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CARLSBAD, Calif., June 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Mulloys Fine Jewelry, leading San Diego jewelry store, is attending the jewelry industry's premier event of the year. Every year Las Vegas hosts "Jewelry Week," where nearly 4,000 vendors display and sell their jewelry and gem collections.
"We spend endless days and hours at Couture, Luxury, JCK and the Swiss watch shows," said Phil Mulloy, President of Mulloys Fine Jewelry, Inc. "This year we're excited to see what our designers have in store for us, and will be buying Roberto Coin, Marco Bicego, and Tacori to name a few."
Mulloys Fine Jewelry is always staying abreast of the latest in designer collections, and this year is no different. "We are focusing on expanding our lines and bringing in some of the world's most famous jewelry designers to add to our already fantastic line up of designers," said Mulloy.
While Roberto Coin and Marco Bicego will be showcasing the red carpet glamour of this year's latest in gold designs, Tacori will be focused on their award winning bridal and Tacori engagement ring designs. "We'll be there writing orders and filling our cases with the most spectacular jewelry around," said Mulloy.
With the first show opening on Friday, Mulloys has already attended The Coutour Show at The Wynn, Las Vegas. Visitors were able to view the latest product not yet released from the likes of Roberto Coin, Marco Bicego, Tacori, Konstantino, and many more. On Saturday, the Mulloys team will be heading to the JCK Las Vegas show.
Mulloy will be looking to add some new lines like Ippolita, Jbstarr, Verragio, and Phillip Stein. "The show is a great place to get a new perspective on the future designs and what our customers are asking for," said Gaylene Taylor, General Manager of Mulloys Fine Jewelry.
Please visit www.MulloysJewelry.com for more information.
About Mulloys Fine Jewelry:
Mulloys Fine Jewelry has one of the largest selections of designer engagement rings, wedding bands, bridal jewelry, and diamonds in San Diego. They carry popular jewelry designs by many well known designers such as Roberto Coin, Tacori, Marco Bicego jewelry, John Hardy, Michele Watches, and many more. Whether you're getting engaged or simply looking for a special gift, their staff is available with personal customer service to help you make the perfect choice.
SOURCE Mulloys Fine Jewelry


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You have to hand it to Activision and Infinity Ward – they didn’t make much effort to hide the fact that Call of Duty: Ghosts existed. Though there’s been plenty of rumours and disinformation as to whether we’d be receiving Modern Warfare 4 or not, there have been plenty of leaks by retailers online as of late.
Of course, Activision being Activision – which recently showcased a next generation engine for the Call of Duty franchise at this year’s Game Developers Conference – was going to try and monetize the next generation as soon as possible. So word of a new engine? Not exactly mind-blowing.
But the bigger surprise is the fact that the developer will be showing off the game at the May 21st reveal of the next Xbox. We already know that Ghosts is coming to all present and next gen consoles. Heck, Activision has used opportunities like this to showcase timed exclusive DLC and whatnot. However, this is the first time the company has planned to premiere gameplay footage for an upcoming game of the franchise at a console-exclusive event.
Couple this with a few other facts: It’s been reported that Microsoft’s internal development of games isn’t going so well. Is it above the company to resort to outright buying a blockbuster’s timed exclusivity? Especially considering how much of a money maker the console has been for the franchise in the United States and Europe (and yes, those are the only countries Activision is concerned about).
The Xbox 360 has been pretty undefeated in sales in the United States, reigning supreme for more than 25 consecutive months. That’s more than two years of nothing but the Xbox 360 on top. We’ve seen the PS3 come out with AAA exclusives, besides a new Super Slim model. Nintendo has released its next generation Wii U console, riding on the success of the original. And yet, Microsoft’s console won out.
The decision to have timed exclusive DLC content for Call of Duty games may have been overtly anal and ridiculous, but it worked to marvellous effect. It even increased demand for the DLC – and all of that is extra revenue, remember – on PSN and PC. The DLC for Call of Duty: Black Ops II has been ranking in the top 5 for PlayStation Network sales since its release earlier this year.
And I hate Black Ops II. I realize there are several people out there who like it and respect, but geez, that damn game.
Why is Sony pursuing the same approach with exclusive content for Watch_Dogs and Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag? Because it wants to drive sales for its console when it launches. Neither of those is timed exclusive (for now) and Sony’s line-up which includes Killzone: Shadow Fall, DriveClub and inFamous: Second Son – with more titles be revealed at E3 – isn’t exactly the most encouraging one.
That the company considers it the best line-up it’s had in the history in PlayStation is telling of how much it over-estimates the popularity of those franchises – even among their “core” fan base.
Coming back to Call of Duty: Ghosts, as of now, there might not be anything really extraordinary about it. It could end up just being yet another Call of Duty title – which they’ve all become as of late, whether you’re a fan of the formula or not – but that’s just fine. For better or worse, the series is successful because fans expect a certain kind of gameplay befitting the game.
Whether it’s repetitious or monotonous is irrelevant – they like it, and they enjoy the hell out of the multiplayer. And while it’s not just Xbox 360 gamers who are enjoying the series, they are the highest margin of gamers who pick up the games in the United States. Why else would Activision be so concerned about bringing the best version of Call of Duty to the Xbox 360?
Whether Microsoft has something special with the Xbox 720 or Durango or whatever it ends up being called it another issue altogether – there can be no denying however that whatever timed exclusivity deal the company has set up for Call of Duty: Ghosts will end up striking a major blow at the PlayStation 4’s success.
We’ll wait and see, especially in concerns to how close both consoles release to each other, but this generation’s console war may be even hotter than the last.
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Diy Skin Care, the skin-care brand owned by Target, said it has removed the claim that its products are safe and effective against acne and psoriasis, after customers complained.
The company also said it was “reviewing” its claims about its products, which have been popular among teenagers for their ability to calm skin, improve the appearance of pores and stop the appearance and worsening of sunburn.
The claim comes as a growing number of companies are launching health-conscious products aimed at helping teens improve their appearance.
Some products have been labelled as anti-aging, which critics say could have serious consequences for children, and the companies have been criticised for marketing them as anti-“aging.”
But Diy’s chief executive, Lisa J. Smith, told reporters on a conference call that its product is a proven and effective treatment for acne.
“We know the skin can get a little irritated and we know that there is some evidence to suggest that there are some types of acne which are worse if you have a red or irritated skin,” she said.
“So, we are very proud of our products for their anti-ageing properties.”
Diy said it will review all its claims in an effort to clarify them.
“Our product is made with skin that is healthy, youthful and looking great and we will be updating our website in the coming weeks to further clarify our products’ anti-acne properties,” Ms Smith said.
A spokeswoman for Target did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
But there are plenty of products on the market aimed at teens and young people, which contain ingredients that can be potentially harmful, including sunscreen and facial moisturisers that contain the chemical retinol.
The company said it removed the statement about its skin-conditioning products from its website because “it is not something we encourage kids to do”.
It is common for teenagers to use skin-brightening products that contain retinols, which are also found in prescription drugs and cosmetics, because of their purported anti-inflammatory properties.
“This product was promoted as a skin-lightening product, but we are aware that some people may be upset by this statement and have raised concerns about the ingredient,” Diy said.
“We have been working closely with Target on this issue.”
A spokesman for the Australian Academy of Dermatology said it is “committed to supporting dermatology research into skin lightening, but does not support cosmetic use of retinoids”.
“We do not support skin lighteners in children and adolescents as a solution to the skin problem, nor do we recommend cosmetic use,” the spokesman said.
The Australian Skin Foundation said it would be launching a review of its claim on its product line and will not support it.
“It is not the only retinoid product that has been associated with skin problems, so it is not an absolute truth-telling standard,” a spokesman said, adding that it was working with Diy to “reduce the use of this product” in its advertising and marketing.
Last year, the American Academy of Pediatrics said that its medical experts had raised concerns with its claims on its products.
“They were concerned that some retinyl-rich skin-tanning creams and products, including those from Diy, may cause significant skin problems such as acne and hyperpigmentation,” the academy said in a statement.
“Further, they believe that retinolyl is not a safe ingredient for use on children.”
A spokesperson for the American Skin Foundation did not respond to request for further comment.
Diy did not give details about the products it was removing from its site.


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MANILA— The Philippines will boost its inventory of rice, including imports, with the government encouraging private traders to ramp up their purchases, a senior agriculture official said on Tuesday.
Mercedita Sombilla, undersecretary for policy, planning and regulations at the Department of Agriculture, said the government was worried about rice supply but will properly schedule the imports to protect local farmers.
The Philippines, one of the world’s biggest rice importers, traditionally buys the staple grain mainly from its neighbor Vietnam.
But President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who is also agriculture secretary, on Saturday said supply from Vietnam might become limited as many other countries were now buying rice at the same time in preparation for the impact of the El Nino dry weather conditions on output.
The Philippines has also begun counting farm losses from typhoons, including Doksuri, which damaged rice and corn crops last week in northern provinces, and with more storms expected to hit the local agriculture sector in coming months.
Marcos has hinted at the possibility of seeking a supply deal with India, under a government-to-government arrangement, after the latter imposed a shock ban on exports of a key variety.
“We really need the help of the private sector in situations like this,” Sombilla said at a media briefing. “We really have to put in place the right interventions at the right time.”
—Reporting by Enrico Dela Cruz; Editing by Kanupriya Kapoor


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4 February 2020
By Elaine Murphy
Niamh Parker has been announced as the CEO of Beacon AI, an Irish software company which has developed AI technology Solutions for the global privacy industry. Serial entrepreneur Parker is co-founder of the organisation and is heading up its expansion into the US market to meet the corporate demand for Privacy Solutions since the introduction of the CCPA legislation. Parker recently undertook an LLM in European and Comparative Law focused on Information Technology Law and Privacy at the University of Malta.
“We have developed a novel technology in response to global privacy legislation that uses automation to protect the Data Subject. Organisations that champion data ethics will win the trust of their customers. We have gained great traction in the Irish market and now that privacy regulation is becoming mainstream we are preparing to export to other markets. Privacy by Design and digital transformation is now the forefront of business strategy – we are in for a busy 2020!”
Beacon AI is transforming privacy and data protection globally with our suite of solutions for Automated Data Mapping, Automated Subject Rights Request, Automated Data Retention Management, an Emergency Subject Rights Request and a Managed Service for even the most complex privacy office. These innovative automated solutions are underpinned by a Privacy Key Metrics Dashboard which was built in 2017 to answer business needs to comply with new global privacy regulations.
Parker is also Co Founder of ‘Alana.App’ which uses AI to learn clients style preferences to customise their virtual shopping experience. She previously built a Matching tool called GrifAlgo for the recruitment sector. Prior to entering the tech industry she developed a Thai Food Franchise.


