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This summit, now in its sixth edition, will take place at the Sarit Expo Centre in Nairobi, Kenya.
Nairobi to host 1,000 delegates leaders, investors, & startups for Africa Tech Summit
The Africa Tech Summit Nairobi, scheduled for February 14-15, 2024, is set to be a landmark event in the African tech ecosystem.
It's expected to be a convergence point for over 1,000 industry leaders, investors, and startups from both Africa and the international community. The event will also involve 700 companies and 150 speakers.
One of the most anticipated features of the summit is the investment showcase.
This segment will highlight 10 dynamic startups selected from over 250 entries across Africa.
These startups, chosen for their innovation and potential, span various sectors including fintech, agri-tech, e-commerce, Web3, and climate-tech.
They're seeking funding in the range of US$500,000 to US$15 million.
Among these startups, four hail from Kenya, showcasing the country's burgeoning tech talent.
These include Node Bio, focused on climate-resilient crop treatments; Tausi App, a beauty tech company; Peercarbon, a climate fintech startup; and URBANET, which promotes international development dialogue.
Nigerian startups are also prominently featured, with ventures like Bingtellar, Dukka, Feegor, and Regxta, each bringing unique solutions to the financial and e-commerce sectors.
This summit is more than just a networking event; it's a platform for sharing knowledge and fostering business growth.
In addition to the Investment Showcase, the summit will feature a diverse agenda including the Africa Money & DeFi Summit, the Africa Climate Tech & Investment Summit, the Africa Startup Summit, and the Africa Mobile & App Summit.
These tracks will cover a range of topics vital to the African tech scene.
Despite a challenging funding landscape for African startups in 2023, the Africa Tech Summit Nairobi aims to catalyze collaborative efforts and propel investments to further fuel innovation and growth throughout the continent.
This event is not just a showcase of current technological achievements but a stepping stone towards a more interconnected and innovative African tech ecosystem.
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TORRANCE, Calif. (Jan. 4, 2016) — Today Lexus debuted a national integrated marketing campaign for the entirely redesigned Lexus RX luxury crossover. With a modern interior wrapped in a chiseled exterior, the revolutionary new RX demonstrates that sophistication can have an edge. The marketing campaign targets customers looking for an SUV that’s as interesting as their dynamic lifestyles.
PRINCETON, Ind . – Toyota Indiana and its 4,700 team members hit a new high today.
PRINCETON, Ind. (May 9, 2014)
TORRANCE, Calif. (March 27, 2014)
May 24, 2013 (Torrance, CA) – Today, Scion is releasing a 10-track compilation to mark its 10-year anniversary featuring artists they’ve worked with in the past as well as a few new ones entitled, Scion 10 Series Music Release .
LOS ANGELES, September 22, 2011 – Today at AARP’s Life@50+ National Event & Expo , the AARP Foundation announced a three-year, $12.6 million grant from Toyota to support …

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Flip phones are back — at least in foldable phone form — and consumers have plenty of options if they want to get into the fold. But a new foldable phone from Samsung could be one of the most interesting options yet.
Although Samsung’s current foldable phones Galaxy Z And fold carry price tags of around $1,000 and $1,800 respectively, A recent leak showed A reported mid-range Samsung foldable phone set will debut next year that will cost a shockingly affordable $400 to $500.
Also: I’ve found reasons to buy every one of Samsung’s most confusing phones this year
For reference, the Motorola Razr, this year’s most affordable foldable phone, had a starting price of $699 and recently went on sale for $499. Black Friday sales aside, the new Samsung phone will significantly reduce the price of each foldable.
It’s not clear if it will be a book-style or a clamshell, but based on their current prices, it will likely be more similar to the lower-priced Galaxy Z. What kind of discount will Samsung have to give for this low price? ?
If the Motorola Razr is any indication, the lower-priced Samsung will likely sport a smaller display, possibly a less-powerful camera, and possibly cut back on processing power. But the Razer still handles everyday tasks very well, so the phone has plenty of uses for most people.
Also: Samsung and Google reboot VR headset plans to challenge Vision Pro, now targeting late 2024: report
Of course, the big question now is, will it be foldable that leads to mainstream adoption? Folding phones are definitely the hot thing right now, but they haven’t gotten a foothold among other flagships, at least in the US (foldables accounted for 40% of premium phone sales in South Korea last year, and that’s only expected to grow this year).
In our hands-on review of the Galaxy Z Fold 5, however, it was noted that Samsung president TM Roh said that 50% of smartphone users are considering upgrading to a foldable device. And if that is indeed the case, the low price of this phone could finally be a tipping point for many buyers.


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Infineon Announced its Rich Portfolio of Semiconductor Solutions for the Mobile Market
Neubiberg, Germany and Barcelona, Spain – February 11, 2008 – Infineon Technologies (FSE/NYSE: IFX), a leading supplier of advanced communication ICs and solutions, today announced sample availability of its latest low cost platform family in 65 nanometer as well as two new highly integrated and power-efficient members of its Mobile TV IC family. Furthermore, Infineon introduces instant messaging and e-mail functionality for entry mobile phones.
“We are excited to once again show such a broad portfolio of innovative semiconductor solutions for future mobile communications to our customers and a broad public”, said Dominik Bilo, Senior Vice President and head of Sales and Group Marketing of the Communication Solutions Business Group with Infineon. “With the semiconductor solutions presented today, we confirm once again our technology leadership in the area of true monolithic integration.”
With its third generation of Single-Chips, the X-GOLD™113 and X-GOLD™213, Infineon enables advanced mobile phone features such as camera, mobile internet and audio-entertainment accessible in low-cost markets. The integration of these features has allowed suppliers to reduce the production cost, of core mobile functions, by up to 40 percent relative to more traditional solutions. The new chips are sampling now and a first call on air has already been successfully conducted. As part of a complete mobile platform the company enables features, in price sensitive markets, which until now have only been offered in the high-tier segments. Users without personal computers can now access the Internet using their mobile phones while they are on-the-go – including news reports, weather forecasts, prices of goods, navigation or e-mail. In addition digital photos can now be taken and quickly shared. Radio programs or MP3 data, including podcasts, can now be availed of without any additional costs.
Infineon is the first company to demonstrate e-mail and chat functionality on ultra-low-cost mobile phone solutions, also called smart entry mobile phones. The solution allows simultaneous access to all leading communication portals such as MSN, ICQ, Chikka or Yahoo on average wap based phones. Smart entry phones will enable users to receive fast-and-easy access to chat and e-mail on low cost mobiles.
Additionally Infineon shows new members of its successful Tuner IC family. The two new Tuner solutions primarily address mobile applications and offer system IP blocks to further complement Infineons mobile handset platform for high-end phones. The companies’ latest digital tuner solutions, the OMNIVIA™ TUS 9090 and the OMNITUNE™ TUA 9001 enables customers to enter and competitively participate in the market through value-added, advanced solutions and target digital mobile TV applications such as mobile phones, PDA’s, mobile media players and laptops. Enabling miniaturization of electronics system design, these new Infineon solutions will drive towards lower system costs, reduced power consumption and eventually an increased adoption rate of Mobile TV technology and applications.
Furthermore the company leverages its unique advantages in the areas of true, monolithic integration and leading 7.2 HSDPA modem technology and has announced that another tier 1 handset company has selected its RF chip SMARTi™ UE+ for HSxPA/ EDGE products. This Single Chip RF significantly improves the signal quality from base station to handset, increasing the effective data throughput and reducing the required network resources. Users experience a higher effective downlink speed, better network coverage and less drops in Voice over IP- and video-applications while the network operators can significantly increase their network capacity and quality of service. With its architecture SMARTi UE+ enables phone manufacturers to reduce testing cycles in the production processes by more than a factor of 10.
You can find more information on Infineons innovative solutions at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain in Hall 1, booth B19.
Infineon Technologies AG, Neubiberg, Germany, offers semiconductor and system solutions addressing three central challenges to modern society: energy efficiency, communications, and security. In the 2007 fiscal year (ending September), the company reported sales of Euro 7.7 billion (including Qimonda sales of Euro 3.6 billion) with approximately 43,000 employees worldwide (including approximately 13,500 Qimonda employees). With a global presence, Infineon operates through its subsidiaries in the U.S. from Milpitas, CA, in the Asia-Pacific region from Singapore, and in Japan from Tokyo. Infineon is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: IFX).


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Full year revenue of $1.35bn was up 13% over 2016, although profits fell 40% to $187.0m from $309m the previous year. This follows the $300m acquisition of configurable power company Silego last year. However the volume of shipment increased significantly.
“In 2017, demand at the high end of the mobility segment improved, and across all our segments, we shipped 14% more chips than in 2016. In total, that amounts to almost 1.7 billion units of products shipped,” said Jalal Bagherli, CEO of Dialog. The year-on-year revenue growth was driven by the high volume ramp of new Power Management chips resulting in 55% growth in Mobile Systems and the consolidation of Silego.
“Good business momentum and a pipeline of key product launches give us confidence 2018 will be a year of good revenue growth,” he said. “In 2017, we expanded our design centres in Europe, Asia, and North America and there are now over 2,000 colleagues including in Silego in Dialog, 75% of whom work in engineering-related functions. Our talent pool is now based in 73 locations spread across 16 countries.”
“Focusing on mobility, we pioneered the programmable Power Management IC and our knowhow on integration and power efficiency allows us to deliver highly-integrated ICs in short-design cycles. We’ve also maintained a commanding market share in the smartphone rapid charge market of approximately 60%. Although adoption of RapidCharge technologies through second half of 2017 did not maintain the pace of previous years, we continue to make good progress introducing our first USBPD interface IC and pioneering the use of gallium nitride for mobility.”
Apple is a major customer for Dialog’s power management chips. “We are now past developing IP and evaluation of IP and we are well into completing or at least a good ways through completing design of the chip for the 2019 application,” he said.


