text:
The heavy tax burden on local manufacturing companies in The Gambia and the dumping of cheap imported goods in the country is ravaging and virtually killing the local industry, manufacturers in the country have lamented.
|Taxes are a big burden on local manufacturers in The Gambia|
Some member companies of the Gambia Manufacturers Association (GMA) told Gambia News Online that the number of taxes imposed on them is enough to put them out of business, especially at a time when they have very low sales as they find it very difficult for their locally produced goods to find a mark in the country’s market which is flooded with imported goods at a cheaper price than locally produced ones.
“The key issue affecting Gambian manufacturing companies is the heavy tax and the stiff competition from the imported goods,” said Saja Sambou of Gambega, a member company of Gambia Manufacturers Association (GMA).
“We are paying so many taxes, and electricity cost is also high. In light of all this we face very intense competition from Brand B products. By Brand B products, I mean imported goods; products that are being produced locally and a similar product is imported from somewhere and dumped into the market at cheap price.”


text:
Is Fifth Avenue Too Expensive for Retailers?
The New York street renowned for its shopping now has vacancy after vacancy.
Is Fifth Avenue losing its luster?
The New York street, perhaps the most famous in the world, features a bevy of high-end stores, including Louis Vuitton, Tiffany and Harry Winston.
But these days, it's also dotted with vacancy after vacancy, real estate consultant Jonathan Miller told Inside Edition.
"This phenomenon nationwide has been called the 'retail apocalypse,'" said Miller.
But Miller said that soaring rents are also causing retailers to rethink their strategies.
"The average right now is about $2,800 a foot," he said, explaining that many companies simply aren't willing to pay such whopping rents.
Complicating matters is the popularity of online shopping, leading some companies to scale back on retail exposure.
"Many of the brand names that you know for luxury are retooling and rethinking their online presence," Miller said.
Trending on Inside Edition
Near-Death Experiences Prove to Be Transformative for These Women Who Say They Saw the Other SideNews
Florida State Lawmaker Says Rep. Matt Gaetz, Joel Greenberg Left Her 'Uncomfortable' Voicemail in 2019Politics
2 Teenagers Arrested After Accidental Shooting of High School Senior During Target Practice, Police sayCrime
Mother From UK Gives Birth to 'Super Twins' After Getting Pregnant TwiceOffbeat
Piney Point Reservoir: State of Emergency Declared as Leak in Florida Wastewater Pond Threatens Total CollapseNews

domain: news


text:
The new Bond movie Spectre, starring Daniel Craig, has surpassed ticket sales of the last instalment Skyfall on Tuesday, taking in more than 376 million yuan ($58.9 million) five days after its opening in the world’s second-largest film market.
Facing no other major competition, the 24th instalment of the franchise also grabbed several other records, including the biggest Friday opening and the biggest weekend earning for a 2D movie.
Since Casino Royale in 2007, all four Bond movies with Craig in the lead role, have released in China as the series forges a close relationship with the Chinese market.
Scenes in Skyfall were shot in the streets of Shanghai. During the promotion of Spectre, Craig showed up at a TV gala to celebrate Singles’ Day on November 11, an online shopping festival created by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba.
Spectre also starring Christoph Waltz, Lea Seydoux, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Monica Bellucci and Ralph Fiennes, has released in India on November 20.


text:
Bath Abbey car-free zone proposed by council
A traffic-free zone for the area near the Bath Abbey throughout the week is being suggested by Bath and North East Somerset Council.
Access will be restricted between 10:00 and 18:00 every day along streets including Stall Street and Beau Street.
Small businesses say the scheme will make deliveries more difficult.
Cabinet member Roger Symonds said: "There will be no bus routes affected and access to car parks will be exactly the same as before."
Other streets included in the scheme are Abbey Gate Street, Lower Borough Walls and Beau Street.
The council has said the plan would extend a restriction already in place on Saturdays to make valid it seven days a week.
It is part of a wider £27m package to improve public transport and accessibility for pedestrians.
The hope is to improve footfall by giving pedestrians and cyclists priority.
But some traders are worried it will stop people wanting to shop in the city centre at a time when the economic situation is already putting pressure on local businesses.
Bath city centre manager Andy Cooper said: "The concern is coming from the smaller retailers who don't have any control over their supply chain.
"They can't control when their deliveries come in or maybe they are a small business which has about 70 or 80 suppliers and that for them is quite concerning."
The council said deliveries could still be accepted through the Freight Consolidation Service, which uses a small electric vehicle that delivers goods from Avonmouth to the city centre.
But traders say this service will add to their running costs.


text:
Apple has released the first trailer for Carpool Karaoke: The Series, which is based on the segment from The Late Late Show with James Corden.
In July 2016, Apple purchased the rights to Carpool Karaoke – a segment of The Late Late Show with James Corden which was produced by James Corden, Ben Winston, and Eric Pankowski – as part of a bid to advertise Apple Music.
Now the Cupertino Company has released the first trailer for its own production of Carpool Karaoke, which will continue the spirit of the show as it first premiered on the Late Late Show.
Apple’s Carpool Karaoke will feature 16 celebrity pairings “riding along in a car together as they sing tunes from their personal playlists” and “surprise fans who don’t expect to see big stars belting out tunes one lane over.”
The series, according to Apple, will feature celebrities such as James Corden, Will Smith, Billy Eichner, Metallica, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Ariana Grande, Seth MacFarlane, Chelsea Handler, Blake Shelton, Michael Strahan, John Cena, Shaquille O’Neal, and will feature a different host in every episode.
Apple has clarified that its own production of the series will operate in a half-hour format, and will be driven by interviews as opposed to shorter clips of guests singing.
The company’s foray into television production comes hot on the heels of a short segment from Apple in September 2016, in which CEO Tim Cook joined James Corden and Pharrell Williams.
Apple is further beginning to execute its own content, having already produced original videos for Apple Music artists in addition to its forthcoming series, Planet of the Apps.
What are your thoughts? Be sure to let us know in the comments below!


text:
Vulnerable to Trump’s policies
Following Donald Trump’s win of the US election, IBM (IBM) is one of many prominent tech companies that could feel the brunt of Trumps’ proposed trade and tax policies. Let’s see how Trump’s proposed policies on trade barriers and tariffs will impact IBM’s labor and manufacturing.
According to Global Trade, Trump has called China a currency manipulator and proposed a 45% tariff on goods coming from China (FXI). IBM derives two-thirds of its revenue from outside the United States. It derives approximately 22% of its revenue from the Asia-Pacific region, which includes China.
If Trump implements his trade policies and initiates a trade war with China, tech players such as IBM, Microsoft (MSFT), and Apple (AAPL) will face a significant threat due to their dependence on China. Trump’s protectionist trade policy, international exposure, and immigration reform are some of the factors expected to impact IBM.
Trump’s protectionary policies, spending on infrastructure construction, tax reduction, the Fed’s rate hike, and improvement in the job market point to faster inflation in the United States in the future. Higher interest rates will strengthen the US dollar (UUP).
US dollar’s expected appreciation
Some optimism in the market is evident through the US dollar, which reached a 14-year high in November and December 2016. The dollar is expected to remain strong in the near future, which could impact the revenue of several tech companies, including IBM. Oracle (ORCL), Apple (AAPL), Microsoft (MSFT), IBM, Alphabet (GOOG), and Cisco Systems (CSCO) derive the majority of their revenue from outside the United States.
Though the tech sector’s international exposure makes it vulnerable to Trump’s policies, his proposal to reduce tax on overseas cash would benefit technology companies as it would lead to cash repatriation and provide them with the flexibility to fund their growth by investing in R&D (research and development). Moreover, they will also be able to return cash to shareholders through stock buybacks and dividends.


text:
While they seldom get a lot of attention, investors shouldn’t ignore trucking companies and trucking stocks.
Trucking services, and the companies behind them, were thrown into the media spotlight recently. A convoy of truckers in Canada protesting vaccine mandates and pandemic lockdown restrictions used their semi and transport trucks to blockade the Ambassador Bridge that serves as a critical trade corridor between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario. They also jammed Canada’s capital city of Ottawa.
The blockades, notably the one at the border crossing with Michigan, reminded people just how important the trucking and ground transportation industries remain to the North American economy. It is estimated that more about $325 million worth of goods cross the Windsor-Detroit border each day via the Ambassador Bridge, proving to be a vital trade link between the U.S. and Canada.
Now convoys are reportedly on their way to Washington, D.C. With the value of truck transportation in the spotlight, here are three trucking stocks for investors to consider:
- J.B. Hunt Transport Services (NASDAQ:JBHT)
- Old Dominion Freight Line (NASDAQ:ODFL)
- Knight-Swift Transportation (NYSE:KNX)
Trucking Stocks: J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT)
J.B. Hunt has been a going concern since 1961. Today, the Lowell, Arkansas-based company employs nearly 30,000 people, operates a fleet of more than 12,000 trucks, and boasts annual revenues of nearly $10 billion.
J.B. Hunt has been publicly traded since 1983 and its stock continues to go the distance for shareholders. In the past 12 months, JBHT stock has gained 33%. Over the past five years, the company’s stock has gained 101%, bringing its all-time growth to nearly 12,000%.
While the share price appreciation alone is reason enough to buy JBHT stock, the company also offers a lucrative dividend payment that it grows on a regular basis. In January of this year, J.B. Hunt announced that it is raising its quarterly dividend by 33% to 40 cents per share, or $1.60 annually. The January increase came after the company raised its dividend twice in 2021.
Plus, J.B. Hunt is active in terms of buybacks of its own stock. In 2021, the company repurchased $150 million worth of shares, and it still has $350 million remaining under its current share repurchase program. This is a trucking company that delivers for shareholders.
Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL)
Another trucking company that has delivered strong returns to shareholders is Thomasville, North Carolina-based Old Dominion Freight Line. In business since 1934, Old Dominion offers traditional truck transport services, as well as logistics and household moving options.
The company is global in scope, providing service to Europe, Asia and South America, as well as throughout the U.S. Old Dominion employs nearly 20,000 people, runs 10,000 trucks, and has annual revenues of more than half a billion dollars. It’s logistics and shipping businesses have boomed in recent years as demand spiked during the pandemic.
ODFL stock has responded. Over the past 12 months, the company’s share price has increased 37%. As with J.B. Hunt, shares of Old Dominion have remained steady during the recent market volatility, having grown 6% as the S&P 500 index lost 3%.
Analysts expect Old Dominion Freight Line to continue outperforming the broader market even in today’s high inflation environment when fuel costs are at their highest level since 2014. The reason is that Old Dominion has strong pricing power and a loyal customer base. Expect more returns.
Trucking Stocks: Knight-Swift Transportation (KNX)
Phoenix, Arizona-based Knight-Swift Transportation is the fifth-largest trucking company in the U.S. today, with more than 25,000 employees, 18,000 trucks, and more than $2 billion in annual revenue.
Formed by a 2017 merger of Knight Transportation and Swift Transportation, the combined company today offers refrigerated truckload services in addition to its traditional dry truck operations. The refrigeration allows Knight-Swift to transport a variety of commodities and fresh produce across the U.S. And while KNX stock has performed strongly over the past year, analysts see further upside ahead.
In the last year, KNX stock has gained 21%. Yet despite the market outperformance, Wall Street remains bullish on Knight-Swift Transportation. The median price target on the stock is currently $66.50, implying further upside of 23%.
In addition to the share price growth, Knight-Swift also rewards shareholders with its dividend payout. In earlier February this year, the company announced a 20% increase to its dividend to 12 cents per share or 48 cents per share annually. This comes after Knight-Swift last raised its dividend in April 2021 by 25%.
On the date of publication, Joel Baglole did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.