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Qatar Airways has launched promotional fares for travel to selected destinations, May through to the end of August.
Bookings must be finalised by 6 April.
The promotion starts with a roundtrip fare, inclusive of taxes, fees and surcharges, ex-Bangkok, at THB15,753 to Dubai in the Middle East.
Fares to Europe sell: THB20,693 Bucharest; THB21,703 Amsterdam; THB22,649 Paris; THB23,150 Istanbul; THB23,209 Copenhagen; THB23,339 Moscow; THB23,357 Zagreb; THB23,854 Milan; THB24,430 Stockholm; THB26,025 Zurich; THB27,236 Vienna; THB29,070 Geneva; THB30,280 Edinburgh; and THB31,317 Brussels.
Spain: THB20,485 Barcelona; and THB22,782 Madrid.
United Kingdom: THB24,917 London; and THB28,092 Manchester.
Germany: THB25,410 Frankfurt; and THB27,320 Munich.
Fares to the United States offer: THB31,707 Los Angeles; THB33,675 New York; THB35,175 Chicago; THB35,415 Miami; THB35,995 Washington DC; and THB42,618 Philadelphia.
The airline is also offering inflight laptop loans for its business class passengers to get around the ban on laptops for flights to the US out of its Doha hub.
Other fares: THB25,964 to Fuzhou in China and THB47,023 to Montreal in Canada.
Bookings must be made by 6 April for travel from 1 May until 30 August this year.
The promotion is valid only on Qatar Airways flights. Fares are subject to change due to fluctuations in exchange rates. The promotion saves up to 30% off the airline’s fares posted on its booking website.
Thai Cabinet reverses CCSA relaxation of on-arrival Covid testing protocol
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Smartphone sales slump to worst levels in 10 years as vendors and carriers seek new business customers
The world reached and surpassed peak smartphone demand in 2018, according to market analyst firm IDC, which reported a 4.1 percent decline in sales in 2018 and a nearly 5 percent decline in the typically robust holiday season.
The Lowdown: In any other industry segment, shipping 375 million units in a quarter would be seen as a triumph. In all of 2018, personal computer vendors shipped just 259 million units. But smartphones are largely consumer devices with a much higher total addressable market than PCs. IDC blames the decline on lengthening replacement cycles, regional markets reaching consumption saturation, political and economic uncertainty, and increasing prices driving buyers away.
The Details: Of the top five smartphone brands, Apple is the biggest loser, posting sales declines of 11.5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2018. Apple’s revenue and profits took a hit because of the iPhone slump, which the company blamed on the trade war with China and cannibalization through its own low-cost battery replacement program.
Samsung posted a 5.5 percent decline. While Samsung remains the world’s largest smartphone brand, its total market share dipped below 20 percent.
The big gainers are Huawei, Oppo, and Xiaomi, which posted impressive growth through increasing sales in emerging markets and their own home market of China. Huawei’s sales jumped 44 percent in the fourth quarter and 34 percent for the year. Xiaomi saw sales in 2018 climb 32 percent. And Oppo recorded a modest increase of 1.3 percent for the year. While the three Chinese brands saw most of their gains in China, the Chinese smartphone market shrank nearly 10 percent.
The Impact: IDC believes the smartphone slump will continue into 2019 as manufacturers struggle to balance new features and design elements with costs and prices that consumers and businesses can afford. The advent of folding smartphones and 5G networks could stimulate new smartphone sales. However, IDC says those new units with advanced features also will drive up prices that are already turning off consumers and commercial users.
The Buzz: “With replacement rates continuing to slow across numerous markets, vendors will need to find a new equilibrium that balances the latest smartphone features, compelling design, and affordability. The arrival of both 5G and foldable devices later this year could bring new life to the industry depending on how vendors and carriers market the real-life benefits of these technologies,” said Anthony Scarsella, research manager with IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. “However, we expect these new devices to elevate average selling prices as new displays, chipsets, and radios will bring an increased price to the BOM (build of materials), which will translate to higher price points for consumers. To combat this, carriers and retailers will need to fully maximize trade-in offers for older devices as a type of subsidy to push upgrades throughout 2019.”
Channelnomics Point of View: Smartphone manufacturers are trying to generate new sales to businesses through IT resellers and agents. While some vendors are seeing some success selling smartphones to field workers for accessing cloud-based resources, the overall business segment is equally lackluster due to the dual use of smartphones as personal and professional devices.


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Nobody expects the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet to sell as well as the iPad 2. Still, Research in Motion seemed to take an especially measured approach with its PlayBook launch, which started Tuesday in stores such as Best Buy and Radio Shack.
Verizon Wireless on Monday said it is now offering enterprises BoxTone's mobile device management software, allowing some customers to pay for the software on their Verizon Wireless bills.
The elusive, anticipated white iPhone may finally arrive in the next few weeks, according to BusinessWeek.
Verizon Wireless and LiveCast Media today announced 4G Mobile Reporter for use with Verizon's LTE network to send live high-definition video wirelessly with a laptop and USB modem.
Isis will pilot its mobile commerce program based on Near-Field Communications technology in Salt Lake City in early- to mid-2012, the joint venture said on Monday.
A company charged with fraud by Verizon and the Texas attorney general is fighting back, asking an Arizona court on Monday not to impose an injunction that would shut down its business.
Verizon Wireless CIO Ajay Waghray ORLANDO -- IT innovations at Verizon Wireless have been put to work behind recent online customer account management systems and upgrades to Verizon store kiosks, said Ajay Waghray, CIO at Verizon Wireless.
The network chiefs of the three biggest U.S. mobile operators disagreed about some emerging network technologies during a Tuesday afternoon panel discussion at CTIA Wireless but agreed that the wireless industry is in a period of major change.
AT&T will buy T-Mobile USA for $US39 billion in cash and stock, easily making AT&T the nation's largest wireless carrier, ahead of top-ranked competitor Verizon Wireless and reducing the number of major national wireless carriers from four to three.
Motorola Mobility announced today that its Wi-Fi-only Xoom tablet will hit the U.S. market on March 27 for $599 from a variety of retailers.
The number of devices and modules that come equipped with LTE has grown to 98, according to a report from industry organization GSA (Global mobile Suppliers Association).
HTC's Thunderbolt is the first smartphone to use the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network, and it'll be available on March 17 for $250. The phone has a 4.3-inch display, Android 2.2 and a 1 GHz Snapdragon processor, with HTC's Sense interface running on t...
HTC's ThunderBolt, the first smartphone to operate on Verizon Wireless's LTE network, will launch this Thursday, according to a document from Verizon received by the online retailer Wirefly.
Verizon Wireless started pushing a Motorola Xoom software update today that includes support for Flash Player 10.2, which Xoom tablet users will have to download on March 18 via Android Market.
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GGG Evaluation Team
First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.
For work use, Microsoft Word and Excel programs pre-installed on the device are adequate for preparing short documents.
The Fujitsu LifeBook UH574 allowed for great mobility without being obnoxiously heavy or clunky. Its twelve hours of battery life did not disappoint.
The screen was particularly good. It is bright and visible from most angles, however heat is an issue, particularly around the Windows button on the front, and on the back where the battery housing is located.
My first impression after unboxing the Q702 is that it is a nice looking unit. Styling is somewhat minimalist but very effective. The tablet part, once detached, has a nice weight, and no buttons or switches are located in awkward or intrusive positions.
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Subaru is giving us more reasons to look forward to the Tokyo Motor Show. The company has released a teaser image of the Viziv Performance Concept. The say the sport sedan will feature advanced driver-assist technology. The 45th Tokyo Motor Show is next month.
Jaguar’s sports car DNA is embracing the EV revolution. Automotive News is reporting there will be a successor to the F-Type sports car. They quote Jaguar Design Director Ian Callum as saying, "sports cars are not going to go away". That’s despite the popularity of SUVs. It’s apparently not clear when we’ll be driving the new F-Type. However, they say they have confirmation from Jaguar Land Rover's North America CEO Joe Eberhardt, it will have an electrified powertrain.
A big blow for Uber in a major market. Reuters is reporting London’s transport regulator has decided not to renew Uber’s license to operate. They report British regulators cited “the firm’s approach to reporting serious criminal offences and background checks on drivers”. Uber issued an apology in an open letter to the residents of London. The company will apparently be allowed to continue operating while it appeals the decision.


