it had dropped its plan to exit its holding through a public offering, citing unfavourable market conditions.
The company will stop paying cash dividends and instead pay out excess capital generated by its investment activities in the form of extraordinary dividends, it said on Tuesday.
“After the distribution of our shareholding in Millicom, I believe our shareholders will benefit from Kinnevik having a higher share of its capital invested in the unlisted, leading consumer businesses of tomorrow,” CEO Georgi Ganev said in a statement.
The company said it planned to propose the dividend to an extraordinary shareholders’ meeting in time for the distribution to be carried out before the end of 2019.
Under Ganev, Kinnevik has been pursuing a strategy of increasing its exposure to private Nordic companies. It is also focusing on digital businesses such as Swedish telecoms company Tele2 and online retailer Zalando.
“Kinnevik’s ambition is to be the go-to public company for investors seeking exposure to the best entrepreneurs building leading digital businesses in Europe, the Nordics and the U.S.,” Ganev said.
Kinnevik shares fell 2.2% by 1155 GMT while the Swedish-listed shares in Millicom, a cable and mobile operator in Latin America and Africa, fell 4.1%. (Reporting by Johannes Hellstrom and Helena Soderpalm; editing by Niklas Pollard and Louise Heavens)
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.


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Eight Secrets and techniques: How To use Game Hacking App To Create A Successful Enterprise(Product)
The features provided by Spyic are monitoring of messages, contacts, GPS tracking and access to social media apps. The social media forums are potential sources of valuable ideas shared by the interior designers across the world! The chances are that you will likely stumble on new words that are entirely new and not familiar. They should tell you when the tracking will be active and what the data will be used for. Tell us about them. At the time, Samsung said it would frequently issue fixes in a ‘new Android security update process that fast tracks the security patches over the air when security vulnerabilities are uncovered. Vulnerabilities were first discovered in Android media playback software in July 2015 by mobile security researchers at security firm Zimperium. Zimperium zLabs is Raising the Volume: New Vulnerability Processing MP3/MP4 Media. The issues in Stagefright code critically expose 95 per cent of Android devices, an estimated 950 million devices,’ researchers at Zimperium who first identified the bug, wrote in a blog post. However, the advent of digital banking brings several challenges, and one of the crucial ones is the “vulnerability to cyberattacks.” Banks across the world are facing security issues with digital banking models due to the increased adoption of these services and expected reliability for customers.
Are YOU obsessed with your phone? With the latest smartphones, people have also developed a different perspective on hacking which lets them identify if their phone has been hacked. Scammers create sophisticated hacking tools, while large internet companies (such as Facebook or Google) think of tricks to get as much of your data as possible. While the patches – fixes for the bug – have been distributed to the phone makers, it is still unclear how many of those companies have sent the update to their customers. Although the bug exists in many versions (nearly a 1,000,000,000 devices) it was claimed impractical to exploit in the wild, mainly due to the implementation of exploit mitigations in newer Android versions,’ the company said. An investigation by Israeli security analyst Gal Beniamini found Android devices using full disk encryption and running Qualcomm processors were most at risk. Most mobile users make use of robust passwords to protect their devices and data. NEXSPY In this blog, we elaborately discuss why it is so important to hire the best mobile app development company.
In the meantime, Checkpoint has created an app called ‘QuadRooter Scanner’, that allows users to check if their phone is vulnerable to the bug. NEXSPY While there is currently no evidence of the flaws being used by hackers, experts say it is a race as to who finds the bug first. Once a malicious message is downloaded, it ‘resets a phone and forces it to send a unique video file to the device, with the Stagefright bug revealing more about the handset, Fossbytes reported. These are low risk unless someone is specifically targeting you, and that person is either someone you trust that has great access to you and the device, or they are very technically proficient and motivated. While there have been no reported attacks involving either device, logically, it’s only a matter of time before an IoT device is targeted. The post explained how vulnerable phones could be targeted through everyday activities including email, web browsing and text messages. Recently, it has been seen that the phishing attacks targeted at bank employees are increasing. The problem occurs when some important Windows updates are missing in Windows files, even though the updates are downloaded and extracted successfully.