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Canopy Growth Corp. (TSX:WEED) skyrocketed 19% on Monday following the announcement that alcohol producer Constellation Brands Inc. (NYSE:STZ) will be investing $245 million for a ~10% stake in Canopy. That’s huge news — not just for Canopy, but for the entire cannabis industry as well as other sin stocks (beer and tobacco firms) that may be getting in on the action as we head closer to legalization day, which should be less than a year away.
Other Canadian cannabis producers such as Aurora Cannabis Inc. (TSX:ACB), Aphria Inc. (TSX:APH), and MedReleaf Corp. (TSX:LEAF) all soared ~4.5%, ~7.1%, and ~8.3%, respectively, as euphoria spread across the entire industry.
Sure, all cannabis stocks have a high degree of systematic risk, but they also have a similar magnitude of systematic opportunity. Although the Constellation investment has nothing to do with other cannabis producers, the general public is expecting similar investments from American sin stocks going forward.
Is the potential for massive gains outweighing the potential for losses?
In many recent pieces, I strongly urged investors to consider marijuana stocks like Canopy, as their upside potential was unlike anything that’s publicly traded on the market today. I stated that most of the negative sentiment was already in the rear-view mirror and that going forward, the potential for positive developments outweighed the probability of further negative developments, especially since the political risks have died down a great deal compared with earlier this year.
After several developments, cannabis growth investing went from extremely high risk/high reward to high risk/extremely high reward. That’s a good trade-off, but only for those with a high risk tolerance. Although the potential for positive developments now outweighs the potential for negative ones, an unforeseen negative development could still surprise us all, and bring huge losses for those who’ve invested later rather than sooner.
More sin firms could be interested in investing in Canadian cannabis producers
In a previous piece, I made bold claims, saying that Canopy could surge to $20 by the end of 2017, and that the stock could triple from the $11 levels by the time legalization day arrives. There’s no doubt that such estimations were extremely bullish, more aggressive than most analyst expectations, and far-fetched at the time, but with positive developments mounting, I think it’s completely realistic to see Canopy hit ~$33 by Canada Day 2018.
The investment by Constellation Brands could spark a chain reaction of investments by other beer or tobacco companies to stay on even footing. Regardless of which cannabis producer receives the investment, all pot stocks stand to realize huge gains from such an announcement, especially if Phillip Morris International were to announce an even larger investment of its own.
Vahan Ajamian, an analyst at Beacon Securities, believes that the recent Constellation investment is a “game-changer” for the cannabis industry, and he “expect[s] more alcohol companies may look to accelerate plans to enter the industry — as well as pharmaceutical and tobacco companies.”
The recent Constellation deal could be the start of many near-term developments that could lift all cannabis stocks to new highs. I still believe Canopy could hit ~$33 by legalization, as developments, both industry-wide and company-specific, are released to the general public.
Stay smart. Stay hungry. Stay Foolish.


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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- Reynolds American Inc., the second-biggest U.S. cigarette company, should give investors some insight into its premium Camel brand and its lower-priced Pall Mall brand when it releases its second-quarter results before the stock markets open Wednesday.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Americans are buying fewer cigarettes as they face rising taxes and greater smoking bans, health concerns and social stigma, prompting most tobacco companies to raise prices and cut costs to bolster profits. The decline in cigarette volumes industrywide also has led to heavy promotional activity by the nation's largest tobacco companies.
Winston-Salem, N.C.-based Reynolds American said the number of cigarettes sold by its R.J. Reynolds Tobacco subsidiary fell by about 9 percent during the first quarter to 14.9 billion cigarettes, compared with its estimate of a total industry decline of 6 percent. It sold 5.5 percent less of its Camel brand and Pall Mall volumes fell 2 percent. The brands account for more than 60 percent of Reynolds American's total cigarette volume.
Camel's market share increased by one-tenth of 1 percentage point to 8.5 percent of the U.S. market, while Pall Mall's market share grew 0.5 percentage points to 9 percent.
The company has promoted Pall Mall as a longer-lasting and more affordable cigarette for smokers who are weathering the weak economy and high unemployment. The company has said that half of the people who try the brand continue using it.
The number of Natural American Spirit cigarettes its Santa Fe Natural Tobacco subsidiary sold grew nearly 15 percent to about 700 million cigarettes.
Analysts also pay close attention to the company's smokeless tobacco products — a segment of the tobacco industry that's growing and becoming increasingly competitive as companies fight the decline in cigarette sales. Volume for its Kodiak and Grizzly smokeless tobacco brands rose about 1 percent during the first quarter compared with a year ago. The brands had a 33 percent share of the U.S. retail market, which is tiny compared with cigarettes.
Reynolds American also is launching a revamped version of its Vuse-brand electronic cigarette in Colorado this month, with its sights set on expanding nationally.
The company also is moving ahead with its nicotine gum under the Zonnic brand, which is meant to help people stop smoking. In 2009, Reynolds bought the Swedish company Niconovum AB, which makes nicotine gum, pouches and spray products.
WHY IT MATTERS: Continued strength from Pall Mall could mean smokers are still switching to cheaper brands to save money, and those who tried the brand during the recession are remaining loyal. But if volumes of premium brands like Camel are rebounding, that could signal consumers are adjusting to higher prices on cigarettes following federal and state tax hikes. Progress on cigarette alternatives could illustrate a greater interest in smokers looking to quit or find other products to use in places they cannot smoke.
WHAT'S EXPECTED: Analysts, on average, expect Reynolds American to report earnings of 83 cents per share on revenue of $2.19 billion, according to FactSet.
LAST YEAR'S QUARTER: Reynolds American reported adjusted earnings of 79 cents per share and revenue of $2.18 billion. Figures for both periods exclude excise taxes the company passes through to the government.
Michael Felberbaum can be reached at https://www.twitter.com/MLFelberbaum.


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RISMEDIA, August 6, 2009-RealtyTrac, one of the leading online marketplaces for foreclosure properties, and HomeFinder.com, one of the most trusted sources for consumers to find a home online and connect with real estate professionals, announced a new agreement and strategic partnership. Effective immediately, real-time foreclosure data from RealtyTrac’s nationwide database of default, auction and bank-owned homes are searchable on HomeFinder.com and its national media network of 130+ newspaper sites.
“The HomeFinder.com network includes some of the most trusted and powerful media brands in the country’s largest markets where foreclosures are at an all time high, and we’re committed to helping the industry aggressively market and sell these properties.” said Rick Sharga, senior vice president at RealtyTrac. “HomeFinder.com offers RealtyTrac an inclusive partnership with both a powerful media reach and a broad and relevant news audience that’s a natural fit for our foreclosure listings as well as our robust statistical data.”
“We are delighted to announce this new partnership with one of the most trusted foreclosure authorities in the industry,” said Tim Fagan, president and CEO of HomeFinder.com. “This alliance with RealtyTrac will help us promote a full view of home transactions, and is an extension of our continued pledge to effectively meet the growing needs of our home buying and selling audience in this challenging market.”


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Pioneer Electronics Appoints Igarashi As President and COO
Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. announces that it has named Kiyokazu Igarashi as its new president and COO, effective July 1, 2012. Mr. Igarashi will lead Pioneer’s business operations for branded products in the U.S. region, including car electronics, home electronics, DJ and computer drive products.
“Kiyokazu Igarashi is taking the reins of our U.S. business group at an important and exciting time for Pioneer, as we continue to promote our vision of creating innovative entertainment products that embrace the highly connected lifestyles of our customers,” said Sam Ohdate, president of the Pioneer Americas group of companies. “His extensive experience with both corporate and regional operations will enable him to successfully lead and expand our U.S. sales and marketing efforts.”
A 27 year veteran of Pioneer, Mr. Igarashi joined the company in 1985, and most recently headed sales and marketing operations in Singapore and Malaysia. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Gakushuin University in Tokyo.
Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. is headquartered in Long Beach, Calif., and its U.S. Web address is www.pioneerelectronics.com. Its parent company, Pioneer Corporation, is a preeminent manufacturer of high-performance audio, video and computer equipment for the home, car and business markets.


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Asia Bizz: Indian auto giant Bajaj has announced to launch a new variant of their Boxer brand. The company is all set to roll out the 150cc version of the Boxer by the month of August 2011, which will be priced at around Rs. 40,000.
Bajaj has already launched the new motorcycle in some of the cities of the state of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, in India. The Boxer 150 cc has been specially designed for the rural masses and roads.
The company aims at replacing the old Yezdi, Rajdoot and many such bikes with the new 150cc Boxer. The new Boxer will have a four-stroke engine with decent power and torque.
The Boxer series is popular mainly for its average and low maintenance that makes it user-friendly and affordable. However, the older Boxer was of 100cc and the new 150 cc bike may not be able to give the same average as it used to before. Some of the sources from the company have said that the back seat of the 150cc bike has been designed , so that it can accommodate two more people other than the driver. This also indicates that it may also be capable of carrying heavy loads.