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Last month, Spotify launched Spotify Greenroom, a live audio app with social networking features, working toward its goal of being the “world’s audio network.” To this end, Spotify has acquired a number of companies over the last few years as it pursued an “Audio First” strategy – from podcast networks like Parcast, Gimlet Media, and The Ringer to Anchor, which has completely reimagined the path to audio creation.
Spotify is also investing in the world’s biggest podcasts. Last year, Spotify surprised the tech community with the announcement of an exclusive podcasting deal with Joe Rogan. More marquee names followed, with global A-listers like Barack and Michelle Obama, and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
If it’s related to audio, Spotify wants to make it available to the world. Amid all these big buys, Spotify has quietly continued to innovate its core app, staying ahead of the competition by providing the most robust and effortless listening experience around. This development is due to the efforts of many, but perhaps no one more than Spotify’s Chief R&D Officer Gustav Söderström.
“Spotify is my mission in life,” reads the first line of Söderström’s LinkedIn bio. Throughout his 11-year tenure at the company, Söderström has served as VP of Products and Chief Product Officer, before transitioning into his current role. Along the way, he oversaw product innovations that more than 365 million listeners across 178 markets have incorporated into their daily lives, and helped fundamentally change how people experience music, podcasts, and other audio content along the way.
Söderström joined Scarlet Fu, Bloomberg Television and Bloomberg QuickTake host, for an online talk on July 13, 2021, as part of the Cornell Tech @ Bloomberg Speaker Series. He shared the story of Spotify’s ambition, the company’s approach to growth, and the future of audio.
During the interview, Söderström shared that after graduating from Stockholm’s World Institute of Technology, he couldn’t find an engineering job. Nobody could — it was the early 2000s, in the shadow of the dotcom crash. So, he started his own company, Kennett Works, taking advantage of Sweden’s glut of talent and available engineering talent. The company introduced a new way for mobile users to send text messages over the data network, which cost customers a fraction of what carriers were charging. It seems obvious today, but, at the time, there was tremendous doubt about the future of internet-enabled smartphones. The bet paid off, and the company was acquired by Yahoo.
Söderström moved to California to work with Yahoo for a few years, rubbing shoulders with bright folks who would go on to start successful companies of their own. He eventually returned to Sweden with a fresh urge to start something new. A friend introduced him to Daniel Ek, who shared a functioning demo of his audio streaming platform concept, which would come to be known as Spotify.
“That completely blew me away,” he says. “I was convinced by the product, which means I was actually convinced by the engineering and by the engineering team and engineering skills of this team.”
In those days, Sweden was ground zero for music piracy. Home to the notorious Pirate Bay, file sharing was normalized in the country, with prominent politicians advocating for the right to pirate content under the “Information wants to be free” mantra.
Söderström knew that the barriers to infinite music access were low. With BitTorrent and other file sharing options, listeners could conceivably access nearly all music that had ever been digitized, for free. However, the user experience was rather clunky. For BitTorrent, first you must download the client, then you have to go elsewhere to find the music. You’d then have to download an audio player. Sometimes you’d download an album and there would be missing or mislabeled tracks. Music piracy in those days was a paradise of choice, but it was a pain in the neck.
As a platform, Spotify would merge music discovery, consumption, and sharing all in one place, on a “freemium” basis, with subscription fees compensating artists and rights-holders for their content. Söderström knew that if they could design a frictionless user experience, people would be willing to pay for it.
“Over time, we see again and again, convenience trumps everything,” Söderström says. It’s a handy lesson when embarking on product development for innovations that don’t yet exist, where it’s difficult to imagine how users might use a product and at what price point.
“Product development is largely about coming up with ideas, building them, and testing them,” says Söderström. “That’s not true for music. For music, product development means coming up with an idea, going to three or four major labels, trying to negotiate the lowest common denominator they can all agree on, and then testing it.”
“It’s very, very expensive to be wrong. You wasted that year on negotiation, but then you might have to live with those licenses, which are useless for three more years before renegotiating. So, the cost of being wrong in product development in music is just way, way higher.”
That hasn’t stopped Spotify from trying. Over the last fifteen years, Spotify has experimented with playlists, to help listeners discover new types of music and navigate the increasingly large landscape of audio content. While the role of DJ has been partially ceded to increasingly clever recommendation systems, man-made playlists still thrive, in a curated mix between editorial and algorithms that the company calls its “algotorial,” helping bridge machine learning and human instinct.
“Humans are advanced beings,” says Söderström. “They have much better intuition than machines do. So, we try to leverage humans where they are really good at intuition about non-discovered things.”
The pandemic has been another opportunity for Spotify to learn more about how its users consume music. As might be expected, mobile usage tanked, with fewer listeners spending time out and about. But, in many areas, listening on at-home devices like TVs and gaming consoles went up proportionally. However, in countries where Spotify’s at-home app penetration was weaker, they found that users were not replacing their mobile usage at all. Spotify made an early bet on ubiquity, which meant users can easily shift between devices, a bet which really paid off.
The ascendency of audio
With podcasts, Spotify aims to lead in a sector with fewer restrictions than the established music industry. No labels, no byzantine, decades-old rights contracts to navigate — it’s uncharted territory, says Söderström.
“It’s more similar to other types of product development where we can try things. If we want to try fan feedback, for example, we can just do that and see if the creators like that and if the fans like that… Do people use [new features]? Do they like them? In that case, they stick around. If they don’t, they don’t.”
As of last February, over 60,000 tracks are now uploaded to Spotify every day, and the company has more than doubled its podcast listenership. Söderström recognizes this as an important win, but he also sees it as simply the culmination of a trend where streaming and producing audio becomes as ubiquitous in our daily lives as sharing photos on Instagram and snippets of text on Twitter.
He’s imagining a world where hundreds of millions of people aren’t just listening, but also producing audio content. In fact, Söderström hosts the Spotify: A Product Story podcast, in which in-depth product strategy lessons are shared.
“The potential space of all creators is just much much bigger than what we see today, which is true for text, photos, and video as well,” he says. “Something that people might have written off as niche has suddenly become something that’s mass market, and you can scale.”
You can watch the entire discussion below:


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Social entrepreneur Lord John Bird confirmed as keynote speaker for Scottish Wholesale Association’s Annual Conference
Social entrepreneur and parliamentarian Lord John Bird will be the keynote speaker at the 2016 Scottish Wholesale Association Annual Conference.
Lord Bird, 70, who was brought up in an orphanage and served time in a young offenders' institution before he was out of his teens and slept rough as one of London's homeless, founded the now world-famous Big Issue - the weekly magazine sold on the streets of the UK by vendors who are homeless and vulnerably accommodated - in 1991.
In transforming himself from being part of the problem of society into being part of the solution, Lord Bird has become a globally admired social entrepreneur. Although strictly non-political, he has been consulted by Prime Ministers and Cabinet ministers on how best to lift people out of poverty through harnessing their own energies.
A newly-created peer, Lord Bird of Notting Hill sits in the House of Lords and will be the guest speaker closing the final business session of the conference, taking place at Crieff Hydro in Perthshire from June 10-12.
Themed 'Grasp the Thistle', the conference has also attracted a stellar line-up of speakers from within the UK wholesale industry as well as leading suppliers and supporters of the Association.
- Andrew Selley, chief executive, Bidvest
- Stewart Gilliland, non-executive chairman, Booker Group
- Craig Stevenson, chief executive, Braehead Foods
- Martin Race, group trading director, Batleys/Bestway
- Peppi Cremona, sales director (off-trade wholesale & convenience), AB InBev
- Rez Hassan, vice-president sales, Mars Chocolate UK
- Katie Hemmings, director, him!
- Andy Stevens, head of sales UK, JTI
- Nigel Paine, sales director, Britvic
- Mark Winter, sales director, United Biscuits
- Jonathan Kemp, commercial director, AG Barr
- Iain Hill, managing director, Iain Hill Ltd
- Jim Cummiskey, joint managing director, Fáilte Foods
- Paul Waterson, chief executive, SLTA
The Association's president Eddie Lynagh will open and close the conference while vice-president Julie Dunn will open proceedings on Saturday and introduce participants in the trade organisation's current Mentoring Programme who will talk about the benefits to them as individuals and also their employers.
Kate Salmon, executive director, said: "Once again we have secured an outstanding group of high-profile speakers who will inspire and motivate our members, and share best industry practice. Our members collectively operate 78 depots and employ 6,900 employees generating in excess of £3 billion a year - our sector is a key contributor to the Scottish economy - and the calibre of those who are prepared to give up their time to share their views clearly reflects this.
"Striving for best practice and learning from others will help strengthen the wholesale industry and encourage more effective engagement between wholesalers and suppliers as well as highlight the challenges facing our members and the wider wholesale industry."