It could be a hurricane or an earthquake, or even a gas-line explosion. NEXSPY Even banks have started to utilize cloud services to offset IT expenses, boost system uptime, and ensure data security. nexspy Using the System Preferences dialog, you can get FileVault enabled or disabled. Using this data, a hacker can take control of a device to gain access to personal information, as well as being able to copy data and use the microphone and camera. Next install the AgIC ink cartridges and the regular black on into the printer, as well as the glossy paper. The certain programmer could get a shiver just when they think about the facilities as well as processes of a website page which was ten years ago. While it may not work on the first try, Chaikin is able to get into the phone with minimal attempts. Instagram has started to work on for solving this problem. Checkpoint discovered the problem after spending six months reversing Qualcomm’s code. In previous versions, attackers only need a mobile number allowing them to execute code via a MMS .


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State Farm says it plans to expand the use of a digital bookkeeping technology to speed up and streamline the auto claims process, after a successful trial run with USAA.
A settlement has been reached in the class action lawsuit against car manufacturer Subaru that alleged the windshields of certain vehicles were prone to cracking.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently stated Tesla is building up its collision repair capabilities.
General Motors announced April 13 it has received the 2021 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Sustained Excellence Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy for the 10th year.
Nearly nine in 10 U.S. drivers---87%---have engaged in various distracted driving behaviors while operating a vehicle for personal reasons in the past 90 days, according to a new survey commissioned by Selective and conducted by The Harris Poll.
The 16th annual Vincentric Best Fleet Value in America Awards were announced April 6, with Toyota and Chevrolet earning six awards each, more than any other brands.
The chief executive of Intel Corp told Reuters on April 12 the company is in talks to start producing chips for car makers to alleviate a shortage that has idled automotive factories.
CCC Information Services Inc., a leading SaaS platform for the P&C insurance economy, announced it plans to deliver on the industry's vision for straight-through auto claims processing with the launch of CCC® Estimate–STP.
SEMA members are urged to take advantage of a COVID-19 economic relief program enacted in 2020 and expanded in 2021---the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC).
Nearly 40% of U.S. motorists are somewhat or very concerned about cybersecurity and safety of connected and autonomous vehicles, according to a survey from Hartford Steam Boiler (HSB), a Munich Re division.
Ten Hyundai Santa Fe vehicles are recalled because the front passenger airbags may not deactivate if child seats are in the passenger seats.
President Joe Biden’s $174 billion aid package for electric vehicles has been broken down in an email sent by officials from the U.S. Department of Transportation.


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Check out our review of the Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 smartphone.
If you’re desperate for a big screen device that’s not a tablet, but don’t want to splash out on the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 or its small army of imitators; don’t panic, as Samsung apparently has something in the works for you. We talked about the Samsung Galaxy Mega range last week, sniggered at the name, and wondered if there was really a call for a mid-range smartphones with giant displays.
Samsung, should the rumors pan out, believes there is as the Galaxy Mega range will feature at least two models – one with a 5.8-inch screen and the other with a 6.3-inch display. Last time around, we didn’t have much to go on aside from the potential screen size and model numbers, but now a feature list has been leaked for both.
The GT-i9150/GT-i9152 Galaxy Mega is expected to have a 5.8-inch screen, but the resolution may be a lowly 960 x 540 pixels, a figure which fits in with previous speculation. The spec sheet is similarly underwhelming, as it consists of a 1.4GHz dual-core processor, an 8-megapixel camera, GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and all the other options one expects. Android 4.2.2 could be its operating system, with TouchWiz over the top.
As for the 6.3-inch Galaxy Mega, which has been linked with the GT-i9200 model number, it could also have a dual-core processor – with Exynos branding – and an 8-megapixel camera, although the screen resolution hasn’t been mentioned. The source of the rumour, an anonymous Samsung official, said the 6.3-inch device has the codename Project Mobius inside the company, and could be announced sometime in June or July.
Given the announcement of the Galaxy Win, which proves Samsung has no shame about using rubbish names, it could also decide to keep the Galaxy Mega tag around for the official launch. Oh dear.
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India-based leading e-scooter maker Zypp Electric has announced its partnership with Zepto to facilitate its last-mile delivery.
Extending an EV+Driver fleet of 1500+, the partnership today is enabling more than 20,000 deliveries per day in Delhi and is also going to expand to Bangalore and Mumbai in the next 4 months.