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The Top 75: Big Communications
Reflecting back on the characteristics that defined the latter-half of the 2000s for the pharma industry, Oleshansky expresses the confliction he felt running an agency that was reporting “dramatic growth year-over-year, 30-40% growth,” in the midst of a turbulent marketplace that centered on agency consolidation and buyouts. Though Big received no shortage of calls from “private equity guys and holding companies” during this time, Oleshansky admits that agency principals wanted to explore opportunities from a more strategic perspective. “We weren't interested in doing the traditional thing—either making lots of money for a private equity group, or working for a holding company—so when Meredith presented their story to us, it was very interesting, because we were looking for a strategic partner that could help us deliver solutions that were unique in the marketplace,” Oleshansky explains. “At the time, we were focusing on what we call sales force effectiveness, and non-personal promotion, which is direct-to-physician marketing. By partnering with Meredith, we saw an opportunity not only to burst through those capabilities but also to grow a consumer practice that was very unique and memorable.”
Since the Meredith acquisition, the staff headcount has topped out at about 100—in addition to Big's Michigan headquarters, the agency has six satellite offices spread from coast to coast—and while modest in comparison with its early years in healthcare, the agency enjoyed steady growth of 12-13% from 2009 to 2010, reporting net revenue of more than $30 million, according to the CEO.
The agency's leadership team has also expanded in the past few years, including: Scott Stern, EVP, client solutions; Mike Lee, VP of finance; Jennifer Janus, VP, operations; Ivan Holtz, VP, client solutions; and, Caryn Rainey, VP, talent and organization development, to name a few.
These days, Big's product offering focuses on “Healthcare Relationship Management” via sales forces, non-personal promotion and consumer marketing, with a focus on CRM. Oleshansky says the agency also does things like “multicultural marketing, and social, mobile and data analytics,” by tapping into the resources of Meredith Integrated Marketing sister agencies and extended enterprise digital platforms.
While Oleshansky says client work skews toward the professional side, its biggest client is a consumer account with Allergan, for products Botox, Juvéderm, Latisse and Natrelle breast implants: “It's a [digital] CRM program called Brilliant Distinctions.…Basically, it's a point-of-face program for cosmetic procedures.”
On plans for the year ahead, Oleshansky says: “We're rolling out a new brand called Meredith Health. That's actually one of the most exciting things that's going to be happening in the next year—that continued alignment of all aspects across the Meredith Corporation, as well as Big and our sister agencies, to be run by us at Big, under a banner called Meredith Health.”


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CTC Electronic ramping up sales for Riverbase500 industrial SLA 3D printers, NVBOTS new ultra-high speed multi-Metal 3DP, and German Fraunhofer IFAMreveals new high quality metal printing tech.
Just one month after announcing its first industrial SLA 3D printer, the Riverbase500, China’s Zuhai CTC Electronic has secured a record-size order from UK-based Greenwich Planet Co. Ltd, which has requested 30 of these new industrial machines for its professional creative and design services.
The unexpected order has surpassed the company’s current capacity, and will only be delivered in three months’ time at the earliest, but the record-size order is no doubt the best possible way to start off the New Year! Details on 3Ders.
The company has recently announced that they are now offering access to the multi-metal 3D printing technology developed by NVLABS for commercial use. They are launching a new Alpha Program to provide companies with what they are calling the first metal 3D printing technology in the world that will be capable of printing with multiple metals in the same build.
According to NVLABS, their new metal 3D printing technology will potentially work with virtually any metal material, will be capable of using multiple metals throughout the entire build and will produce finished parts up to ten times faster than SLS. 3DPrint.com has the scoop.
A new German metal 3D printing technology has just been unveiled that could give a huge boost to that manufacturing process. Called 3D screen printing, it has been developed by the Dresden-based Fraunhofer IFAM institute, and is capable of mass producing small metallic objects and achieving details that other technologies, such as SLM or binder jetting powder machines, cannot even achieve.
It is quite a complex technology, and essentially consists of a paste (a powder or binder) that is extruded out of very precise opening between two sheets. This can be stacked into layers just as any 3D printed material, and is sintered afterwards. But the big difference is that this screen movement allows for very precise structures, down to a possible structure size of 60 µm, and doesn’t require support structures. Wall thickness can easily go down to the 50 micron range, making this a very potent technology indeed. Learn more about it at 3Ders.
Are you not an Engineer but wants to work with 3D printing? We are hiring an MBA summer intern.
Have a great week!


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RPG news at bullet point speed for fast-find new releases, interviews, reviews and bundle deals. An at-a-glance catch-up of the recent RPG headlines.
Vault of Magic for 5e asked for $50,000 to fund, which for very many publishers would be a challenging target for a D&D supplement. At the time of writing, Kobold Press still has 22 days on the project, and over 4,150 backers have pledged $240,000.
The Yellow King Bestiary adds alien parasites, hungry buildings and war machines that hunt like wolf-packs.
We know from one of the speakers that these panels will not shy away from some of the hot button issues that emerged this year.
One week of RPG news: A battle in the Gygax family of D&D’s legacy, too sexy vampires and a game designer disowning their award-winning edgelord adventure.
In recent years, more D&D fans have been uncomfortable with how the 1985 published book treats its subject matter.


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Hannover Fairs USA, the organizer of DOMOTEX USA, today announced that its latest interview in its industry leader series profiles Mark Galey, owner of Master Home Remodelers in Atlanta. His interview is located on the Remodeler’s Corner page athttps://domotexusa.com/remodelers/. Mr. Galey launched his remodeling business in 1990, attracting national attention as the winner of multiple contractor awards. He manages an extensive client list, including hip-hop artist Ne-Yo.
Mr. Galey’s interview highlights his environmentally-conscious and community approach to the business of remodeling homes. He is EarthCraft Certified, Solatube Certified, and a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS), among other credentials. As an Aging-in-Place specialist, Mr. Galey is more conscious of how seemingly small decisions have a significant impact on a client’s experience within the home. His work takes into consideration the entire lifespan of a homeowner, including whether a client is cohabiting with pets or raising children, wants to age in place or is living with disabilities.
As part of his community efforts, Mr. Galey is active with the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) Atlanta chapter and will become its president in 2019.
“The demand for eco-friendly practices has grown in recent decades,” said Galey. “Environmentalism is not a trend. It’s here to stay,” he adds. As part of his attendance at DOMOTEX USA 2019, Mr. Galey plans to focus on learning about the environmental impacts of flooring manufacturing and how manufacturers are improving the durability of flooring products.
“We look forward to hosting the floor covering industry at our inaugural show and have designed many exciting opportunities to demonstrate and experience new products and floor covering techniques,” said Donna Busse, show director of DOMOTEX USA at Hannover Fairs USA (HFUSA).


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Apple’s Latest App Store Ad Targets Japan Ahead Of New Year’s Shopping Event In The Country
Japan will be observing Shōgatsu, or as we know it, New Year from January 1st to the 3rd, with Apple already having announced that it will be holding its annual shopping event in the country from the 2nd to the 3rd.
Just ahead of that event, Apple has released a new video on its Japanese YouTube channel, highlighting the better part of the App Store including the games, productivity and social apps that can be used to kick off 2021 with.
As such, the video doesn’t offer any useful information as such, with it being more promotional then informative. The video is colorful, short at 15 seconds, and for anyone looking to treat themselves with a new iOS device as they enter 2021, this is the video for you.
Shōgatsu is one of the most important holiday in Japan, and Apple its promotional shopping event an annual affair. As part of the two day event, when you buy an eligible Apple products, you can get a gift card worth up to 18,000 Yen, as has been confirmed by Apple through a tweet, and it says so on the event page here.


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LINWOOD — Miss America is getting a makeover.
The Miss America organization is partnering with two companies, Infinity Lifestyle Brands and Hilco Consumer Capital, for licensing, sponsorship and brand creation for the 90-year-old pageant.
A new entity, Miss America Properties, will create a licensing-driven platform focused on partnerships with leading American companies including fashion, media, lifestyle products and events.
Miss American CEO Art McMaster says the partnership will make the brand available to women around the world.
The 2012 Miss America will be crowned live from Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas Jan. 14 on ABC television.
The Miss America Organization offices are located on New Road in Linwood.


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Over the weekend Michigan became the first state in the Midwest to allow recreational marijuana sales.
The state, where voters backed marijuana legalization in 2018, allowed stores to start selling weed to recreational users on Sunday.
Michigan officials issued 18 licenses, including to growers and processors, for the first day of sales, and let stores shift some of their medical marijuana supply to recreational — at least until more recreational businesses are up and running in January.
In Michigan, anyone 21 or older can purchase and possess marijuana. The state is licensing retailers and others along the supply line — although, as in other states, local jurisdictions can opt out of sales.