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The worth of Bitcoin rose after March CPI information confirmed that inflation within the U.S. continues to extend, hitting the best degree in 40 years. Nonetheless, with the worth of Bitcoin presently down 11% since January 1 and an inflation studying of 8.5%, the online worth change is simply 2.5% in actual phrases.
As well as, the Nasdaq (QQQ) is down 14% because the begin of the 12 months, indicating that Bitcoin is appearing as an inflation hedge. Inflation in the USA is now on the highest degree in 40 years.
The impact on the crypto market
Bitcoin fell over $3,000 on April 11 on rumors that inflation would are available in scorching. The decline was contradictory to expectations for an asset class thought-about an inflation hedge.
Nonetheless, as we all know, Bitcoin has tracked tech shares on shorter timeframes for the previous a number of months. Bitcoin’s worth is the orange line within the buying and selling view charts, whereas the Nasdaq index is represented as bars. The correlation within the days main as much as the CPI information launch is clear.
Is Bitcoin an inflation hedge?
Forward of the CPI launch, many believed that inflation information already priced into the market was worse than anticipated. Furthermore, there had been fears that inflation might be even greater because the White Home advised the numbers could be “terribly elevated.”
Tomorrow’s unhealthy inflation information might already be priced in after the warning from the White Home, that’s if it’s only like 8.5%. However whether it is something over 9%, then we’re most likely heading decrease as that’s worse than the market expects. IMO. #bitcoin #crypto
— Lark Davis (@TheCryptoLark) April 12, 2022
It’s unclear how the market will reply to the CIP information in the long run, however within the quick time period, Bitcoin appears to be outperforming tech whereas additionally mirroring its actions when it comes to general sentiment. For instance, Nasdaq moved up over 5 factors in pre-market buying and selling because the information broke.
The crypto neighborhood is taking to Twitter to match conventional finance financial savings charges to DeFi and Bitcoin’s baked-in inflation because of its mounted provide. The information prompted a slight spike in Bitcoin’s worth, pushing it up greater than $400 in half-hour. Nonetheless, it has since retraced again beneath $40,000 because it battles to carry crucial psychological assist.
In case you’re not incomes +8.5% in your financial savings, you’re shedding cash!
— Josh (@CryptoWorldJosh) April 12, 2022
Promote the rumor, purchase the information
MicroStrategy CEO Michael Saylor mentioned “inflation is worse than you assume” within the lead as much as the CPI launch. Equities markets fell into the shut on April 11 as merchants ready for the worst.
— Michael Saylor⚡ (@saylor) April 12, 2022
Nonetheless, Bitcoin hit a neighborhood backside round 9 pm EST, hitting nearly $39,000, earlier than climbing all through the evening. These occasions have led to a uncommon promote the rumor purchase the information occasion because it seems the markets had been bracing themselves for inflation to return in even greater than the 8.5%.
Core CPI information means that inflation is simply up 0.5%, with conventional finance analysts similar to Andrew Hunter of Capital Economics believing the “large information within the March report was that core worth pressures lastly look like moderating.”
Core CPI information removes meals and vitality from the equation, which might be thought-about anti-consumer since these are arguably the issues that incur the best prices for abnormal individuals. Consequently, meals and vitality are additionally the place inflation has hit the toughest.
8.5% inflation… There isn’t a such factor as “cost-push inflation”.
All costs don’t rise with an identical quantity of cash.
If one worth soars and cash amount is identical, others fall.
Solely large cash creation above actual demand can result in nearly all costs rising. pic.twitter.com/W6BbDiTmjU
— Daniel Lacalle (@dlacalle_IA) April 12, 2022


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DOTHAN, Ala. (WDHN) — Finding baby formula is becoming far and few between. Shelves at the grocery stores in the Wiregrass are bare and families are seeing the impacts of the shortage.
When Sabrina Reynolds walked into the grocery store Thursday, what she saw on the baby formula aisle didn’t come as a shock.
“This has become the new norm to see the shelves bare,” Grandmother of two 4-month-old boys, Reynolds said. “It’s the same thing at Winnie Dixie, the same thing at Target.”
For a few months now Reynolds like many others has not been able to find the baby formula her two grandsons, Samuel and Elijah, desperately need.
Her twin grandsons both take two different types of formula and both have been scarce in the stores. She has had to travel all throughout the wiregrass in hopes of finding anything to feed them.
“Well just really around the wiregrass, I’ve had to go to troy one time,” Reynolds said. “People are having to go everywhere. Another problem is buying up the formula and reselling it and I think that is causing a big shortage too.”
In an effort to conserve as much formula as she can Reynolds has had to come up with some solution to make sure her grandbabies are filled and not hungry.
“That’s why I mix in the cereal, I’m hoping that that will fill them up a little bit more,” Reynolds said.
But in these hard times, Reynolds says so many people on Facebook and in the community have stepped up to donate any formula they don’t need to give to those mothers who are desperate to feed their children.
“I’ve seen some good come out of it and what I just wish people would do if your child can’t use it just find someone who can,” Reynolds said.
There’s no set time frame for how long this shortage will last but if you need help finding a specific formula or have any questions, it is recommended you contact your pediatrician.


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Retail sales volumes were down a record 4.4 per cent in the September quarter as COVID-19 lockdowns hampered trade in the major states.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics said NSW experienced the largest volume fall (11.6 per cent) reflecting the lockdowns in Greater Sydney and regions during that time.
Economists’ forecasts had pointed to a hefty five per cent decline in spending during the quarter.
“The Delta outbreak from late June led to protracted lockdowns in many mainland jurisdictions, with the restrictions causing many retailers to close their physical stores throughout the September quarter,” the ABS’ Ben James said.
“This resulted in the largest quarterly fall in national sales volumes ever recorded.”
International trade figures for September also released by the ABS on Thursday showed a trade surplus for the month of $12.24 billion, smaller than the record $15.1 billion reached in August.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the government was confident the economy would recover over the summer.
“I’m pretty optimistic and confident about the overall health of the economy,” he told Seven.
“We saw consumer confidence was up this week, our triple-A credit rating has been maintained, so I think (we) can look forward to a strong Christmas and let’s hope we can put some of these lockdowns behind us.”
Mr Frydenberg on Thursday released figures showing more than 11.5 million Australians were $10.5 billion better off in the September quarter due to income tax cuts.
It equated to an extra $879 average benefit per person.
During the period, NSW was in lockdown for 92 days, Victoria for 68 days and about 485,000 workers were stood down on zero hours.
Treasury estimates the income tax cuts over two budgets will create about 60,000 extra jobs by the end of June 2023.
The national accounts for the September quarter are due on December 1.
Reserve Bank of Australia governor Philip Lowe said following this week’s monthly board meeting that the sharp economic contraction was expected to be followed by a solid expansion in the December quarter.
The central bank expects the economy to grow by about 5.5 per cent over 2022, up from its previous forecast of 4.5 per cent.


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He’s accused of being a “fence.”
A jewelry store in Philadelphia has been raided following the owner’s arrest on allegations of acting as a fence in connection with a burglary ring.
Federal agents arrived at V Jewelers on the city’s Jewelers’ Row on Sunday evening, the Associated Press reports.
Owner Wasim Shazad stands charged with “dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity, receiving stolen property, failing to report precious metal transactions and corrupt organizations,” according to the news agency.
Shazad, who was arrested days before the raid, is believed to be connected with a burglary ring that hit homes in Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties, WPVI-TV reports. The stolen goods were reported to be worth $1.5 million.
According to WPVI, prosecutors are claiming that Shazad used three storefronts to buy and sell the merchandise.
He’s set to appear in court on Feb. 2.
Read more at AP and WPVI


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WASHINGTON—White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, one of the most visible faces of the Obama presidency, will step down Friday to run for mayor of Chicago, leaving the high-profile post at least temporarily to a longtime Obama aide who has guarded his privacy fiercely.
President Barack Obama will preside over Mr. Emanuel's send-off Friday in the White House's ornate East Room, where the president will introduce Pete Rouse as his acting chief of staff, White House officials said. Mr. Rouse is a White House senior adviser and was Mr. Obama's chief of staff in the Senate.
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When someone says "iPhone 6 compared to older models“, what's the first thing that comes to mind? Bigger screen, Apple Pay, Voice over LTE? All of the above, probably. But for the company itself, the iPhone 6 is fundamentally different than all other devices, and in a good way.
According to the latest investor note from Citi Research analyst Jim Suva, the main difference is that most of the people who bought the iPhone 6 are not old Apple users – they’re new consumers that have switched from Android. Most notably, from Samsung’s Android devices.
In a report by Business Insider (opens in new tab) it says that Apple holds approximately 15 per cent of the global phone market for iPhone, while Android took the rest. So when a new product hits the streets, the initial sales are high, but die down fast, as the device reaches that 15 per cent of the market.
However, this time around people who have bought the iPhone 6 switched from other devices, mostly Android. What’s also important to know is that basically every iPhone user upgrades to a newer version at some point, and many of those still haven’t bought the iPhone 6.
According to Citi, only 20 per cent of the existing iPhone user base have upgraded to an iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, and about 50 per cent of iPhone 6 / 6 Plus customers are first-time iPhone users who switched from other brands, mostly Android.
That is hugely significant because it suggests that 80 per cent of current iPhone users have yet to step in and actually buy a new iPhone 6.
Apple is probably rejoicing at this information. Samsung is probably keeping its head in both its hands.


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The ASEAN region is currently one of the most vibrant and growing markets right now, with over 633 million consumers and a combined GDP of nearly US$2.4 trillion. It is a dynamic marketplace with high potential due to it being under-tapped, and the simplicity of setting up businesses in multiple countries within the region.
It is with this in mind that the Rice Bowl Awards; organised by New Entrepreneurs Foundation (myNEF), the Malaysian Ministry of Finance as well as the Malaysian Global Innovation & Creativity Centre (MaGIC) is held. The aim of the awards event is to celebrate rising startups that harness technology innovatively to propel their business regionally.
“We’ve witnessed emerging young talents who are relentlessly pushing the boundaries on how technology can disrupt various industries to enrich the lives of consumers and generate positive social and environmental impacts in the ASEAN region.” Said Ashran Dato’ Ghazi, Chairman of New Entrepreneurs Foundation.
According to Ashran, any startup business that was registered in an ASEAN country since three years ago is eligible to participate in the Rice Bowl Awards. The nomination period started from the 1st of June 2015, and will end on the 15th of August. The judges will then decide on the top 30 participants, who will announce their names on the 1st of October 2015.
The Rice Bowl Awards features 10 categories, including Startup Business of the Year, Women in Business Startup of the Year, Retail Startup of the Year, Media Startup of the Year, Digital/Online Startup of the year, Social Enterprise Startup of the Year, Tech Startup of the Year, Product Startup of the Year, Service Startup of the Year and Innovative Go-To-Market Campaign of the Year.
The winners of the award will be announced during the Awards ceremony in November 2015 during the 1ASEAN Entrepreneurship Summit 2015. Finalists in each of these categories will be awarded startup coaching worth USD15,000, regional media engagements and investor matching. Winners of each of the categories will also receive a Rice Bowl trophy.


