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A group of parents have expressed their frustration after a school refused to back down over a new uniform which they say is needlessly expensive.
Parents say their wishes over the uniform have been ignored, as has guidance from the Welsh Government.
Ysgol Brynhyfryd’s new uniform will be introduced after the summer holidays with pupils required to buy a whole new uniform with year 11 and 13 pupils only exempt from buying a blazer.
Welsh Government guidance calls for schools to implement a one year transition period.
However the school have decided to fully implement the uniform from day one despite complaints from parents.
Parents have also criticised the school’s policy of prohibiting supermarket trousers, saying “When purchasing the compulsory items, the named manufacturer and style should be followed in order to ensure adherence to the school dress code.”
The uniform specifies skirts that cost either £19 or £26 per item, and trousers at £18 and £23 from specified suppliers, with parents pointing out supermarket alternatives cost a fraction of the price.
Financial support will be offered to pupils on free school meals at £50 per child for those in years 7-9 and 11.
Ysgol Brynhyfryd have yet to issue a response.
Mum of five Abigail Green from Gwyddelwern, 43, has one child at Brynhyfryd with two of her others at Dinas Bran in Llangollen, which has more relaxed rules over uniform.
Abigail said: “The school have ignored the guidance from the Welsh Government over the matter, and although it’s just guidance, it’s written for a reason. One thing is they suggest a least a year’s transition, that would’ve been useful, we could have used up whatever uniform we had left and purchased new uniform bit by bit to save having one big outlay.
“It’d also stop children in later years having to buy a new uniform at all. The other guidance is for there to be only one piece of uniform with logos on, and we have the blazers, jumpers and two PE kit tops.
“The guidance also says trousers and skirts should be widely available but they’ve opted for a brand and a style that’s three times more than what a supermarket charges.
“71% of parents wanted a change in uniform but actually 54% favoured no blazer, and they’ve rolled the blazer out regardless.”
Some parents have had complaints about the fit of the brands the school requires.
Sue Jones said: “It’s impossible to get a pair of trousers in the official Brand stipulated by Ysgol Brynhyfryd to fit my daughter as the waist is not adjustable. The waist on the boys trousers is adjustable!”
Adele Hughes said: “My son is going into year 11 and I have to buy it all apart from the blazer. I will be unable to get help towards the cost as I am a working single parent. I am not against a new uniform just the cost.”
Michelle Macdonald said: “Should my daughter come home with torn, worn or damaged trousers....some weeks on my family budget I will not be able to ‘just replace’ those items as and when they need to be.
“The cost of the trousers is a large percentage of my weekly shopping bill and this is because the school governors have chosen brands. There are cheaper,unbranded, sufficient trousers in supermarkets that I would find easier to pay for.”
Writing to the Free Press several weeks ago, headteacher Geraint Parry said: “We do recognise and accept that a small number of people are not happy with aspects of the uniform and 15 e-mails have been received at the school, together with six letters to the governing body.
“We do, however, consider this to be a very small proportion, taking into account that approximately 1,000 pupils attend Ysgol Brynhyfryd.”
See full story in the Free Press


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Department store beauty war
The Australian Financial Review reported that Sephora will be running shop-in-shop operations within David Jones. The first outlet will operate in DJ's Bourke Street store in Melbourne. More stores will follow in 2019. Sephora already operates 14 stand-alone stores in Australia. Apparently the discussions between DJ and Sephora have been underway for the last four years. It is worth noting that this month Myer will become the exclusive department store stockist in Australia for Aesop, meaning the Aesop will exit DJ. According to the AFR, beauty and cosmetics category represents 20% of turnover at DJ and Myer, generating about 25% of gross profits.

domain: news


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German consumer price inflation data prints 1.9, hottest since July 2013
Posted: 2017-01-30 08:11:06 | Author: Predator Research
Rising energy prices and higher food costs were the drivers behind the overall increase in January, a breakdown of the non-harmonized data showed.
The figures are likely to further fuel the political debate in Europe's biggest economy about an end to the ECB's loose monetary policy. EURUSD down 1%.