text:
Donald Trump slams Nordstrom for shedding Ivanka Trump brand Dow: / pink bed linen, Or perhaps S 500:HomeNewsPoliticsDonald Trump slams Nordstrom for melting off Ivanka Trump brandHow To: Fix Your Fatigue And Get More EnergyPresident where black friday sales Trump lashed out saturday at Nordstrom for dropping his daughter Ivanka Trump fashion line, Saying the luxury shop chain treatment of black friday camera her was company determined amid political pressure from the left to boycott Trump brands, As charge designer policies and his family far flung business interest entangle despite Mr.
Trump effort to remove himself from the business world.Nordstrom last week cited poor sales as the biology behind no longer carrying the Ivanka Trump brand clothing and apparatus, Yet several way Ms. Trump company arguments which claim. She is an efficient person always pushing me to do what's right! Very bad! Tweeted mister. Trump.Nordstrom stock fell by about a half fraction point after the president tweet but retrieved within two hours.The tweet also revived rumours that Mr. Trump was using the obama administration to profit his family business empire.White House press associate Sean Spicer pushed back, Saying the ceo tweet less about his family smaller website than[Previously it had ready] Anxiety attack on his daughter. Has every to face up for his family, Mister. Spicer acknowledged that, Saying it was incongruous someone to carry their concerns with black friday best offers his policies on his daughter brand of clothing.Think there clearly there a targeting of her brand, He was quoted saying.
Is a primary attack on his methods.The Trump overseeing control is latest black friday deals fighting that ruling, And your truth appears destined for the top court.
Prev: pre black friday ads 2015
Next: best clothing deals black friday
|1||black monday sales...||Deals offered in almost a week A years ago, At least a few campers had settled|
|2||black friday for 2015...||Dressy Bessy roars lower back with If a band is only relentless with its last a|
|3||the black friday sale...||Monthly doc E3Let the car games begin we study what's hot this yearThis year an|
|4||shoe black friday sale...||Deals from concentrate on Earth's biggest retain will kick off"Web-based Week"|
|5||black friday 2015 baby deals...||Deepening turn down fears foreshadow rate cuts Labor news on Wednesday sparked|
|6||black friday sales...||Dead from heart obstacle at age 69 Dow: And dow jones: Yet S 500:HomeNewsNation|
|7||black friday laptop...||Details given Dow: / pink bed linens, Or perhaps even S 500:To know way for you|
|8||?????? ???????...||Cyber Monday planning on a trip deals Teton slope Lodge Spa knutson Hole, WY: 2|
|9||last year black friday deals...||Motivated shoppers swarm ca has been stores Reinforced by data store floor plan|
|10||black friday ads 2015...||Decision to get Of Paris Climate Accord Chattanooga, Tenn. The offer. Us web d|


text:
Google has finally managed to launch its file managing tool in various Chinese app stores. The tool named ‘Files Go’, which cleans off unwanted junk data in Smartphones, is the second China-specific app to be allowed in the country in recent times. The app has a very small number of users when compared to the flagship services of Google.
Since 2010 most of the Google’s products were banned by China when it refused to censor the search results in line with the local laws. The search engine itself is barred in the Chinese market along with its application store, cloud storage, and email services. As per the cyber regulators of China, the restrictions which are made on the internet platforms and foreign media are mainly designed to block all the influences which contravene socialist ideas and stability.
Google has been trying to expand its operations in China for long now, and has also launched an artificial intelligence (AI) research hub in Beijing. Google is now trying to ram up its China efforts. In fact, Google CEO, Mr. Sundar Pichai made several visits to China and has even spoken at two Chinese government forums. In the year 2017, Google released it's ‘Google Translate’ application in China which is maintained by the local joint venture of Google. The ‘File Go’ application is mainly targeted towards the developing markets like Indonesia and India where most of the people are using the low-end smartphones. Although the consumer services of Google are blocked in China but its operating system is being largely used by the top vendors of smartphones, including Huawei and Xiaomi phones.
The major market research services and IT consulting service providers are keeping an eye on the developments in the Chinese market. It is certainly going to play pivotal role in the years to come, especially having such huge Smartphone user base.
© Sheer Analytics and Insights Pvt. Ltd., 2018


text:
Laptops with Intel's new Core i3, i5 and i7 processors have started shipping to consumers, and include features that bring longer battery life and new levels of graphics and application performance to PCs.
Google offshoot AdMob has been busy looking into what people use tablets for. It questioned around 1500 people, with the majority likely to be iPad users, bearing in mind Apple's current dominant position. The results make interesting reading and cha...
When Steve Jobs unveiled the first iPad, many observers (including me) called it a big iPod Touch. We were talking about the similarities in design and functionality. But as time has gone on, I've started to think the iPad and the iPod may share anot...
Oracle is now in its fourth quarter, meaning the vendor and its customers are locked in the annual ritual of trying to get new deals done before the fiscal year ends on May 31.
In an effort to attract buyers away from Apple's iPad, device makers are setting starting prices of Android tablets to undercut iPad's US$499 entry-level price.
Asustek Computer will set up an operations center in southwest China by 2015 to manage manufacturing by contractors of up to 20 million Asustek notebook and tablet PCs a year, the company said on Friday. The move could streamline production and keep ...
Research in Motion executives came out in force Thursday evening in New York, playing hosts at the industry launch of the PlayBook tablet in an effort to convince market watchers and potential users that the device is a serious contender in an arena ...
State Street Corporation says technology must evolve to meet the increasingly demanding needs of financial services, and within its own data centers is adopting new cloud-like technologies and placing a greater emphasis on Linux and open source.
Any IT department hoping to escape the headaches of supporting iPads in the enterprise should realize that they're more than likely already being brought into the workplace.
PC sales in the first quarter of this year suffered, and analysts are placing the blame on the tablet market and the disaster in Japan.
RIM has taken the wraps off the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, and so far the reviews seem to be mixed. Shortcomings aside, though, the tablet has a number of qualities that make it uniquely suited for business use.
A team of researchers at Tel Aviv University is working on instilling "regret" in computers -- with Google footing the bill. According to a press release on Wednesday, Google is funding a project from Tel Aviv University's Blavatnik School of Compute...
Research In Motion's iPad competitor, the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, goes on sale April 19, but it's not ready for prime time. Reviewers who got their hands on the PlayBook early posted their thoughts on the tablet -- and it's not good news for RIM.
Red Hat officials never seem to stop talking about cloud computing, but until recently all the company's efforts were targeted at helping enterprises and service providers use Red Hat software to build and manage their own cloud networks.
In the long-ago days of last September, we wrote about four things that Research in Motion had gotten right in its initial public relations blitz for its BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, which ships April 19 starting at $499.
Most Popular Reviews
- 1 Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Windows 8.1 tablet
- 2 Samsung Galaxy Tab S (10.5) 4G review
- 3 TomTom Runner Cardio GPS watch
- 4 LG G3 review
- 5 Nokia Lumia 930 review
Best Deals on GoodGearGuide
Latest News Articles
- iPhone 6 expected to fetch over $3,000 in China's grey market
- New US Senate bill aims to limit access to emails stored abroad
- Malicious advertisements distributed by DoubleClick, Zedo networks
- Apple iPhone 6 hands-on
- Google to turn on encryption by default in next Android version
GGG Evaluation Team
First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.
For work use, Microsoft Word and Excel programs pre-installed on the device are adequate for preparing short documents.
The Fujitsu LifeBook UH574 allowed for great mobility without being obnoxiously heavy or clunky. Its twelve hours of battery life did not disappoint.
The screen was particularly good. It is bright and visible from most angles, however heat is an issue, particularly around the Windows button on the front, and on the back where the battery housing is located.
My first impression after unboxing the Q702 is that it is a nice looking unit. Styling is somewhat minimalist but very effective. The tablet part, once detached, has a nice weight, and no buttons or switches are located in awkward or intrusive positions.