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Two different repeating three-letter, .COM domain names, FFF.com and HHH.com, have been put up for sale by the domain name brokers Brannans.com.
There are over 148,000,000 registered .COM domain names. But, of those 148 million domain names, only 26 are repeating, three-letter combinations like AAA, BBB, and CCC:
AAA BBB CCC DDD EEE FFF GGG HHH III JJJ
KKK LLL MMM NNN OOO
PPP QQQ RRR SSS TTT VVV WWW XXX YYY ZZZ
Certainly several of those are associated with well-known brands, such as AAA and BBB (Better Business Bureau). A Google search for “FFF” brings up a well-known song by Bebe Rexha, but also results for the French Football Federation, FabFitFun, and FFF Enterprises.
A Google search for HHH reveals Half Hollow Hills School District in New York, and Paul Michael Levesque, also known as Triple H from the WWF, now WWE.
Based on what I’m seeing in the industry, premium domain name values have been rising, especially with more and more businesses going online this year. Both FFF and HHH would be a great opportunity to re-brand a business, and use either of those for a new brand.


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Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe inside the company’s customer experience center outside of its plant on Aptil 11, 2022 in Normal, Ill.
Michael Wayland / CNBC
Electric-vehicle maker Rivian Automotive will report its first-quarter earnings after market close on Wednesday. Wall Street analysts polled by Refinitiv expect a loss of $1.44 per share on revenue of about $130.5 million – but those numbers are likely to be just a small part of the story.
The bigger story is Rivian’s outlook for the next few quarters. Like most automakers, Rivian has been struggling with global supply chain disruptions that began during initial Covid-19 lockdowns and have been exacerbated since Russia invaded Ukraine in…


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SPIN!’s “Pizza on Earth” T-Shirts, Gift Cards Will Raise Funds for Jackson County CASA During Holidays
With more than 10,000 votes cast, a program that serves abused and neglected children -- Jackson County CASA -- has been chosen to receive the proceeds from a holiday contest designed by SPIN! Neapolitan Pizza. The funds will be raised November 26 to January 1 through the sale of SPIN!’s “Pizza on Earth” holiday t-shirts and gift cards.
Beginning November 26, SPIN! Neapolitan Pizza will offer $15 Pizza on Earth t-shirts with all the profits from each shirt going to Jackson County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates). In addition, 10 percent of all gift card sales will go to the charity. Those purchasing a total of $100 in gift cards will also receive a free Pizza on Earth t-shirt. The $100 purchases can be combinations of smaller gift card values.
The Pizza on Earth t-shirts will be sold only during the holiday season. Designed and made especially for SPIN!®, the high quality t-shirts’ artwork features a peace symbol made of pizza. The t-shirts are tied with jute and include a gift tag for gift giving.
SPIN! hopes that its month-long promotion will yield a donation of several thousand dollars. In addition, SPIN! hopes to raise awareness of Jackson County CASA by including its name with its Pizza on Earth products, which will be available at all six area locations.
“We are excited not just to give back to the community but to give to a charity chosen by our community,” says SPIN! Neapolitan Pizza Partner Gail Lozoff. During mid-November, SPIN! Neapolitan Pizza invited the public to nominate their favorite charity to receive a generous donation from the local pizzeria founded in Kansas City in 2005. With only one vote allowed per computer, Jackson County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) received the most votes.
The charity, which advocates for abused children under court protection with a goal of helping them find a safe, permanent home, will receive the proceeds as SPIN! spreads “Pizza on Earth” during the holiday season.
Jackson County CASA has more than 320 volunteers who advocate for abused and neglected children as they navigate the court system. Through contact with the child, family members, and other interested parties, a CASA volunteer provides critical information to the judge as they determine where the child should live and what medical, educational, and therapeutic services they need. Children with a CASA volunteer are far less likely to be re-abused and far more likely to find a safe, permanent home. For 2012 and 2013, 95% of children with a CASA volunteer had not re-entered the Jackson County Court.
The t-shirts and gift cards will be available at SPIN!’s pizzerias from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The Missouri locations include 4950 Main in Kansas City and 1808 N.W. Chipman Rd. in Lee’s Summit. The Kansas restaurants are located at 6541 W. 119th St. in Overland Park, 14230 W. 119th St. in Olathe, 9474 Renner Blvd. in Lenexa, and 8224 Mission Rd. in Prairie Village.
For more information, please visit www.spinpizza.com.


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A trade team for payday loan providers said that measures it had adopted to defer payments and promote financial education could help its members gain market share while easing the concerns of fair-lending proponents wednesday.
Donald Gayhardt, a manager associated with the grouped Community Financial solutions Association together with president of Dollar Financial Group Inc., stated at a press seminar in Washington that the campaign would offer borrowers using the “tools they require” to “select CFSA shops on the alternative.”
The CFSA pledged ten dollars million to literacy that is financial to see customers about responsible borrowing, with ads prepared for ESPN, CNN, USA Today, along with other major magazines and cable systems. The ads prominently function the CFSA logo design, that will additionally be exhibited at all known member shops as well as on their the web sites.
Darrin Andersen, the CFSA’s president, stated in an meeting that consumers “can search for our seals once they enter into our shops” and that the “best techniques” would help them “narrow their alternatives.” He stated the 164 user businesses, which control somewhat over fifty percent regarding the market, have to stick to the recommendations, that also consist of better warnings on pay day loans. People include major nationwide loan providers like Dollar, money America Overseas Inc., and QC Holdings Inc. Continue reading “Pay day loans Get Press from Trade Group”


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These cars are sold in China only, but we need them in Australia! CarsGuide Podcast #236
Episode 236 - China, PLEASE sell these to us!
Browse over 9,000 car reviews
Australia will miss out on the turbocharged Mazda3 halo that could have lined up against the likes Hyundai's i30 N and the Volkswagen Golf GTI due to constraints in production.
Speaking to CarsGuide at the launch of the new semi-compression ignition Mazda3 SkyActiv X, Mazda Australia marketing boss Alastair Doak ruled out a local launch of the US-market turbocharged hatchback.
When asked if he envisaged a future Mazda3 range consisting of a compression ignition SkyActiv-X 2.0-litre and a turbocharged 2.5-litre to replace the current SkyActiv-G naturally aspirated 2.0-litre and 2.5-litre engines in the range, Mr Doak said: “I should first clarify, the turbo is left-hand drive only for now. We have no plans to introduce that car to Australia.”
The Mazda3 Turbo as revealed to the US market uses a tweaked version of the 2.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder that appears in the Mazda6, CX-5, and CX-9, with power outputs scaled up to a Golf GTI-beating 186kW/434Nm.
Mr Doak’s comments rule out any imminent plans for a Mazda3 with that engine for the time being, although he did note that the local arm “made a strong argument” to try to get it here.
To answer the question we initially asked, Mr Doak said the current 2.0- and 2.5-litre naturally aspirated SkyActiv-G engines will continue.
“They’ve had upgrades over the years, and they will continue to be upgraded into the future,” he said.
No right-hand-drive production for some upcoming models does fit Mazda’s investor briefing from early 2020, which confirmed the brand would re-focus on the US market, entering into a joint venture with Toyota, and utilise a new straight-six engine architecture in both petrol and diesel to underpin new large vehicles such as the next-gen Mazda6 and rumoured CX-5-replacing CX-50.
It is known Mazda is also developing 48-volt mild-hybrid systems for future products (unlike the 24v hybrid system in the new Mazda3 SkyActiv-X that is for auxiliary support only and is incapable of driving the wheels), as well as a range-extender version of its MX-30 electric SUV – another vehicle which is yet to be officially locked in for an Australian arrival.


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Previously, reports indicated that Hero MotoCorp is working on the next-generation Karizma ZMR for the Indian, as well as the international markets. However, the next-generation model is not expected to arrive before 2020. So what should we expect in the meantime?
The Hero MotoCorp Karizma ZMR, which suffered lackluster sales, will soon make comeback as the Indian two-wheeler manufacturer has listed the new prices of two variants of the motorcycle on its official website. One of the two variants gets a single tone paint and has been priced at INR 1,08,000 while the other model, with dual-tone paint, is available for INR 1,10,500 (both ex-showroom Delhi). Those prices are marginally higher than the previous model which was listed for about INR 1,05,000 (ex-showroom Delhi).
Surprisingly, the specifications listed on the official website remain unchanged and there is still no mention of BS-IV compliance or addition of ABS. In fact, the images that are still listed on the official website continue to display the discontinued, BS-III model which came with a headlight switch. However, we expect that to change as soon as the new model is officially announced.
The motorcycle, if you remember, was seen at Hero MotoCorp’s stand at the 2018 Auto Expo in Delhi. The motorcycle at the 2018 Auto Expo featured a dual-tone paint job of yellow and black. The switchgear on that motorcycle did not get the headlight switch which confirms that the upcoming Karizma ZMR will feature an All-Time Headlight ON that’s part of the BS-IV norms.
The mechanical specifications list the same 223cc air-cooled, 4-stroke single cylinder OHC engine with Fuel Injection and Oil Cooler that is tuned to deliver 14.9 kW (20 BHP) of power @ 8000 rpm and 19.7 Nm of torque @ 6500 rpm. Those numbers are not likely to change much either. The motorcycle will continue to use a five-speed transmission.
Rest of the hardware will remain pretty standard as the motorcycle will continue to use the conventional telescopic suspension upfront and twin-sided rear shock absorbers. Braking department is not likely o receive any upgrade too and the motorcycle is expected to arrive with 276 mm and 240 mm single discs at front and rear respectively.
As aforementioned, we’re yet to hear any official details about the India launch of the 2018 Hero MotoCorp Karizma ZMR. We’ll keep you posted with more details as soon as they’re available. Meanwhile, check out the detailed image gallery of the BS-III Hero MotoCorp Karizma ZMR below:
Note: Images used in the post are for representation purpose only