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Kenyans can now support vulnerable families for as little as Ksh.1,135 through Kibera Community based Organisation – SHOFCO (Shining Hope for Communities) in partnership with Twiga Foods and Jumia.
Coming in the wake of extended COVID-19 preventive restrictions by an extra 21 days, Twiga Foods and Jumia have innovated around their distribution partnership, offering customers an opportunity to donate food to needy families in Kibera Slums.
“Families in low income, high-density areas like Kibera slums are the most vulnerable over this COVID-19 period. By purchasing a package on Jumia, you can help support a needy family for up to one week”, said SHOFCO Founder, Kennedy Odede.
To help a needy family, customers will place an order on Jumia under SHOFCO (Save a Family) package worth Ksh. 1,135 or that of Ksh 1,399 of Twiga Foods packages that can be delivered to needy families by SHOFCO.
According to Jumia, details of the deliveries to the benefitting families will be reported to donors through regular reporting.
“Through this platform, well-wishers can have full confidence that we will deliver their donations to the people who need it most. We have great data from recent deliveries to show exactly which household received donations. Our sophisticated tracking tools ensure end to end data transparency – and we will be reporting regularly to the public. We can do so much more with the support of donors,” said Jumia Kenya COO, Christine Sogomo.
Twiga Foods has discounted the price of fresh produce up to 50% making it affordable for customers wishing to support the needy families.
“The scale of this crisis has disrupted lives, livelihoods, communities and businesses which calls for innovating beyond the customer and dedicating resources for the increasing food security issue seen in underprivileged communities,” said Twiga Foods CEO, Peter Njonjo.
The packages include Twiga Okoa Jamii and Okoa Jamii Chakula, a mix of fresh and manufactured foods.
ALSO READ: Equity MasterCard holders to get 10 pc discount on Jumia purchases


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The Hartman Group held its Food Culture Forecast 2019 summit in Chicago in September to try to make sense out of the emerging consumer trends which seems to be getting more complicated and confusing by the day.
Shelley Balanko, Ph.D. at The Hartman Group said “Contemporary consumers are spending more on foods for health and wellness, sustainability and social reasons, especially early adopters. These consumers are telling us they want different food choices.”
Just what a CPG brand or grocery retailer wants to hear. More complications!
Hartman says this includes a variety of proteins, holistic plant-based foods and responsibly grown meat. Shoppers also want more accountability from food companies, as well as education. They want to understand how foods affects their bodies, today and long term.
“It starts with soil health,” Dr. Balanko said. “We need to rethink our food chain with regenerative agriculture. The state of our soil impacts everything from human health to climate change. As more stakeholders begin to understand how rebuilding soil and biodiversity can protect our future food systems, more resources will be diverted into transitioning overused landscapes.”
Plant breeders, some of which are chefs, may be the new rock stars of the food world, Dr. Balanko say. Too often, plant breeders are directed to select for yield, shelf life and uniformity at the expense of food quality, nutrition or the environment. Not as often for taste.
Balanko says that today’s consumers are food smart and are less likely than previous generations to fall for hype and marketing. They have learned to evaluate food production innovations according to four overlapping arenas: lab, field, factory and kitchen. They are asking more questions and want truthful answers.


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Hewlett-Packard Disses Dell Deal
Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ) is attempting to poach Dell's (NASDAQ: DELL) business at a weak moment for the Texas-based PC-maker which announced a massive LBO on Tuesday that will take it off the public markets.
While the strategy is understandable, the statement released by Hewlett-Packard in the wake of the Michael Dell-led buyout is a case of the kettle calling the pot black.
Hewlett-Packard's official statement read, "Dell has a very tough road ahead. The company faces an extended period of uncertainty and transition that will not be good for its customers. And with a significant debt load, Dell's ability to invest in new products and services will be extremely limited. Leveraged buyouts tend to leave existing customers and innovation at the curb. We believe Dell's customers will now be eager to explore alternatives, and Hewlett-Packard plans to take full advantage of that opportunity."
Even if we did take Hewlett-Packard's pessimism at face value, the reality is that there are a laundry list of reasons that companies would not want to work with Hewlett-Packard itself. Many of the issues that face Dell are also the problems that plague Hewlett-Packard.
Certainly, HP also faces a continued period of uncertainty and transition on top of the years of uncertainty that investors have already had to endure.
Also, Hewlett-Packard has not exactly been at the forefront of the innovation curb, or it wouldn't find itself in its current predicament. The stock is down more than 42 percent over the last year and shares have plunged nearly 63 percent in the last 5 years.
Since former CEO Mark Hurd was forced out of the company in August 2010, Hewlett-Packard has been in virtual free-fall.
In the wake of Hurd's dismissal, the company has been plagued by operating problems and plenty of boardroom drama. Hurd's replacement Leo Apotheker lasted roughly 10 months in the hot-seat at Hewlett-Packard, with the stock plunging 40 percent under his watch.
In a disastrous move, HP acquired British software firm Autonomy for more than $11 billion in cash under Apotheker.
Subsequently, in November 2012, the company released a bombshell, saying that it was forced to write down Autonomy's value by $8.8 billion, saying that it had been duped in the deal. The company said that Autonomy had engaged in accounting fraud and had misrepresented its history and its future prospects.
Poor due diligence under Apotheker was partially to blame for the costly mistake, but a Deloitte audit did not turn up any problems at the time of the deal. Apotheker was subsequently dismissed on September 22, 2011 but picked up $13 million for his time. The current CEO is former e-Bay (NASDAQ: EBAY) head Meg Whitman.
In 2012, Hewlett-Packard saw its business continue to deteriorate, with falling revenue and margins, resulting in a loss for the fiscal year.
The technology trends that are eroding Hewlett-Packard's business are the same trends which are behind the Dell LBO. Michael Dell clearly felt that going private, where his company could turnaround its business away from the glare of the public markets, was the best thing for Dell.
Both Hewlett-Packard and Dell have been squeezed by a declining PC business in recent years and are attempting to turn themselves into full-service technology and enterprise service providers more in the mold of IBM (NYSE: IBM). Over the last year DELL is down around 24 percent and the stock has shed almost 34 percent in the last five years.
On Tuesday, the company struck a deal with its founder and other parties to go private in a complex and massive leveraged-buyout at $13.65 per share. The transaction, valued at $24.4 billion, did not come as a surprise. There had been numerous reports of a forthcoming deal and negotiations had been taking place for weeks.
Under the terms of the deal, Michael Dell in partnership with private equity firm Silver Lake will take the company private. Financing for the buyout, which is the biggest since the financial crisis, will come from a consortium, including Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT).
The tech giant kicked in a $2 billion loan and additional debt financing was provided by BofA Merrill Lynch, Barclays, Credit Suisse and RBC Capital Markets.
Michael Dell said in a statement that "We can deliver immediate value to stockholders, while we continue the execution of our long-term strategy and focus on delivering best-in-class solutions to our customers as a private enterprise. Dell has made solid progress executing this strategy over the past four years, but we recognize that it will still take more time, investment and patience, and I believe our efforts will be better supported by partnering with Silver Lake in our shared vision."
Although Hewlett-Packard basically took the buyout news as a reason to gloat, it really shouldn't be. Dell certainly would not be going private if everything was rosy in its business and the problems facing Dell are the same ones facing Hewlett Packard.
The news also makes it clear that Michael Dell is not going to approach the ongoing deterioration at his company with the old "head in the sand" routine. In recent years, the same cannot be said for Hewlett-Packard.
© 2017 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.


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Bollywood super hot actress Aditi Rao Hydari said that she doesn’t believe in fashion trends and very instinctive about fashion. She said in a statement-
“I’m not instinctive about fashion. I don’t know what is in and what is not. I go with what appeals to me. I also don’t believe in trends,”
She loves to ‘dress up’ but not like heavy accessories. She added – “I love dressing up. But for me, dressing up is not burdening yourself with heavy accessories,”
Aditi Rao Hydari like Delhi people and also revealed that her favorite shopping spots are also in Delhi. “I love to shop in the Greater Kailash market and Sarojini Nagar,” she added.