Zypp is currently serving 50 Zepto hubs in Delhi NCR and envisions to grow its partnership by 10X in the next 12 months by doubling its fleet and areas of servicing nationally.
Commenting on the partnership, Akash Gupta, Co-Founder & CEO at Zypp Electric said, “Quick and sustainable is the future of commerce, and our partnership with Zepto is helping pave the way for this industry revolution. In this first leg of our partnership, we have collectively helped reduce 1.62 Lakh carbon emissions and facilitated more than half a million for Zepto so far, all via electric vehicles breaking the myth of speed with sustainability. Owing to the kind of response recorded, we are certain that our partnership will only grow by multi-folds in terms of both, network on fleet extended and the number of deliveries done in a day.”
Zypp Electric is actively working towards transitioning the last-mile logistics in the country to 100% electric by partnering with quick-commerce, food delivery, and other commerce-related platforms and avenues.
Their strategic partnership with multiple logistics and eCommerce companies is one such testament to their mission that has helped in reducing 17 Mn+ Kgs carbon emission in the last 24 months.
Speaking on the partnering with Zypp Electric, Vinay Dahani, Chief Operating Office at Zepta has said, “Our partnership with Zypp, and the impact we’ve achieved thus far, is a testament to our efforts in this direction. As we grow, our focus will be towards continuous reduction of carbon footprints across our operations.”
“As pioneers and one of the fastest-growing players in the quick-commerce segment, we are constantly striving to achieve sustainable and long-term impact. This stands true not only for our 10-minute delivery promise but also in the way we plan our last mile,” Vinay further added.


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Video: Indeed’s first TV ad
Indeed launched 10 years ago and to date has relied on organic growth, word of mouth and SEO to grow its business. But 2014 marks an “important inflection point” in the company’s history, Indeed senior vice president of marketing Paul D’Arcy told Marketing Week.
He added: “Throughout our history we have put all of our investment into the product because we had the view that if you built the best product you will reach the people you need to reach through word of mouth and search. Now we are the number one in the world and here in the UK but we find there are still people who don’t know Indeed.”
Indeed claims 140 million unique global visitors and 12 million UK users a month, however, many use the site to start their job search and are redirected elsewhere once they get to application stage, which is why many consumers are unaware of the brand, D’Arcy said.
The multi-million pound marketing push centres around a TV ad that looks to celebrate the little jobs people do each day that culminate into wider achievements, shining a spotlight on how TV commercials are made. To source the stars of the TV ad, Indeed posted 26 jobs on its website, resulting in 1,500 applicants from around the world – a selection process showcased in a behind the scenes video.
The TV ad will be supported by outdoor, digital and social media ads continuing the “how the world works theme”.
D’Arcy said Indeed deliberately chose an optimistic and celebratory theme to provide contrast against other job site marketing, which tend to focus on workers’ frustration with their jobs.
He added: “We are a purpose driven company, helping people find jobs. So our natural tone is celebratory as we really take pride in helping people be successful. Therefore the natural starting point was to go for the positive element. Historically [job sites] have advertised the negative side, about the frustration – it’s lowest common denominator – we wanted to talk about optimism.”
It is hoped this activity, created by ad agency Mullen, will help consumers recognise that Indeed is the “number one job site in the UK” and its unique function in scouring the web for all the job ads on rivals’ boards, D’Arcy said.
Over the past six months Indeed has opened a number of international offices including in Amsterdam, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto and Dusseldorf, as well as expanding its existing offices in London and Dublin. The company now has about 200 staff across Europe, including a team of more than 20 in London.


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NORFOLK, NE — The main attraction at the Sunset Plaza mall on Saturday, was not for sale.
Nine classic cars lined the main indoor strip of Norfolk’s mall, a display by the Norfolk Antique Auto Club. Club member and five-time past president, Rick Kropf brought his 1966 Ford Thunderbird to the show. Kropf said it was good fortune that led him to acquire the personal luxury vehicle.
“I went by Courtesy Ford and it was in their lot,” Kropf said. “I stopped and said how much and wrote them a check.”
Kropf said some members of the Antique Auto Club have big collections of old cars. He, himself, used to own a 1962 Ford Econoline but sold it because upkeep was tough. Then the Thunderbird fell in his lap.
