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A good old chinwag with our neighbours might today feel like an act of the past we can look back on with nostalgic fondness. But a new survey has in fact shown that neighbourliness is still alive and kicking in the UK today.
In a new study from chocolatiers, Lily O’Brien, 80 per cent of people said they would describe their neighbours as friendly and two-thirds saying they would call them polite. As much as 91 per cent of us from the UK and Ireland also know the names of the people next door, the survey of 5,000 UK adults found,
We’re no longer nipping round to the neighbours for that old excuse of borrowing a cup of sugar too, but rather because of parcels. As more and more of us shop online, it’s becoming increasingly common for us to receive goodies that end up next door when we’re not in. 67 per cent of those surveyed in fact said they most regularly met with their neighbours when nipping round to retrieve that Amazon box the postie left behind with them.
Our more mature years also tends to make us more neighbourly than the young ones. 86 per cent of people surveyed over 55 said there were more likely to be friends with their neighbours than just 69 per cent of those aged 16-24.
And when in comes to the place where neighbours at are their friendliest, Southampton tops the poll, with Norwich and Brighton following closely behind in second and third place.
Here’s the top ten most neighbourly cities in the UK from the survey:
To celebrate Love Your Neighbour Week (23-27 February), Lily O’Briens want you to help them find the ultimate neighbour. Nominate your neighbour by tweeting the reason they’re the best to @lilyobriens using the #UltimateNeighbour hashtag. If your neighbour wins, you could receive a party in a box to share with your neighbour or a box of Lily O’Brien chocolates.
- There's more news in every issue of Yours magazine, out every fortnight on a Tuesday.


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PETALING JAYA (Jan 6): Marriott International Inc has signed an agreement with Rackson Hospitality Sdn Bhd to bring the Paris-born Le Méridien brand to Penang, which is the 200-room Le Méridien Penang Airport hotel.
PUTRAJAYA (May 19): IOI Properties Group Bhd has entered into agreements with Marriott International, Inc (Marriott International) to manage two of its signature hotels in IOI Resort City, Putrajaya, namely Putrajaya Marriott Hotel and Palm Garden Hotel.
KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 16): Kerjaya Prospek Group Bhd said today its order book will be boosted by some RM400 million by year-end, contributed by its private arm’s planned RM1.
KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 6): YTL Corp Bhd managing director (MD) Tan Sri Dr Francis Yeoh, who witnessed the signing of agreements yesterday between its hospitality arm and US-based Marriott International Inc to build two new luxury hotels here, said he was unsure why the conglomerate’s share price was hovering near its eight-year low.
KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 5): YTL Hotels & Properties Sdn Bhd, the hospitality arm of YTL Corp Bhd, will be teaming up with long-term partner US-based Marriott International Inc to build two new luxury hotels here.
KUALA LUMPUR (March 17): Element Kuala Lumpur, the first hotel in Southeast Asia under Element Hotels by Marriott International Inc, is slated to open for business in April 2017.
KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 19): Marriott International Inc will continue to manage Renaissance Kuala Lumpur Hotel (pictured) for another decade.

domain: news


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Masco sells Tvilum
January 9, 2014-- Furniture Today,
Los Angeles - Revolution Capital Group has announced its acquisition of Tvilum ApS, the Denmark-based ready-to-assemble furniture manufacturer, from Masco Corp.
Tvilum produces 8 million items of furniture each year at its four factories in Denmark and distributes them to markets around the world, including Europe and the Americas.
Building and home products supplier Masco had announced its intention to sell the subsidiary early last year. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Tvilum "is a truly global business that fits well with Revolution's strategy to expand our portfolio into Europe," said Robert Loring, founder and managing partner of Revolution Capital Group, also the private equity owners of companies including The Tampa Tribune newspaper. "It affirms our commitment to acquire outstanding businesses and drive growth in international markets."
Tvilum employs approximately 1,000 people and was founded in 1965, a press release said.


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In this article, we are going to talk about a particular study conducted on Chinese people with gout. If you want to know more about this Singapore Chinese health study for gout, give this article a read. Worry less, because you will learn a lot from this article –that’s for sure! So sit back, relax, and enjoy the read!
Singapore Chinese Health Study For Gout: What is this study all about?
There is this recent study regarding the connection between protein intake as well as its sources among 63,257 Chinese adults who are suffering from gout with ages ranging from 45 to 74. In the actual fact, the researchers interviewed and have provided questionnaires to the subjects. This is over a particular average of around 12 years. Seafood or shellfish, fish, and protein are the main sources of protein in China. Nevertheless, it also includes lamb, pork, and red meat.
What the study found after observing the data is that those who ate the most poultry in the highest percentage in comparison to the lowest and the subjects who ate the most seafood or shellfish in comparison to the lowest had a much higher chance of developing gout. Additionally, those subjects who ate soy for protein intake and legumes rather than meat in comparison to the subjects at the lowest had a much bigger reduction in the risk of developing gout.
Singapore Chinese Health Study For Gout: What Does It Say?
What the researchers found out was that the subjects who developed gout during the study consumed much more total protein like in shellfish, fish, pork, red meat, beef, and lamb. This is in comparison to those who weren’t detected with gout. Moreover, they also stated that the consumption of eggs, seeds, whole grains, and nuts weren’t associated with the increase in the risk for gout.
This particular Singapore Chinese health study for gout is actually the first potential study that shows how legumes and soy foods may actually help protect against gout.
Before ending this article, there is one thing that this study has uncovered during the time of the study. What is it? Well, they discovered that some of those who suffer from gout went to develop an additional form of arthritis. This is something that some people don’t know.
Singapore Chinese Health Study For Gout: Final Say
Even though the Chinese diet is way different from the Western diet, the protein intake in the end, doesn’t really matter. It doesn’t matter if you eat a rabbit meat in Singapore and eat a hamburger in the US. Moreover, if you eat an excessive amount of animal-based proteins, you will get an increase in the risk of gout. The uric acid will increase its own levels and the gout attacks will just get worse.
This particular study, as well as the others, are really beneficial in understanding more about the condition. Reading this kind of studies and articles are more beneficial for you than eating foods that may just worsen the condition that you have.


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Since at least the Great Recession of 2008-2009, the pet food market has been renowned for its resilience. After all, that was preceded by the mass melamine-related pet food recalls in the U.S. in 2007 – and yet, by 2011, pet food sales and spending were increasing again.
Today, with a global pandemic spurring an economic meltdown, can pet food continue its run of resilience?
Strong pet food spending pattern since 1997
We started the Petfood Industry Confidence Index (p. XX) at the beginning of 2020 before knowing all this year would bring, but its aim is to provide insights to questions like that over time. For a broader perspective of how the market might fare considering current conditions, perhaps it helps to look to the past.
On his blog, PetBusinessProfessor.com, John Gibbons offers analysis of U.S. pet food spending, using data compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Going back to 1997, the data display a pattern through 2017 of a two-year increase, followed by a plateau or decreasing year – except for 2006-2010, with the 2007 recalls and Great Recession.
That pattern seems to have changed in 2018 and mid-year 2019, with drops of more than 7% each year. (Data for the last half of 2019 is due in September 2020.) That could be partially a market correction to higher spending in 2017 due to mass premiumization and channel disruption, plus the Food and Drug Administration’s ongoing investigation into a still unproven link between grain-free pet food and canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).
Industry resilience back to the '70s?
The recession-resistant nature of the industry may go back farther than the 1990s. A longtime pet food expert told me that, years ago, she trained her dogs in classes at a pet store started in about 1970. Despite a significant recession in 1973-1975, the store owner was able not only to keep her business going but to grow it.
“One of the first lessons I learned in this pet business was that it is very resilient to economic downturns,” my contact said. “The mix of products will shift but people care very deeply for their pets and will continue to sustain them.”
Will that hold true even amidst a COVID-19 pandemic and free-falling economy, on top of evolving situations like DCM and shifting purchase channels? With humanization of pets now a foundation of pet care, let’s hope it can help the market withstand anything thrown its way.