text:
A press release from the United Arab Emirate’s Ministry of Environment and Water states that in the past year, 8000,000 fruit and vegetables were tested for safe levels of pesticide residues. It seems that the scandal in Egypt over illicit pesticides resonates all over the Middle East.
The Ministry adds that close to 90% of the produce tested was found safe. This follows a national project for the control of pesticides which was launched in 2009 . Of course, safest is organic produce with no pesticides at all.
It’s hard to know which way the UAE turn with regard to sustainable food. Although shark fishing is banned there, markets still sell the over-fished species without fear of consequences.
Then there is the ecologically ambiguous deal with McDonald’s, where the food giant delivers all its used vegetable oil for recycling into biodiesel fuel. Excellent idea. The problem with that is McDonald’s negative impact on the environment in the first place.
Still, with gestures like the greening of the Liwa International School in Al Ain, there’s great hope that widespread ecology awareness will become the norm in the influential UAE.
More on the UAE’s eco-challenges:
Photo by joi via Flickr.


text:
Lexus, Mercedes-Benz among vehicles up for grabs at Leon Valley police auction
These vehicles will be up for auction by the Leon Valley Police Department. SAN ANTONIO – A variety of vehicles will be up for auction this week in Leon Valley. The Leon Valley Police Department will hold an online auction starting on Monday and ending on April 5. All vehicles must be paid for by 5 p.m. by April 5 at the City of Leon Valley, 6400 El Verde Road. The following vehicles will be up for auction:
Treasury auctions are normally mundane affairs, but Wednesday's could make or break the stock market
Stock traders don't normally talk about bond auctions, but all this week the 10-year Treasury auction that will happen on Wednesday has been the main subject of conversation. "It's been a long time since stock traders have cared about bond auctions," Matt Maley from Miller Tabak told me. "The number one issue for the stock market now is bond yields." Much depends on the outcome of Wednesday's 10-year auction at 1 pm ET. Some stock bulls believe demand will be strong, particularly from overseas buyers like the Japanese, whose 10-year yield is at 0.1%.cnbc.com
Carl Icahn nixes charity bid to blow up ex-Trump casino
Last month, Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small announced the auction as a fundraising mechanism he hoped would raise in excess of $1 million for the organization. Trump's Atlantic City legacySmall acknowledged the auction's cancellation and praised Icahn for replacing the money it would have raised. "We agree with Mr. Icahn that public safety is paramount," he said. "It is very important that we maintain a positive relationship with Mr. Icahn because the next conversation we need to have is what should be developed there." Icahn, a longtime confidant of Mr. Trump, served as an informal adviser to the president before resigning from the position in 2017.cbsnews.com
Alamo Drafthouse co-founder to hold movie poster auction ‘to stay afloat and survive’
AUSTIN – One of the co-founders of the Alamo Drafthouse is holding a movie poster auction to help raise money during the COVID-19 pandemic and pay staff members and the cinema’s debt. Tim League, the cinema’s co-founder and executive chairman, decided to host the first-ever auction from his personal collection of nearly 2,000 Mondo limited edition prints, including posters no longer available. The company said 100% of the poster sale proceeds would go towards paying staff, paying debt and expenses accrued during the COVID-19 closures. “We are therefore looking for unique ways to stay afloat and survive until normalcy returns. Related: Rudolph, Santa figures soar to sale of $368,000 at auction
Dump truck, other impounded vehicles up for online auction via Leon Valley PD
LEON VALLEY, Texas – The Leon Valley Police Department is auctioning off impounded vehicles on November 9 in an online auction. LVPD officials will auction off the vehicles online here and the auction will be conducted by Auctioneer B. Among the vehicles up for auction are an Infiniti G35, Chevy Impala, Lexus ES3 and a 1998 GMC 7000 dump truck. Leon Valley Police Department auto auction vehicle. (LVPD)View a list of the vehicles available below:Leon Valley Police Department auto auction vehicle.
Feds: City of San Antonio sold 227 vehicles at auction belonging to veterans
SAN ANTONIO The city of San Antonio towed and auctioned a vehicle belonging to an Air Force staff sergeant while she was deployed to Afghanistan, federal officials said. Paula Rangel was among at least 227 vehicles belonging to veterans that were sold at auction by the city between 2011 and 2019 without obtaining the required court orders, which is in violation of the Service Members Civil Relief Act. According to officials, Rangel and her lawyer tried to get her car out of the citys Growdon Road Vehicle Storage Facility, but employees refused to release the car. Rangels complaint led to the discovery of dozens of other vehicles being held at the pound and auctioned, officials said. On Thursday, the city of San Antonio and the U.S. Department of Justice reached an agreement in which the city must pay $47,000 to compensate Rangel and another veteran who filed complaints.
Own a piece of history: Alamo battle relics up for auction on Saturday
NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas You could own a piece of San Antonio history as Alamo battle relics and Republic of Texas documents go up for auction Saturday. The live auction will take place at 10 a.m. at the Burley Auction Gallery located at 134 Debora Dr. in New Braunfels. Anyone unable to attend the auction will still be able to bid live online or through phone and absentee bidding. The auction also features historic items from Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard, Confederate General in the Civil War, including family photographs and portraits, a letter about a cholera outbreak, documents, signatures and books, according to the release.


text:
GRI drafts mining and tourism guidelines
Draft guidelines for sustainability reporting by companies in the mining and tourism industries have been announced by the Global reporting initiative (GRI) in its December update. Similar guidance has already been produced for firms in the finance industry, and is being developed for car makers, the organisation says. All the sector-specific documents will be issued as supplements to the GRI's general corporate sustainability reporting guidelines, which are due to be reissued mid-next year (EED 30/06/00). See GRI December update.


text:
WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration yesterday said it would not brand China as a country that manipulates its currency to gain unfair trade advantages -- in spite of growing pressure in Congress to take punitive action to deal with a US trade deficit with China that hit a record $202 billion last year.
Treasury Secretary John Snow, however, said he is ''extremely dissatisfied" with the pace of China's currency reforms.
US manufacturers contend China has been artificially keeping its currency devalued by as much as 40 percent against the dollar, giving Chinese manufacturers a huge competitive advantage.
The administration said it did not believe China met the technical legal definition of a currency manipulator.
Critics were quick to attack.
''By failing to designate China as a manipulator . . . the United States comes off as a paper tiger unwilling to stand up for its domestic industrial sector," said Auggie Tantillo, executive director of the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition, which represents US textile and clothing companies.
''Secretary Snow has been consistently rolled by the Chinese government in his yearslong but unsuccessful effort to get China to take action on its highly undervalued currency," said Kevin Kearns, president of the US Business and Industry Council, which represents many medium- and small-sized manufacturing companies.
The report noted that China in July said it was abandoning a fixed link of the yuan's value to the dollar, although since that time the yuan has risen in value by only about 3 percent.
''We are extremely dissatisfied with the slow and disappointing pace of reform of the Chinese exchange rate regime," Snow said.
The currency report, which the administration must present to Congress every six months, was delayed until after Chinese President Hu Jintao and President Bush discussed the currency dispute during a White House meeting on April 20. The administration had hoped Hu would signal China would move faster to let its currency rise against the dollar; no such announcement came out of the summit.
A designation as a currency manipulator would have triggered consultations between the two nations and could have led to trade sanctions if the United States won a case on the issue before the World Trade Organization.


text:
Briefly: Mac OS X Java updates; Wintek iPhone orders; iPad estimate raised
Java for Mac OS X 10.5 Update 10 and Java for Mac OS X 10.6 Update 5 improve compatibility, security and reliability. 64-bit capable Intel-based Macs are update from Java SE 6 to 1.6.0_26 in both Mac OS X 10.6 and Mac OS X 10.5, while Update 10 for Mac OS X 10.5 offers an update to J2SE 5.0 for older Macs.
The Snow Leopard update is a 75.45MB download, while the Leopard update weighs 120.33MB. Users must quit any web browsers and Java applications before installing the updates.
Apple announced last year that the version of Java ported by Apple and ships with Mac OS X is deprecated. "This means that the Apple-produced runtime will not be maintained at the same level, and may be removed from future versions of Mac OS X," the company wrote in release notes for an earlier Java update.
The Cupertino, Calif., Mac maker also blocks Java apps from its Mac App Store. "Apps that use deprecated or optionally installed technologies (e.g., Java, [PowerPC code requiring] Rosetta) will be rejected," Apple's guidelines read.
A new report from Taiwan's DigiTimes claims Apple plans to increase orders of iPhone touch panels from Wintek in the third quarter of 2011, possibly bringing in $41.5 million to $51.9 million in revenue for the supplier.
Wintek remains one of Apple's larger touch panel contributors and is estimated to provide the iPhone maker with as many as 2.4-2.6 million small-size panels per month in the June quarter. According to the manufacturer, demand from smartphone and tablet PC firms was moderate in the first half of the year, though shipments have grown in the second quarter.
The manufacturer saw a 40 percent sequential sales increase in March, driven in part by a strong production ramp for the iPad 2.
Wintek made headlines last year when 44 workers sued the company over alleged poisoning from N-hexane, a glass-cleaning chemical. The company responded by asserting that it had examined and treated the workers and taken proper measures in response to the incident.
Morgan Keegan analyst Tavis McCourt issued a noted on Tuesday raising his second quarter iPad estimate from 6.5 million to 8.5 million and his full-year estimate from 25.5 million to 30 million units, as noted by Barron's. The analyst cited "various data points" as reasons for the adjustment.
Along with the iPad boost, McCourt raised his iPhone estimate for the quarter to 17 million units, up from 16 million, while also cutting his September quarter estimate from 22 million to 19 million. He sees Apple posting $103.7 billion revenue this year, $1.5 billion more than his prior estimate.
McCourt reiterated the firm's Outperform rating, bumping his price target for Apple shares from $462 to $80. Apple's stock gained nearly 1 percent on Tuesday to close the day at $335.26.
Morgan Keegan's estimates align with updated estimates from Needham & Co. analyst Charlie Wolf. He also boosted projections on Tuesday after higher-than-expected demand for the iPad 2.
Wolf sees Apple selling 9 million iPads in the June quarter and 30 million total in fiscal 2011. The analyst's revised 2011 revenue estimate of $103.7 billion differs from McCourt's new estimate by just $100 million.