“This came along and really didn’t need a lot to be done to it,” Kropf said. “I thought, you know we’re going to get a car again. It could have been anything, you know it just happened to be the right place at the right time. We’re kind of partial to Ford anyways.”
Northeast Nebraskans have shared the same enthusiasm for antique automobiles since 1964, when the club was founded. Today, the group participates in parades and shows across the region, with occasional get-togethers with other auto clubs. Kropf says it is the desire to go back to a special time in their past that creates the attraction of classic cars.
“We’ve had several members of our club that have acquired vehicles that they had when they got married, for instance,” Kropf said. “It’s just a nostalgia thing more than anything I think.”


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PLEASANT HILL (KRON) — Suspected thieves targeted a Pleasant Hill sporting goods store on Wednesday and the whole ordeal was caught on camera.
Video shows several suspects running out of the front entrance of Dick’s Sporting Goods in Pleasant Hill with armfuls of clothes.
Pleasant Hill Police say the theft occurred around 7:41 p.m. on Wednesday at the sporting goods store on Monument Boulevard.
Officers patrolling the area spotted a car backed into a parking place near the store’s entrance.
As a Pleasant Hill police officer was taking a look at the car, several suspects with armfuls of merchandise began running out of the store.
According to police, the suspects spotted the officer, dropped the merchandise and ran back inside of the store.
Police eventually arrested the five suspects, four of whom were juveniles.
The 18-year-old suspect, Zahra McCockran, of Oakland, was booked into county jail on grand theft and conspiracy to commit theft charges.
The suspects under 18 were released to their parents, according to police.
For live, local news, download the KRONon app. It lets you watch commercial-free the Bay Area’s Local News Station on multiple streaming devices.
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SWISS has resumed flights on the route Zurich - London City
On May 12, SWISS resumed flights to London City Airport. Initially, SWISS will operate two rotations a week in Zurich, but their schedule will increase in line with the growing demand for leisure and business travel, as travel restrictions are relaxed in the UK and Europe this summer.
As the number of people vaccinated in the UK continues to rise and international travel restrictions will be relaxed in the coming weeks, more passengers are expected to want to go on holiday to destinations in Europe.
SWISS will expand its London City operational network as leisure and business traffic resume. The Swiss national carrier is also expected to re-establish the route from London City to Geneva (GVA) in August.
Zurich - London City with SWISS.
LX464 Zurich 17:05 - 17:45 London City - Friday and Sunday
LX465 London City 18:20 - 21:00 Zurich - Friday and Monday
This news comes as the travel restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic begin to relax with resumption of international travel to / from the United Kingdom, Monday 17 May. At the same time, it will be introduced and a new "traffic light" system. UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps explained that the scheme would classify countries according to risk. Factors that include the percentage of the population that has been vaccinated against Covid-19, the rate of infection, the prevalence of variants of concern and access to reliable scientific data and genomic sequencing will be taken into account, officials said.
Switzerland was initially placed in the amber category, which means that those who want to travel to England will have to take a test before leaving Switzerland and two PCR tests on days 2 and 8 on their return to the UK. They will also have to isolate themselves at home for 10 days, unless they are exempt. The British government will review this classification every three weeks, which means that continued progress with vaccination programs in the UK and Switzerland could completely remove travel restrictions between the two countries in June.
SWISS has resumed flights on the Zurich - London City route since 12 May.
Passengers can book a variety of COVID-19 test packages in advance at the test facilities at the London City Airport terminal. The airport has also launched a new portal to help customers understand the latest Covid-19 data and the testing and quarantine requirements of their destination, simplifying the booking experience and enabling passengers to make informed travel choices.
Research has shown that there is a significant accumulated demand for international travel this summer. A British public survey conducted at the airport in March found that 72% of frequent travelers want to return to leisure travel when restrictions are lifted, while 71% said travel to and from countries should be allowed. they have the pandemic situation under control. The airport also surveyed 500 UK businessmen in the autumn of 2020, finding that two-thirds consider air travel vital to the future success of their business.
Zurich was the fourth most popular airport route in 2019, with 429.019 passengers flying between London's most central airport and Switzerland's largest city.


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The Australian craft-beer industry is divided by a schism, as two separate associations furiously lobby brewers for membership, and debate what constitutes a boutique brewery.