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Nearly all of Facebook's outbound notification emails are now encrypted while traveling the Internet, a collaborative feat that comes from the technology industry's push to thwart the NSA's spying programs.
A German copyright law that gives publishers the exclusive right to the commercial use of their content online is unconstitutional according to Yahoo, which has filed a complaint with Germany's Federal Constitutional Court.
European data protection authorities still have questions after meeting with Google, Microsoft and Yahoo about the implementation of a recent ruling that gave European citizens the right to be forgotten by search engines.
Google, Microsoft and Yahoo are meeting with European data protection authorities Thursday to discuss how to implement a recent ruling that gives people the right to have personal information excluded from search results.
Yahoo has reached an agreement to acquire Flurry, a mobile analytics company, as part of a push to grow its advertising revenue within its mobile products.
With Google, IBM, SAP, Intel and other tech titans reporting earnings this week, the focus is again on mobile and cloud technology. The general trend appears to be that the further a tech vendor has moved away from its legacy desktop-oriented product...
European privacy authorities have invited Google, Microsoft and Yahoo to discuss the implementation of a landmark ruling by Europe's top court that gives people the right to have personal information excluded from search results.
Yahoo reported falling sales and mixed results in its crucial advertising business on Tuesday, signaling further challenges ahead in CEO Marissa Mayer's efforts to turn around the aging company.
Yahoo has acquired online video streaming company RayV with the aim of distributing content to more people, particularly via mobile devices.
News about how tech sales are doing has been mixed, ahead of a flood of earnings reports from vendors.
Microsoft updated the Certificate Trust List in Windows to revoke trust for a certificate authority operated by the Indian government after it improperly issued at least 45 SSL certificates for domains owned by Google and Yahoo.
More casualties of Yahoo’s attempts to narrow the focus
The scope of a recent security breach at a digital certificate authority (CA) controlled by the Indian government is bigger than initially thought and also targeted domain names owned by Yahoo, in addition to several owned by Google.
A massive pro-democracy protest in Hong Kong may have prompted China's censors to block several foreign Internet products, including messaging apps Line and KakaoTalk, and Microsoft's OneDrive storage service.
Yahoo is shutting down a range of products, including apps from its acquisition of email management service Xobni, and its Shine women's lifestyle site.
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August 28, 2019
Ninestar recorded a total operating income of RMB 10.778 billion ($1.504 billion/ €1.356 billion) in the recording period which is an increase of 3.44 percent year-on-year. Net profit stood at RMB 372.755 million ($52.046 million/ €46.924 million) which is an increase of 19.27 percent year-on-year.
The company stated that in the reporting period, although facing an unfavourable background of global economic downturn and intensified market competition, the company continuously improved the technological advancement of products through close coordination among various businesses.
Apex Microelectronics has reduced its new products this year, the market is fiercely competitive, and prices have fallen, resulting in a decline in operating profit for the company. Lexmark was affected by exchange rates, resulting in a decline in operating profit.
Apex Microelectronics achieved operating income of RMB 652.32 million ($91.080 million/ €82.118 million) during the reporting period, up 3 percent year-on-year; net profit was RMB 356.66 million ($49.798 million/ €44.897 million), which was basically the same as that of the same period of last year.
In the first half of the year, Apex continued to maintain its core competitive advantage in the launch of new products. More than 300 new products were released and further completed. At the same time, in response to the firmware upgrade of printer manufacturers in the first half of the year, Apex has provided an effective product solution for the remanufacturing industry in a timely manner.
In the first half year Ninestar reported operating income of RMB 1.285 billion ($179.405 million/ €161.771 million) for the printer consumables business segment, up 22 percent year-on-year; net profit of RMB 15.34 million ($2.14 million/ €1.93 million), up 18 percent year-on-year, sales volume and sales are consistently ranked first in the consumables industry, according to Ninestar’s report.
The company added: “The US ITC first instance ruled that the company’s patented products were not infringing, further enhancing the core competitiveness of the company’s products; the e-commerce business achieved breakthrough growth. At the same time, sales abroad in some markets have grown by more than 40 percent, far ahead of the industry’s average growth.”
SCC achieved operating income of RMB 40.6 million ($5.668 million/ €5.111 million) and net profit of RMB 6.05 million ($844,701/ €761,565) during the reporting period, up 123 percent year-on-year. Ninestar explained that the increase in profit was mainly due to several aspects; High-end consumables business grew rapidly, sales increased by 33 percent, revenue increased by 24 percent, reduced staff efficiency, resulting in cost savings, and selling idle fixed assets, resulting in a fixed income.
Pantum printer’s 2019 global shipments were 483,000 units in the first half of the year, an increase of 57 percent, sales revenue increased by 170 percent.
Lexmark achieved operating income of RMB 8.215 million ($1.147 million/ €1.034 million) during the reporting period, which was basically the same as the same period of the previous year. The number of printers sold was 646,000 units, down three percent year-on-year. The main reason, according to Ninestar is, that Lexmark tightened its sales promotion in the European region in the first quarter of 2019, resulting in a significant decline in sales in the channel market.
In addition, Lexmark’s OEM customers are in North America. Sales in the European market have declined. Despite this, Lexmark reversed the decline in printer sales in the second quarter, and sales in the second quarter were higher than last year, up seven percent over the same period. Compared with the decline in the channel market, the MPS market continued to maintain steady growth, with sales up 33 percent year-on-year.
Lexmark consumables production has been transferred to the company’s Zhuhai production in the first half of 2019. In terms of printer hardware, the Lexmark printer production line has been established in Zhuhai.
Ninestar is looking to optimise procurement throughout 2019 and beyond to add more cost savings for the company.
Categories : City News


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Sonder doesn't need to put Hilton or Airbnb out of business to be a winner. But it has to has to cope with the market's displeasure with unprofitable companies, and to prove that its guest experience will deliver on its promises, starting with millennials and Gen Zers.
Sonder, the hybrid hotel and short-term rental company that went public on Nasdaq last week, is playing the long game in that it is betting that the generational shift in guest profiles will eventually turn to its advantage.
Francis Davidson founded the company that would become Sonder at age 19 in Montreal in 2012 before relocating to San Francisco. He acknowledged in an interview a day after the company’s stock started trading that the crux of the debate between the reigning big hotel chains and tech-oriented hospitality startups is whether the guest of the future will gravitate toward luxury high-touch service or mobile, experience-oriented efficiencies.
Perhaps there will be ample room for both types of services, and Sonder hopes to grab its share.
Davidson dismissed the notion that the company’s stock debut was disappointing, noting the volatility in the market, and the fact that in SPAC mergers, unlike initial public offerings, companies price there shares months in advance of the onset of trading.
“If you look at many great companies that are trading off of all-time highs down 50, 60, or 70 percent,” Davidson said. “So the results that we’re seeing, given that we priced the deal several months ago and we adjusted the price in October, is actually, I think better than the overall market.”
In an interview, Davidson discussed what he sees as Sonder’s value proposition, and its gameplan ahead. The interview has been slightly edited and trimmed.
Skift: So yesterday we had our annual Megatrends event, and my colleague Sean O’Neill interviewed Steve Hafner, the Kayak CEO. O’Neill asked Hafner what he saw as interesting these days, and he replied that he’s looking at Sonder and its potential to disrupt the hospitality industry with technology to take cost out of hotel operations and to make the business more profitable. So what do you think of that?
Francis Davidson: They’re right. There’s a huge opportunity to use technology to make the hospitality business more efficient. And that’s, I’d say, half of our value proposition. The other half is bringing a design-forward approach that really resonates with the next generation traveler. I think we’ve got a lot of hospitality brands right now that focused on a customer base that’s becoming a smaller and smaller share of the travel wallet. Millennials and Gen Z are going to be the majority of spend within just a few years. They love to spend more on experiences versus goods. Traveling is kind of the ultimate experience for that demographic, and there really isn’t a brand on a global scale that focuses on that demographic’s specific needs. And I think we do that really well. And it shows up in the design of the properties that we have, the kinds of properties we have, the locations that we’re in, and our approach to service.
Instead of saying that really great service is white glove service, we say it’s frictionless mobile technology that provides the best kind of service for that demographic. Instead of having someone bring an extra towel to you, it’s the idea that you can go down the hall and go get one in the essential section of the Sonder property. Or you don’t need a bellman because you have like luggage lockers and you’ve got Uber loaded up on your phone, and a series of partnerships that we have in order to deliver the services of a traditional hotel. So those are things that I think some travelers are close-minded to, though an increasing quantity of travelers actually seek out these kinds of experiences and really appreciate the fact that this is our way of doing things.
Skift: What do you say to people who say that takes the hospitality out of hospitality?
Davidson: I think the crux of the debate philosophically. Between the old guard hospitality, which we’ll say it’s about like a smile and a person face to face, and we say it’s about like an emoji and a giffy and no check-in line. So it’s a very different kind of mindset. And both, I think are right, but for different kinds of consumers. Our bet is that there’s a growing quantity of consumers that fit into the modern bucket that we’re serving.
Skiftl: But you’re not alone in trying to go down this route, right? There are a bunch of other players doing the same thing. They’re probably much smaller. AvantStay, aren’t they trying to do something like that? They say they’re design-forward. Kayak is now trying to do it, they only have one, two, or three properties or whatever. There’s going to be a lot of competition, right?
Davidson: Yeah. I sure hope so. Our mission is to revolutionize hospitality. That doesn’t mean that we won’t be the only ones partaking in that revolution, I think we want to be spearheading it. But I think we want a bunch of other companies to look at what we do and say, “Yeah, this is the way of doing things.” We recognize that even the biggest hospitality brands in the world have sub-10 percent global market share. But this is such a large industry. We’ll be lucky if we have 10 percent of this industry in the long run, and we’ll be a very, very large and successful company in doing so. But hopefully, we’ll inspire others to also go down this track.
Skift: Another zinger at our event from Hafner about Sonder was that he said he really admired what you guys were doing in terms of your potential to disrupt hospitality with technology, but he added he’s amazed at the amount of money you’re losing in trying to do it. What’s your take on that?
Davidson: I’d say that the quantity of capital that it takes to revolutionize an industry as large and significant as the hospitality industry globally, and especially through a pandemic and through its worst years, is substantial. We’re talking about some companies that have a $50 billion-plus market cap. If you’re going to include OTAs (online travel agencies) you’ve got a couple that are in the hundred billion dollar range. So the prize to be a major player is enormous. And the speed of growth that we’re sustaining, and we have ahead of us is just really, really, really rapid. And so yeah, it takes investments, specifically in R&D and technology. It’s really complicated to build this and from the ground up. So what really is important, is the quality of the unit economics, though.
And so this is something that our investors and our management team focus a lot on, is looking at. “Ok, for each property that we add on, how much does it cost us to open this property? What’s the stream of cash flow it generates, how rapidly do we pay back our investments?” And of course, everything was in shambles during Covid. That was a tough time. But outside of that, we have been extremely disciplined when it comes to signing on growth that is very thoughtful and profitable. And so this is really kind of the classic way that a high growth technology-driven company grows, consumes cash initially, grows extremely fast, but with enough discipline on unit economics, investors, shareholders can see that the model will lead to very attractive economics in the long run.
Skift: But your model comes with risk, with the master lease concept? And you’ve been adapting that, or how’s that been going?
Davidson: That’s right. So a lot of evolution of it, I think in 2018, we started adding in our leases, a reduction of rent that would occur in the event of a recession. And of course, the pandemic was not what we had … it’s not an adequate shock absorber for a pandemic, but for just about any recession that we’ve seen in the last century, it’s an adequate shock absorber. And we have a variety of other innovations in our contracts that provide for downside protection or an exit route. We’ve actually exited a lot of properties during the pandemic, ones that were like particularly strongly affected. And that allowed us to basically turn these liabilities into just kind of like stop these contracts, given some of the outs that we had. But then, there’s other evolutions that we’ve seen since then. We’ve turned to what we call it, capital light model for 85 percent of our deals where the owner is funding basically all the investments required to make a property a Sonder.
Skift: So what’s your strategy of building the brand? That’s like such a heavy lift, right?
Davidson: Well, our strategy is focusing above all, on the quality of the guest experience. And we think that from there, we can create a brand that’s beloved by not necessarily tens of millions of consumers, because we actually don’t have enough supply yet to fill, to have all these guests stay with us. Right now, Sonder is not a brand that’s got global recognition. Although, that’s our aim. We have 45 percent of our revenue that in, as of Q3 of 2021, was generated through direct channels. And so despite the fact that we are not known to very many people, the people that do know about Sonder really love Sonder and keep our properties highly occupied.
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Photo credit: Sonder founder and CEO Francis Davidson thinks traditional hospitality brands are downplaying the needs of a new generation of guests.