text:
Leominster, MA – October 10, 2019 – Governor Charlie Baker visited AIS, the largest manufacturer of commercial office furniture and seating in New England, on Wednesday as part of National Manufacturing Month celebrations. During his visit to the Leominster-based company, Governor Baker toured the manufacturing floor, met employees and presented a proclamation declaring October to be Manufacturing Month in Massachusetts.
Founded in 1989 and celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, AIS has 800 employees nationwide and annual sales of more than $220 million. With over 600 employees who work in manufacturing jobs at its headquarters location, AIS is the one of the largest employers in traditional manufacturing in the state of Massachusetts. AIS has over 250 women working in Leominster and more than 30 countries are represented in the employee population.
Each year during October, AIS celebrates the importance of manufacturing by honoring government leaders’ commitment to manufacturing, educating students about manufacturing careers, and building community awareness of manufacturing’s positive impacts.
“Manufacturing continues to be an important economic driver of the economy in the Commonwealth,” Governor Baker said. “Massachusetts is home to over 7,000 manufacturing companies and 250,000 manufacturing employees. I am proud to be here at AIS to celebrate Manufacturing Month and all of the continued contributions this company – and so many others throughout the state – make to our economy every day.”
A recipient of the prestigious Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing – an award dubbed by BusinessWeek as the “Nobel Prize of manufacturing” – AIS leads as an innovator in sustainability, lean manufacturing, lead-time performance and manufacturing flexibility.
AIS is committed to being a MassMade company that prides itself on its role in the local community and in the state. A 2018 “Manufacturer of the Year” as designated by the state for the central Massachusetts region, AIS contributes to the local economy by creating and sustaining manufacturing jobs in Massachusetts as well as through partnerships and continued support of local vendors for goods and services.
“We’re proud of our company and what we’ve built here in Leominster,” AIS President and CEO Bruce Platzman said. “We’re excited to have had Governor Baker join us in celebrating Manufacturing Month. It’s all about honoring the history of manufacturing in our country while recognizing the important role that manufacturing will continue to play in our economy.”
AIS headquartered in Leominster, Massachusetts, is a leading manufacturer of commercial office furniture and boasts one of the most impressive stories of growth and success in the furniture industry. Founded in 1989, the company is known for offering market-relevant, feature-rich product lines that entice designers and support the diverse needs of end-users while offering exceptional value. AIS is an innovator that leads the industry in sustainable, lean manufacturing, lead-time performance and manufacturing flexibility. AIS has permanent showrooms at its Leominster headquarters and also in Chicago, New York City and Washington, D.C. With locations across the U.S., AIS has more than 800 employees and over 1 million square feet of office, showroom and factory space. For more information, visit www.ais-inc.com.


text:
A cottage industry exists on the internet – “news” websites that exist primarily to market acai berry weight-loss products. To provide the illusion of legitimacy, these sites often use logos from major media outlets such as Fox News, CBS, CNN, USA Today, and Consumer Reports. FTC is asking federal courts to shut the sites down, at least temporarily.
According to the FTC, the sites strive to appear as though they are actual news outlets, but in reality they are simply marketing tools. It has targeted 10 such operations.
The FCC allegations charge that the sites take the logos of legitimate news operations and “falsely represent that the reports on the sites have been seen on these networks.”
“Almost everything about these sites is fake,” said David Vladeck, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “The weight loss results, the so-called investigations, the reporters, the consumer testimonials, and the attempt to portray an objective, journalistic endeavor.”
FTC says the operations make false and unsupported claims that acai berry supplements will cause rapid and substantial weight loss;
Further, they deceptively represent that:
* their websites are objective news reports;
* independent tests demonstrate the effectiveness of the product, and
* comments following the “articles” on their websites reflect the views of independent consumers; and
* fail to disclose their financial relationships to the merchants selling the products.
The FTC says numerous complaints have come in from consumers bilked out of sums running from $70-$100.
FTC added, “Reporters or commentators pictured on the sites are fictional and have not conducted the tests or experienced the results described in the reports, the FTC alleges. The ‘responses’ and ‘comments’ following the reports are simply additional advertising content, not independent statements from ordinary consumers. The defendants receive commissions when consumers buy the products or sign up for ‘free trials’ on the product-selling sites – but they fail to adequately disclose their lack of objectivity and their financial incentive to get consumers to buy the products. According to the FTC, the defendants collectively have paid more than $10 million to advertise their fake news sites, and have likely received well in excess of that amount in ill-gotten commissions.”
The FTC is seeking restraining orders in six different courts.


text:
If exorbitant gas prices haven’t pushed you to go electric, several Earth Day promotions might encourage the switch.
Earth Day is Friday (April 22) and public charging networks around the country are offering discounts at Level 2 and 3 stations and for charging at home to raise awareness about the environment and sustainability. Electrification alone isn’t reversing climate change or completely eliminating carbon emissions, but it is encouraging more renewable energy use.
To show how EVs align with the purpose of Earth Day, charging network ChargePoint calculated how much its EV drivers have saved over the years using the company’s plugs. It comes out to 608,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.
EV users have saved 44 million pounds of carbon on Volta’s free charging network, according to the company.
Charge At A Discount
To celebrate Earth Day, Electrify America is offering free Level 3 (sometimes called ultra-fast) charging starting at 12:01 a.m. ET Friday through 3 a.m. ET Saturday. The free “fill up” is available at its 740 stations scattered across the U.S.
EVgo will offer 2,000 EVgo rewards points to all customers who charge anytime on Friday. That converts to $10 of EVgo credit, which is enough for a typical charging session.
For those who charge at home instead of at public stations, Blink Charging is offering 10% off its home charging unit if purchased on Amazon. The home unit comes with $100 in public charging credit across Blink network stations.
Electrify America sells a Level 2 home charging system, which will knock off $50 through April 30 with the promo code CHARGEONEARTH.
Everyday Should Be Earth Day
While some EV owners might feel like driving on battery power means celebrating Earth Day every day, Friday is the big day. Volkswagen is hosting a weekend-long New York City event at the Hudson Yards, while an EV club in Hawaii is sponsoring free electric test drives. VW’s NYC event will have its electric ID. Buzz Microbus on display alongside an Earth Day market, fashion show and sustainability talks.
Public utility companies, local governments and clean energy associations are supporting EV events all month with many drives and demos planned for Earth Day and the weekend.
Even when it’s not Earth Day, most car makers offer discounted and free charging programs for new EV sales. All 2022 new Volvo electric purchases include 250 kWh of free fast and Level 2 charging on Electrify America plugs, as does Hyundai.
While Kia offers 1,000 kWh on the network, Volkswagen ID. 4 owners have three years of free, unlimited charging with Electrify America. Toyota has teamed up with ChargePoint for its charging program and other EV makers like Audi and Porsche also provide new owners free juice.
For EV owners, Earth Day discounts abound—all year long.


text:
Implementation of common market protocol EAC and maintaining the fate of our local farmers and business people has become a major challenge to full realization of of the regional integration since the time it came into force in July 1, 2010.
The common market has faced this challenge mainly because some members of partner states either do not understand the importance of regional integration or they think that by blocking free movement of people, goods and capital across the borders of partner will spur economic growth.
Among the objectives of the Common Market Protocol include acceleration of growth and development among partner states through the attainment of free movement of goods, labour, strengthen coordinate and regulate the economic and trade relations among partner states in order to promote accelerated harmonious and balanced development within the community.
All these could be made impossible following stringent rules that partner states are putting in place and the utterances by political leaders from partner states.
A good example is the trade dispute between Nairobi and Dar-es-Salaam that led to the arrest of Starehe Member of Parliament Charles Njagua.
In defence of Mr. Njagua Majority Leader in the National Assembly Aden Duale also made sentiments that seemed to support what Mr Njagua had said. Mr Duale accused Tanzania of being a stumbling block to regional integration following their move to stop top Kenyan professional Silvia Mulinge from taking up a job in Tanzania.
Such perceived differences or suspicions between member states should not be wished away. There is need for clear identification of the activities that should be carried out freely across the borders of the partner states.
This is because there is conflicting interest of securing local traders and farmers from all the partner states. Another way of ensuring full implementation of the Common Market Protocol and taking care of the interest of our local market is through lowering the production cost in the country so that our local farmers can be able to produce agricultural product that can compete the other products that come from our partner states.
The cost of production in Kenya has gone so high to the extent that if one want to produce chicken in Kenya for commercial purpose, he/she will run at a loss because his /her chicken will not be able to compete other chicken from Uganda in the market.
At the end the farmer may simply leave the job because there is no return on capital. Another sector that has recently experienced a big challenge is sugar sector where the price of sugar that is imported is lower than that of our local produce. This has led to the collapse of our sugar industries because their products cannot compete those that are imported.
It is therefore my humble plea to policy makers to re look into the cost of production in Kenya so that our produce can be able to complete those from other members of the EAC partner states if we are interested in full realisation of Regional Integration.
Bonface Akong’o communication student, Maseno University.