In one corner is Craft Beer Limited (CBL), billed as a national association for craft brewers. Its steering committee has representatives from Little Creatures, about 35 per cent owned by Lion/Kirin breweries; Stone & Wood, 20 per cent owned by Little Creatures; independently owned Mountain Goat; Feral; Moo Brew; and McLaren Vale Beer Company.
''A few of us got together in Melbourne in May after the [Australian International Beer Awards] and talked about doing something for the whole craft beer category,'' the head brewer for Stone & Wood and CBL spokesman, Brad Rogers says. ''This industry has been pretty fragmented over the past 27 years, since Matilda Bay started the whole thing rolling, and you really need a national body to take things forward.
''We need to educate the trade and public about what craft beer is all about and we need to liaise with government about various issues, not just excise.''
In the other corner is the Australian Real Craft Brewers Association (ARCBA), set up by Redoak head brewer David Hollyoak in response to what he calls the ''arrogance'' of CBL's prospectus. Members include Murray's, Little Brewing, Lord Nelson, Badlands, Paddy's, Hunter Brewing, Underground, HopDog BeerWorks and Happy Goblin, and numerous interstate breweries.
The main sticking point is the definition of a craft brewer. ''An Australian craft brewer is small, independent and traditional,'' according to CBL - and most would agree. But while most craft breweries produce less than 300,000 litres a year, CBL has set the ''small brewery'' bar at 25 million litres a year. Its definition of ''independent'' includes craft-beer brands such as Matilda Bay, James Squire and Little Creatures, either wholly or part-owned by major breweries.
''They are not independent,'' Hollyoak says.
Rogers says the CBL steering committee has members from most states and consulted with state organisations. Hollyoak says CBL ''didn't listen'' to state organisations.
Rogers says: ''We didn't think [independence of ownership] would be such an issue and we were concentrating on the positivity of just starting something.''
For ''national craft brewers'' that produce more than 1 million litres a year, there's a $30,000 annual fee for CBL membership, compared with $500 for ''nano and pub-brewers'' that produce less than 100,000 litres a year.
Hollyoak says ''commercial craft breweries'', such as Little Creatures, can join ARCBA but won't be eligible to sit on the board. He is offering free membership for brewers who sign up by the end of the month.
Rogers hopes to discuss these issues: ''Let's get the two bodies together and work it out.'' He says Hollyoak hasn't returned his phone calls so far.
Willie Simpson co-owns Seven Sheds Brewery, which does not belong to either organisation.


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INRIX predicts travel times could be up to 4 times longer over holiday week
By AAA of Western and Central New York
AAA projects 54.3 million Americans will journey 50 miles or more away from home this Thanksgiving, a 4.8 percent increase over last year. The 2018 holiday weekend will see the highest Thanksgiving travel volume in more than a dozen years (since 2005), with 2.5 million more people taking to the nation's roads, skies, rails and waterways compared with last year.
For the 48.5 million Americans planning a Thanksgiving road trip, INRIX, a global mobility analytics company, predicts travel times in the most congested cities in the U.S. could be as much as four times longer than a normal trip.
"Consumers have a lot to be thankful for this holiday season: higher wages, more disposable income and rising levels of household wealth," says Carol DiOrio, AAA Western and Central New York vice president of travel. "This is translating into more travelers kicking off the holiday season with a Thanksgiving getaway, building on a positive year for the travel industry."
The Thanksgiving holiday period is defined as Wednesday, Nov. 21 to Sunday, Nov. 25.
By the Numbers: 2018 Thanksgiving Holiday Travel Forecast
Automobiles: The vast majority of travelers - 48.5 million - will hit the road this Thanksgiving, nearly 5 percent more than last year.
Planes: The largest growth in holiday travel is by air, at 5.4 percent, with 4.27 million travelers.
Trains, Buses and Cruise Ships: Travel across these sectors will increase by 1.4 percent, with a total 1.48 million passengers.
Drivers Beware: Thanksgiving's Terrible Traffic
Based on historical and recent travel trends, INRIX, in collaboration with AAA, predicts drivers will experience the greatest amount of congestion Thanksgiving week during the early evening commute period, with travel times starting to increase on Monday. Drivers in San Francisco, New York City and Boston will see the largest delays - nearly quadruple normal drive times.