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Research and Advisory firm Gartner Group recently outlined their top 10 strategic technology trends for 2018 and beyond. Gartner define “strategic” as the technologies that will have significant disruptive potential over the next five years. Broken down into three main categories, Intelligent Technologies, Digital Technologies and the Mesh*, they represent the predicted massive shift in digital experiences that all businesses need to be thinking about.
Category 1 – Intelligent Technologies
- AI Foundation
The ability to automate business practices and utilise Artificial Intelligence in business decision making will be a key consideration for CEOs in 2018. Creating added value for customers is at the forefront of digital transformation programs. For an organisation to harness the potential benefits of AI it must act swiftly as the technologies are developing rapidly. Google has demonstrated that it could teach a bot (AlphaZero) to learn the rules of chess in four hours before defeating the world champion chess program, Stockfish. Organisations making use of AI won’t be looking to build gaming engines, but instead will focus on streamlining workflows and enhancing existing systems.
- Intelligent Apps and Analytics.
Every mobile and web application will include AI over the next few years. It will mostly be utilised unobtrusively in the background, but will gather data to enhance user experience. The uptake of virtual assistants will continue to increase, creating an intelligent intermediary between people and systems. Gartner experts are quick to point out that this not a way to replace people but to supplement their work. User interfaces will continue to improve, particularly conversational interfaces. Apps will include built-in autonomous process and Business Intelligence and Analytics Systems will enhance the capabilities of Data Scientists over the next five years.
- Intelligent Things
Intelligent Things describes the addition of machine learning and AI functionality to enhance existing items to interact with humans and surroundings. For example, the Nest smart thermostat is a popular piece of technology that can adjust heating based on residents’ patterns of being in the home. Also, it can be controlled remotely by the use of a mobile device. These Intelligent Things will become more intricate and the tasks more advanced. Another prediction by Gartner explains how many of the smart household appliances will work in collaboration. Smart bulbs and smart plugs could, in theory, link with the likes of a Nest system, monitoring the energy efficiency throughout the home and providing insight to the homeowner.
Category 2 – Digital Technologies
- Digital Twins
Digital Twins refer to the digital representation of physical objects, and for more than 30 years, product and process engineering teams have used 3D renderings of computer-aided design (CAD) models, asset models and process simulations to ensure and validate manufacturability. NASA, for example, has run complex simulations of spacecraft for decades. Using data provided by sensors, a digital twin understands its state, responds to changes, improves operations and adds value. Gartner predicts there will be an estimated 21 billion connected sensors and endpoints by 2020.
- Cloud to the Edge
Edge computing is the method of optimising cloud computing systems by performing data processing at the edge of the network, near the source of the data. Gartner predicts that more organisations will begin using edge design patterns in their infrastructure architectures. Despite the common misconception that Cloud and Edge Computing are competitive methods of delivery, the synergy of combining the approaches is seen to provide a wealth of riches. The trend to use the processing power at the edge or near the servers to act as a gateway will become more favourable over the next five years. Gartner defines Cloud Services as a style of computing and not a physical delivery system.
- Conversational Platforms
2018 is shaping up to see one of the largest strategic shifts to come in the conversational platforms space, demanding more from computers. Currently, Alexa, Siri and Cortana are considered mainstream technologies that can interpret an array of trivial requests and return answers or suggestions. These requests will not only get more complex, there will be a large uplift in the use of Voice Technology in business over the next 5 years. The main hurdle to overcome is consumers’ adoption concerns due to previous frustrations with the platforms’ limited response repertoire. However, after the Amazon Echo was amongst 2017’s most received gift at Christmas, the appetite to master voice technology is at an all-time high.
- Immersive Experience
Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR) and Mixed Reality (MR) sectors are all projected to grow considerably over the next five years. Augmented Reality and Mixed Reality have already experienced considerable success stories, including the most famous of all – Pokémon Go, which generated greater revenue in 3 months than the value of the entire VR software market in 2016**. However, now that there is a visible movement from the head-mounted displays to hand held devices, companies such as BMW and BiC are already demonstrating the willingness to explore smartphone based AR. Apple and Google have both made considerable investments with the recent announcements surrounding Apple ARKit and Google ARCore, 2018 is poised to witness a mainstream tipping point for augmented reality technology.
Category 3 – Mesh*
Gartner predicts the adoption of Blockchain technology will soar in 2018. The technology behind Bitcoin is a shared, distributed and decentralized ledger which alleviates many of the complications attributed to sharing data simply and securely. Exception, has identified this as an extremely exciting opportunity and has invested in one of the UK’s leading blockchain companies, Wallet.Services. Exception’s head of Client Services, Jeph Hamilton and CEO of Mobile, Chris Martin also accompanied a group of delegates from the Scottish Government to visit Estonia to experience the clear business opportunities and capabilities by seeing it Blockchain in action. Unlike Estonia, in the UK the implementation of Blockchain is in its infancy in many applications.
To be successful in the newly evolving dynamic world that has been discussed thus far, the notion of event processing in a more flexible and dynamic way of linking processes together is important. Gartner stress the importance of event processing and request driven mechanisms as equal participants in the development portfolio. By 2020, event-sourced, real-time situational awareness will be a required characteristic for 80% of digital business solutions, and 80% of new business ecosystems will require support for event processing.
- Continuous Adaptive Risk and Trust
Two key areas have been identified with regards to improving cyber security concerns in 2018 and beyond. Security in the IoT environment is particularly challenging. Security teams need to work with application, solution and enterprise architects to build security into the overall DevOps process to create a DevSecOps model. The second theme identified by Garter is the implementation of Deception techniques, using bate servers and applications to identify the threats as they try to access the infrastructure that existing users would not be utilising.
If your objective is managing innovation, transforming your business with digital technologies, minimising complexity or developing new mobile or web apps, our consultants can help design and deliver the appropriate solutions. Contact Exception today to see how we can help.
*Mesh refers to the dynamic connection of people, processes, things and services supporting intelligent digital ecosystems.
**Source – Mozenix – Top 5 Augmented Reality Trends 2018 https://mozenix.com/2017/10/09/top-5-augmented-reality-trends-2018/
Gregor Cunningham – Marketing Communications OfficerBack to articles


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Be cautious with rising milk prices
MILK prices in Ulster continue to rise at United Dairy Farmers monthly auctions, but the trend may not persist.
The Belfast-based co-op sold 20m litres at its auction on Aug 13, averaging 19.55p/litre. This is 1.5p above Julys average, and a 6p/litre rise since May.
But dairy farmers should not be lulled into a false sense of security, warns UDF chairman Harold Hamilton.
"The increase has more todo with a significant reductionin milk supply due to a combination of wet weather, poor returns and seasonality, rather thanto any fundamental improvement in international dairymarkets."
Even so, the spot price of 19.47p/litre was 0.7p above last years August value despite a considerable drop in world dairy commodity markets.
"We are pleased to see this strengthening of prices, which will be reflected in members September milk prices," says Mr Hamilton. *