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YanYan International (Phils.), Inc. snaps up Asian Export Award as Local Champion in the Chips category
The company recreated the packaging as part of its rebranding strategy.
Singapore Business Review and Hong Kong Business recognised Asia's leading exporters and their award-winning products and services at the recently concluded Asian Export Awards 2019.
On its second year, the awards event lauds exceptional products and services that have remarkably enhanced a company's business in the regional export scene.
This pinnacle event for Asia's best exporters is open to two divisions—the large corporate for big companies with group turnover of over $300 million and the local champion for small or medium-sized enterprises.
Philippine-based food manufacturer YanYan International was hailed Local Champion in the Chips category at the recently concluded Asian Export Awards held at Conrad Centennial Singapore on 28 November.
YanYan International’s Wackie Corn Chips has been gaining ground since its release in 2017, with consumers hoarding packs almost as soon as merchandisers place them in supermarkets and other stores, the company said.
“According to the feedback we have gotten from our market research, first-time customers who see Wackie on the shelves assume that they have been manufactured overseas. Wackie’s long, soft cover immediately calls out to you, as if wanting to be plucked off, and its dark sheen speaks of class and quality. This brand is made to belong—to the hungry customer who wants to feel special while they are enjoying their snacks,” Melito Chua, President, said in a statement.
From pillow packs, the company innovated Wackie’s packaging into stand-up pouches to look more premium, special, and top-of-the-line. The company intended this to resonate to almost every individual, whether you’re a millennial professional making your mark in your own industry, a parent who’s juggling duties at work and at home, or a young teenager who’s beginning to discover the beauty of the world around you.
As consumers from different generations become more discerning and picky with their choices, Yan Yan International said that authenticity, integrity, and worthwhile R&D make their products a premium.
“The consumer market of today, especially the millennials and zentennials, want a brand that they can trust; at the same time, their parents and their older siblings want value for their hard-earned money,” Chua added.
Catering to the new tastes of consumers not only domestically but also in the global market, the company expanded Wackie Corn Chips into six variants: Original, BBQ, Cheese, Wasabi, Spicy Turkey and Salted Egg.
Aside from the easy-to-carry packaging and flavour variety, the company attributes the rising customer demand to Wackie Corn Chips’ affordability, as well as the company’s proactive approach in engaging global and regional markets.
During a recent international food show in Taiwan, Yan Yan International joined a delegation of Philippine food companies to further promote their products to the international mainstream markets,
“Wackie Corn Chips has been going strong and has been exported to many countries. It is a snack food at its best—cost-effective, delicious, and of international calibre in every sense of the word. You can let your hair down and enjoy yourself, be as ‘wacky’ as you’d like to be,” added Chua.
YanYan International produces more than 300 products from its six manufacturing plants and exports to Canada, US, Pacific Islands, Australia, and Southeast Asia that includes Brunei, Korea, China and Taiwan as its biggest market.
The company is reportedly setting its sight in the Middle East for expansion and soon, Europe starting with Norway market.


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Samsung Continue To Lead The Way In The US Thanks To Great Handsets Like The Samsung Galaxy S3
The United States is one of the largest smartphone markets in the world and latest figures show that both Samsung and Apple continue to dominate thanks to impressive handsets like the Samsung Galaxy S3 and the iPhone 5.
These latest figures come courtesy of ComScore and they give us an idea about the US market in the three months up to December 2012. The figures show that 125.9 million US citizens currently own a smartphone device and the lions share of these are produced by either Samsung or Apple. Both of these manufacturers have posted increases in their market share during the period, with Samsung registering a rise of 2.3 points thanks to handsets like the Samsung Galaxy S3 and the Galaxy Note 2 while Apple posted a 2 point increase following the iPhone 5 launch. What this means for the total figures is that Samsung currently control a massive 36.3 per cent chunk of the market while Apple hold a healthy 21 per cent share.
As we would expect from the above figures the Operating Systems that are also leading the way in the US are Android and iOS. Between these two platforms nearly 90 per cent of the total market is catered for. iOS saw the biggest rise during the period in question of 2 points thanks to the high profile launch of the iPhone 5. This means that the Apple OS currently holds a 36.3 per cent share of the market. Android also registered an increase of 0.9 points which pushes the Google platforms share to a massive 53.4 per cent. Android is used by many of the leading handsets available including the Samsung Galaxy S3 which was the worlds best selling smartphone during 2012.
These figures show that the US market is clearly a two horse race between Samsung and Apple. While these manufacturers continue to produce excellent devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S3 and the iPhone 5 it is difficult to see this situation changing drastically.


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T-Mobile says no to Google Wallet, yes to ISIS32
Salt Lake City, Utah, and Austin, Texas. So if you don't live around one of those two locations, ISIS is useless to you. Verizon has also blocked Google Wallet although the carrier blames this on Google's app for the service, which Big Red says tries to access certain secure parts of the hardware.
T-Mobile customers are asking for the ability to choose between Google Wallet and ISIS, especially since the latter is available in only two locations. But for the carriers, the potential rewards for building out its own mobile payment service far outweigh having to deal with the complaints from those who want to use Google Wallet.


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The Post Office has won a contract to take photographs and fingerprints of foreign nationals seeking biometric residence permits (BRPs). Immigration minister Damian Green announced the plan as part of a package of measures, also including an online checking service for employers, aimed at reducing the number of illegal workers …
An ID card by any other name...
... even if it's just for garlic eating foreigners.
"... even if it's just for garlic eating foreigners."
To begin with.
This smells of Lenin's admonishment to "Press the bayonet in. If it meets fat, press harder."
Another use for all those ID card booths that clog up Post Offices across the land. The gummint may have killed ID Cards for now, but the beast still slumbers
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Euroz Hartleys believes small cap ASX tech share Tojee (ASX:YOJ) could solve challenges for the $9 trillion global logistics industry.
The post Broker eyes rapid growth for this small cap ASX tech share appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia. –
Yojee Ltd (ASX: YOJ) is an ASX tech share offering a cloud-based, software-as-a-service (SaaS) logistics platform. The platform manages, tracks and optimises freight movements and logistics supply chains from sender to end-customer across borders and between logistics providers.
Yojee’s customers include third-party logistics providers and logistics companies which benefit from powerful APIs (application programming interfaces) as well as enhanced visibility, accountability, and control. Following the company’s December quarterly update, Euroz Hartleys initiated coverage on the small-cap ASX tech share with a speculative buy rating.
December quarter highlights
At the end of the December quarter, Yojee had eight enterprise countries signed up to operate its platform. Of these, four were revenue-generating, boosted by three global, top-10 freight forwarding clients. The company continued to see strong growth in cash receipts with an 18% increase to $235,000 in the December quarter and revenues of $204,000. To add some perspective, Yojee has a market capitalisation of just $186 million.
Yojee noted that volumes during the quarter were impacted by unprecedented weather events and COVID-19 related lockdowns during the period, especially within the Philippines. It highlighted that the business will offer promotions and aggressively market into early CY21 to make up for the lower than anticipated volumes.
The company’s balance sheet remains flexible, finishing the December quarter with $21.1 million cash, providing the company with a strong runway for growth.
ASX tech share a speculative buy rating
Hartley was broadly pleased with Yojee’s progress on rollouts during the quarter, in addition to receiving an Indonesia expansion order from an existing client. The broker noted that it would have liked to have seen more quarter-on-quarter growth in volumes and revenues, but the company’s dependency on the Philippines was impacted by unprecedented weather events and lockdowns.
Despite slightly missing expectations, the broker looks towards significant transaction volume growth in the coming quarters from recent and coming rollouts. In parallel, Yojee continues to provide commentary on a strong pipeline of additional opportunities to expand existing agreements and potentially sign new ones.
The research note shed light on the global logistics sector and potential tailwinds for the ASX tech share. Hartleys cited that the global logistics industry is estimated to be worth around US$9 trillion annually, with the number of parcel movements alone forecast to surpass 100 billion this year and double to 200 billion by 2025. It pointed out that industry-wide changes are creating new demands and issues, driving rapid increases in digitisation, such that Yojee’s comprehensive cloud-based logistics SaaS platform could be well placed to solve these issues.
Hartleys identified that recently secured agreements show growing demand for Yojee’s platform. These include agreements with three major global logistics companies which have $100 billion in combined revenues. The broker’s bullish investment case is predicated on the rollout of its logistics platform with logistics heavyweights including Geodis, Kuehne+Nagel, and Maersk’s in parallel to signing new SaaS agreements. Its speculative buy rating comes with a price target of 50 cents, almost triple its current share price of 17 cents.
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People opposed to genetically modified organisms often insist that the plants are no good for anyone except the companies, like Monsanto Co., that sell GMO seeds. A new study may force them to come to terms with the idea that GM crops can benefit regular people too -- even farmers in developing countries like India.
The study, published this week in the journal PLOS ONE, tracked the fortunes of 533 cotton farms in India over eight years. These farming families were poor -- on average, family members consumed no more than $500 worth of goods each year. The typical farm was about 12 acres, with about half the area used to grow cotton. (Wheat, millet, sorghum, rice and other crops were grown on the rest of the land.)
In 2002, 38% of the farms planted cotton that was genetically modified with Bacillus thuringiensis, making it able to ward off insect pests like cotton bollworms without needing extra pesticides. Researchers checked in with farmers every other year. By 2008, 99% of the farms were planting Bt cotton.
More from Western Farm Press