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ESET a global leader in digital security, today announces the launch of a new initiative, ‘Heroes of Progress’ – where it will be searching for visionary thinkers who have contributed to progress across a variety of industries, with technology at the core of the progress made. Behind all forms of progress, sits a team of … More ESET launches a global search for ‘Heroes of Progress’, looking for the most progressive minds of the 21st century
The bitter truth about how fraudsters dupe online daters in this new twist on romance fraud The world is a confusing and lonely place sometimes. Police and security experts have been out in force for years warning lonely hearts not to fall for the romance fraudsters whose schemes cost victims more than US$950 million in 2021 alone. But have … More There’s no sugarcoating it: That online sugar daddy may be a scammer
LinkedIn scammers attack when we may be at our most vulnerable – here’s what to look out for and how to avoid falling victim to fraud when using the platform. Job hunting is hard work, a kind of full-time job in itself. It requires focus and patience to go from one job posting to another … More Common LinkedIn scams: Beware of phishing attacks and fake job offers
Here’s what you should know about some of the nastiest mobile malware – from malicious software that takes phones and data hostage to RATs that allow hackers to control devices remotely. These days, the device in your pocket can do far more than call or send text messages. Your smartphone stores almost every aspect of … More 3 most dangerous types of Android malware
If you’re a sci-fi fan, especially if you’re 40 or over, you have heard “shields up” so many times in your reading and viewing career that you might see shields, deflectors, and force fields as lame carryovers from the early days of sci-fi film and TV. While perhaps Buck Rogers’ or Flash Gordon’s ships didn’t have shields, there aren’t … More Shields up!


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Rob East has been appointed as the new general manager corporate sales for BMW Group UK with immediate effect.
In his new role, East (pictured) leads the team responsible for all BMW and Mini sales to business and leasing customers.
“Corporate sales are essential to our success so ensuring we give the best service to our business and leasing customers is going to be my focus,” said East.
“It’s also an exciting time to be joining the team with the growing range models offering an even wider choice for fleets. I look forward to strengthening our position in the corporate sector and attracting new business customers to the BMW and MINI brands.”
Since graduating in Engineering Management, East has gained over 20 years’ experience in the automotive industry in a variety of sales, leasing and marketing roles for both vehicle manufacturers and motor dealers.
Prior to moving to his new role, he spent nearly 10 years in a number of different roles with Mercedes Benz UK latterly as head of fleet sales.
BMW UK’s sales director Chris Brownridge said: “Rob brings great energy and a wealth of experience making him the ideal addition to the UK Sales team and a natural leader for our busy Corporate Sales team.
"With such an exciting and busy period of new corporate and business oriented model launches in 2019, he joins at a perfect time.”