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Coffee/tea finalists for 2018 SupplySide CPG Editor’s Choice Award – image galleryCoffee/tea finalists for 2018 SupplySide CPG Editor’s Choice Award – image gallery
Numi Organic Tea and Laird Superfood are among the top five products vying for the 2018 CPG Editor’s Choice Award in coffee/tea.
October 2, 2018
With dynamic speakers, unique programming, expert panel discussions and workshops, and a vibrant exhibit hall, SupplySide West is the go-to event for natural products professionals. The creative collaborations and innovative ingredients that are a hallmark of the event are also the driving force behind the thriving marketplace. Now in its 7th year, the SupplySide CPG Editor's Choice Awards recognizes some of the coolest new launches of consumer packaged goods (CPG) products in nearly 30 categories.
Coffee and tea beverages are a hit with consumers, with several trends reflected in recent product launches. Innovative products in the category feature unique ingredients with functional benefits, fortification with ingredients such as probiotics or adaptogenic botanicals, convenience and exciting flavors.
One winner in each category will be announced on the SupplySide Central Stage at SupplySide West 2018, held at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. The supplement winners will be revealed Thursday, Nov. 8, from 1:30 to 2 p.m., followed by the food and beverage winners on Friday, Nov. 9, from 1:30 to 2 p.m. Click the following link to learn more about the networking event or to register for SupplySide West.
A display case showcasing all the finalists’ products will be available in the Expo Hall. View the full list of ECA categories and finalists here.
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Dubai, United Arab Emirates, August 23th, 2017: Ing-on Pachmanee has been appointed as Wellness Chef at The Retreat Palm Dubai MGallery by Sofitel. With more than 15 years of culinary experience, the passionate individual has an abundance of knowledge in nutritional produce and cooking methods, having worked across some of the finest hotels worldwide including Bangkok, London and Dubai.
Pachmanee’s vision for health and wellness was first realized when she worked for The Baan Thai Wellness Retreat in Bangkok, where she gained a wealth of proficiency in creating healthy and delightful dishes, as well as playing a key role in opening and establishing the new outlet in the market. She also worked as a Sous Chef at Tenface Bangkok Hotel for six years, where she was in charge of managing all kitchen activities and maintaining health and safety standards demanded by the hotel in both service and operations.
“I’m excited to join the team and work together to take our guests on the ultimate journey of wellness and transformation. says Pachmanee. Our superlative F&B offerings each have health and wellness at heart, we will use organic, fresh ingredients in all our dishes “I look forward to building and growing the team to establish the outlet’s name and reputation in the market.”
For more information on The Retreat Palm Dubai MGallery by Sofitel visit http://www.theretreatpalmdubai.com
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, August 2017: In celebration of Global Women’s Equality Day on 26th August, The Retreat Palm Dubai MGallery by Sofitel announces its partnership with Evolvin’ Women, a UAE social enterprise that forms part of the UN WOMEN task-force for women’s empowerment initiatives in the Middle East.
The partnership will entail a roundtable series focused on women’s empowerment and driving women in business within hospitality in the region. The Retreat Palm Dubai MGallery by Sofitel and Evolvin’ Women aim to support the seven Women’s Empowerment Principals (WEPs) set by UN WOMEN, and provide guidance to businesses on how to employ women in the workplace, marketplace and community.
Samir Arora, General Manager, The Retreat Palm Dubai MGallery by Sofitel, explains: “We are proud to partner with Evolvin’ Women to promote this important initiative, and to host the first women’s empowerment round table. We believe that gender equality and empowering women should be a key focus area across all industries and hope to use these roundtables to further drive this in the region.”
Women’s empowerment in the hospitality workforce has become a business priority due to its commercial rationale. Research has shown that 70% of the workforce in travel and tourism worldwide is made up of women. Assia Riccio, Founder of Evolvin’ Women, said: “Businesses require a solid set of standards and guidelines to drive women’s empowerment successfully, so addressing this will give organisations a strong competitive advantage. We are honoured to have The Retreat Palm Dubai MGallery by Sofitel on board as a partner, to help spread our message and further encourage support. Companies committed to implementing our framework and to supporting the UN WOMEN’s WEPs are also committing to help the UN achieve its goal of gender equality and empowering all women and girls.”
Strategising and maximising women’s potential
A key topic of the first round table will be women in senior management positions within the industry. Although women make up the majority of the global travel and tourism workforce (70%):
Launching in September, the bi-monthly sessions at The Retreat Palm Dubai MGallery by Sofitel will start on Tuesday, 12th September. Each round table will be led by prominent women in the fields of business and hospitality. The seven sessions will focus on a range of topics, including:
Arora continues, “Women are inspiring: they’re discerning, dedicated, and determined. This is why MGallery by Sofitel launched its bespoke “Inspired By Her” concept – a range of tailor-made services and amenities exclusively created for female guests - to pay homage to the strong, intelligent and independent women who make up the team and the community. The Retreat Palm Dubai MGallery by Sofitel was launched by a predominantly female team, and we continue to be inspired by them every day.”
The round table discussions are by invitation only.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, June 05, 2017: The Retreat Palm Dubai MGallery by Sofitel, the newest addition to AccorHotels’ distinctive MGallery by Sofitel collection of contemporary boutique hotels, is set to become the first holistic wellbeing resort in the Middle East. The exciting new property is scheduled for soft launch in summer 2017 and has recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the German Medical Wellness Association.
The MoU was signed in the presence of Lutz Lungwitz, President of German Medical Wellness Association and Vanessa Waldow, Director of Sales and Marketing, The Retreat Palm Dubai MGallery by Sofitel. This collaboration has followed the recent partnership agreement signed with Dubai Health Authority (DHA) which is set to boost wellness tourism in United Arab Emirates.
With Wellness Tourism projected to grow by more than 9% by year end (2017), nearly 50% faster than overall global tourism, the market is well prepped for the opening of the UAE’s first holistic wellness resort. Part of MGallery by Sofitel’s Serenity Collection - an assortment of boutique hotels worldwide, who’s architecture and locations are inspired by serenity, The Retreat Palm Dubai MGallery by Sofitel, promises true relaxation and restorative wellbeing.
Situated along the exclusive coastline of Palm Jumeirah’s East Crescent, the idyllic resort will offer guests a unique and tranquil environment in the heart of vibrant Dubai. The beachfront destination will showcase 255 luxurious rooms and suites, designed with natural elements, earthy tones and harmonizing feng shui, synonymous with serenity and calmness. Guests will be able to enjoy world-class dining options including a specialty restaurant highlighting local epicurean delicacies and a unique café - offering a selection of healthy food and beverage options made from local, organically sourced products.
Featuring the world’s first ever Rayya Wellness Center offering 360 degree holistic wellness solutions, guests can choose from a variety of all-inclusive retreat packages, expertly designed for each individual to embark on a journey of relaxation and rejuvenation to improve mind, body and spirit. Rayya Fitness will showcase a state of the art gym, tennis court and yoga rooms whilst Rayya Spa will feature a distinctive array of wellbeing therapies and signature spa treatments using the finest organic products exclusive to the resort.
The German Medical Wellness Association is a non-for-profit umbrella organization for Medical Wellness in Germany. A key target for the association is the development of international health hotels & resorts, the trade in goods and services in the medical technical division, tourism programs, and international exchange programs.
President Lutz Lungwitz welcomes the collaboration and says, “The Retreat Palm Dubai MGallery by Sofitel is a unique concept in the area and will showcase a new way of health-tourism in the Middle East, closing the gaps that were once present for health and wellness tourism, and positioning the UAE as an esteemed wellness destination.”
Samir Arora, General Manager, The Retreat Palm Dubai MGallery by Sofitel, said: “We are proud to introduce the first holistic wellness resort in the UAE, the property provides guests an unrivaled resort experience, different to anything else offered in the Middle East. We are delighted to be recognised by an international body responsible for more than 20 years of success in advancing the wellness concept worldwide. Wellness is a self-responsible strategy we are all accountable for, The Retreat Palm Dubai MGallery by Sofitel allows for each guest to become an architect of his or her own wellness.”
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, April 30, 2017: The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with The Retreat Palm Dubai MGallery by Sofitel Hotel, the first holistic health and wellness resort in the Middle East with an aim to drive wellness tourism in the region.
This collaboration is in line with the vision of the Dubai Health Experience, which is overseen and implemented by the DHA. The MoU was signed in the presence of Shaikh Rashid Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Head of Municipality and Planning Department in Ajman.
DXH was launched in April 2016 by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, as a continuation of ‘Dubai, a Global Destination for Medical Tourism’ project. DXH is a highly integrated programme that aims to promote Dubai as a global centre for the provision of medical tourism services with a target of attracting half a million international patients by 2020. It is estimated that numbers will increase around 13% per year and that by 2021 over 1.3 million medical tourists will visit Dubai.
Scheduled for soft opening in summer 2017, The Retreat Palm Dubai MGallery by Sofitel will promise travelers relaxation and tranquility within a natural retreat, with its architecture, design and services inspired by “Serenity” - one of the hallmarks indicative of the MGallery brand, a collection of boutique hotels both inspiring and individually styled where “art de reservoir” enhances local discovery and shapes memorable moments. Situated along the iconic coastline of Dubai Palm Jumeirah’s East Crescent, the 255-room upscale resort will offer a range of guestrooms and suites, as well as the first Rayya wellness center providing a range of all-inclusive retreat packages designed to improve mental and physical well-being, wellness facilities including a gym, yoga room, tennis court and swimming pool. Guests will also enjoy access to world-class wellness consultants and well-being treatments, in addition to bespoke nutritional programs available across the hotels’ four food and beverage venues, which include a soon-to-be-revealed juice bar and dining concept.
His Excellency Humaid Al Qatami, Chairman of the Board and Director-General of the Dubai Health Authority, said: “Our strategy is focused on building strong ties with Dubai’s finest healthcare providers to create an unparalleled experience for medical tourists. DXH group comprises today of 32 healthcare facilities in Dubai and the addition of this provider reflects our recognition of the importance of the wellness industry which aids preventative healthcare. Healthy eating and exercise are the pillars of good health and incorporating wellness in the hospitality industry is a positive trend.”
Dr. Layla Al Marzouqi, Director of Health Regulation and Dubai Medical Tourism Project, commented “ We aspire to position Dubai as the first medical tourism destination in the MENA region and to be among the top 10 medical tourism destinations in the world where DXH will be the ultimate gateway to the finest medical experts, premier accredited healthcare facilities whilst providing an incredibly unique experience in the iconic city of Dubai and wellness plays an important part of this vision.”
Samir Arora, General Manager, The Retreat Palm Dubai MGallery by Sofitel, said : ‘In line with Dubai’s endeavor to climb up the healthcare as well as wellness tourism ranks and to establish the city as a medical and wellness tourism destination, we are proud to be a pioneer in introducing an all new unique concept in the region – the first holistic health and wellness resort and are very excited to become a strategic partner of Dubai Health Authority as the first Wellness Retreat in the Middle East. We are confident our partnership will strengthen Dubai’s reputation as the most desired destination not only among leisure, business travellers, but also among healthcare and wellness oriented visitors from around the globe, including GCC, Europe, Russia and other CIS countries’.
يتميّز منتجع ذا ريتريت نخلة دبي إم غاليري من سوفتيل بموقعه الفريد على الهلال الشرقي لنخلة جميرا، على مسافة قريبة من مراكز التسوق والمعالم السياحية في المدينة. كما يبعد 25 دقيقة بالسيارة عن برج خليفة ودبي مول، و20 دقيقة عن حديقة آي إم جي وورلد أوف أدفنتشر ومطار آل مكتوم الدولي، و35 دقيقة عن مطار دبي الدولي.


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According to the well-known crypto analyst Fil₿ Fil₿, the price of bitcoin is likely to fall to $3,800 in the coming weeks before gaining some positive momentum. According to the crypto analyst, bitcoin will test the same level as it did earlier this month when the price of the leading cryptocurrency dropped to as low as $3,800.
Bitcoin will drop to $3,800 once again.
The crypto analyst posted out a chart that shows bitcoin forming a bullish double bottom, retesting the same lows it hit earlier this month sometime in the next couple of weeks. This same pattern has been seen two times before in Bitcoin’s chart over the last six months and has typically led to new highs.
— f i l ₿ f i l ₿ (@filbfilb) March 29, 2020
Bitcoin continues to remain highly volatile.
The price of the leading cryptocurrency, bitcoin has been highly volatile over the last few weeks as it witnessed massive swings in both directions. The price of bitcoin has not been this volatile in the last six years. The other reason that bitcoin might witness such a massive drop in the coming weeks is that it is still coupled with traditional markets. Financial markets all over the world are plunged due to coronavirus outbreak and lockdowns in several countries. The short-term prediction for bitcoin is still quite bearish, and a massive downside movement is expected.


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Honeycomb won’t make its way to smartphones — that has been the official line from Google so far — but a newly leaked handset from HTC is making a claim for the opposite. The HTC Revolver recently appeared with a spec sheet boasting a 4.3-inch display, 16GB of flash memory, 1GB RAM, and a dual-core processor, but the real standout point is the mention of Android Honeycomb as the operating system.
The unusual “CONFIDENTIAL” stamped all over and the claim going completely opposite of what we have heard previously makes me skeptical, but I suppose even if Google doesn’t think Android 3.0 is prime for phones, they can’t really stop HTC from doing it anyway. Samsung did it with Android 2.2 and the Galaxy Tab, right? If this handset emerges as real it will be a pretty unique design among an HTC lineup that has recently conformed to a pretty standard unibody design as of late.
The possible Honeycomb smartphone is said to be on its way to AT&T at some point. Perhaps Honeycomb is just a placeholder and the phone is intended to launch with Ice Cream? It would be a lot more rewarding than the rather pedestrian lineup HTC unveiled this week at Mobile World Congress.