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Blockchain Technology and Applications, Webinar Series 1
Blockchain Technology and Applications, Webinar Series 1. Telkom University through International Office in collaboration with Saxion University of Applied Science, Netherlands organized Webinar series entitled “Blockchain Technology and Application” on March 10th and 17th 2021 by inviting several Blockchain’s experts from both universities. The first session, on Wednesday, 10th March 2021 at 2.30 PM (GMT+7) was held via zoom meeting, and attended by more than 100 participants from Indonesia, Germany, China, Japan, Netherlands, Peru, Spain, and United Kingdom. This session invited three main speakers including:
- Anak Agung Gde Agung, S.T., M.M. (Telkom University): “Introduction to Blockchain”
- Andry Alamsyah, Ph.D. (Telkom University): “Blockchain Implementation & Potential Application”
- Christa Barkel (Saxion University of Applied Science): “Blockchain Ecosystem”
Now and then, business always runs on information. The faster it is received, the more accurate and the better it is. Blockchain is good for delivering that information because it provides immediate, shared and completely transparent information stored on an immutable ledger that may be accessed only by permission network members. A blockchain network can track orders, payments, accounts, production, and far more. However, how can we define blockchain? The first speaker from Telkom University, Anak Agung Gde Agung, S.T., M.M. stated that Blockchain could be a shared, immutable ledger that facilitates the method of recording transactions and tracking resources in an exceedingly business network.
According to Andry Alamsyah, Ph.D., this technology is inevitable future for our computer networks. It is a cost-efficient system, during which everyone seems to be the judge and protector of data, both theirs and someone else. Inside a blockchain, there is no danger that your data are stolen, changed, or tampered with – it is because most are watching and keeping exact records of everything that has ever happened within the system, while the entire process is securely protected with cryptography. Simply, it is a Trust Machine. He explained that Blockchain is an encrypted, distributed database that records data, or in other words it is a digital ledger of any transactions, contracts – that needs to be independently recorded. The most exciting feature of Blockchain is that it greatly reduces the possibilities of a data breach. He also explained that Blockchain revolutionary the way organizations respond to the increasing complexity of our world environment (distributed, trusted, automatic, transparent). the current centralized authority faces the limited capacity problem.
Blockchain in Travel Industry
Interesting presentations also delivered by Christa Barkel (Saxion University) about the use of blockchain in travel industry. How this technology evolves into ecosystem and encouraged the small business to be developed.
Travel almost inevitably involves data sharing amongst multiple players, including travel advisors, online travel providers, airlines, credit card companies; vehicles rent agencies, and hotels. Blockchain has the potential to form accessing and storing important information easier and more reliable because responsibility is shared across the full network. With information decentralized the data corruption, accidental deletion, or an intentional cyberattack can be sidestepped.
Apart from its sophisticated technology, the public still sees negative gaps in this technology, especially regarding the data that is permanently stored on the blockchain. And the transaction is irreversible; there is almost no way of dealing with errors. However, according to Andry Alamsyah, Ph.D., on this technology, the new transaction is always can be performed, and the data can be updated anytime, so the old data can be neutralized.
This webinar gave a window open to the participants’ insights that blockchains are not just about the bitcoin; this technology has a wide variety of uses across several fields of business. No matter what the context, there is a strong possibility that blockchain will affect the future business. The very big question is, WHEN.(IO)***


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This is an article from the Havard Business Review written by Ryan W. Buell
In Pixar’s WALL-E, oversized humans recline on levitating barcaloungers and are dressed, primped, polished, and served, entirely by robots. Fiction? Maybe not, at least according to a wave of media coverage pointing to a dizzying array of service innovations on the horizon.
Look no further than the public debut of Amazon Go, the company’s first cashierless store. Digital imaging technology monitors which items shoppers select from shelves, and when a customer leaves the store, the person’s online account is automatically charged. Down the road in Santa Clara, California, room service robots are being designed that can navigate a hotel’s floor plan and interact digitally with its elevator and phone systems to deliver towels and beverages to guests. Various Silicon Valley startups have deployed robots that make pizzas, craft salads, and assemble artistic bistro sandwiches. In Boston, a robot works with labor nurses to schedule baby deliveries. Waiterless restaurants in China permit customers to order and pay through the WeChat app and feature robot servers that dispatch trays of food to the appropriate tables. In Japan, a robot named “Pepper,” that was conceived in part as a companion for the elderly, has honed its skills in a variety of service roles, ranging from retail assistant, to waiter, to Buddhist priest.
Managers using these forms of automation and others cite customer satisfaction benefits from increased convenience and customization, and from giving customers more control over their own experiences. They also tout cost savings — a tempting proposition against a backdrop of rising labor costs.
So is the levitating Barcalounger inevitable? Hardly.
For starters, the economics of service automation aren’t universally rosy. When a nationwide retail bank introduced online banking, customers who adopted it increased their total transaction volume and began visiting and calling the bank more, increasing costs and decreasing overall profitability. Similar dynamics can be observed in health care. Patients who adopted e-visits, for example, actually began showing up at the doctor’s office twice as often. One explanation for this pattern is that current technology is functionally limited, requiring people to seek out in-person help in addition to using automated services. But as innovation progresses, functional limitations are bound to fall by the wayside.
Another explanation is that humans are inherently social creatures who get emotional value from seeing and interacting with one another. Research shows that taking away the opportunity for this kind of connection can undermine service performance. In one study, my colleagues and I found that when banking customers used the ATM more and the teller less, their overall level of satisfaction with the bank went down.