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On June 26-28, the World Mobile Congress (MWC19 Shanghai) was held in Shanghai, which is the most influential top event in the global mobile and technology industry, and the vane of the development trend of the global communications industry. Huawei's first 5G folding screen phone was unveiled at the MWC19 conference in Barcelona in February this year.
The theme of MWC19 Shanghai is “Zhilian All Things”. The organizer said: Zhilian Wanwu marks the coming of a new era.
The venues are overwhelmingly vocabulary and products such as 5G, Internet of Things, artificial intelligence and big data. However, car networking, edge computing, information security, industry 4.0, VR video, etc., in the blockchain practitioners, the blockchain can play a "revolutionary" value, the blockchain word is difficult to trace.
The peers who participated in the conference spit out, were rejected by the mainstream, and the blockchain was still a minority.
MWC19 has a total of 19 theme summits in 3 days, and the blockchain theme summit was scheduled for the first afternoon. Compared with other venues, “the crowd is overcrowded”, the venue is slightly deserted, and the location is not full, slightly shabby.
But after an afternoon of listening and communication, we can find that many companies have adopted blockchain technology in their products, but the blockchain is not enough to be used as a propaganda word to “lift the price”, or to use the blockchain. The product is still in the verification phase and does not constitute a complete solution. Even the blockchain summit is so “self-introduction”: we are at the forefront of the maturing blockchain technology, but we need to understand how to avoid hype and how to make the blockchain really work in the business.
The big talk about the “blockchain” is not the same as the currency circle. The giants in these communication and chip fields are more willing to talk about regulation, regulation, technology integration, user friendliness, and support for Internet of Things and artificial intelligence applications. class.
The following content is from the live sharing of the “Block Chain Summit”.
▲MWC19 Block Chain Summit Roundtable Forum
From niche markets to mainstream markets: technology development + catering to regulation
How does the blockchain move from the niche to the masses? In response to this problem, the sharing of Pandu Sastrowardoyo, Secretary General of the Myanmar Blockchain Association, is very representative. She said that she must have critical thinking skills. In the area of blockchain, as research deepens, developers become more and more likely to find it difficult to keep up with the latest developments. Practitioners must use their mental power to filter industry noise, self-education and self-energy.
"Because the media, we are bombarded with different things every day, how do we see through everything behind us and see the potential? This is also a problem we bring the blockchain to the mainstream society," she said.
In contrast, entrepreneurs have a more direct view. Stefan Rust, global head of business development at Bitcoin.com, and Peter Lin, CEO of AAX, believe that the development of their respective businesses can stimulate the blockchain to the masses. Application is the way the blockchain goes to the mainstream.
“The popularity of mobile phones is because it is user-friendly in technology and products, and users can afford it. The development of blockchain also depends on user-friendly killer applications.” Peter Lin said, “Technology is neutral, it depends on How it is used by humans. At AAX, we want to ensure absolute compliance and meet regulatory requirements. This is also a prerequisite for the mass market to accept the blockchain. We must be careful to strike a balance between regulation and innovation."
Speaking of regulation, Paul Ulrich, senior policy manager for GSMA government and regulatory affairs, believes that blockchain as a technology itself is not too controversial. However, there are interests among members and they need to be coordinated and regulated. He cited Facebook's digital currency Libra as an example. He said that although FLibra balances transactions and security, there are some problems, such as the possibility of introducing monetary policy risks to some countries, such as currency depreciation or capital outflows.
Blockchain exploration in the telecommunications industry: new business waiting for an outbreak in the 5G era
CBSG is a blockchain alliance formed by a global telecommunications operator to provide cross-operator payment services (CCPS), which is intended to facilitate global telecom operators' global mobile payment services. Wu Ling, chairman of the alliance, said that compared with Facebook's launch of Libra in 2019, the alliance formed by SoftBank and TBCASoft began to try to solve the cross-border payment problem with blockchain in 2016.
“We have 6 million members and are affiliated with different operators. We work together to build a basic technology platform and build different applications to discover opportunities. Operators have regulatory capabilities in some countries and are trustworthy.” In Wu Ling’s view, communication service providers can With blockchain technology to create services such as secure clearing, personal authentication, and the Internet of Things, these services can be deployed globally through the ITU.
Jia Xueqin, an outstanding engineer of China Unicom Network Technology Research Institute, said in the sharing of "Internet of Things + Blockchain to Help the Future of Innovative Business Development" that in the future, industries, agriculture, medical care, smart cities and other fields will spawn a diversified Internet of Things ( IOT) application. It is precisely in the IoT domain that the blockchain has four value points. First, collect data from the device to the cloud. Second, prevent historical data from being tampered with. Third, realize the data association between the information world and the physical world. Fourth, achieve value measurement.
She believes that blockchain technology is already commercially viable. And network performance is an important factor for nodes to complete consensus, 5G will improve consensus efficiency. Operators will have a lot of potential opportunities in the blockchain space. Taking the second-hand battery evaluation of new energy vehicles as an example, the charging and discharging information of the IoT collection battery exists on the blockchain, and the battery can be valued when the battery is sold twice.
Liang Wei, head of China Telecom's blockchain business R&D, said in a share that China Telecom has made breakthroughs in blockchain applications. For example, they integrated encryption algorithms into SIM cards to provide users with privacy protection for critical data. In addition, China Telecom has also utilized blockchain technology in electronic tendering and clearing systems. “The blockchain provides more technical paradigms for value. With the advent of the 5G era, the blockchain is bound to give operators a new round of opportunities,” he said.
What can a telecom operator do with the blockchain?
In May 2019, the "Blockchain Telecom Industry Application White Paper (Version 1.0)", jointly published by China Mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom and China Telecom, China, and ZTE, was released.
This white paper summarizes the application of the blockchain in eight scenarios at three levels of the telecommunications industry.
Telecommunications equipment management: Combining IOT, AI and other technologies, it provides operators with automatic collection of equipment inspection data, trusted storage, record traceability, intelligent analysis and equipment lifecycle management. The blockchain value is stored in the underlying data.
Dynamic spectrum management and sharing: The spectrum utilization of the spectrum is low, and the spectrum owner can “share” the licensed band as a blockchain node and transfer it as digital assets.
Digital identity authentication: Operators use the real-name authentication user database to form an identity authentication alliance chain, attract third-party enterprises to settle in, and build a blockchain-based identity authentication platform to provide identity authentication, verification, and confidential login. The device can also implement digital identity authentication.
International roaming settlement: equipped with intelligent contracts for automated configuration, reducing labor reconciliation costs between operators.
Data Circulation and Sharing: Build a decentralized data distribution system to achieve data validation, pricing, security, privacy protection and other services.
Internet of Things: Establish several stores to promote high-speed Internet of Things to ensure data privacy and security.
Cloud network convergence: realize data cross-network docking, cross-cloud docking, and cloud network integration.
Edge computing: Using blockchain technology, converging all kinds of resources to build an "infinite node" resource network, helping edge computing deployments to save costs and improve efficiency.
The application of the above eight blockchains in the telecommunications industry only represents the transformation of the original services by the telecom operators with the help of the blockchain. However, from the activities of MWC19 Shanghai, telecom operators can use their own industry advantages and the construction capabilities of 5G base stations, the business imagination can be more extensive. As Wu Ling, chairman of the International Telecommunications Blockchain Alliance, said, “Participating in the revolution has the opportunity to grow.”


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A hotel in Fiji has taken the crown as the best beach resort in the country.
The BlueGreen Resort and Spa in Cabana Beach, the capital of the Maldives, boasts more than 30,000 rooms, a private jet, the best surf spot in the region, a full bar and a luxury beachfront.
The resort opened its doors in 2012 and now has 3,700 rooms.
“I’m happy with the outcome.
The surf has been fantastic, we have more guests and it’s been a really good year,” owner Jadri Vannin told Al Jazeera.
“The fact that we’ve managed to attract so many people from all over the world is really great.”
The resort has more than 300,000 people staying in its four-star, two-bedroom villas.
It has two swimming pools and is also home to the Maldivian BlueGreen Skiing Club.
“We’ve also added more luxury, such as private cabanas and villas,” Vannon told Al-Jazeera.
“It’s a really nice setting.
The weather is always fantastic.” “
In Fiji, you can go to any beach in a month.
The weather is always fantastic.”
Vannnins wife and business partner, Mina, also owns BlueGreen, which has been operating since 2012.
“They are an international hotel chain that is renowned for quality,” said Vanns wife, Svetlana.
“You can’t get better than BlueGreen.”
BlueGreen has hosted the Maldiva government, which was considering buying the property, for a year.
They are currently holding a competition for prospective buyers, hoping to secure a five-star hotel.
Vannins daughter is also the managing director of BlueGreen.
He is a member of the board of directors.
The couple started BlueGreen in 2014.
They started in Fiji and have been expanding to other islands in the Maldive, including Molokai.
VANNININ: BlueGreen is the best in the market In the Maldes, BlueGreen became a brand, a luxury brand.
They’re a real family and they’re very loyal to each other.
We had a lot of problems.
It was very hard to manage our business.
We were really worried about our business, the hotel, the business, our relationship with the hotel.
“When we went to buy the property in Maldives in 2012, we didn’t know if we were going to be able to attract the Maldies tourism, or whether we were not going to attract them at all,” VANNON said.
VANNNINS FAMILY: The family is based in the United States and the resort is also in Fiji. “
If we don’t have the Maldiis tourism, we can’t have this business and this hotel.”
VANNNINS FAMILY: The family is based in the United States and the resort is also in Fiji.
“People have told us that we’re a brand and they see BlueGreen as a brand,” VANNNIN said.
They wanted to be in the right place at the right time, and that’s what they did.
“My children have always loved going to BlueGreen,” he said.
VANNIN: They’re also working with other businesses to bring BlueGreen to more countries around the world.
In 2017, Bluegreen was also awarded a prestigious Gold Medal at the 2017 International Business Tourism Awards, a prize given to companies that make a positive impact on the tourism industry.
It is also a part of the International Gold Medal Programme.
The award is given annually to businesses that create a positive, positive impact in tourism.
It also recognizes the companies who have a positive business impact in the tourism sector.
VANCIN: The Gold Medal has also come with a lot more than just a hotel, however.
It includes a private helicopter, a new pool, a mini-skyscraper and a whole lot of other luxuries, VANNINS said.
In 2018, Blue Green was awarded a $2.4 million award to fund a new resort in Fiji, the BlueGreen Resorts, which is the only one in the area with a private ski lift.
“There’s a lot to it, it’s a very special award,” VANCEN, Vannini and their team said.
The business has also secured a $1.4m loan from the government to build a luxury hotel in Molokau.
The hotel will have a spa and lounge and is being built at a cost of $100 million.
“With our new resort, we’re hoping to open a new chapter in Fiji,” said Nanna Vannnin, CEO of Blue Green.
“Our goal is to become a leader in the industry.
And we want to bring


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The New York Times reports that Apple is finally moving to tread the same path as Netflix and Amazon by producing original video content that will be made available via its Apple Music subscription service.
In other words, its own version of private label.
According to the story, Apple has unveiled plans for two unscripted shows - “Carpool Karaoke,” described as "a spinoff of James Corden’s running sketch on 'The Late Late Show', and “Planet of the Apps,” a reality TV series "about iPhone app developers competing to build the next great app."
"Carpool Karaoke" is scheduled to debut in April.
While Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president for software and services, says that there are limits to Apple's ambitions for original programming, the Times writes that "Apple does intend to use original video to help distinguish Apple Music, which began in June 2015 and has attracted than 20 million subscribers, from competitors like Spotify.
“We’re trying to do things that are unique and cultural,” says Cue.
Jimmy Iovine, who runs Apple Music, says that the company also is working on scripted programming that just takes a little longer than so-called reality shows.
It is all about the differentiated products and services. It doesn't matter what the company is or what it sells - success is attained in the areas where they are different, not similar.