text:
UK: Morrisons, Global Pacific JV buys ex-Fresh Del Monte banana plant
Morrisons said acquisition would help it control ripening process, meet consumer demand and lower costs
Morrisons said today (26 July) it had snapped up the banana ripening facility in Boston through a venture with Global Pacific, which will run the plant on behalf of the retailer. The retailer could not provide financial details at the time of writing.
The UK's fourth-largest grocer said it wanted to better "control" the quality of the fruit to meet consumer demand. Bananas will be ripened at the plant, where Fresh Del Monte stopped production in 2011, instead of via a third party
CEO Dalton Philips said: "Bananas are the most popular fruit in the UK so it makes sense for Morrisons to apply its unique approach to food production to simplify the supply chain, cut out costs and improve quality. Adding this ripening factory to our business means we will be able to mature bananas more precisely to our customers different needs."
Morrisons owns a range of manufacturing sites across the food sector, supplying meat, fish and bakery products to its stores. It has acquired six plants since 2010.
Chris Kilvington, CEO of Global Pacific, said the company was entering into an "exciting partnership".
This report provides a concise overview of the Confectionery market in the UK. After reading this report, you will understand the size of the market, the economic, demographic, and behavioural trends ...
- Challenges for General Mills with The Good Table
- What US companies might Nomad Foods buy?
- Greek crisis - The impact on shopper behaviour
- Competition intensifies among UK burger chains
- Why investors are concerned about water risk
- Mitsubishi buys stake in Olam International
- Unilever claims victory in Becel dispute
- KitKat to go sustainably sourced cocoa only
- Arla strikes JVs in Nigeria and Senegal
- Arla H1 profits down on milk price slump


text:
Editor’s note: George McBride is the co-founder and CEO of Hanway Associates, a London-based strategic consultancy specialising in cannabis research, new market entry, commercial diligence and M&A strategy. Here he writes about the developing legal cannabis market in the UK and the creation of CROP17, a collaboration between Hanway Associates, Savills, and CambridgeHOK focused on providing turnkey solutions for building cannabis growing facilities.
The UK government legalised medical cannabis in November 2018. A wave of other European countries including France, Germany and Italy have continued to liberalise their medical cannabis laws to improve patient access. Medical cannabis is being prescribed for a range of different conditions in countries around the world, some with strong evidence of beneficial impact including neuropathic pain, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, epilepsy and multiple sclerosis. UK private patients are currently accessing cannabis-based medicinal products for a range of conditions.
The recent changes to the medical cannabis laws in the UK have created a great deal of interest in the business opportunities for UK farmers and experts in controlled-environment agriculture, not least to capitalise on the attractive margins on offer from cannabis crops, which are more lucrative per gram for British farmers than strawberries.
BDS Analytics has forecast that the worldwide legal cannabis industry generated revenues in the region of £11.5 billion in 2019 and is expected to grow to around £35 billion by 2024. Alongside this phenomenal rate of growth, the UK agriculture sector is embarking upon a period of unprecedented change. A phasing out of subsidies, a new dawn for trade, adapting to meet climate change targets and huge growth in agtech presents the industry with huge challenges and opportunities. For the forward-thinking and innovative farmer and grower, adapting to new markets is a key priority.
Medical cannabis is key for CEA in UK
Cannabis cultivation and controlled environment agriculture go hand-in-hand and medical cannabis cultivation could be the key to unlocking the potential for controlled-environment agriculture in the UK.
Due to the illegality of cannabis cultivation, it was forced out of the light and into the shadows. As a result, despite the cost, cannabis has been grown indoors under lights for decades. Many of the familiar modern cannabis cultivars are best suited to being grown indoors. By cultivating high margin crops like cannabis, sophisticated operators can build profitable businesses which will in turn help to drive down the cost of building and operating modern glasshouses and indoor facilities. Furthermore, having a popular crop grown indoors helped drive forward a number of the innovations which are also helping make indoor cultivation cost-competitive with outdoor cultivation in some parts of the world. It’s also making the space more accessible to newcomers to the cannabis industry, but also indoor growing more generally.
In 2017, the UK was the globe’s largest legal producer of cannabis – 258 tonnes vs Canada’s 130 tonnes. Just over 400 tonnes were recorded in all, so the UK accounted for 64% of all 2017 legal cannabis production. This is because the UK is home to GW Pharmaceuticals, which has launched two pharmaceutical drugs derived from cannabis grown in the UK. NB: because cannabis is still technically illegal at the federal level, US volumes were not included in these figures, but are no doubt a lot larger.
The UK is an ideal place for investors looking for security of tenure, low political risk, high manufacturing standards and a highly skilled workforce all of which will assist businesses on the path to exporting to other highly regulated markets such as Germany and supplying the burgeoning UK market. The total number of medical cannabis prescriptions issued in the UK could surge from a few hundred in 2019 to more than 185,000 by the end of 2023 if the country follows a similar path to Australia, whose medical cannabis programme has grown rapidly since the government relaxed restrictions in 2018.
A complex regulatory landscape
However, a complex and opaque licensing regime has made it more difficult to enter the market than many were expecting. Extensive barriers to entry guard the nascent medical cannabis industry.
Would-be medical cannabis cultivators must ensure a compliant supply chain for their products, secure the facility, comply with pharmaceutical regulations, obtain a number of licences, ensure they remain cost-competitive through low energy prices, intelligent build designs and securing an ideal site. Those are just a few of the steps on the path to building a successful commercial cannabis cultivation operation.
Savills, one of Europe’s largest housing and agricultural land property companies, wants to capitalise on the growth potential of the UK’s cannabis market and has partnered with our strategic consultancy for the industry Hanway Associates and CambridgeHOK, an innovative glass-house builder that has already converted a number of agricultural sites into cannabis cultivation facilities. We hope the partnership — CROP17 — will vastly improve the feasibility of businesses looking to become medicinal cannabis cultivators in the UK.
When considering setting up a cannabis cultivation facility, prospective market entrants need to think about securing a cheap source of heat, power and CO2 as well as a highly-skilled labour force, a secure site, established licensed partners in the industry and a well-designed facility that minimises both the capital expenditure and operating expenses of the project.
Cannabis legalisation in the UK might be a slow burner compared to some of the reforms in North American jurisdictions. Only 20 high-THC cannabis cultivation active licences were issued to companies between October 2018 and 2019. However, the global tidal wave of reform seems to have unstoppable inertia and business opportunities for sophisticated operators in the UK are on the horizon.
Developing more effective cannabis-based medicinal products and improving patient access to these products presents both a challenge and a substantial commercial opportunity. The UK is well placed to take advantage of this opportunity with a highly professional and well regulated agricultural and life sciences sector.


text:
While the U.S. music industry suffered through its worst sales year since the advent of SoundScan (now Nielsen Music) in 1991, streaming was so strong last year that the industry nevertheless saw growth — yes, growth — in 2014, when new metrics to measure music revenue are taken into consideration.
But before getting into the nitty-gritty, let’s look at the top sellers for the year. Taylor Swift’s 1989, released on Oct. 27, pulled off some amazing sales feats. After a first-week debut of 1.29 million units — a feat that many thought was impossible in today’s sales environment — 1989 became the year’s best-selling album in the very last days of 2014, helped in part by its absence from streaming services. However, for the first 51 weeks of the year, Frozen was the clear frontrunner. Swift’s album scanned 3.66 million units in total, versus the 3.53 million tallied by Disney’s runaway hit soundtrack. Since its release, Frozen has scanned 3.9 million units (the film’s soundtrack was released in late 2013, cutting off the eligibility of those 400,000 units when measuring 2014’s sales total).
The pair were two of just four albums to hit the million-unit mark in 2014: Sam Smith’s In The Lonely Hour sold 1.2 million units, and Pentatonix’s That’s Christmas To Me scanned 1.14 million. In 2013, 13 albums moved over a million.
Not surprisingly, the year’s top-selling albums were also the top 3 digital sellers. Swift’s album was downloaded 1.4 million times; Frozen 1.26 million, and Smith 573,000. Meanwhile, Pharrell Williams’ “Happy” earned its stripes as the most downloaded song of the year, moving 6.46 million units, according to Nielsen Music.
Read this article from billboard.com about some of the best moments of 2014. Remember to request a trial account with 10 free credits at www.provideos4djs.com, the best video pool with more than 10 thousand videos ready to be downloaded, improve your professional VJ/DJ career, join us today!
Curated from www.billboard.com


text:
So that was Record Store Day.
Growing in size each year, the event takes a huge amount of organisation. Sadly, this year saw a number of fans complain that touts had snatched prime releases, and were re-selling them at inflated prices on eBay.
Paul Weller was enraged, and issued a frustrated statement claiming that he would never again take part in Record Store Day.
In response, Record Store Day organisers have issued that following statement:
We share Paul Weller's frustration at evidence that 'Brand New Toy' has been offered for sale on eBay, and we are disappointed that despite our best efforts to drive out the touts, once again some people are seeking to exploit the goodwill of artists and labels by selling RSD exclusives at vastly-inflated prices on eBay.
At just 500 copies Paul Weller’s ‘Brand New Toy’ was one of the most limited editions available on RSD and so some re-selling was expected. However, thanks to the measures we have taken on re-sales, overall the number of complaints about unauthorised sales this year is well down on previous years, though we continue to monitor eBay on an hour-by-hour basis.
We clearly cannot control the activities of members of the public, but the Record Store Day Code of Conduct makes it clear that any store found to be complicit in unauthorised sales on eBay faces being banned from future events.
Record Store Day would not exist without the support and commitment of artists and labels and we take our responsibility to them very seriously.
- - -
"Any store" you say? Paul Weller's wife - Hannah Weller - went on a Twitter mission to uncover the touts, arguing that much of the Paul Weller re-sales were coming from one buyer. Check out her Twitter feed to find out who she thinks is behind this unethical selling...


text:
Posts Tagged "Security"
by Amy Montague, 9th May 2019
This year the digital industry has started to take a downfall as customers begin to sue websites and apps for lacking the functionalities needed to be legally compliant. In the first financial quarter of 2019...
by Digivante, 15th January 2019
2018’s seasonal sales failed to hit their forecasted targets as consumer concerns coupled with unsatisfactory online experiences led to an underwhelming year for many retail businesses. For those already on the brink of administration, 2018’s...