We think this is because the deck is stacked against automation in several important ways:
- Service can be emotional; technology cannot. When we’re anxious about whether a check will clear or why our migraine won’t go away, we become advice-seeking. Even if it has the answers and can read the tone of our voice, or the expression on our face, people find the idea that technology “feels” and “senses” to be unnerving, and when a technology is deployed for such a purpose, the results can be unsettling. For example, customers who call MetLife to settle a death-related insurance claim are treated to digital condolences, delivered through an IVR system:
ROBOT VOICE: “We at Met Life want to express our sincere condolences for your loss.”
Automating sympathy is certainly cheaper than having a human employee comfort the bereaved, but the tradeoff can come across as disingenuous and is unlikely to be sustainable. Perhaps it’s not surprising that the public reception to Pepper’s funeral offerings — which cost $350, relative to $2,200 for a human priest — has been tepid to date.
Read the rest of the article here: https://hbr.org/2018/02/the-parts-of-customer-service-that-should-never-be-automated
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The Federal Automobile Agency (KBA) has opened an investigation against the driving assistant of the manufacturer of electric vehicles Tesla, known as “Autopilot”, after a similar step by its American counterpart last August, learned on Tuesday 22 February AFP. “Some Tesla vehicles have an electronic lane change function which may not be permitted in Europe,” a KBA spokesperson said in a message to AFP, confirming information previously published by the newspaper. German Bild am Sonntag. The “electronic lane change” function, triggered by autopilot, is offered by Tesla on some of its models, as an accessory.
However, the agency did not detail the reasons why this mechanism could contravene European legislation. Tests are still in progress before the authority can deliver its verdict. The KBA is in contact with both the manufacturer and the Dutch vehicle registration authority RDW, which is responsible for approving this type of vehicle in the EU.
The US Highway Safety Agency (NHTSA) opened a preliminary investigation in August against the same Tesla driving assistant, apparently involved in a series of eleven accidents listed between 2018 and 2021. A team of researchers based in China , Tencent Keen Security Lab, had shown in 2019, video in support, that by placing stickers on the road, the Tesla system made an abnormal judgment pushing the vehicle to enter the wrong lane.
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F.N.B. 3Q profits climb
F.N.B. Corp., Pittsburgh's fourth largest financial institution, on Monday announced third quarter profits of $30.7 million, or 22 cents per share, up from $23.8 million, or 19 cents per share, for the corresponding three months in 2011.
EPS topped Wall Street’s average estimate of 21 cents.
“The third quarter was another very positive quarter highlighted by our ability to deliver consistent, strong operating results,” President and CEO Vincent Delie Jr. said in a prepared statement. “Our sustained momentum is apparent in the third quarter results, with top line revenue growth, loan and deposit growth, good credit quality and continued expense control.”
Patty Tascarella covers accounting, banking, finance, legal, marketing and advertising and foundations. Contact her at firstname.lastname@example.org or 412-208-3832. .
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Morning Edition: A look at the day's business stories from media outlets around Pittsburgh.
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Dua Lipa loves wearing clothes before anyone else can get their hands on them. The singer totted the Luar Ana bag weeks before it was available for preorder, she wore a David Koma dress pretty much right off the runway, and now, she’s wearing Jean Paul Gautier ready-to-wear literally the day it went on sale.
On Wednesday night, Lipa headed out in London to attend Caroline Polachek’s concert at Islington Assembly Hall. For the event, she wore a completely sheer blue and black graphic Tennis Suit set from Jean Paul Gautier ready-to-wear, a collection that was released that same day. While the set is totally see-through, closer inspection shows a pinstripe suit trompe l'œil print superimposed on the fabric. Lipa paired the set with some matching lingerie that poked through, so as not to reveal too much while she enjoyed the show. She finished off the look with some mismatched jewelry, and two very trendy accessories: a pair of black dad sneaks, and a blue butterfly bag. Lipa has proved her love for the Y2K butterfly before, wearing a complete look based around the motif from Blumarine SS22 just last week (another look pulled right off the runway).
One would think Lipa would be freezing wearing so little in late October London, but the singer seemed to stay warm through constant movement. She posted a string of photos on Instagram showing off the look, each one blurry as Lipa danced in the streets, looking like a blue Halloween ghost.
Now, does Lipa’s attendance of the “So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings” musician’s latest concert hint at a future collaboration? Or, like every other hip, twenty-something urbanite, is she just a fan?


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Grumpy Looking Blobfish Named World’s Ugliest Animal
Despite the tricks Mother Nature might be playing on us, it’s actually September, and both the fashion and tech worlds appear to be in full steam ahead mode. New York Fashion Week ended, but not before making some plus size strides. Apple released another flashy iPhone model. Then there’s Twitter, which is preparing itself for an initial public offering. The season isn’t the only thing about to change!