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Makers of hemp products to fight DEA
By Christie Wilson
Neighbor Island Editor
Federal drug enforcement officials are proposing new regulations that would outlaw food and body-care products that contain hemp.
Hemp products are sold in Hawai'i through major retail chains such as The Body Shop, which offers hemp-based soaps and lotions, and smaller stores like Hemp House in Pa'ia, Maui.
Hemp House owner Kathy Barr said she uses hemp oil in her lotions because it is a long-lasting moisturizer that is easily absorbed into the skin.
"It's our best-selling product and to have that cut out would have a big impact on us," she said.
The rules proposed by the Drug Enforcement Administration would allow "the continuation of what have historically been considered legitimate industry uses of hemp such as paper, rope and clothing." However, the line is drawn at products that would introduce even trace amounts of THC into the human body.
THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the compound that gives marijuana its euphoric effect.
David West, a seed geneticist who oversees Hawai'i's hemp research project, said policymakers fail to recognize the botanical distinctions between industrial hemp and its more potent cannabis cousin, marijuana.
The THC levels in hemp are so low that you can't get high from smoking it. In fact, West said, hemp contains a high level of an "antipsychoactive" compound that blocks the marijuana high.
There are fears the DEA rules would damage a fledgling U.S. industry that is trying to revive itself after being virtually wiped out in the last century by anti-drug policies. Vote Hemp Inc., a nonprofit group that advocates deregulation of industrial hemp, said sales of hemp-based food and body-care products hit $25 million last year, up from $2 million in 1997.
The 300-member Hemp Industries Association, formed in 1994, will organize opposition to the proposed regulations during its convention Thursday through Sunday in Kihei.
Barr, one of nine HIA members in Hawai'i, has a manufacturing operation in Florida that makes hemp-based shampoo, conditioner, body lotions, bath gel and sunscreen under the Hemp House Pa'ia label. She sells her products at her shop and online, and wholesales to Mainland stores.
"It's ridiculous. The amount of THC is not going to make any difference in drug tests or how you feel," she said.
Mike Smith of Eclectacare Botanics on the Big Island is the Hawai'i wholesaler for Hemp-n-Heat, an analgesic gel made in Colorado. He said businesses that deal in hemp products are at the mercy of government rules.
"We do what we can with political-type means," said Smith of opposition to hemp restrictions. "Our company fully believes in the possibility of hemp and hemp products."
Big Island hemp advocate Roger Christie said uncertainty over government acceptance of hemp products makes it difficult for businesses to find investors and to develop markets.
The DEA gave notice in the May 14 Federal Register that it intends to publish the rules regarding hemp, saying they are necessary "in order to protect public health and safety." The rules would clarify that THC is listed as a controlled substance, even if it originates from hemp.
A DEA spokeswoman in Washington, D.C., said the agency does not comment on proposed rules before they are formally published in the Federal Register. However, the May 14 notice said officials had received numerous inquiries from members of the public about the legal status of products made from hemp. There also are concerns that use of some hemp products could result in positive drug tests.
The HIA and other hemp advocates argue that natural trace amounts of THC pose no health risk; that the DEA does not have the legal authority to issue such rules; and that the rules are outside the scope of the Controlled Substances Act.
Vote Hemp President Eric Steenstra said the organization will consider a court challenge if the DEA rules go into effect.
"Even though DEA has proposed these changes, they are not required to follow through and we hope common sense will prevail once they have evaluated our objections," he said.
To address concerns about certain hemp products affecting the results of workplace drug tests, the TestPledge program was developed to assure consumers they would not receive a confirmed positive test for marijuana from normal consumption of hemp foods or use of body-care products.
Participating manufacturers agree to keep THC levels in shelled hemp seed and oil levels below what might trigger a positive drug test, even when these products are consumed in high amounts on a daily basis.
During the Maui convention, West and state Rep. Cynthia Thielen, R-49th (Kailua), will speak at a public event Friday night.
Hawai'i is one of 12 states that have passed legislation supporting research or deregulation of industrial hemp, said HIA spokeswoman Mari Kane. Of those states, only Hawai'i and North Dakota have planted test plots, she said.
In 1999, Thielen co-authored the state law that created the Hawai'i Industrial Hemp Research Project on a quarter-acre plot at Whitmore Village on O'ahu. West runs the project.
Hemp can be economic boon
The DEA set strict guidelines for the Hawai'i research project in exchange for approving the required permits. The requirements included a 10-foot-high chain-link fence topped with barbed wire and an infrared security system.
With myriad uses such as fabric, fiberboard, paper, rope and fuel, Thielen and others say they believe hemp can be a means of economic development in the Islands, especially since the demise of sugar throughout most of the state.
West said last week that he is continuing his work to collect and breed different varieties of hemp from around the world to develop genetic material for what hemp advocates hope will become a successful agribusiness in the United States.
The project's initial sponsor, Alterna Hair Care, a Los Angeles-based company that uses hemp in its hair shampoos and conditioners, is no longer involved. West declined to reveal the source of financial support, emphasizing the project receives no government financing.
A $5 donation is requested for those attending Friday's public event, which starts at 7 p.m. in the Auntie Aloha Longhouse at the Maui Lu Resort, 575 S. Kihei Road.
Reach Christie Wilson at email@example.com or (808) 244-4880.


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The Department of Trade and Industry will review the motor industry development programme with assistance from the Australian government next year and, according to Econometrix economist Tony Twine, changes to the MIDP are bound to be extensive.
The Department of Trade and Industry will review the motor industry development programme with assistance from the Australian government next year and, according to Econometrix economist Tony Twine, changes to the plan are bound to be extensive.
The DTI said yesterday that the review would be launched in the first quarter and would be completed, after consultation with representatives from the manufacturing and labour sectors of the motor industry, among others, in December 2006.
South Africa and Australia had agreed to establish a "co-operative process in which Australia will share its experience with South Africa during the upcoming review of the MIDP".
This followed after both governments discussed developments in their automotive industries, which were focused on developmental measures supporting the industry.
"The objective of our co-operation in the review is to strengthen and modernise the MIDP (which rewards local manufacturers for exports with a discount on imports, based on local content in the exported product) and ensure that the South African automotive industry continues to enhance its already significant contribution to the South African economy by continuously improving its capacity to compete globally in a sustainable manner, and over the long term," it said.
A special task team created by the Motor Industry Development Council (MIDC) was collecting data on the industry to feed into the review, which will focus on job creation in the automotive industry and vehicle affordability, among other issues.
’Reduction in export incentives expected’
But sources said the MIDP, which was based on the now-suspended Australian automotive industry assistance programme, was likely to be amended to reduce support to the industry, given Australia's concerns and the fact that the programme defied the spirit of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
Earlier this year, General Motors’ Austalian subsidiary, Holden, switched from buying leather trim from an Australian company to a South African supplier, prompting the company that lost the contract to lodge a complaint with Australia's government.
The Australian government then threatened to bring the MIDP before the WTO and there were fears that the programme might be scrapped because it was seen as a form of subsidisation.
Naamsa executive director Nico Vermeulen said he believed the complaint had been resolved in discussions between the two governments, adding that the review announcement was in line with expectations and a recommendation to the government by the MIDC, which represents all industry stakeholders.
‘Review will be comprehensive’
Speaking to CARtoday.com on Wednesday, Twine said that a review of the stipulations of the MIDP, which was said to have had its final extension from 2008 to 2012, was inevitable as the programme headed into its phase-out period.
“The fact that the review will be the product of a two-year process of extensive consultation within the motor industry, indicates that the changes to the MIDP will be significant and that the benefits of the programme to the industry will in all likelihood be sequentially scaled down,” Twine said.
Even though South Africa only produced 0,7 per cent of global vehicle output, subsidisation, which many regard the MIDP to be a prime example of, is a burning issue in global trade.
The automotive sector contributes almost six per cent to gross domestic product and vehicle exports have increased at an average annual rate of 38 per cent since 1995, reaching R40 billion in 2002.
Given the current weakness of the dollar/strength of the rand and growing competition from manufacturers and suppliers in overseas markets, would most automotive producers in South Africa remain profitable without the MIDP in the future?
“The MIDP has in general achieved what it was set out to do… it perhaps did not generate as many jobs as many expected, but it some cases it helped to save jobs,” Twine said. “It (MIDP) was never expected to continue forever and industry is aware of that… It can be argued that if the MIDP in itself is the sole reason certain people are in business. That is not necessarily a good thing”.
Original article from Car


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Modern Home Builder - Winter 2018 - 49
Carriage House Door Co.'s craftsmanship has
earned the devotion of customers.
BY ALAN DORICH
After nearly 20 years, Carriage House Door Co. has
earned a reputation for consistently meeting its clients'
needs. "Our customers have an expectation of quality and
service that we've been able to maintain over the years,"
General Manager Shawn Guthrie says.
This dependability has turned many into loyal Carriage
House Door customers. "Our top-five customers have been
with us since the beginning," he says. "We continue to grow
The company, which has operations in Sacramento, Calif., and Old Fort, N.C., manufactures custom wooden garage doors, pedestrian and driveway gates, and shutters. The
company started operations in 1999 as part of Garage Door
Specialists, which built the wooden doors.
Carriage House Door broke away as its own company and
opened its North Carolina shop in 2006. "We felt the need
to have another facility on the East Coast," recalls Doug Sequeira, the general manager of its Sacramento office.
Today, the company sells its doors through wholesale
distributors to architects, designers, contractors and homeowners. Guthrie, who runs its North Carolina office, notes
that the majority of its doors are installed on custom homes
that take one to two years to build.
"Architects and designers will have that design hammered
out before coming to us," he says, noting that these firms are
familiar with Carriage House Door's work. "They have ideas
of what they want that door to look like.
"We also provide a great tool on our website for architects
and designers to assist with design," he adds. "They can go to
carriagedoor.com and request a password to access the site
designed specifically for architects and designers."
SETTING ITSELF APART
Carriage House Door is the industry leader in its niche, Sequeira says. When the company releases a product, "We'll
see our competitors follow suit with something similar,"
But Carriage House Door sets itself apart with the quality
Winter 2018 www.mhb-magazine.com