text: There is another aspect which is beginning to frighten European governments because of the war in Ukraine. The softest word is: difficulty in buying food for the poorest families. What few dare to pronounce, also because it refers to scenarios foreseen only among the so-called “black swans” (the unpredictable events for finance which can also occur), is: famine. It is the conjunction of several elements, not only the conflict but also the drought and the food purchases of the large countries, which risk bringing hunger to the rich countries. Not what those who live in absolute poverty are already suffering, but also the middle population groups affected by inflation, rising food prices and declining purchasing power. Agriculture Undersecretary Gian Marco Centinaio highlighted the picture of grain price tensions yesterday: “The wheat problem for Italy has been around for almost a year, with a devastating 2021 with – 30% production in Russia and Ukraine”. Hundreds added: “Last year, China took grain from various countries by speculating. And here is the perfect storm and we are in it”. It’s not just wheat that’s worrying. The problem is corn and sunflower, from which products used daily are derived, such as sunflower oil, for example. “On corn and sunflowers – he explained, we are helping Italian farmers to plant them, because it is still the right season. We help them from an economic and bureaucratic point of view because if maize goes into crisis, all Italian livestock will go into crisis”. The solution is not easy. It is possible to import from the United States, although the delays are very long (crossing from the Atlantic) and also for food safety (treatment with potentially toxic insecticides). “We already import from Canada, so the urban legend of Glyph Sato 2 is brought up when there are crises like this. This is the least of the problems because we are already using wheat treated with it,” he added. The most serious problem is GMOs since it is that of the United States. So far, the current situation is likely to turn into a more serious problem in the short term. And it is precisely at this time that the scarcity of agricultural materials will have its effect on the shopping basket. The European Union has already taken this into account The European Commission will present tomorrow a communication on how to preserve food security.The danger highlighted in the projects circulating is that, above all, access to food for the weakest social groups is threatened. low-income people, already affected by the energy shock, and who are still suffering from the economic consequences of Covid. A band that tends to widen and not shrink. There is also a second problem according to Brussels. And that is the quality of food, which tends to decline during purchases. A situation already seen in 2008, a new period of sharp price increases, when families turned to cheaper products which tend to be calorie-rich and nutrient-poor foods, so less fruit and meat replaced by example by eggs. A problem that is solved with greater agricultural investment on European soil before ending up in situations like those in North Africa when the Arab Spring rebellions began due to the increase in the cost of food. For the moment, no alarm in Italy: “There is the obvious difficulty of guaranteeing income to farmers, but there are no critical signs with regard to supplies, we will not have shelves empty,” said Minister of Agricultural Policy Stefano Patuanelli. But the Coldiretti nevertheless recalled that the rise in prices jeopardizes the food security of 5.6 million Italians living in poverty. The association headed by Ettore Prandini has asked to release 200 million euros as soon as possible to buy basic food to be delivered to the poorest.


text:
Ugo Aliogo and Esther Ehoche
In order for entrepreneurs and small medium scale enterprises (SMEs) to strategically structure their businesses and achieve profit, there is need for them to scale growth and performance, while understanding the measures needed to be put in place to increase revenue.
The advice was given recently in Lagos at the Eureka Moments organised by Trayny Brand to train entrepreneurs on how to structure their businesses through online training, while leveraging on the lessons of successful entrepreneurs.
Speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer, House of Tara International, Tara Durotoye, said a lot of entrepreneurs need to understand that to achieve growth in business, there is need for them to increase their revenue, stating that they also have to increase their customer base and product offering to attract more customers.
She also noted that in scaling, the entrepreneur needs to think of the type of business to venture into, which would generate income and how to project more in the business.
Durotoye advised up and coming entrepreneurs to invest in self-development efforts in order to build a solid foundation for their businesses, adding that there are non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that are focused in training entrepreneurs. â€œEntrepreneurs should not engage in these trainings because they have the money, but devote their time and implement the knowledge gained into their businesses to move it to the next level.â€
Earlier in her remarks, the Founder of Trayny, Stephanie Obi, said the focus of the initiative was to bring onboard established entrepreneurs, who have succeeded in businesses in Africa to teach other up and coming ones on how to strategically grow in business. According to Obi that they get the knowledge of those established entrepreneurs, package it into an online course and share it with the younger generations as well as entrepreneurs across Africa.
â€œThe first person we had when we launched the online courses is Tara Durotoye, the owner of House of Tara. We told her to come and teach on how to structure your business so she created a series of lessons which were shared to everyone that registered in Trayny,â€ she noted.


text:
Nissan is teaming up with French publishing house L’Ecurie and Intersection Magazine to participate in the 2013 Gumball 3000 Rally – a non-competitive, pan-European parade of the world’s most exciting and desirable cars – starting in Copenhagen on May 18.
The entry will be giving the millions of spectators expected to line the route a first glimpse of the exciting new Nissan 370Z Nismo in action. Gumball has a great heritage, providing a great platform to bring Nismo’s digital age performance to the streets of Europe.
The team has been entered as car 56, a number that has great significance for Nissan which occupied ‘Garage 56′ at the Le Mans 24hr race in 2012 with the Nissan DeltaWing. The company will be returning to Garage 56, the spot reserved for innovative experimental cars, in 2014 with an all-new race car incorporating electric technology.
Previewed in Barcelona in January 2013, the Nissan 370Z Nismo made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March and is set to hit showrooms later this year.
Powered by a modified 344PS six-cylinder engine, the Nissan 370Z Nismo features a bespoke chassis tuned to deliver a sharper and even more engaging driving experience. Capable of accelerating from 0-100kp/h in just 5.2 seconds, the new Z follows in the tracks of the first Nismo model to arrive in Europe, the Juke Nismo.
Set to be driven by Gumball 3000 regulars Patrice Meignan and Jeremy ‘Jey’ Taltaud, the Nissan 370Z Nismo features a special camouflage livery designed specifically for the event. Both are contributors to Intersection Magazine and will be reporting on the rally via all major social media channels.
In addition, fans can follow the action on Nismo.tv where a daily video post containing highlights of the previous day’s action will be available.
The Gumball 3000 has become a major draw for performance car enthusiasts from all over the world since the first event was held in 1999. Named after the 1976 cult film starring Michael Sarrazin, the Gumball 3000 Rally has attracted a host of celebrity entrants over the years, including musician Jay Kay, Former F1 champion Damon Hill and fashion designer Donna Karan.
Gareth Dunsmore, Nissan in Europe General Manager, explains: ‘Gumball is a great fit for the 370Z Nismo: it’s a road rally which allows thousands of fans to get up close to their dream cars. Making exciting cars accessible is at the heart of the Nissan brand, and with our innovative Nismo.tv platform on Youtube our customers will be able to keep up to date with its progress, so we can’t wait to take part in this historic parade.’
Kicking off in Copenhagen on May 18 the rally will run until May 25, concluding in Monaco at the Formula 1 Grand Prix De Monaco 2013.


text:
Robbie Middleton's family relieved
Top Stories in Local
3rd Corvette plucked from sinkhole
Top Stories in US & World
Texans in pursuit of Matt Cassel?
Top Stories in Sports
Cypress homebuilding ramping up
Top Stories in Business
Master-planned community tour in April billed as Houston's biggest
Top Stories in Real Estate
24/7 Wall Street looked at the car brands with the most complaints reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. You might be surprised at what brands made the list.


text:
Amazon posts first quarterly loss since 2015
Plagued by higher costs and slower growth, the company sees "challenges" ahead.
Amazon posted its first quarterly loss in seven years, according to reporting in The Wall Street Journal. The disappointing results reflect broad economic trends related to a slump in online shopping, higher costs f... Read more
Amazon launches a $1 billion “Industrial Innovation Fund”
The fund will be to invest in supply chain technology companies.
This week Amazon announced plans to invest $1 billion in companies developing supply chain technologies such as warehouse robots.
The investments will be made through a new fund known as the Amazon Industrial Innovation Fu... Read more
AWS plans to expand their market lead
The Amazon Cloud chief is eyeing acquisitions and other ways to increase the tech giant's dominance.
This week Amazon's cloud chief Adam Selipsky told Bloomberg News that the e-commerce giant doesn’t plan to spin off its profitable Amazon Web Services division.
“We have no current plans t... Read more
Amazon releases MASSIVE dataset for natural language understanding
Amazon is launching the MASSIVE dataset. With this, it wants to lift Natural Language Understanding (NLU) to a higher level. Companies can use the dataset to have virtual assistants interpret obscure language.
MASSIVE is a parallel dataset, Amazon explains. For the dataset, it means that 1 milli... Read more
UK data centers get a 2.3 billion dollar AWS investement
Amazon to operate and build data centers in the UK.
On Wednesday, Amazon Web Services announced that they're spending around 2.37 billion USD on operating and building data centers in the UK.
The investment will be made over a period of two years. According to AWS, this move will almost doubl... Read more
Microsoft to add support for Android Apps in Windows 11
The Apps are already available in a "public preview"
In 2021, Microsoft announced Windows 11 users would be able to natively access Android apps through a PC-based version of the Amazon Appstore.
In October last year Windows 11 arrived, but access to Android apps on the platform was limited t... Read more
Deal on EU tech rules possible by June
The new legislation will have a sweeping impact on U.S. tech giants
EU lawmakers and countries could reach a deal on proposed tech rules by the end of June, according to Reuters. The new laws would force online platforms to better police the internet. The agreement looks likely, despite differe... Read more
Italy’s antitrust regulator recalculates fines for Amazon and Apple
The adjustment was a result of a "material error" in the first calculation.
Italy's antitrust regulator said on Thursday it had recalculated the fines for U.S tech giants Apple and Amazon, according to reporting in Reuters. The Italian officials said the adjustment was due to a "material error" ... Read more
What is DevOps, and how does the model evolve in the cloud?
DevOps is an amalgamation of traditional Development and Operations teams. Especially in the cloud, however, the DevOps model is evolving. More and more tasks are being automated, creating more time to focus on applications and features that make the difference.
We sat down with Sebastien Storma... Read more
Amazon expands IoT network service SideWalk with greater reach
Amazon has expanded IoT network service SideWalk with better connectivity for longer distances. The Amazon SideWalk Pro application is intended to deliver connectivity over longer distances for homes, industrial environments, farms and various remote locations.
Once, SideWalk was introduced as a... Read more


text:
In a word, credibility -- Revolution Lighting Technologies is seriously lacking it.
News & Analysis: Revolution Lighting Tech
Revolution Lighting Technologies has ambitious plans for 2014, but will they come to fruition.
Tim Hortons is going green on lighting. Any good news for the industry is good for Revolution Lighting Technologies.
Another delay has investors losing patience.
Tread lightly when it comes to this company’s guidance.
Two major announcements from the LED lighting solutions company fueled investors' hopes; but will the shares maintain momentum?
Revolution Lighting Technologies soared higher today, but is the company a sound investment?
A good upcoming earnings report could push shares of the LED lighting solutions company higher in March.
The LED lighting company expects lower revenue for the fourth quarter, so will the jump in share prices last?
Is this meaningful or just another movement?