Sweater weather is just around the corner, so settle in with a freshly brewed Pumpkin Spice Latte to chase this brand spankin’ new edition of “The Week In WHAT?!“
And The Ugly Winner Is…
Ugly animals need love too, and no one appreciates them more than the Ugly Animal Preservation Society. They held a vote for the world’s ugliest, and after tallying the results, Australia’s blobfish took the top honor. The blobfish, which looks like a cross between Mr. Grumpy, Abe Simpson, and Jabba the Hutt, bobs around the sea floor making it highly unlikely that you’ll ever see one in person if not at an aquarium. In fact, scientists have yet to witness a blobfish feeding! So, if a blobfish eats and no one sees it, did it actually happen? That could explain its everyday resting face.
Froggy to Mission Control: Beam Me Up
This could be a pitch for a Disney movie. A frog spends his nights stargazing, yearning for adventure, and wondering what else exists in the universe. Against all odds, he makes his way into NASA and hops (literally) aboard a rocket heading for space. He journeys to a place where no frog has ever gone before and lives out his dream. Sadly, the real life frog that this fictional tale would be based on didn’t get his happy ending — or did he? A photo snapped during NASA’s LADEE spacecraft launch revealed that ignition of a rocket caused one lonesome frog to catch some serious air. The high flying amphibian had likely been relaxing in a cool, damp spot near the action before catapulting to what was likely his demise. At least he wasn’t crushed to death like many a Frogger.
Not Exactly Butterfly Kisses
Amazonian butterflies may be stunning to look at, but if you were a turtle, you’d issue a stage 5 clinger alert whenever you spotted one from afar. That’s because the former caterpillars turned winged beauties are crazy — crazy for the taste of salty turtle tears. Scientists believe that the butterflies flock to turtle tear ducts since there aren’t many other sources of sodium in the Amazon for herbivores. However, yellow-spotted river turtles eat meat, which contains salt. Sounds like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles should lay off all that pepperoni pizza, otherwise Shredder may have found their kryptonite.
Do Hamsters Actually Sell Cars?
Could other car makers be a tad jealous of Kia’s insanely popular hamster ad campaign? If imitation equals flattery, then Kia should be proud of competitor Volvo’s latest stunt. In an attempt to show off it’s dynamic steering system, the Swedish car company attached a hamster wheel to the steering wheel of a 16.5 ton truck. Then, Volvo placed one hungry fur-ball inside while a human driver dangled a carrot above the rodent to entice him into making the wheel move. Naturally, they filmed the entire scene and launched it into the wild (aka YouTube). Sadly, the resulting footage isn’t quite as fun as animated hamsters doing their thing to Lady Gaga’s Applause, but you be the judge:
And there you have this week in “WHAT?!” Can’t wait to see what’s in store for humanity next!
Image via NOAA.gov


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WALNUT CREEK — New Safeway and Whole Foods stores on the city’s east side would lead to a supermarket smackdown that could leave nearby Nob Hill as the odd store out, according to a new study.
The potential for “urban decay” near the intersection of Ygnacio Valley and Oak Grove roads is examined as part of a draft environmental study for a 25-acre Safeway-owned parcel in the Shadelands Business Park. The urban decay study is just part of a 3,000-page document which details the environmental impacts of a retail and housing development. Currently the site is part open space and part Safeway office buildings. The study explicitly finds that while stores may close, the new project won’t cause economic blight.
Safeway’s plans call for a 219,000-square-foot development called The Orchards. It would be anchored by the grocery store and include restaurants, open space, retail shops, a health club and a senior housing center. The Shadelands plan will likely be in front of the City Council this summer.
While some in the area are clamoring for a new Safeway — the one at the nearby Encina Grande shopping center is more than 40 years old — the project has sparked some controversy with a vocal group of opponents who don’t see the need.
Whole Foods has plans to open its own store at Encina Grande, once Safeway moves out and builds its new store across the street in 2015. That would put three grocery stores basically across the street from one another, and a Trader Joes less than a mile away on Oak Grove.
“The urban decay (study) confirms what the community’s concerns have been for the last two years,” said Steve Elster, who lives in the nearby Woodlands neighborhood behind Nob Hill. “The inclusion of another supermarket will lead to the closure of Nob Hill and further undermine the other tenants. They are more than doubling the grocery store supply and this area cannot handle that.”
Safeway officials view The Orchards differently, saying their customers have been wanting a new store for years and that their lease is up at Encina Grande. The community will see exciting changes with the completion of a new shopping center, Safeway Spokeswoman Wendy Gutshall said in an email.