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In the Wild West of “influencer” marketing, there are few protections and plenty of easy marks. Hackers sometimes create their own fake brands to phish influencers, but often they pretend to be representatives from real companies, this is according to a new report by TheAtlantic
“They’ll set up some sort of username that’s something that seems like it would be legit, like @LuluLemonAmbassadors,” he said. “They’ll use all the company logos, make it seem as legit as possible, make the bio seem normal. Use the company’s mission statement. It’s super simple.”
Once hackers gain control of an influencer’s account, said Moritz von Contzen, founder of the Dutch social-media agency Avenik, they’ll often hop into the account’s direct messages and begin spamming other influencers with the same phishing links before the hacked influencer even knows what’s happening.
Von Contzen said he sees this scam play out over and over again. He even fell for it once.
For young influencers with no direct contacts at Instagram or Facebook, it can be nearly impossible to retrieve a stolen account. Hackers will change the contact email address and phone number and reset the username so the account is impossible to find. Then, they’ll run ads on it until they can sell the whole page off for a large price, sometimes more than a hundred thousand dollars.
In the meantime, influencers are banding together via group chats and Facebook groups to alert each other of potential scams. Talent managers and publicists say they’re cross-checking every potential brand deal.


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Niantic announced that Pokemon Go will take advantage of some more advanced smartphones in order to support AR and let the creatures have some interactions with the environment.
Pokemon Go players are already enjoying the way the world looks with their virtual buddies appearing there through the phone's camera. There are some limitations though, such as the Pokemon appearing on some objects that would normally be supposed to obscure them.
Niantic are now working on removing some of these limitations. In the example shown in the picture below, Bulbasaur normally gets shown over the tree that is supposed to be in front of it. The AR integration allows the player to see the objects in space as they are supposed to be, with the tree partially obscuring Bulbasaur.
Unfortunately, this technology will not be available for all the players due to hardware limitations. Only four smartphone models will support this technology in the beginning:
- Samsung Galaxy S9
- Samsung Galaxy S10
- Google Pixel 3
- Google Pixel 4
The developers stated that they are going to work on introducing the feature to more phones in the future but we would hazard a guess that these will also be high-end devices.
Reality Blending, as Niantic are calling it, will need the help of players to reach its full potential though. Niantic are working on creating 3D maps for it in order to support all the PokeStops and Gyms.
Trainers at level 40 will be able to opt-in, after which they will be asked to record videos of PokeStops and Gyms from various angles, with each video lasting up to 10 seconds.


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Spyker will create two joint ventures with China's Zhejiang Youngman to build Saab-based vehicles and a luxury sports utility vehicle under the terms of a framework agreement that will see Youngman gain a 29.9 percent stake in the carmaker. Youngman was one of the Chinese investors that Spyker approached in the past when it was looking for money to restore the Saab brand under its ownership.
The deal with Youngman, however, failed to push through after former Saab owner General Motors declined to approve the sale, eventually resulting in Saab being declared as bankrupt in December 2011. Under the terms of the deal between Spyker and Youngman, they will develop a range of upscale cars based on the Saab Phoenix platform.
Youngman owns this license. Spyker will hold just a 20 percent stake while Youngman will own 80 percent of the stock in the brand dubbed as Spyker Phoenix. Both companies will also develop a luxury Spyker SUV based on the D8 Peking-to-Paris concept model, which was unveiled at the Geneva auto show in 2006. In a statement, Spyker said Youngman would invest EUR25 million in the venture, resulting in 75-percent stake. Meanwhile, Spyker would contribute the technology and retain 25 percent of the holdings.
Spyker chief executive Victor Muller said in the statement that the framework agreement will enable Youngman and Spyker to lay the foundation for an intense cooperation, in which the companies will pursue the objectives they had when they were forging a cooperation as partners in Saab Automobile AB.
Muller said both companies share the vision on how to shape Spyker's future as partners going forward. Aside from the two joint ventures, Youngman will pay EUR6.7 million for a 29.9-percent equity stake in Spyker and make a shareholder loan of EUR3.3 million to the Dutch carmaker.
In January 26, 2010, GM disclosed that it reached an agreement to sell Saab to Spyker subject to regulatory and government approval. The sale was finalized on February 23, 2010. Under the deal, GM would still supply Saab with engines and transmissions, as well as completed vehicles.
Saab halted production in May 2011 when it effectively lost the ability to pay its suppliers and its employees. Spyker and former Saab CEO Victor Muller had tried to implement a rescue agreement with investors from Russia, Middle East and China, including Zhejiang Youngman and Pang Da Automobile Trade Co Ltd. The rescue deal with Youngman, however, failed to push through after GM, Saab’s former owner, declined to approve the sale. This eventually led to Saab declaring bankruptcy in December 2011.


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Cloud storage provider Data Storage Corporation announced on Monday it has named Guy Sanfilippo its director of sales engineering.
In this new role, Sanfilippo is responsible for communicating technology and product positioning to both business and technical users, as well as providing design and budgetary pricing for the company’s solutions.
With more than 35 years of experience in the IT industry, Sanfilippo has held many senior technology positions where he has helped organizations manage growth through the adoption of emerging technologies.
Most recently, he was the director of IT for the American Federation of Musicians and Employers’ Pension Fund, where he managed the development and implementation of a new imaging workflow solution and computerized benefits calculator.
As CTO of Legal Information Technology, Sanfilippo managed the development of the company’s commercial workflow and imaging products.
He also served as the CTO at The United Ways of Tri-State where he participated in a major shift in the organization’s marketing strategy by developing digital solicitation solutions. Earlier in his career, Guy held different sales and technology positions with IBM, Burroughs, and Covenant House.
“We believe that adding a director of sales engineering position to our management team is essential for ensuring clients and prospects understand not only the technology behind our hosted cloud services, but its costs and business benefits as well,” said Chuck Piluso, chairman and CEO at Data Storage Corporation. “Guy’s technical background and his business acumen will prove extremely valuable as a critical resource for customers as well as the field sales force where he will help our team to continue moving the company forward.”
Sanfilippo has also served on the boards of the United Ways of Tri-State and the American Federation of Musicians and Employers’ Pension Fund.
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The Independent Order of Odd Fellows has begun hosting a monthly clothes closet for those in need in the community.
"We feel there is a big need for it," said Treasurer Penny Roberts.
The closet will be available the third Saturday of the month from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 309 Southeast St., in Benton.
Roberts said the first time the closet was open it served around 25 people. She is hoping to serve more as more people learn about it.
In order to keep serving as many as possible, Roberts is asking the community for donations of clothing and shoes for all ages. Anyone wishing to donate can drop off items from 1 to 10 p.m. Monday and Fridays at Odd Fellows or contact Roberts at 501-303-8747 to arrange a time to drop off.
People can also contact her if they are interested in volunteering to help prepare the donations to go in the closet.
Roberts said Odd Fellows wants to help anyone who has a need for clothing, no questions asked. Odd Fellows will not charge for any clothing a person needs.
"If you are in need of clothing or your children are in need of clothing," she said.
When the closet was open the first time, Roberts said shoes went quickly.
In addition to gathering clothing for the closet, Odd Fellows is also holding a sock drive to provide socks to children at area schools. The players who play Bingo at Odd Fellows have been already donated several pairs.
"Our Bingo players have been very generous," said Roberts adding the socks are important to ensure children don't have cold feet.
The next project Odd Fellows is looking to start is a small food pantry. Roberts said the members are seeking a box to install in front of the lodge where people can take or drop off non-perishable food items for those in need. Roberts plans to include information about other food pantries in the box.
Odd Fellows members are working to help the community and get the community involved in the work.


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January 9: The number of tourists visiting Nepal has increased by 25 percent in 2018.
The Department of Immigration informed New Business Age that 1,173,072 tourists visited Nepal in 2018. The number of tourists visiting Nepal in 2017 was 940,217, according to data provided by the department.
The department further said that 969,287 tourists visited Nepal in 2018 through air route while 203785 tourists visited through land route.
The number of Indian tourists visiting Nepal has also increased by 25.1 percent to 200,483 as compared to last year. Likewise, the number of Sri Lankan tourists increased by 55.7 percent during the review period. In total, the number of tourists from SAARC nations increased by 26 percent to 301,963 in 2018.
Meanwhile, Nepal welcomed the second largest number of tourists from China in 2018. A total of 153,602 Chinese tourists visited Nepal in 2018, which is 46.8 percent more than the preceding year.
Likewise, the number of tourists from Thailand increased by 36 percent, South Korea by 8.3 percent and Japan by 8.9 percent, according to the department.
There has been a significant increase in the number of tourists from European countries. The number of tourists (63,086) visiting Nepal from the United Kingdom has increased by 15.6 percent while 36,833 German tourists visited Nepal during the review period, which is an increase by 23.1 percent.
31,653 visitors from France accounted for 21.1 percent rise in the number of French tourists while 91,785 tourists from the USA visited Nepal, which is an increase by 16 percent as compared to 2017.