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RIM co-CEO Mike Lazaridis unveiled the new BBX OS at a conference in October, but weeks later the company has been forced to change the name to "Blackberry 10."
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Research in Motion just couldn't get through 2011 without one last hiccup. The company has changed the name of its next-generation operating system to "BlackBerry 10," after a judge forced it to drop the original "BBX" moniker.
In October RIM debuted a new OS called BBX, which is optimized for smartphones, tablets and other devices. "The whole company is aligning behind a single platform," Co-CEO Mike Lazaridis said at the unveiling.
But mobile software firm Basis quickly filed a lawsuit, alleging that it has long owned the trademark to the BBX name -- and that RIM using it has "caus[ed] confusion among U.S. consumers and erosion of customer goodwill."
On November 30, Basis asked a court in New Mexico to stop RIM from using the BBX name during its developer conference in Singapore on December 7 and 8.
The court slapped RIM () with a temporary restraining order on Tuesday, prohibiting it from using the BBX name for the next 14 days.
RIM promptly announced at the conference, and via Twitter, that BBX will now be called Blackberry 10. The last OS was called BlackBerry 7, so RIM seems to be skipping 8 and 9.
Basis said in its lawsuit that it tried several times to get RIM to stop using the BBX name, but its requests were refused. Basis also said that after RIM's announcement of the name, several customers asked Basis whether it had sold or licensed "BBX" to RIM.
The court agreed with Basis' "likelihood of confusion" claims, citing "the striking similarity between the two products" in its ruling.
One particularly damning line from the court: "It is reasonable to infer that RIM chose this mark intending to confuse the public, or to benefit from the goodwill earned over the years by Basis's trademark."
The temporary restraining order expires on December 20, unless the court chooses to extend it. But since RIM has already flown the white flag and rebranded its software, the point is basically moot.
Now for the next battle: Actually getting BlackBerry 10 out the door. Although RIM says the new software is a key part of its turnaround strategy, it hasn't yet committed to a release date for the technology.
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|National Edition||Volume 15 #2||February 2005|
Minnesota has began issuing a first-of-its-kind in the US driver’s license designed to thwart counterfeiters–an issue that has taken on greater urgency since the September 11 attacks. The license has a security feature in which a reflective image appears to float above and below it when it is tilted. The licenses will have a distinctively Minnesota flavor: the floating images will be of loons, an enduring symbol of the state. Minnesota is the first state in the US to use the technology, which was developed by Maplewood Minnesota based 3M. The technology has been around about a year at this time but has only been used on Australian passports thus far. This new technology is considered to be nearly impossible to counterfeit. In the past, counterfeit driver’s licenses were largely seen as simply an underage drinking issue. However, since the September 11th attacks driver’s licenses have taken on a higher profile amid fears of identity theft and terrorism. Several of the September 11th hijackers used fake IDs to board commercial flights. One of the provisions in the recently enacted intelligence reorganization bill imposes new federal standards on information that driver licenses must contain. Minnesota officials said their new license should satisfy any of those newly required standards. The new Minnesota license also includes an invisible digital watermark capable of carrying security data such as a date of birth. The information would be readable only through the use of a computerized scanner which law enforcement officers could carry. Other security features include a digital picture of the cardholder fused into the plastic card and printing over the image and a holographic state seal on the front that will be visible only under ultraviolet light. There also will be a status check notation on the front and back of licenses showing when an immigrant's visa expires, something the state already had begun to put on driver’s licenses despite strong opposition from civil liberties groups. The new licenses are being issued automatically to people who renew licenses that are about to expire. Others can pay $8 to replace their current license with the new version.
Four major categories of scams continue to plague the high-tech community.
As spyware, adware and various computer viruses expand so does the industry to protect the consumer expand. It is estimated that most PCs that are used for online activities are now infected in some way. Many computer users are not taking proper measures to try to prevent their machines from becoming infected. Among the fairly simple steps that they should be taking are:
Taking the actions as outlined above should significantly reduce the chances that your computer will become infected. It should also be noted that Microsoft has announced the available of a beta version or their new security software. Please see the next article in this publication for further information on this new Microsoft product.
Recently Microsoft announced the public beta release of their new security software. It is available at no charge via download from the main Microsoft Internet site at www.microsoft.com/spyware. It is thought that the security software will be available at no charge until on or about the first of July of this year. The software is called Windows Anti Spyware and is designed to protect Windows users from spyware and various other potentially unwanted software. Any spyware that it finds on your computer can be removed after detection. This can aid in preventing the various effects of such software such as:
The software will provide continuous protection during use of the Internet by guarding over fifty ways that spyware can enter your computer. The download is free to users of genuine Microsoft Windows at this time. It is a fairly large download of a little over 6MB and should take as long as about half an hour using a dialup connection. It is still in the beta (pre-release) stage and therefore Microsoft does not provide technical support for the product at this time. The software supports Windows 2000 and XP. It is suggested that a system restore point be established prior to installing the software as a last resort in case of problems after installing and uninstall attempts not working properly. This will allow you bring the system back to the point it was at before you start to install the beta software that can often be problematic.
Legend has it that when Groucho Marx was asked why he did not belong to an exclusive Beverly Hills private club he is alleged to have replied that he was not interested in belonging to any club that would sink low enough to admit him as a member. Now the opposite of that appears to have happened to Oracle founder, CEO and Chairperson Larry Ellison. It seems that the Yellowstone Club in Big Sky Montana has turned down his request for membership. The resort in question is the only private club in the US with its own ski mountain and world-class golf course. Money and manners are the two main requirements for membership and Mr. Ellison seem to have plenty of one of those. The membership fee is $250,000 along with annual dues of $16,000. In addition the member must then purchase home site property at anywhere from $1million to $10million. After that a custom home is built on the site. Club members include many of the captains of industry to include Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, one of Mr. Ellison’s most dreaded rivals. The club founder has stated that their target member is a good down to earth humble person who is thankful for his or her success. Further saying that basically no jerks are allowed. The club does not release the names of those who are rejected for membership but sources say that Larry Ellison was rejected because they did not think that he would fit in. He is one of the ten richest people in the US. The reason it was thought he would not fit in may be that recently he redesigned a yacht he was building to ensure that it would be bigger than the world’s largest private vessel owned by the other Microsoft co-founder, Paul Allen. Mr. Ellison is known for being a kind of strutting peacock who thinks he is God’s gift to the world of software. The club has about 200 members and the plans call for a membership cap of 864. It is hoped that they will all be unpretentious nice rich people according to the club founders.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) may have to scrap a new computer system aimed at helping agents share information in the war on terror because officials consider it inadequate, the Los Angeles Times has reported. The newspaper, citing unidentified FBI officials, said the Bureau is so convinced that the software, known as Virtual Case File, would not work as planned that it has taken steps to start soliciting outside proposals for new software. The problems could further delay a four-year, $500million overhaul of the Bureau's antiquated computer system, according to the report on the LA Times' Internet site. The overhaul was considered a priority by the 9/11 Commission and many members of Congress, who said the FBI's old computer system prevented agents from sharing information that might have headed off the Sept. 11th 2001, attacks. The paper said the FBI recently commissioned independent studies to determine if any part of the Virtual Case File software could be salvaged. A decision to proceed with new software would add tens of millions of dollars to development costs and render worthless much of a $170million contract. The FBI could seek requests for proposals (RFP) for a new system as early as this spring. The FBI is no longer saying when the project, originally set to be completed by the end of last year, might be finished. The Times said the FBI received a prototype of the Virtual Case File from Science Applications International in San Diego. But according to the LA Times Bureau officials consider it inadequate and already outdated, and are using it mainly on a trial basis to glean information from users that will be incorporated in a newly designed system. Science Applications has thus far received about $170million for its work on the project. If the software has in fact failed as the FBI is saying it has, it will set the Bureau back a long way. A Science Applications spokesperson told the newspaper that the company successfully completed delivery of the initial version of the software late last year and declined any further comment on the quality of the system.
Both of the major agencies that track worldwide PC sales show that those sales were strong in the fourth quarter of 2004. IDC, based in Framingham MA, had worldwide shipments up almost 14% over the same period last year. Gartner of Stamford CT had them up 11%. The two firms use slightly different measurement methods to track shipments. IDC said that full year growth was nearly 15% over 2003. Gartner claims that full year growth was about 12%. According to IDC Dell had an outstanding quarter showing a 21% increase in shipments from the last quarter of 2003. HP lost a little market share as their shipments were only up 9% in the fourth quarter. IDC had Dell with 17% of the total market and HP with 16%. That was an exact reversal of their positions last year in the fourth quarter when HP had 17% and Dell 16%. For the entire year 2004 Dell was in the number one position with 18% of the market and HP had 17%. In the fourth quarter IBM was third in worldwide shipments with a little under 6% of the market. Number four was Acer with a little over 4% market share and number five was Fujitsu/Siemens at 4%. Apple had a good quarter but could not make it into the top five. Their PC shipments grew by over 25% helped by some spillover business from the sales of the popular iPod. IDC reported total worldwide shipments of a little over 51million during the quarter compared with about 45million in 2003. According to Gartner there were 54million PCs shipped in the quarter compared to a little less than 49million in 2003.
The US Army has hired IBM and a group of other companies to create an automated record-keeping system that ends the need for electronic forms to be printed out, signed and delivered up the military service's chain of command. IBM, together with an electronic forms supplier, and a digital signature technology maker, said yesterday it has created a complete system to take the paperwork out of the Army bureaucracy. When fully implemented over the next decade, the forms management system should save about $1.3billion a year in unnecessary paperwork and administrative procedures, according to an Army Audit Agency report. The Army now relies on up to an estimated 100,000 different forms for everything from supply ordering and pay disbursement to medical record keeping and the awarding of citations. Currently, the Army has the ability to convert paper-based forms into digital files that can be located on an official Army Internet site. But while it is possible to fill in the form and store the data electronically, users have been forced to print a paper copy, manually sign and then hand-carry or mail the form to complete many of the authorization processes. In today's environment you have no way of knowing what the status of any previous action is, Electronic content management will allow all these processes to be tracked. The new single, centralized, document warehouse consists of XML-based forms, digital signature approval technology and content management software from IBM that will help the Army to automate the entire form-completion process. The 1.4 million direct and indirect employees of the Army, which includes uniformed staff, reservists and civilian contractors, will use it. In an average year, they fill out some 15 million forms, according to IBM. A performance appraisal system for officers and noncommissioned personnel is to be the first application and is now under development. The project is part of the Army's Forms Content Management Program. IBM and the other companies were chosen for their ability to make their standard, commercially available technologies work within the Army's online system. IBM is providing the content management system based on its DB2 database system.
Apple Computer filed another lawsuit in the Superior Court of Santa Clara County against an Internet site alleged to have posted proprietary Apple information or trade secrets. This filing in January 2005 follows a filing in December 2004 by Apple Computer of Cupertino California, which asked the court to subpoena sites in order to reveal the identities of individuals who allegedly placed such information on message boards, related to similar sites.
This January lawsuit differs from the December one in that it is not seeking to reveal the identity of anonymous or pseudonymous posters, but rather is claiming damages from articles filed and published by the owners of the site Think Secret, thinksecret.com.
In Apple's claim, it says recent Think Secret articles contained trade secrets. In fact, Think Secret has published articles claiming to reveal an upcoming Apple productivity suite, named iWork, as well as a sub-$500 Macintosh desktop computer.
Apple's action was based on the Uniform Trade Secrets Act as defined in California Civil Code 3426.1. This states that if a company takes reasonable measures to protect its information and the information derives value from being kept secret, California courts should rule that such information, even if it is commonplace, should be afforded protection as a trade secret.
Common examples of such data are corporate minutes and customer lists. Under this statute, misappropriation, which is defined as the acquisition of information via improper means or the use or disclosure of trade secrets, is prosecutable.
Trade secret cases are fairly common, according to a staff attorney for the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), a nonprofit group interested in protecting digital rights. It should be noted that there might be a jurisdictional issue in the case as Apple filed under the California Uniform Trade Secrets Act (most states have their own version of the statute), while the company that owns the Think Secret Internet site is based in New York City.
However, this may be a minor issue and one that may be a moot point. It is thought that the Apple suit may be ill advised since it is essential that a news organization be able to maintain confidentiality of sources. Think Secret may not have the same physical characteristics as a newspaper, but there is no way to make a strong distinction between these and online sites. To deny a site like Think Secret the status of a news operation may be very inappropriate.
In the December suit, Apple asked for subpoenas against Think Secret in order to discover the true identity of a poster on the Apple Nova message boards. However, despite a link to the latter Internet site on the formers front page, there is no business or editorial connection between the two Internet sites, www.eweek.com/category2/0,1738,1425680,00.asp.
In past years, Apple has sent cease-and-desist letters to many Internet sites that have purported to have inside information on upcoming Apple products. Such rumors have traditionally ramped up as the company's annual trade show Macworld approached. Many Mac watchers have noted that such furor, even when fueled by threatened legal actions by Apple, has only served to increase the marketing buzz around the company and its products. At the time of the two suits in question the next such Macworld conference was scheduled to begin 10 January in San Francisco.
The US Supreme Court said it would consider whether Internet file-sharing services are responsible for their customers illegally swapping songs and movies. It is a multibillion-dollar case testing the limits of copyright law in the digital age.
Justices will hear a challenge to a lower court ruling in favor of Grokster and Stream Cast Networks that was a blow to recording companies and movie studios seeking to stop the online distribution of their copyrighted works. At issue is whether the file-sharing services should be held liable, even if they have no direct knowledge of what millions of online users are doing with the software they provide for free.
The entertainment industry says it needs protection against the billions of dollars in revenue they lose to illegal swapping. Consumer groups worry that expanded liability will stifle the technology revolution of the last two decades that brought videocassette recorders and MP3 players.
At stake may be the future of a close to $500 billion copyright industry, specifically the music recording, motion picture and video industries which have been hammered with the advent of the Internet. The appeal hinges on a 20-year-old US Supreme Court ruling in a case brought by the movie industry, which wanted to block home video recorders on copyright grounds. The high court disagreed; saying VCRs had substantial uses other than illegally recording movies.
Using that reasoning, the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco ruled in August 2004 that file-sharing services were not legally responsible for their customers’ illegal activity because the companies don’t have central servers pointing users to copyright material. It reasoned that the firms simply provide software that lets individual users share information over the Internet, regardless of whether that shared information is copyrighted.
Civil libertarians and consumer groups have warned that a defeat for Grokster and StreamCast could force technology companies such as Microsoft to delay or kill innovative products that give consumers more control. They add that imposing liability on Grokster and StreamCast won’t solve the problem of piracy because there are similar software programs created abroad that wouldn’t be subject to the tougher U.S. copyright laws.
If the lower court ruling is upheld, the entertainment industry would have to take the more costly and less popular route of going directly after millions of online file-swappers believed to distribute songs and movies illegally. Recording companies have already sued more than 3,400 such users; at least 600 of the cases were eventually settled for roughly $3,000 each.
The case That the US Supreme Court will hear is Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Studios v. Grokster, #04-480. Arguments are expected to be heard by the Supreme Court next spring, with a ruling anticipated by July 2005.
Since there are so many off-the-shelf systems available why would anybody want to build their own? The reason of course is that all of those machines are full of compromises and do not have the newest components in them.
By building your own computer you are able to eliminate those compromises and pick out just the components that you want. When new components become available in the marketplace it takes a little while until they are included in the black box off the shelf computers that we can purchase.
You are always at least a month or two or more behind when you purchase an off-the-shelf computer. This may not sound like much time but you must remember that most components in this industry become superceded in six months to a year.
The book spends a lot of time explaining why certain design decisions are being made. This is certainly better than using a straightforward cookbook approach that would simply tell you the components to use since they change so rapidly. The authors teach you what you need to know to select the best and newest components and assemble them into a super working PC that best matches your requirements and budget. This is done even if you have no training or prior experience in the field of computer components and hardware.
The book also covers one of the most important issues to the builder of a PC and that is compatibility. Without the proper compatibility even the best components will not provide a high performance PC. The authors also cover how to test and configure the machine that you have assembled.
Also covered in the book is the building of a low-end server for a small office / home office (SOHO). The functional requirements of a server are different than those for a normal PC. Another type of PC that is covered in the book is the small form factor model. That is a computer in which size is the key factor.
The authors also cover building a PC that can be used to replace a group of common living room consumer electronic devices including:
The book is organized into seven chapters. It includes a good ten-page index. It is also extensively illustrated. Many of the illustrations are in full color. The book’s foreword and the first chapter, Fundamentals, are available online at www.oreilly.com/catalog/buildpc/chapter/index.html. The table of contents, index, author bios and samples are available at www.oreilly.com/catalog/buildpc. The book is Building the Perfect PC, Robert Bruce Thompson & Barbara Fritchman Thompson, ISBN 0-596-00663-2, 332 pages, $29.95 US, email@example.com / (800)998-9938 / firstname.lastname@example.org. S Marder
2. PC sales leader in Q4 2004
1. This company is suing for unauthorized product postings