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The stimulus package is the latest in a long line of recent ad hoc relief efforts for the agricultural economy. Trump did everything he could to bail out farmers and ranchers stung by his own trade war and biofuel policies, in addition to long-term economic winds.
“The program will include direct payments to farmers as well as massive purchases of dairy, meat and agricultural products to get this food to the needy,” Trump said at a White House media briefing. .
Perdue said at the briefing that direct aid to farmers would total $ 16 billion, while the ministry would buy $ 3 billion in excess food to donate to food banks and other organizations.
Senator John Hoeven (RN.D.), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee that oversees the spending of the USDA, has released details on how direct aid would be distributed among the commodity sectors, the majority shares going to producers of cattle, pigs and dairy products.
In a conference call with reporters, Perdue said he hoped to receive checks by mail for the farmers by the end of May.
The USDA finances the payments through a combination of the new congressional spending power included in the stimulus package and existing funds. Trump has said additional $ 14 billion in aid will be available in July.
Commodity groups have felt burned in the past by the ministry’s aid efforts. For example, corn producers complained in 2018 that Trump’s bailout paid them only a penny per bushel, while other sectors of the agricultural economy were completely excluded from the program.
The National Pork Producers Council said on Friday that the share of pork producers in the aid package “will not meet what is really needed.”
“Although the direct payments to pork farmers compensate for certain losses for some farmers, they are not sufficient to support the various market players, including those who own pigs as well as the thousands of contract producers who take care of hogs, “said NPPC chairman Howard AV Roth said in a statement.
The Renewable Fuels Association said the USDA “had missed a crucial opportunity” to help biofuel producers in crisis as drivers avoided the roads and gas consumption plummeted. The group said it was “regrettable and disappointing that the 350,000 workers supported by the US ethanol industry have been left behind.”
Perdue said the USDA has not received enough money from Congress to fully respond to all farmers in need.
“Frankly, at this point, there just isn’t enough money to go around,” he said. “The demand from all sectors was even more than we could meet today.”
The secretary also said that hemp growers may be eligible for aid “if they demonstrate a loss. “
Regarding purchases of basic products, the ministry said it would start by buying about $ 100 million a month each in meat, dairy and fresh produce. Participating distributors and wholesalers will then send boxes of pre-approved products to food banks, faith-based organizations, community groups and other non-profit organizations, the report said.
Last month, Congress authorized the Department of Agriculture to spend more than $ 23 billion to stimulate hard-hit sectors, including livestock and dairy producers, specialty crop producers and producers who sell to local food systems like farmers’ markets. Some of these sectors have suffered for years from headwinds in trade, labor shortages, low commodity prices and the rapid consolidation of agriculture.
Farmers also struggled to access separate elements of the $ 2 trillion stimulus package, including repayable small business loans to help employers keep employees on the payroll.


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New Delhi: Global tech giant Google faces a fine of more than Rs 136 crore if India’s anti-trust watchdog finds it guilty of using its dominance to cut market access for smaller players, ThePrint has learnt.
The US firm will face its second penalty from the watchdog in less than a decade if an investigation launched by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) this April concludes that Google employed unfair practices.
Spelling out the penalty Google is likely to face, a source in the CCI said the investigation may take another two years to complete.
“The implications of the case are serious and the CCI is taking the matter seriously,” the CCI source added on condition of anonymity.
On 16 April 2019, the CCI ordered an investigation into Google’s market practices, to see whether the company was abusing its dominant position among operating systems.
According to the complainants, “Google mandates smartphone and tablet manufacturers to exclusively preinstall Google’s own applications” and “prevents smartphone and tablet manufacturers in India from developing and marketing modified and potentially competing versions of Android”, practices that they claim limit market access to rival businesses and reduce a potential rival’s incentive for innovation.
The CCI order also quotes Google’s defence, with the tech giant saying that the “preinstallation obligation is limited in scope”.
Equipment manufacturers, it said, “can and do use the remaining space (apart from that occupied by Google apps) to preinstall and promote… both their own, and third-party apps… and offer them the same or even superior placement”.
“Android users have considerable freedom to customise their phones and to install apps that compete with Google’s. Consumers can quickly and easily move or disable preinstalled apps, including Google’s apps,” it added.
As for the second allegation, about not allowing competing versions of the Android operating system, Google said doing so could threaten its market.
“If companies make changes to the Android source code that create incompatibilities, apps written for Android will not run on these incompatible variants. As a result, fewer developers will write apps for Android, threatening to make Android less attractive to users,” it added.
The CCI order directs the investigation to be completed within 150 days, but the source said it was unlikely. “This investigation can take an average of two years… It’s going to take years to conduct a thorough investigation.”
Also read: Sundar Pichai refused Google stock worth millions as he felt he’s already paid generously
The possible penalty
The investigation is the result of a case filed by contract employees of the CCI. However, it will be carried out by permanent employees of the CCI’s investigation team, which has around 30 members. “So yes, it will take us some time to investigate the matter,” the CCI source said.
Asked about the likely fine, the source added, “It’s too soon to tell but Google may be fined more than what it was fined last time.”
The last time referred to here came in 2018, six years after the CCI ordered an investigation against Google on a complaint filed by Matrimony.com Limited, which runs the popular matchmaker service Bharat Matrimony, and others, alleging that the tech giant abused its “dominant position” in online web search and web advertising. In February 2018, the CCI found the tech giant guilty and fined it Rs 135.86 crore.
The penalty is currently under appeal, according to a Reuters report.
According to Reuters, Google has previously said it will cooperate with Competition Commission of India “to demonstrate how Android has led to more competition and innovation, not less”.
ThePrint mailed Google seeking its comment on the investigation, but didn’t get a response until the time of publishing. This report will be updated when Google responds.
India is one of 10 countries where Google is being investigated for anti-trust breaches, the others being Canada, Russia, South Korea, Brazil, Argentina, France, Germany, Italy, and the US.
So far, anti-trust penalties against Google exceed $9 billion, the bulk of which have been imposed by the European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union, in three cases.
The CCI noted in its April 2019 order that “the commission is of the prima facie opinion” that certain Google practices are in “contravention” to the law. But the CCI source said this meant nothing. “At the end of the investigation, the commission may or may not find Google guilty of the allegations,” the source added.
Also read: Huawei customers worry: Will my phone work without Google?
What experts say
Mandar Kagade, a regulatory policy expert, said Google had a fair chance in the case. “The investigation is still in its early days. However, Google may have grounds to defend each of the restrictions alleged by the complainants,” he added.
Kagade said this was because some of the agreements companies make with Google “are critical to improve the reliability of apps for consumers, the ultimate beneficiary for any anti-trust regime”.
To conduct a fair investigation and ensure consumer interests are protected, Nisha Kaur Uberoi, the national head for competition law at legal firm Trilegal, said, “The CCI will also need to consider the investment made by Google for developing Android and the choice created for consumers as well as app developers who built their businesses with Android.”