"Thanksgiving is one of the busiest holidays for road trips, and this year will be no different," says Trevor Reed, transportation analyst at INRIX. "Our advice to drivers is to avoid commuting times in major cities altogether or plan alternative routes."
Travelers going to New York City can expect Tuesday between 6 to 8 p.m. to be the worst time for travel - taking up to 3.5 times the normal amount of time.
In most cases, the best days to travel will be on Thanksgiving Day, Friday or Saturday. Drivers should expect increased travel times on Sunday, as most holiday travelers will be making their way home after the long weekend.
Across the country, travelers who take to the sky must account for long security lines, but also increased drive times to the airport. INRIX expects delays getting to the nation's busiest airports could be as long as 90 minutes.
Higher Gas Prices Not Keeping Holiday Travelers Home
Motorists can expect to pay the highest Thanksgiving gas prices in four years, with a national average of $2.75 as of Nov. 8 - 21-cents more than a year ago.
"Motorists have become accustomed to this year's more expensive gas prices and won't let higher fuel costs deter them from taking Thanksgiving road trips," said AAA gas price expert Jeanette Casselano.
Best Times to Fly & Book Thanksgiving Flights
An analysis of AAA's flight booking data from the past three years revealed the Tuesday and Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving are usually the most popular air travel days and have the highest average price per roundtrip ticket. Meanwhile, Thanksgiving Day consistently has the lowest average price per ticket and is the lightest travel day. Travelers looking to save money this holiday season can fly the morning of the holiday and arrive just in time for Thanksgiving dinner.
Most travelers booked their flights for Thanksgiving between Sept. 23 and Oct. 25, paying an average ticket price of $478 roundtrip. Procrastinating travelers who still need to book their flights may find cheaper airfares, paying an average ticket price of $459 between now and Nov. 15. However, last-minute flight availability will likely be very limited.
Car Rental Costs Fall, Hotel Prices Mixed
Travelers can expect to save on car rentals this Thanksgiving holiday season. At $63, the average daily rate is 10 percent less than last year, according to AAA's Leisure Travel Index. Travelers can also save on AAA Three Diamond hotels, with an average nightly rate of $166, a decline of 6 percent compared to last year. Conversely, the average rate for AAA Two Diamond hotels has increased 6 percent with an average nightly cost of $124.
Top 10 Thanksgiving Destinations
Many travelers will seek iconic American cities, theme parks and other warm-weather destinations this Thanksgiving. Orlando, New York City and Anaheim top this year's top 10 holiday destinations based on AAA's online and travel agency air and tour bookings. Punta Cana, Dallas/Fort Worth and Miami are all gaining popularity as holiday spots compared with last year.
The top 10:
- New York City
- Anaheim, California
- Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
- Las Vegas
- Cancun, Mexico
- Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas
- Washington, D.C.
AAA to Rescue Nearly 360,000 Motorists
AAA expects to rescue nearly 360,000 motorists at the roadside this Thanksgiving. Dead batteries, lockouts and flat tires will be the leading reasons AAA members will experience car trouble. AAA recommends motorists take their vehicle to a trusted repair facility to perform any needed maintenance before heading out. Oil changes, fluid level checks, battery tests and tire inspections go a long way toward reducing the chances of a breakdown.
Before heading out on a trip for Thanksgiving, travelers can download the free AAA mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android. They can use the app to map a route, find the lowest gas prices, access exclusive member discounts, make travel arrangements, request AAA roadside assistance, find AAA Approved Auto Repair facilities and more. Learn more at AAA.com/mobile
AAA's projections are based on economic forecasting and research by IHS Markit. The London-based business information provider teamed with AAA in 2009 to jointly analyze travel trends during major holidays. AAA has been reporting on holiday travel trends for more than two decades. The complete AAA/IHS Markit 2018 Thanksgiving holiday travel forecast is available HERE.
As upstate New York's largest member services organization, AAA Western and Central New York provides more than 870,000 members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, AAA has been a leading advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. Visit AAA at www.AAA.com.


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MP Materials Corp. (NYSE: MP) was formed out of Molycorp after it filed for bankruptcy in 2015. MP acquired Mountain Pass mine and other assets from Molycorp in 2017. Currently, it is the only major U.S-based company that is engaged in mining and processing rare earth elements used in a wide range of industries.