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First District Congressman Jerry Moran, visited agri-businesses in north central Kansas two weeks ago to learn about issues affecting these important components of the local economy.
At Hutchinson/Mayrath in Clay Center, the issue is finding enough workers to keep the plant running at capacity. The plant can hold 350 employees; it currently has 220 workers.
Hutchinson/Mayrath pays competitive wages to compete with other area manufacturers, including Sunflower in Beloit; Great Plains in Salina and Landoll in Marysville.
The obstacle, Williams notes, is a lack of affordable housing. "We need good housing, something that will draw folks to Clay Center," he says.
A number of workers drive to Clay Center from as far as 60 miles away. To attract workers, Hutchinson/Mayrath has considered running "pick-up" routes in area communities. It also is mulling over cooperation with the City of Clay Center to build on-site housing for workers and their families. Though these potential solutions are costly, it would ensure that the plant runs at capacity and fills demand for its grain-handling products.
"We estimate that we lost $5 million last year because we couldn't meet demand," says Cliff Williams, president of the company.
Hutchinson/Mayrath started a nighshift, but lacks sufficient workers to keep it running at full-speed. Some workers are clocking more than 60 hours per week, and "they just can't keep that up," Williams says.
The company's ownership group, Global Industries, Inc., recently invested $1 million in facility upgrades such as robotic cutters and welders to ease the labor shortage. It also has created sales incentives programs to level out the production curve, which typically reaches a peak in the fall, then has a down cycle in other months.
"All the area manufacturers are in the same boat," Williams explains. "We all need people."
Farmers in the U.S. are seeking high-quality grain-moving products for on-farm use, and Williams expects greater demand overseas for the same. Mexico, Russia and the European Union – though just 20% of the company's sales currently – looms as an increasingly large market for Hutchinson/Mayrath.
In its 50-year history, Hutchinson/Mayrath Company, Clay Center, has netted its owners a profit 49 times. With demand for its grain augers and conveyors – specifically, its "Squeeze-Belt" conveyor system and supporting equipment that moves 10,000 bushels of grain per hour - the best is yet to come, Williams says.
"The future looks so bright," Williams says. "We just need people."


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Nintendo is gearing up to launch the Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition later this month and it’s going to get us all excited about it by going full retro. It’s taking a walk back to the ’80s with the launch of the NES Classic Edition by conducting a special ’80s themed launch event and it’s even going to revive the Nintendo Power Line for a few days.
Fans who visit the Nintendo NY store in Rockefeller Plaza can get access to the ’80s themed launch event on the night of November 10th. Nintendo’s properly nostalgic Power Line is going to be revived for three days only on the launch weekend which runs from November 11th to November 13th.
If you weren’t around the ’80s, the Nintendo Power Line was a much-loved service back in the day which enabled fans to talk to Nintendo Game Play Counselors that offered helpful tips and tricks about the company’s consoles.
Nintendo is bringing back a fully automated version of the Power Line and it will run from November 11th to November 13th between the hours of 6 am to 7 pm PT each day. fans can dial (425) 885-7529 to hear recorded tips for select games and even hear behind-the-scenes stories from original Nintendo Game Play Counselors.
The Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition is a mini-console that comes with 30 classic NES games like Super Mario Bros., Metroid, Donkey Kong, PAC-MAN, and more. It costs $59.99 and will be available for purchase starting November 11th.


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Ford revealed its Atlas concept pickup truck at the Detroit auto show on Tuesday. The concept truck is powered by a next-generation EcoBoost engine that uses technologies such as engine start-stop to help improve fuel economy. The concept previews the next generation of the F-150 pickup.
Active grille and wheel shutters help improve aerodynamics--the grille shutters open and the wheel shutters lower at highway speeds. A drop-down front air dam also lowers at highway speeds to smooth airlow around the truck, which cuts drag and boosts fuel economy.
Another first on a Ford truck is the 360-degree point-of-view camera. The system provides a bird's-eye view of the truck to help when parking in tight places.
LED lights are used on the side mirrors and cargo box to provide lighting with minimal battery drain.
The cargo area gets a host of new technologies and features, starting with the dual-purpose tailgate step and cargo cradle. The step extends upward from the tailgate when closed to equal the roof height, creating a cargo storage rack. A space in the roof allows for long cargo, such as wood planks, to run from the roof to the cargo cradle/tailgate step and be secured.
The cargo area includes a dynamic hitch assist system that helps the driver precisely line up the truck with the hitch. Ford says the system helps eliminate maneuvering guesswork and speeds up trailer hookup by showing visual cues on the display screen inside the cab. The Atlas also has a trailer backup assist system. Ford hasn't released any details on the system.
Finally, a ramp is stored under the cargo box and can quickly be set up for loading items into the truck bed.
The annual North American International Auto Show, better known as the Detroit auto show, has maintained its place as a barometer for the entire industry. For 2013, NAIAS takes place Jan. 14-27 and will host concept cars, green cars and supercars from all the major automakers, including what's expected to be a highlight this year: the new 2014 Chevroelt Corvette. Check out Autoweek's complete coverage of the Detroit auto show here.


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Insiders do not get tired of speculating on the news aboutthe most famous and popular brands. This is not the first time that "sensational" news about Tesla's plans to release its own smartphone with characteristics capable of revolutionizing the market of mobile gadgets has hit the Internet. In the recently published renderings of the "future" smartphone Tesla Model Pi, in addition to the real characteristics, functions are indicated that, if they can appear in a smartphone, then only in the distant future.
Tesla Model Pi render shows what's in the smartphone"From Mask" will use the design of the iPhone 12, with its flat side edges. It is assumed that the front camera will be located under the screen, and the main camera will receive four sensors. It will also use the technology of photochromic coating of the body, which allows you to change color depending on the environment.
Not surprisingly, in the technical specificationsmentions the use of SpaceX's Starlink internet. However, the possibility of mining the MarsCoin cryptocurrency is already raising a smile, since the existing coin with this name has nothing to do with Musk. The name MarsCoin originated in February in a joking Twitter conversation between Tesla CEO and Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao.
Even more futuristic is the use insmartphone Tesla Model Pi technology from another company Musk Neuralink, working on the creation of brain implants. A recent demonstration on three pigs shows that the technology is at an early stage of development and cannot be implemented in such a massive and compact device as a smartphone.


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We all know Nintendo’s stance on mobile, which is basically them saying no to creating games for mobile platforms like iOS or Android. However Nintendo has made concessions in lieu of its recent poor performance which was brought on by the Wii U not selling as well as it should. The company revealed that while they will not be creating games like Mario or Zelda for mobile devices, they are open to the idea of licensing out their characters for use in other ways, and one of those ways could be Mario toys heading to your kid’s Happy Meal soon.
This is thanks to a sighting on McDonalds’ UK website where they were spotted promoting an upcoming Mario Happy Meal. Unfortunately the ad was a bit vague and it wasn’t clear as to what kind of toys are we talking about here. Could we be looking at hard plastic Mario toys? Mini plushies? Keychains? Code for DLCs for the Nintendo 3DS or the Wii U? Well whatever the case is, it is sure to draw the attention of not just children, but adults as well who might be fans of the Mario franchise. In the past we have seen how popular some of these Happy Meal toys can get. In fact there are some out there who make a living by collecting Happy Meal toys and reselling them due to their popularity.


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WASHINGTON - The top U.S. telecommunications regulator proposed on Tuesday to bar government programs from buying from companies that pose a security threat to U.S. telecoms networks, a rule that could hurt U.S. sales of China's Huawei and ZTE.
The Federal Communications Commission is considering more steps in the wake of growing concerns in Washington that Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and ZTE Corp, which make networking equipment and handsets, could act as conduits for espionage, something the two companies have denied.
The FCC decision came a day after the U.S. Commerce Department banned American firms from selling parts and software to ZTE for seven years. The move was sparked by ZTE's violation of an agreement that was reached after it was caught illegally shipping U.S. goods to Iran.
The United States and China have threatened each other with tens of billions of dollars in tariffs in recent weeks, fanning worries of a full-blown trade war that could hurt global supply chains as well as business investment plans.
The proposed new telecoms rules are expected to be finalized this year. They would prevent money from the $8.5 billion FCC Universal Service Fund, which subsidizes telephone service to poor and rural areas, from being spent on goods or services from companies or countries which pose a "national security threat to the integrity of communications networks or their supply chains."
"Hidden 'backdoors' to our networks in routers, switches, and other network equipment can allow hostile foreign powers to inject viruses and other malware, steal Americans' private data, spy on U.S. businesses, and more," said FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, who introduced the proposal.
Pai did not specify China or specific companies.
But in a letter to Congress last month, Pai said he shared the concerns of U.S. lawmakers about espionage threats from Huawei, the world's third-largest smartphone maker.
The proposal appears to be another prong in a U.S. effort to prevent ZTE and Huawei from gaining significant market share in the United States. Both are strong contenders in telecoms markets elsewhere.
USTelecom, an industry trade group, praised the FCC's "proposal to confront nation-state actions that threaten the confidentiality, integrity and availability of our nation's network infrastructure."
Republican U.S. senators have also introduced legislation that would block the U.S. government from buying or leasing telecoms equipment from Huawei or ZTE.
Huawei's planned deal with U.S. carrier AT&T Inc (T.N) to sell its smartphones in the United States collapsed in January after U.S. lawmakers sent a letter to Pai citing concerns about Huawei's plans to launch U.S. consumer products.
Amid a steady drip of bad news, Huawei has laid off its vice president of external affairs, Bill Plummer, and four other employees at its Washington office, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The company slashed lobbying expenditures to $60,000 in 2017 from $348,500 in 2016, according to Huawei filings.
ZTE has similarly cut its lobbying expenditures, from $860,000 in 2016 to $510,000 last year, according to ZTE filings.
The U.S. Congress in 2017 banned U.S. government agencies from using security software from Moscow-based Kaspersky Lab amid mounting concern among U.S. officials that the software could enable Russian espionage and threaten national security.