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Behind the rise of US solar power, a mountain of Chinese coal6 min read . Updated: 01 Aug 2021, 10:20 PM IST
- Reliance on coal-fired electricity to produce solar panels raises concerns in the West
Solar panel installations are surging in the U.S. and Europe as Western countries seek to cut their reliance on fossil fuels.
But the West faces a conundrum as it installs panels on small rooftops and in sprawling desert arrays: Most of them are produced with energy from carbon-dioxide-belching, coal-burning plants in China.
Concerns are mounting in the U.S. and Europe that the solar industry’s reliance on Chinese coal will create a big increase in emissions in the coming years as manufacturers rapidly scale up production of solar panels to meet demand. That would make the solar industry one of the world’s most prolific polluters, analysts say, undermining some of the emissions reductions achieved from widespread adoption.
For years, China’s low-cost, coal-fired electricity has given the country’s solar-panel manufacturers a competitive advantage, allowing them to dominate global markets.
Chinese factories supply more than three-quarters of the world’s polysilicon, an essential component in most solar panels, according to industry analyst Johannes Bernreuter. Polysilicon factories refine silicon metal using a process that consumes large amounts of electricity, making access to cheap power a cost advantage. Chinese authorities have built an array of coal-burning power plants in sparsely populated areas such as Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia to support polysilicon manufacturers and other energy-hungry industries.
Producing a solar panel in China creates around twice as much carbon dioxide as making it in Europe, said Fengqi You, professor of energy systems engineering at Cornell University. In some countries or regions that don’t rely heavily on fossil fuels for electricity generation, such as Norway and France, installing a high-carbon, Chinese-made solar panel might not reduce emissions at all, Mr. You said.
“Yes, we are clean" in the West, said Mr. You. “But then the process of getting these panels from another country—China now, maybe somewhere else later—produces a lot of emissions."
Scientists say, however, that installing Chinese-made panels almost always results in a net reduction in carbon dioxide emissions over time, because the panels are usually replacing electricity generated from fossil fuels. The emissions avoided after the first few years of a solar panel’s 30-year lifespan can offset the emissions required to produce it.
Some Western governments and corporations are attempting to shift the solar industry away from coal. Companies that buy renewable energy are laying the groundwork to favor low-carbon solar panels when financing solar projects. The U.S. federal government is drafting a policy to do the same when it buys solar panels, said a spokesman for the Environmental Protection Agency. And the European Union is considering whether to regulate the carbon content of panels sold throughout the 27-nation bloc, EU officials say.
These policies would also help rebuild the West’s solar industry, which has withered under competition from higher-polluting Chinese producers, Western executives say.
U.S. solar power capacity in the last two years has jumped 48%, according to consulting firm Wood Mackenzie. In Europe, it is up 34%. Those installations amount to tens of thousands of solar panels shipped each year.
“Large energy buyers can influence supply chains," said Jen Snook of the Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance, which represents Amazon.com Inc., Salesforce.com Inc. and more than 200 other corporations. “Solar hopefully will continue on a very strong growth rate, and we want to ensure that growth is sustainable."
The dilemma is becoming more apparent as world leaders prepare to meet in Glasgow, Scotland, in November to make a new push to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Part of that effort involves coaxing China, the world’s largest emitter, to shift away from coal-burning electricity to slash emissions even as the West gorges on Chinese gear from solar panels to lightweight aluminum for electric vehicles. At a July meeting of environment ministers from the Group of 20 leading economies, China and India blocked an agreement to phase out coal-fired electricity.
Finding alternatives won’t be easy. China’s surging and cheaper polysilicon production has harmed U.S. producers, forcing the shutdown of several factories that use power sources with lower carbon emissions than Chinese producers. Wacker Chemie AG, the West’s largest producer of solar-grade polysilicon, pays up to four times as much for power at its factories in Germany compared with Chinese producers in Xinjiang, said company spokesman Christof Bachmair.
China has pushed down the price of panels so sharply that solar power is now less expensive than electricity generated from fossil fuels in many markets around the world. Imports of the solar cells that make up the panels are also flooding into the U.S. and Europe.
Those shipments are either coming directly from China or contain key components made in China.
“If China didn’t have access to coal, then solar power wouldn’t be cheap now," said Robbie Andrew, a senior researcher at the Center for International Climate Research in Oslo. “Is it OK that we’ve had this huge bulge of carbon emissions from China because it allowed them to develop all these technologies really cheaply? We might not know that for another 30 to 40 years."
Some Chinese polysilicon producers are well-placed to respond to Western demand for low-carbon panels. Tongwei, the world’s largest producer, has some factories that run on hydropower. However, Daqo New Energy and GCL Poly, Tongwei’s main Chinese competitors, rely overwhelmingly on coal, according to the companies.
France is one of the few countries that regulate the carbon content of solar panels, requiring low-carbon panels for large solar projects. That has encouraged some Chinese panel manufacturers to use renewable energy in some processes, allowing them to sell into the French market. South Korea this year adopted rules inspired by the French system, and other European countries have expressed interest, officials from the region say.
China’s dominance of the solar supply chain also makes it harder on the handful of companies that are trying to rebuild solar-panel capacity in the West. China is home to most of the companies that slice polysilicon into wafers, package the wafers into cells and assemble the cells into panels. U.S. tariffs on Chinese solar panels and cells have pushed Chinese companies to set up factories for these parts in other countries.
JinkoSolar, a Chinese firm, built a panel assembly plant in Florida to supply NextEra Energy, one of the largest U.S. renewable-energy companies. But the wafer and polysilicon are from China, analysts say.
Italian energy company Enel SpA is planning to expand its solar-panel factory in Sicily, one of the few left in Europe, but the factory will still rely on silicon wafers coming from China.
“We would be happy if the other part of the value chain would be established in Europe," said Antonello Irace, director of the factory in Sicily. “Think about sustainability, think about labor conditions, think about logistics costs and proximity."
Beijing has further hobbled Western efforts by placing tariffs on U.S. polysilicon as part of a long-running trade dispute over solar panels. That blocked U.S. producers from selling raw material to Chinese wafering factories—which have more than 95% of global capacity—leaving them with almost no buyers for their product.
The tariffs led REC Silicon ASA in 2019 to idle a plant in Moses Lake, Wash., that runs on carbon-free hydropower. The company hoped negotiations between the Trump administration and Beijing would result in the tariffs being dropped. Instead, Beijing last year extended the tariffs for five years.
“We have a lot of polysilicon capacity," said David Feldman, a researcher at the U.S. government’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, “and it would be good for them to have customers."
This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text
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GameStop has announced that the company is teaming up with FTX US to consolidate its presence in the cryptocurrency industry.
This follows a similar announcement in March this year, when the beleaguered company said that it would be exploring NFT and blockchain in a more serious capacity.
The financial terms of the partnership were not immediately available at the time of reporting, but the company will start selling FTX gift cards in its retail network at select venues.
GameStop is also building a dedicated marketplace where consumers can buy, sell and trade NFTs, following a well-established trend.
“The FTX partnership is unlikely to yield meaningful revenue or profit, but it sounds good, so that’s a positive”, said Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter, offering his insight into what the partnership could mean for the company.
GameStop made big waves after the short-selling fiasco that left investors devastated because of Redditors rallying to back the company’s stock.
However, after the initial zeal subsided, the company’s retail business model is once again on the ropes, with retail sales dropping, buffeted not only by the pandemic but also the fact that many consumers are switching to digital purchases.
Gamestop has not yet found a foothold through blockchain. The company removed its chief financial officer Michael Recupero during the second quarter, signaling to investors that trouble continues to beset the company. That feeling was compounded by the announcement of further layoffs.
Blockchain and crypto are unlikely to immediately turn the fortunes of the company’s short to mid-term outlook.
In the meantime, you can use cryptocurrencies to enjoy yourself at place such as 1xBit, Bitcasino or FortuneJack.
Looking for your next crypto casino? Check out: Bitcasino, Gamb.co or FortuneJack.


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Friends Provident sales surge
FRIENDS Provident today provided some much-needed good cheer for the embattled life insurance industry with surprisingly strong sales figures for 2002. It said new business jumped 10% in the year, double the growth rate forecast by many analysts, thanks in part to its recent efforts to become a serious player in the retail savings market.
Underlying sales for the year were £377m and were up 6.1% in the fourth quarter, when life sales were being hammered by plunging stock markets, against the same time last year.
Chief executive Keith Satchell led a decision by the insurer at the time of its 2001 stock market float to make a big push into the retail savings and investment market. The strategy has started to bear fruit, with today's figures showing underlying sales of these products were up 42% to £25.3m in 2002. Notably, they were up 60% in the fourth quarter compared with the same time in 2001.
Sales of individual pensions and annuities slumped 13% and 33% respectively, reflecting investors' lack of appetite for such stock market-related policies and Friends' decision to focus much of its efforts elsewhere due to pricing pressure in these areas.
'We believe these are very good results in a very difficult year,' Satchell said. 'We have bucked the trend and each quarter was better than the same time last year.'
He declined to reveal whether Friends had been a forced seller of equities as a result of the latest stock market slump, saying he was prevented from discussing the topic because the company was in a closed period.
'All I can say is that at all times we have continued to exceed the solvency requirements,' he said. However, he added his voice to the growing disquiet over the solvency equations applied to life insurers.
He said the measures, which are being reviewed by the Financial Services Authority, were devised 100 years ago and no longer appropriate, given the insurers' far greater exposure to equities than in those days.
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American grocery chain Trader Joe’s just launched vegan gnocchi made with kale. The new vegan pasta is high in protein and contains more than 50 percent fresh kale.
The new Trader Joe’s product follows the successful launch of its cauliflower gnocchi in 2018, which is also vegan. Both items are lower in carbs, fat, and calories than traditional potato-based gnocchi. The new kale gnocchi also contains chickpea flour, potato starch, salt, and olive oil.
“They boast the same, satisfyingly chewy texture of ‘regular’ gnocchi,” says Trader Joe’s. “And the same earthy, slightly nutty flavor of ‘regular’ kale.”
Trader Joe’s suggests eating the vegan pasta with its dairy-free kale, cashew and basil pesto—another one of the company’s many vegan offerings. Last year, Trader Joe’s launched its own fortified vegan oat milk. The company has also launched a number of vegan burgers.
In addition to personal health and the environment, the financial cost of eating meat is a major concern for many flexitarians—those who follow a meat-eating but primarily vegetarian diet.
Affordable Vegan Food
According to the “2018 Total Consumer Report” from Nielsen, the sale of own-brand and private-label products is on the rise. These grew three times faster than national brands between 2016 and 2017. Many consumers choose store brands for their affordability.
American shoppers are also increasing their purchases of vegan and plant-based foods. According to market intelligence company Numerator, the ongoing boom in plant-based products is primarily driven by curious meat-eaters and flexitarians.
“Nearly half of meat alternative buyers (48%) have no meat-avoidant members in their household,” explains Numerator, adding that “only 30% have a vegetarian or vegan in the household.”
The more consumers continue to experiment with plant-based foods, the cheaper it will become. While many find that adopting a vegan diet generally lowers their grocery bill, some vegan alternatives can be expensive. But as demand increases production and market competition, it becomes likely that more and more vegan alternatives—and particularly private-label items—will achieve price parity with animal products in the near future.
Trader Joe’s kale gnocchi is available now for $2.69 per 12-ounce bag.