text:
Apple CEO Tim Cook recalled the iconic day, here on Friday, when the company released its first Macintosh computer 35 years ago.
With astonishing chutzpah, the company announced the product to the world through a single ad screened during the Super Bowl on 22 January 1984. The film was directed by Ridley Scott and showed a dimly lit auditorium in which ranks of drably clad zombies are being harangued by a despotic figure shown on a huge screen. Into this auditorium comes a beautiful female athlete who runs towards the screen carrying a large hammer, pursued by goons attired in riot police gear. Just as the despot’s rant reaches a climax, the athlete stops, whirls the hammer four times and then launches it at the screen. When it strikes, the screen explodes and the camera pans to the zombies, whose mouths gape in bewilderment. “On January 24th,” intones a voice over the closing scene, “Apple Computer will introduce Macintosh. And you’ll see why 1984 won’t be like Nineteen Eighty-Four.”
Remembering the day when co-founder Steve Jobs unveiled Macintosh in 1984, cook wrote on Twitter that today more people than ever are using Mac to follow their passions.
35 years ago, Macintosh said hello. It changed the way we think about computers and went on to change the world. We love the Mac, and today we’re proud that more people than ever are using it to follow their passions and create the future. pic.twitter.com/oUQDJN3jRU
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) January 24, 2019
Macintosh, the successor to the failed LISA computer, changed the way people perceived computers.
The first-gen Macintosh, although pricier at USD 2,495, was of a humble configuration in today’s Smartphone-era. It came equipped with a Motorola 68000 CPU running at 8HMz with only 128K of RAM. The 9-inch black-and-white monitor featured a 512 x 342- pixel resolution, and the built-in 3.5 inch floppy drive supported disks that topped out at 400K of storage.
Steve Jobs called the Macintosh “a third industry standard” after the Apple II and IBM Computer. Ate the launch event, Jobs pulled out the Macintosh out of a bag, and inserted a disk into the 3.5 inch drive and started up the machine. That’s when the first Macintosh said “Hello”.


text:
Soon after the release of the final console of Android 7.0 Nougat, Google announced HTC 10, HTC One M9, and HTC One A9 to get the update in the fourth quarter. Keeping its promise, Google started sending updates for Android 7.0 Nougat on HTC One M9 model.
HTC via Twitter announced on Tuesday the rollout of Nougat 7.0 on its One M9 model. The company stated that the HTC One M9 unlocked variants have started receiving the updates for the new OS. However, by the end of this month, the update for carrier variants will be rolled out. The update will turn up through an OTA, and if not, users can also manually check for the update by going through the Settings menu.
Android Nougat will enhance multiple systems of the Unlocked HTC One M9. With the new OS, the phone will be backed by an improved battery-saving mode alongside the options of upgraded notifications, tweaked Doze, multi-window, and in-line replies.
Moreover, HTC also announced that carrier models are not likely to receive the newest version of Android OS until the early of next year. However, the rolling out of Android 7.0 Nougat on Unlocked HTC One M9 has made the HTC fans quite excited and the market is expecting the newest version of Android on other HTC devices soon.
Besides, Google yesterday dispatched Android 7.1.1 Nougat on its Pixel and Nexus smartphones. With added improvements and some minor bug fixings, the new version of Android has gone official on Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel C, and most of the Nexus phones.
But till now, the original version of Nougat, the Android 7.0 Nougat has a long way to reach every existing smartphone models. While many smartphone brands are in the queue to get the update for the new OS on their devices like HTC, which has proven to be more privileged, as its One M9 model starts receiving Android 7.0 Nougat Update.


text:
Regulators in the Asia-Pacific region are ramping up scrutiny on companies that may be overstating their environmental credentials.
Australia is reviewing at least 140 businesses for potential greenwashing after an internet sweep found 57% of firms had made “concerning claims” about their environmental and sustainability practices, its consumer watchdog said Thursday.
That comes less than a month after South Korea’s government issued warnings to some of the nation’s biggest energy and steel companies over misleading climate claims and after Japan strengthened the rules on which funds can label themselves “ESG.” Meanwhile India’s securities watchdog released a framework of ESG reporting requirements for listed entities in February, after disclosure rules for retail ESG funds took effect in Singapore at the start of this year.
“Businesses using broad claims like ‘environmentally friendly’, ‘green’, or ‘sustainable’ are obliged to back up these claims through reliable scientific reports, transparent supply chain information, reputable third-party certification or other forms of evidence,” ACCC Deputy Chairwoman Catriona Lowe said in a statement. “Where we have concerns, we will be asking businesses to substantiate their claims.”
Asia’s clampdown on corporate greenwashing comes amid increasing pressure from the public and activist groups, and actions by regulators outside the region.
That heightened scrutiny may be pushing firms to shy away from promoting their green credentials as they fear the stigma associated with allegations of exaggerated green claims, according to South Pole, a climate consultancy and carbon offsets developer. The trend, known as “green hushing,” has been spreading among companies despite improvements in their climate commitments, according to its 2022 survey.
Source : Pion Line


text:
MiX Telematics to launch new driver behavior tool at safety roadshow
MiX Telematics is to hold a one-day safety roadshow that will showcase its new DriveMate solution for company car and LCV drivers.
The event, which is aimed at UK service, delivery, utility, haulage and passenger transport operators, takes place at Doncaster Racecourse between 10:00 and 16:00 on Thursday 20 October 2016 and will show the benefits of the new DriveMate tool, which features driver behaviour feedback, identity badge reader and private and business mileage logging.
The event will also see a number of key transport industry suppliers present their safety-related products and services alongside MiX Telematics’ range. Featured partners will include the BVRLA, the Freight Transport Association, Mobileye, Sygic, the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport and OBS Logistics.
“This unique event brings together many of the leading players within the field of automotive safety,” said Marc Trollet, managing director for MiX Telematics Europe. “As such, a wealth of cutting-edge technology will be demonstrated and a mass of essential safety-related information will be imparted on the day, making this an unmissable event for business owners and fleet managers alike.
“As numbers will be limited, I would recommend anyone wishing to attends registers without delay, and we look forward to welcoming the industry to Doncaster Racecourse on 20 October for what promises to be a most exciting and valuable occasion.”
To register for the event, call 0800 200 6800 or click on the Safety Roadshow link at www.mixtelematics.co.uk


text:
For the next three years, the company will take charge of the redevelopment and maintenance of the roundabout following the project developed by the company Arboreus.
CAME starts the new year with a green spirit by adopting and upgrading the via Roma roundabout in Treviso, and kicks off the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of its foundation
Seasons greetings from CAME UK
Our opening hours over the festive period.
Approved Distributor Status Update
After a recent review of its approved distributor criteria, CAME UK have taken the difficult decision that Door Entry Direct Ltd no longer meets the criteria required for approved distributor status.


text:
These days, we place our faith in small rectangles of fabric to stop the spread of a virus that could destroy our lives. Most of us own not just one face mask, but several ― one for every trip to the store or encounter with someone outside of our circle ― meaning one individual could need a dozen or so masks in their arsenal.
Make-your-own face mask tutorials were ubiquitous online when the pandemic first hit, but they fell on deaf ears for the non-crafters of the world, who’ve instead depended on online face mask retailers. And one of the most popular destinations has been Etsy, the global online marketplace for makers.
Within days of the CDC’s April 3 recommendation that people wear cloth face coverings, Etsy mobilized 20,000 sellers and had 60,000 selling masks by the end of April. In April alone, Etsy sold 12 million


text:
The government is expected to increase the price of petroleum goods. The new price will apply form September by Rs 20 per litre. The new price hike will be an effort to revive the $6 billion IMF bailout package.
The administration had stated that they had placed a sales tax on petroleum items in the letter of intent (LoI) to the IMF. However, the rate of sales tax on the item is probably going to increase starting.
The federal government is to end the sales tax exemptions on petroleum items for the agriculture sector to comply with IMF’s requirements.
As per the IMF’s requirements, the government is considering imposing a 10.5% sales tax on petroleum items starting in October.
Due to IMF agreement, the government already stopped providing subsidies for petroleum items, which led to a spike in inflation.


text:
IMAGE event at Cranfield University
Small and medium-sized businesses across the SEMLEP (South-East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership) area are being invited to a showcase event at Cranfield University on 4 December 2017.
The showcase will enable local businesses to learn how they can access some of the many world-class research facilities at the University and engage leading academic expertise, through the IMAGE (Innovation in Manufacturing, Aerospace and Green Economy) project.
IMAGE funding is available to support small and medium-sized businesses to develop new technologies, processes and services. Also, it is available to help business to enhance their ‘green business’ credentials.
IMAGE is led by Cranfield University, and the funding is from the European Regional Development Fund.
IMAGE Project Manager at Cranfield University, Sandra Turner, said:
“Our message to local businesses is come and talk to us and view the research facilities on offer, particularly if you have a product idea you want to develop or are looking for advice on how to grow your business.”
Local businesses wishing to register their attendance at the event can do so here.