Most U.S. companies engaged in mining rare earths had to sell their operations, as they could not compete in the market due to lower prices offered by Chinese firms. However, in recent years, the U.S. government has been keen to boost domestic processing of rare earths to reduce its dependence on China amid an ongoing trade conflict with the second biggest economy of the world. China is currently the largest producer of rare earths. It previously threatened to stop their export to the U.S amid heightened trade tensions between the two countries.
MP states in its mission that it wants to resume the complete rare earth supply chain for the local industries and eliminate dependence on China. It is the only company in the U.S. that can supply the rare earths crucial for strategically important industries.
MP went public in November 2020 after completing its merger with a SPAC called Fortress Value Acquisition Corp. Its shares started trading on the NYSE on November 18. MP’s stock price has increased significantly since going public. One of the key reasons behind the surge was its strong financial performance for the third quarter, with profit climbing more than five folds.
Meanwhile, increasing demand for electric vehicles (EVs) has also been driving the share price of MP, which is a major supplier of rare earth magnets to EV manufacturers. The booming EV market is expected to further lift the demand for permanent magnets used in battery production. A report from Brand Essence Research states that the global rare earth elements market size is expected to hit $20.6 billion by 2025, significantly higher than $2.80 billion in 2018.
MP CEO James Litinsky said in an interview with Jim Cramer last month, “Whatever the battery technology is, we think we’re a picks-and-shovels play for this movement.” Litinsky was highlighting the role played by MP in supplying the magnets needed by U.S-based EV manufacturers.
Follow Mp Materials Corp. / De
Follow Mp Materials Corp. / De
MP shares started trading around $15 after its public listing. Its stock value has more than doubled since November. Its shares are currently trading around a price of $31 per share. The total market value of the company is just over $5 billion. Given that Molycorp was once a high flying stock valued at $5 billion and ended up in bankruptcy, investors have to be cautious about MP Materials. Things were fine and dandy when the rare earth elements’ prices are sky high, however, Chinese suppliers could flood the market at some point in the future and drive MP into bankruptcy. Molycorp didn’t fail because it was led by idiots, it failed because it couldn’t compete with the Chinese. If MP Materials doesn’t get political protection and/or subsidies, its fate might not be different.


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With just about 40 weeks to go for the BS VI emission norms to kick in, the industry is clearly running against time to ensure it is ready on time. While most manufacturers have assured readiness much ahead of the deadline, recent developments have put diesel right at the centre of the debate, once again. This time, thanks to market leader Maruti Suzuki India’s decision to discontinue its entire portfolio of diesel vehicles, come April 1, 2020.
Maruti had been talking about the impact BS VI emission norms would have on diesel vehicles for some time, explaining how the increased cost of compliance with the upcoming standards will make small diesel cars unaffordable. But a decision to completely stop selling diesel vehicles in India has taken many by surprise, especially its many suppliers, while many others believe the carmaker’s decision is based on sound financial prudence.
It has always been clear that BS VI will push the market into a stronger petrol market. The demand for diesels in the Indian – as also in other global – markets has been on a decline for the last few years, particularly because of the narrowing of retail prices between petrol and diesel. The diesel emissions data scandal and the fuel’s reputation of being dirty haven’t quite helped diesel’s cause. Volkswagen, the largest automaker in the world, has stepped up production of petrol engines world over, as it continues to see demand for diesels fall.
Despite the impression around diesels, many other manufacturers and suppliers continue to be assured of diesel’s viability as a transportation fuel. New solutions have been found and released. Ultra-low sulphur diesel fuel with less than 15 ppm sulphur can have an immediate effect, experts say. Further, new clean diesel engines with the latest emission control technologies will lead to 98 % reductions in particulate emissions and similar reductions in nitrogen oxide emissions, say a few other experts.
At the same time, Maruti’s fiercest competitor in the market, Hyundai Motor India recently reassured its customers that the company would continue to innovate, develop and make diesel engines for the Indian market. No other OEMs, in fact, have announced their withdrawal or intent of withdrawing from selling diesel-powered variants, but clearly there are tremendous pressures at play. It may be too early to write an obituary for diesels in the country for smaller vehicles yet. But for diesel, the time clearly is ticking.
DEEPANGSHU DEV SARMAH
New Delhi, June 2019