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New technology is disrupting almost every industry, even old-world giants that have been slow to adapt. “Banking and financial-services companies are not safe from the immense transformations wrought by technological innovation,” writes Dambisa Moyo for the World Economic Forum. She notes that app-based platforms have great growth potential in realms like like remittances and crowdfunding, which will total nearly $600 billion and $34 billion this year, respectively. Banks need to innovate through digital transformation or lose market share to the startup kids on the block.
AI Engineers, Universities and the Tech Talent Crunch
Enrique Cortés speaks about the availability of AI talent in Mexico.


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Our body has some very smart features, but there are some mechanical problems. One is the need to pee a lot after drinking a glass of beer.
Sleep experts explain what foods are the best sources of selenium, which is lacking in people suffering from insomnia.
Smoking disgusts many people, yet many smokers start their day with a cup of coffee and a cigarette. A new study researched why people feel that this is an ideal combination.
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While concentration levels of the substances found in the milk are relatively low, they are still reason for concern, according to a new Israeli study.


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After pulling away a handful of API rights for third-party developers, Instagram's latest iOS update brings systemwide sharing through the use an extension for the operating system's native Share Sheet.
Instagram users in France could soon see their photos on digital billboards, online, and in movie theaters courtesy of the app’s first-ever advertising campaign. The campaign is being launched in time for the UEFA Euro 2016 soccer…
Today, in a post on the company blog, Instagram announced that it would be rolling out the full algorithmic feed network-wide throughout the next month. This comes despite widespread concerns voiced by users over the change.
Instragram officially unveils its new Business Tools, to be available later this year. Built around slightly redesigned profiles, Business Tools will include easy to understand analytics and simple promotion capabilities.
Canon created an interactive advertising campaign for its PowerShot SX60 HS point-and-shoot using nothing more than Instagram. To make it work, it required 33 Instagram profiles, 297 photos, and 330 captions.
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An undercover police operation on social media use in Iran has led to the arrests of eight women identified as Instagram models. A court in the country has accused the women of spreading "un-Islamic" posts on the app.


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Stella McCartney has launched an anti-leather campaign withPeople for the Ethical Treatment of Animals ahead of London Fashion Week. The campaign urges those attending LFW to not only shed fur but also leather with a viral video expose of the skins trade, hosted by McCartney.
"As a designer, I like to work with fabrics that don't bleed; that's why I avoid all animal skins", says McCartney in the video. "Please join me in exploring the huge variety of fashionable shoes, belts, purses and wallets that aren't the product of a cow's violent death."
The campaign was set to debut in Manhattan cabs for New York Fashion Week, but VeriFone Media, which places the cab ads, refused to allow Peta US to buy airtime, saying that ‘the screens run consumer promotions, not cautions’. However, the animal rights foundation will launch the video on fashion blogs, via tweets from its celebrity supporters, and on its Facebook page.
McCartney, who is showcasing a one-off collection during London Fashion Week, goes onto explain the facts about the skin trade and highlights the industry’s barbaric practices in the viral video.


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Top Stocks You Should Consider Buying This Year
The winning stocks for 2019 according to portfolio managers will be the stocks that have the ability to survive and also thrive regardless of how badly shaken things gets. According to them, the companies that would likely rebound will be the ones with the ability to increase their earnings faster than other stocks on the market, and that is regardless of the fact that the economy is slowing sharply.
Stocks that best suit this profile include the companies that’ll enjoy the benefits of newly introduced product cycles, those with technological innovations or those taking leading roles in emerging areas such as reality-enhanced gaming.
Some of the stocks include:
1. Take-Two Interactive Software
According to Alger’s Dan Chung, the company which makes video games has benefited from some core long-term trends and also the current shift to digital gaming which is considered more profitable. Also, it keeps enjoying the move towards games that are virtual reality-enhanced as well as the fact that millennial gamers are moving into the peak of their warning and also spending years.
Chung stated that the Software’s current lineup is made up of games that have a fan base considered very fanatic and they include titles like NBA 2K, Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption. What further makes the stock of the software company so attractive is that it is quite difficult for upstarts to break into this particular variant of entertainment business which is tech-centric.
It is also attractive because it has an offer of greater profit potential made possible by the digital distribution of games and also improved technology that will eventually attract more players. According to Chung, video gaming has come to stay, and it isn’t just a means of entertainment, it is also a way to socialize.
This American jeweler company is popular for its product including diamonds, blue box and a flagship store located on Fifth Avenue which is currently going to refreshing efforts aimed at increasing its cool feature. The reboot of the retailer is driven by Alessandro Bogliolo, its CEO and Reed Krakoff, its chief artistic officer.
The reboot according to Dan Chung is driving the stock of the company higher. According to him, the moves that are inspired by this new management team including unveiling its first engagement ring in almost one decade and also the launch of a new line known as Paper Flowers will help people see the brand as more contemporary and current. In turn, that would contribute to a boost in its sales as well as its profits. Chung noted that now is a good time to put the stock of Tiffany on the buy list as it is not going anywhere.
The company manufacturers drive trains that power auto. According to Charlie Bobrinskoy of Chicago-based Ariel Funds, one reason why the stock of the company is undervalued and also has an allowance to rise is because most investors have a mistaken perception that its popular propulsion business is focused only on vehicles that are powered by gas and it is therefore not gaining from the revolution championed by the growing acceptance and usage of electric vehicles.
However, Bobrinskoy said the perception is wrong as the technology used by the company is also embedded in those electric vehicles as well as hybrids. BorgWarner on its website gives the estimation that by the year 2023, its content will be in about half hybrids and more than 30 percent of the electric cars produced globally. Further, the stock is more enticing because the company’s business on vehicles is still very big and Bobrinskoy has predicted that BorgWarner will continue dominating the fuel sector for up to 15 years from now.
Partnership structure of Blackstone isn’t working in favor of its shares, and that makes the firm ineligible to get included in index funds. Index funds which are sometimes called passive investments are where several dollars invested have been going to in the past couple of years.
According to Bobrinskoy, without the positive influence of cash driven by index, the shares of the investment firm are being sold at a relatively cheaper price. He added that everyone knows the company is great, but a lot of people are staying away from its stock because it is not on any popular index such as S&P 500.
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50+ Lamborghini Road Bike 2020 Images. The 2020 lamborghini huracan evo made its global debut late year and has finally been launched in india at a price of rs. Limited to fifty pieces worldwide, lamborghini has introduced their 50th anniversary collaborative racing bike with bmc switzerland.
The base price for the 2020 huracán evo spyder is $287,400, while our tester rang up a grand total of $339,845, which included $14,000 for the stunning nero granatus paint and a. This bmc 50th anniversary lamborghini edition road bike is ridiculous! 12,908,486 likes · 115,471 talking about this · 23,334 were here.
The residents of southern orange county are generally accustomed to exceptional things.
News related to lamborghini huracan 2020. The 2020 lamborghini urus remains one of the most extreme suvs on sale today. But as i pull up to the front of our seaside hotel in laguna beach, i'm reminded that cars like the lamborghini huracan evo spyder still exist far outside the norm. Everything you need to know about the 2019 worldtour bikes, including frame.


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A Filipino-American comic book creator shared a comic strip on the controversial global garbage trade of wealthy countries from the West to Southeast Asian nations such as the Philippines.
This piece was part of Joshua Luna’s comic book “Americanizasian,” a collection of online comic strips about Filipino-American and Asian-American identity and experiences.
European countries are reportedly the biggest exporter of plastic waste while the United States is the largest single-country source.
This new policy puts Western countries in a quandary on where to dispose of their plastic waste.
“The plastic waste is burying agricultural communities, literally transforming what used to be pristine environments into toxic dumpsites,” said Von Hernandez of Break Free from Plastic organization.