text:
Most adult vapers of non-tobacco flavoured e-cigarettes overwhelmingly oppose flavour restrictions, according to a recent study.
The study, conducted by the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project at the University of Waterloo, examined whether regular vapers from Canada, England and the United States who only use non-tobacco flavoured e-cigarettes, would support or oppose a ban on all non-tobacco flavours and how they would potentially respond to such a policy.
“Our study helps to fill the gaps in evidence of the possible impact of e-cigarette flavour bans, following from other studies that have predicted how smokers respond to tobacco control policies such as tax increases and menthol bans,” said Professor Geoffrey Fong, co-author and the principal investigator of the ITC Project.
The vaping industry produces thousands of flavoured vaping products, such as tobacco, menthol, fruit, and candy. With rising rates of youth vaping, regulators in some countries are grappling with decisions on how to best regulate vaping product flavours to protect public health. A ban on flavoured vaping products intends to discourage vaping among youth. But it is not clear whether a flavour ban would also discourage vaping among adult smokers who vape, who also like flavours. However, it is unknown whether there could be unintended effects of a flavour ban. For example, could those who have used flavoured e-cigarettes to cut down or quit smoking risk relapsing to smoking if flavoured e-cigarettes are no longer available?
In the study, 82 per cent of the 851 vapers surveyed in the three countries say they oppose a flavour ban, 13 per cent support it, and five per cent are unsure.
Vapers were then asked what they might do if there was a ban on the flavours they were currently vaping. Of the 57 per cent who reported they would continue vaping, half would vape an available legal flavour (tobacco flavour in the U.S., tobacco and menthol in Canada and England), and the other half reported that they would find a way to get their preferred flavour(s) after the ban. About one in five vapers said they would stop vaping and smoke instead, with 13 per cent reporting that they did not know what they would do.
“Our findings raise the possibility that banning some flavoured vaping products may dissuade some adult smokers from vaping, with the possibility that they would return to smoking cigarettes, which are clearly much more harmful than vaping products, given that we know that at least half of regular smokers die of a smoking-caused disease,” said ITC research assistant professor Shannon Gravely, who was lead author of the study.
The study, “Responses to potential nicotine vaping product flavor restrictions among regular vapers using non-tobacco flavors: Findings from the 2020 ITC Smoking and Vaping Survey in Canada, England and the United States,” was recently published in the journal Addictive Behaviors.


text:
|More from: | TechCrunch |||
Walmart declined to disclose the terms of the deal.
The lingerie company, founded in 1998, will operate independently of Walmart. Over time, the e-commerce giant says it will make Bare Necessities’ products available on Walmart.com, as well as on Jet.com, which Walmart acquired for more than $3 billion in 2016 to bolster its e-commerce business.
Walmart has long been one of the most active acquirers of startups and hasn’t slowed down in 2018. Just last week, the company announced it would purchase women’s plus-sized clothing brand ELOQUII. Before that, it paid $225 million for a
About | TechCrunch |
TechCrunch is a leading technology media property, dedicated to obsessively profiling startups, reviewing new Internet products, and breaking tech news.


text:
YORBA LINDA (CBS) — More and more people are doing their holiday shopping online, anxiously awaiting when the gifts will arrive at their door.
But what if thieves were also waiting on that delivery?
Joanne Padilla said she was expecting $1,500 worth of gift cards to arrive at her Yorba Linda home last week. She was home on the day she saw the FedEx truck pull up and she went to secure her dog before going outside.
When she opened the door there was no package waiting for her.
Padilla checked footage from her security cameras and was shocked to find a man getting out of a car, walking up to her porch and stealing the package.
The incident was reported to police.
Padilla said she wanted to alert other unsuspecting cyber shoppers about her situation to prevent it from happening to them.


text:
The U.S. Trade Representative will continue to review the tariffs, but they’ll stay on the books during the investigation.
We’re back to work after Labor Day weekend! Did you have a nice holiday? Our team barbecued with family and friends, enjoyed the final days of pool season, and took time to dissect all of the Don’t Worry Darling drama that happened at the Venice Film Festival.
But given the excitement of the three-day weekend, you may have missed some pretty big news announced by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) on Friday afternoon: Tariffs on Chinese imports are staying in place.
USTR is required by statute to review the Section 301 tariffs four years after they were first imposed, a process that began in May 2022. There have been rumors for months that President Biden was considering lifting at least some of the tariffs in a [misguided] attempt to address inflation, and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said just a week ago that the president remained undecided.
But late Friday afternoon, a notice was posted to the USTR website announcing that because “requests for continuation were received, the tariff actions have not terminated and USTR will conduct a review of the tariff actions.”
According to USTR, 244 domestic producers and 44 trade associations had written the agency to continue the tariffs, first placed on a variety of Chinese imports in July and August 2018. USTR cited the benefits of the tariffs put forth by producers and associations in their comments in announcing the decision:
“Representatives of domestic industries reported that they benefit from the trade action in a number of ways. For example, representatives of domestic industries reported that the July 6, 2018 action provides an incentive for the Chinese government to stop the harmful policies and practices that are the target of the tariff action. Additionally, representatives stated that the action has allowed them to compete against Chinese imports, invest in new technologies, expand domestic production, and hire additional workers. Similarly, for the August 23, 2018 action, representatives of the domestic industry reported that the additional tariffs have created more leverage to induce China to eliminate the policies and practices that are the subject of the Section 301 action, and have helped to address unfair competition resulting from China’s technology transfer policies and practices and encourage better policies and practices.”
The Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM) was among the trade associations that submitted official comments to USTR supporting the continuation of the tariffs, warning that “[a]bandoning or eroding the Section 301 tariffs discards our negotiating leverage, is the optimal outcome for President Xi, and subjects U.S. producers and American workers to a flood of imports.”
AAM President Scott Paul continued:
“AAM strongly supports allowing USTR to continue its fact-based exclusion process without congressional mandates or any other political interference that predetermines an outcome. While an accessible and transparent exclusion process is essential for trade enforcement actions, unwarranted tariff relief may very well signal the demise of a U.S. company that is seeking to establish a market foothold or one that has reinvented itself to fill gaps in our domestic supply chains.”
The Biden administration made the right call in keeping the tariffs in place. U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai called the tariffs “a significant piece of leverage” while testifying before the Senate in June, and it would be unwise to take away that leverage now, especially before her agency had the opportunity to fully review their effectiveness.
And as the comments by the producers noted, the tariffs have begun to level the playing field for American manufacturers and workers who have been battered by China’s unfair trade practices for decades. Lifting them now would threaten that progress — and the timing couldn’t be worse.
Global events like the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain crisis, Russian invasion of Ukraine, and increasing tensions between the U.S. and China over Taiwan provide evidence that the United States should not be reliant on China — our top geopolitical adversary — for the things we need.
Which is why it makes zero sense for the U.S. to go out of its way to lift the tariffs and make it easier for China to export its goods to our shores. Rather, the U.S. must work to strengthen its trade enforcement mechanisms so America’s producers can compete globally and we aren’t dependent on imports for critical goods.
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is rigging the game via its litany of predatory trade practices, and those practices have only gotten worse in recent years, moving from mundane trade disputes to human rights violations. Just last week, the United Nations unveiled the findings of its investigation into the CCP’s treatment of the Uyghurs and other ethnic minority groups in Xinjiang, concluding that treatment may amount to “crimes against humanity.”
The United States rightly moved last year to ban all imports from Xinjiang unless importers can definitively prove their goods weren’t made with forced labor. The U.S. must uphold that law now, and keeping the tariffs on other Chinese imports in place throughout the USTR review process is another step in the right direction.
It’s time for the United States to focus on strengthening its own manufacturing capabilities, not fall back into allowing Chinese imports to flood the U.S. market without much protest, as was U.S. policy for decades. Instead, the Biden administration must stay strong on trade. Let’s make sure that U.S. manufacturers and workers can, as Biden himself likes to say, “win the competition for the 21st century.”
We’ll monitor the USTR review of the Section 301 tariffs as they move forward. In the meantime, be sure to tell U.S. Customs officials to fully enforce the Uyghur Forced Prevention Act.


text:
Naukri.com’s InfoEdge Ventures led a $1.5 million seed funding round for AvatarLife, a metaverse gaming platform. Prior to this, the tech-giant has invested in AR-based toymaker Mirana and popular fantasy esports platform FanClash, and has been known to identify and invest in big startups at an early stage.
Sushant Chandrasekar and Gaurav Gupta founded AvatarLife to provide players with single-player, multi-player and play-to-earn skill-based games. The platform also allows creators to develop and operate their own games.
With the current funding, the company plans to improve their research and development and expand their global team to build a stronger community.
“We are transitioning from a 2D internet living on our screens to a 3D space present inside our screens. This will require new ways of thinking about the user experience and, ultimately, product development. We will continue to invest in building the technology and developing capabilities in-house,” Gupta said in a statement as quoted by Economic Times.
The platform has over 25 games across three operators and is creating mobile-based 3D products that mainly targets gamers in India.
“We believe the next iteration of the internet will be more visual, bringing together games and socialisation. This will require deep design and technological capabilities. AvatarLife’s founding team has the right set of skills and experience to innovate in this arena,” Gupta added.
Speaking on the same, Chinmaya Sharma from Info Edge Ventures said, “We believe the next iteration of the internet will be more visual, bringing together games and socialisation. This will require deep design and technological capabilities. AvatarLife’s founding team has the right set of skills and experience to innovate in this arena.”
Many online gaming companies in recent days are eyeing Metaverse and the Web3 technologies and are working out a way to utilize them in gaming. Popular gaming companies like Loco announced their own in-house subnet for Web3 products in partnership with Avalanche.
Kratos Studios also recently raised Rs 160 crore in its seed round, while also acquiring IndiGG in order to build the world’s largest Web3 gaming Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) for creating and investing in Web3 games.


text:
Chandigarh: Amid the spiralling Covid cases, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday authorized the Deputy Commissioners to impose any new and harsher restrictions, as needed, within their respective districts.
Captain also made it clear that no dilution of the existing curbs would be allowed, except for opening of non-essential shops and private offices on rotation.
He also directed the DGP to strictly enforce the weekend lockdown in the state and deal stringently with any violations in view of the Kisan Sangharsh Morcha’s anti-lockdown agitation on Saturday.
Asserting that the Kisan Morcha, an amalgamation of 32 kisan unions, cannot dictate terms to the state government, Captain Amarinder warned of strict prosecution in case of violation of any restrictions. He said if any shops are opened in violation of the restrictions, the owners will be prosecuted.