“The neighborhood is going to see a lot of exciting changes with the addition of The Orchards and will benefit from many new stores with a completely renovated Encina Grande Shopping Center,” said Safeway Spokeswoman Wendy Gutshall in an email. “The demand for additional retail and shopping options is strong, and will continue to grow as the economy improves.”
The Orchards would generate $82.7 million a year in sales, and 80 percent of its customers would be from the immediate area, according to the study.
The Orchards will not cause or contribute to urban decay, but Nob Hill will likely see a decrease in sales and could close, as could other retail stores in the area, according to the study.
The study points out that those vacant spaces wouldn’t stay empty long, and thus The Orchards wouldn’t cause urban blight.
In a statement, a Nob Hill spokeswoman said the company does not comment on competition but is confident in its customer base, which the company has¿ built at the Walnut Creek store since 1996.
Kassie Wenzell, who lives in the Northgate neighborhood, agrees. She says the fears over stores closing are baseless because where people shop is behavioral. This is why she wants a new Safeway, because the neighborhood has outgrown the Safeway at Encina Grande and for big grocery store trips she often goes to Clayton and Concord.
“We go out of Walnut Creek and that means spending hundreds in a different tax base and I don’t want to do that,” Wenzell said.
She is also excited about a place nearby to safely walk, go out to eat and have a cup of coffee near her home.
The mammoth draft environmental report looks at many other issues, including traffic, which has been another worry for area residents. The report concludes the intersection of Ygnacio Valley and Oak Grove Road already struggles to handle existing traffic. But there will be no serious impacts from the project, the study says, as long as Walnut Creek makes improvements that are part of its 10-year capital improvement plans.
The traffic analysis says there could be an increase in traffic on neighborhood streets near the site, mostly local residents going to The Orchards.
The 45-day public review of the draft environmental impact report runs until Feb. 20. For more information go to www.walnut-creek.org and click on “quick links” and then “Shadelands Specific Plan.”
Contact Elisabeth Nardi at 925-952-2617. Follow her at Twitter.com/enardi10.


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Daimler helps to relocate long-distance commuters at Hungary plant
German carmaker Daimler is helping long-distance commuters at its new plant in Kecskemét find closer places to live, Mercedes-Benz Manufacturing Hungary Kft marketing and PR director Edina Kozári Sztipich told MTI on Wednesday. Daimler is organising a "city fair" at the plant that presents 25 communities for possible relocation within 80km of Kecskemét, Sztipich said. Some of those at the plant travel a greater distance to work at present, she added. About 2,500 people now work at the plant, which launched production at the end of March, but the number will rise to 3,000 by year-end. The plant is expected to turn out 40,000 next-generation compact models this year.
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Is Windows 11 officially released to the public?
Microsoft officially released Windows on October 11 at 14:00 Moscow time. PT was October 5th in some parts of the world.
Is Windows 11 available for all now?
Windows 11 began mass rollout on October 7, its first major update in six years. Windows 11 is available as a free download for a total of 10 Windows users, but it’s still available for any custom Windows device. And all the major new announced features are currently unavailable.
Can you get Windows 11 already?
Anyone with the hardware can download it right now.
Windows 19 is already available. Microsoft actually released its new operating system on October 5th, but warned that most users will be waiting for a free upgrade to Windows 10 instead.
When will windows 11 be released to the public?
Windows 20 was released in the Octo Manifest as a free upgrade via Windows Update and the Windows 15 Setup Assistant on eligible Windows 10 devices.
Is windows 11 free for all users?
Just like Windows 10 was 100% free for Windows 7 and Windows 2 users, this new version of Windows 11 is likely to be free for basic Windows 10 users. All you need is a PC that meets the minimum requirements for hardware for Windows 11, which now has a 64-bit processor, 4 GB of RAM and 6.4 GB of storage.
What is Microsoft’s Windows 11?
Over the past 30 days, Microsoft has introduced Windows 11, a useful operating system for computers. And the company says it plans to continue rolling out in 2021 and continue through 2022.
Can I still install Windows 11?
If it’s not there, you can still install Windows 18, but Microsoft warns you that you may be receiving critical updates that can improve your system’s security. There seem to be ways around the following Windows 11 limitations, but they can help your PC throughout the life of the operating system.
Does publicly traded mean publicly owned?
A public company is a company that issues shares that are publicly traded, which means that new shares can be bought by anyone on the open market and can also be sold, usually very immediately. Note that publicly traded companies are generally not public – they are certainly not owned or controlled by anyone.


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Similarly, Can Apple News be trusted?
Top Stories are continuously available on Apple News. To bring you current, trustworthy news from a variety of media, editors highlight well-researched, fact-based items. With recommendations for pertinent news that are simple to discover across the app, Apple News grows better the more you read.