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Good Morning from Allendale, Inc. with the early morning commentary for October 19, 2020.
Grain Markets pushed higher overnight led by wheat futures as they hit near six-year highs as dry weather & frost damage concerns hit Argentina, U.S. Plains and parts of the Black Sea regions. Corn and soybean futures were also higher after solid profit taking during Friday’s trading session. Traders will continue to focus on U.S. harvest progress and South American weather conditions.
Last week, December corn futures were up 7.00 cents, November soybeans were up 15.50 cents, December wheat up 31.50 cents, December soymeal was up $3.80 and December soyoil was down 102 points.
USDA Weekly Crop Progress Report will be released this afternoon at 3 p.m. CDT. Trade is expecting corn harvest at 51-52% complete (41% last week, 43% average). Soybean harvest expected at 74-75% complete (61% last week, 58% average).
CFTC Commitments of Traders report showed funds new net position long +170,869 corn contracts, long +226,444 soybean contracts, long +38,590 wheat contracts, long +56,038 live cattle contracts and long +37,154 lean hog contracts.
Private exporters reported export sales of 128,000 metric tons of corn for delivery to Mexico during this marketing year. Export sales of 175,000 metric tons of soybeans for delivery to Unknown during this marketing year and 216,150 metric tons of soybeans received during the reporting period for delivery to Unknown destinations during this marketing year.
China passed a law restricting exports of controlled items, allowing the government to act against countries that abuse export controls in a way that harm’s China’s interests, state media said. Controlled items include military and nuclear products, as well as other goods, technologies and services and relevant data and will take effect on December 1st, according to Xinhua news reports.
Brazil will suspend tariffs on corn and soybean imports from countries outside the Mercosur trade bloc until early next year to help reduce food prices that are pushing up inflation, the economy ministry said. The tariff on corn and soybean imports from outside Mercosur (including Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina), was currently at 8%, 6% for soymeal and 10% for soyoil.
Cash cattle trade was stable with the previous week with trades of $107 and $108. Rising feed costs for cattle feeders and dry late-seasonal forage is being discussed more frequently.
Pork export sales last Friday were weak at 26,803 tonnes (the lowest in eight weeks). After last week’s 60,195 tonnes sale this was a clear disappointment. On a brighter note, year to date pork sales are at 1,794,628 tonnes (19% over last year).
Dressed beef values were lower with choice down 0.45 and select down 2.98. The Feeder cattle index is 140.22. Pork cut-out values were down 2.23.