Also, it is asked, Where does Apple News get its news from?
Apple News+ offers paywalled subscription material from The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, and Toronto Star in addition to more than 200 periodicals.
Secondly, Does Apple News give full access to newspapers?
What features come with Apple News+? More than 300 of the top publications and newspapers in the world are available to you with an Apple News+ membership. The publications offered span a broad variety of topics, such as politics, fashion, and gastronomy.
Also, Is Apple new 2021 worth it?
Apple News alone should be sufficient if you’re interested in basic news and headlines. However, for people who already regularly use the app and were intending to subscribe to multiple paywalls that are part of Apple News+, it is wholly worthwhile.
People also ask, Does Apple News give you full access to WSJ?
WSJ appears to anticipate that most users won’t seek out much beyond that, according to Amol Sharma, a Journal writer, who tweeted that Apple News Plus customers would have “access to practically all WSJ stories, but the app will only expose general-interest news.”
Related Questions and Answers
Does Apple News include the Washington Post?
Readers may access renowned sites such as Axios Charlotte, the Charlotte Observer, Eater Miami, the Miami Herald, DCist, Washingtonian, the Washington Post, and more thanks to Apple News’ local news offerings.
What is the best news app?
2022’s Top 15 News Apps Yahoo News On iPhones and Android smartphones, the Google News and Weather app may now be downloaded for free. Windows News. Microsoft News, formerly MSN News, is simple to use and provides rapid access to the news you need. The Times of New York. Feedly. Reuters. economic climate Inoreader.
How much does Apple News pay publishers?
ANF also supports advertising, and when publishers sell advertisements inside of Apple News, they retain 100% of the money they make from such sales. Apple News is starting to give a commission rate of 15% on eligible in-app purchase subscriptions in order to encourage publishers that optimize more of their content in ANF.
Does Apple News Plus include New York Times?
On Apple devices, the tailored Apple News stream no longer included Times items alongside those from other publishers as of Monday. One of the first media companies to leave Apple News is The Times.
What is the cost of Apple News?
$20 per month
Does Apple News include Globe and Mail?
The publications offered cover a broad variety of topics, including cuisine, fashion, politics, and much more. Both current and previous editions are accessible. Leading publications like The Globe and Mail, Winnipeg Free Press, and The Wall Street Journal are examples of newspapers.
How does the Apple News app work?
The News app compiles all the articles you want to read, from your preferred sources, on the subjects you find most fascinating. You may customize News by selecting from a variety of publications (referred to as channels) and subjects like Entertainment, Food, and Science. Use of News requires a Wi-Fi or cellular connection.
How can I get Apple News for free?
The digital newsstand for the Mac, iPhone, and iPad is called Apple News Plus. You may sign up for a free six-month trial before paying the regular $10 monthly fee. (Apple typically provides a one-month trial period.)
How do I cancel Apple News?
When logged in, just click the account icon in the upper right corner, choose settings, then scroll to the bottom of the page to find your subscription. Any device with a browser, including a PC, a Mac, an Android phone, and other devices, may be used for this.
Is The Economist included in Apple News?
Our goal is to assist. The Economist is not included in the membership cost, according to the list of newspapers that are accessible with Apple News Plus. This implies that in order to read that newspaper via Apple News, you would need to buy a subscription for it separately.
How much is Apple TV monthly?
What magazines do you get with Apple News?
Over 300 periodicals are now supported by Apple News Plus. You may wish to look at all it has to offer if you want to sign up for the service. Discover Time’s News & Politics. New Yorker. The Vanity Fair. magazine from New York The ocean. Businessweek, Bloomberg. American Review. Mom Jones.
Is Forbes part of Apple News?
Only Apple News users have access to this channel. Open the URL on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac with macOS 10.14 or later with Apple News to access this channel.
How much is Apple News plus monthly?
$10.00 per month
Can Android use Apple News?
Every iOS device comes preinstalled with Apple News, which, like the majority of Apple’s applications, is still not accessible on Android operating systems.
How do I use Apple News Plus?
Read hundreds of periodicals, newspapers, and digital publications in the News app on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac by subscribing to Apple News+. on your iPod touch or iPhone Toggle to the News+ tab. To search for a magazine, choose Catalog at the top of the News+ stream. Below the magazine’s cover, choose Follow.
What is the best news app for iphones?
iPhone’s top ten news applications The CNN iPhone app (International edition) iPhone breaking news. iPhone app Pulse For iPhone, use AP Mobile. the iPhone app Zinio. For iPhone, use StumbleUpon. iPhone Instapaper. For the iPhone, fake news
Does Apple News have adult magazines?
Unfortunately, it seems that Apple has limited the Zinio material you may access in your library to general publications; explicit titles are just absent. Further investigation of the Zinio websites reveals a FAQ that confirms Apple does not yet permit the usage of pornographic publications on the iPad.
How many subscribers does Apple News have?
The app will have 11 million paying customers by 2020, according to the same expert. For a small monthly cost, Apple News+ customers get access to magazines and news sites’ paywall content via the Apple News app. Characteristic Subscription count in millions2023*191 more rows
Does Apple News include the Guardian?
The Guardian has removed its material from Apple News and Facebook’s Instant Articles format after being one of the early adopters of the Facebook Instant Article format back in 2015.
How do I add NYT to Apple News?
Click an article that needs an individual subscription in the News app on your Mac. Follow the on-screen instructions after clicking a subscription button (such as Subscribe Now) in the banner.
Why do you have to pay for Apple News?
You may access pay-to-read material at a discounted rate via Apple News+, a membership service. You pay a single amount to have access to all of the magazines rather than having to pay for each one separately (some of them cost more than $9.99/month on their own).
Is Apple going to stop making phones?
As soon as the new iPhone launches this year, Apple is reportedly intending to stop selling the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max. Additionally, according to HT Tech, the reasonably priced flagship iPhone SE 2020 will also be canceled. The manufacture of these models will be discontinued.
How do I print an article from Apple News?
each response A box with an arrow pointing out of it may be tapped in the top right corner. A Safari icon should be chosen. Regular printing choices ought should be present when the item opens in Safari.
Does Apple one cancel existing subscriptions?
Select Apple One. Pick a strategy. You don’t need to cancel your memberships to Apple Music, Apple News+, Apple Arcade, or Apple TV+ if you already have one. When you are invoiced for Apple One, they will be instantly cancelled.
Can Bill Gates buy Apple?
Additionally, since then, despite falling early in the year, Apple’s stock has climbed by roughly 25%. Bill Gates really invested $150 million in Apple shares in August 1997, long before this stock transaction, which is likely what kept the Cupertino business from going bankrupt.
Apple News is a news aggregator that is owned by Apple. The company has been criticized for the lack of journalistic standards in its content.
This Video Should Help:
- how to use apple news
- apple news competitors
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- apple news+ on mac


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- The FDA says its statistics on teen e-cigarette use show that widespread use of e-cigarettes, like those sold by Juul Labs, is reversing a trend of falling teen tobacco use rates.
- Juul took steps to cut its appeal to minors Nov. 13, but its critics say the company has already cemented its popularity with teens.
- The statistics come as the FDA proposes changes to limit minors’ ability to buy Juul products in stores and online.
Accusations that e-cigarette giant Juul built its empire in part by marketing its products to teenagers have resurfaced after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced its intent to crack down on widespread underage e-cigarette use Thursday.
Juul, worth roughly $16 billion, has distanced itself from its early ads featuring bright colors and youthful models to promote flavored e-cigarettes, which are believed to appeal to teens especially. But Juul’s current focus on its initial customer base, adults trying to quit smoking tobacco, is too late, Matthew Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, told The Daily Caller News Foundation.
“What we’ve found was from the very beginning, the manner in which Juul launched its product and all of its early marketing campaigns literally duplicated the kind of imagery the cigarette companies used 50 years ago to appeal to young people,” Myers told TheDCNF. “It was followed up by social media campaigns using similar imagery, young people by-and-large engaged in lifestyle activity that emphasized Juul’s role in being a happy, young, sexually attractive, socially successful person.”
The FDA’s renewed interest in e-cigarettes comes as the number of high school students who reported vaping in the previous 30 days skyrocketed. High school students classified as “current e-cigarette users” increased 78 percent between 2017 and 2018 to 3.05 million, according to a portion of the National Youth Tobacco Survey published Thursday. That’s roughly 21 percent of high school students, according to the FDA. (RELATED: Juul Temporarily Stops Selling Flavored E-Cigarette Pods As FDA Tries To Limit Underage Usage)
After rumors of an FDA crackdown especially on flavored e-cigarettes sold both in stores and online, Juul said Nov. 13 it is deactivating its Facebook and Instagram accounts. Juul, which controls roughly 70 percent of the U.S. e-cig market, has also removed “inappropriate material from third-party accounts” like videos that show younger people vaping, the company said on its website Nov. 13.
“There is no question that this user-generated social media content is linked to the appeal of vaping to underage users,” Juul wrote on the webpage Nov. 13. “This is why we have worked directly with social media platforms to remove tens of thousands of inappropriate posts.”
The FDA investigated Juul for potentially targeting teens in its ads and even seized documents from Juul’s San Francisco headquarters to look for evidence on Sept. 28, reported CBS News. But Myers said the ads it used to launch its products use techniques that implicitly target teens.
“If you want to advertise to adolescents, you don’t use super old people and you don’t use adolescents. Every adolescent wants to be a successful 20- to 25-year-old … and that’s what the Juul ads were,” Myers told TheDCNF.
Juul asserts it has never marketed to anyone underage. (RELATED: The FDA Commissioner Called Teen Vaping An Epidemic And Is Going After Juul. Here’s Why)
“In fact, we have done very little marketing relative to our growth,” Juul Labs spokesman Ted Kwong told TheDCNF. “The advertising mentioned was in 2015, short-lived, intended for adults and had very little impact on our growth … Our current marketing features former adult smokers who have switched to JUUL, and we also launched an educational campaign for parents.”
Silicon Valley e-cig startup Juul is facing a public health backlash for claims that it marketed to youth. The company maintains it did no such thing. Here’s a photo from its 2015 launch party https://t.co/aH7FpkbsLY pic.twitter.com/SunbehgZvz
— Erin Brodwin (@erbrod) August 27, 2018
To Myers, many of Juul’s marketing and public relations moves have parallels with the tobacco industry of a bygone era, including Juul’s failed attempts to get schools to use an anti-vaping curriculum it developed. The New York Times described the program as a “free, three-hour curriculum provided by Juul to discourage teens from using e-cigarettes by teaching them about their brains and giving them mindfulness exercises.”
Critics of the program said it needed to teach more than mindfulness, according to CNN.
“Juul said that it was developed based upon a program that Stanford University has,” Myers told TheDCNF. “What they didn’t say was that they eliminated the parts that the Stanford people found absolutely essential. They took out of the curriculum the section with the risks of flavors appealing to kids. … They also built the curriculum so that it was curriculum for e-cigarettes and marijuana so that the point of comparison wasn’t not smoking but was marijuana.”
Juul also included its logo “prominently” on the curriculum materials, Myers said.
“Studies of cigarette company curricula show that when kids see the logo for the cigarette company on school curriculum it adds to the credibility of the company and actually was associated with the increased likelihood that the kids would use the product, not a lower one,” Myers said.
Even if the FDA shoves flavored e-cigarette pods, including those sold by Juul, out of convenience stores for good, there’s still the fear that teens will deal Juuls and accessories to one another. Many teens do not understand how much nicotine one Juul can deliver and how quickly they can get hooked, Myers told TheDCNF. Some don’t even realize Juuls are e-cigarettes.
“During the last year and a half we’ve been hearing a lot of anecdotes from kids who say, ‘The first week I was using Juul, I did it because I thought it was cool. The second week I used Juul, I did it because I had to,'” Myers told TheDCNF.
E-cigarette giant Juul announced it would temporarily stop selling several flavors of its e-cigarette pods Nov. 13 after rumors of an announcement from the FDA about the agency’s plans to crack down on teen use of the company’s products and similar devices.
The FDA fines some retailers that sell e-cigarette products and accessories to minors. The FDA launched a “blitz” against 40 retailers to crack down on illicit sales in April.
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Xiangfeng Duan and co-authors develop electrode material that could enable construction of lithium-ion batteries with a high charging rate and storage capacity.
A UCLA professor of chemistry since 2008, Duan has pioneered unconventional material integration approaches to functional heterostructures for electronic and energy devices. He is an Associate Editor for the journal
. In 2019, Duan was named one of the most influential scientific researchers by Clarivate Analytics and his forward-looking perspective on “van der Waals integration before and beyond two-dimensional materials” was featured in
’s 150th anniversary special collection. To learn more about Duan’s research, visit his group’s website.
From PhysicsWord by Isabelle Dumé:
MATERIALS FOR ENERGY RESEARCH UPDATE
Black phosphorus composite makes a better battery
A new electrode material could make it possible to construct lithium-ion batteries with a high charging rate and storage capacity. If scaled up, the anode material developed by researchers at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) and colleagues in the US might be used to manufacture batteries with an energy density of more than 350 watt-hours per kilogram – enough for a typical electric vehicle (EV) to travel 600 miles on a single charge.
Lithium ions are the workhorse in many common battery applications, including electric vehicles. During operation, these ions move back and forth between the anode and cathode through an electrolyte as part of the battery’s charge-discharge cycle. A battery’s performance thus depends largely on the materials used in the electrodes and electrolyte, which need to be able to store and transfer many lithium ions in a short period – all while remaining electrochemically stable – so they can be recharged hundreds of times. Maximizing the performance of all these materials at the same time is a longstanding goal of battery research, yet in practice, improvements in one usually comes at the expense of the others.
Pictured above right: The black phosphorus composite material connected by carbon-phosphorus covalent bonds has a more stable structure and a higher lithium ion storage capacity. Credit: DONG Yihan, SHI Qianhui and LIANG Yan
“A typical trade-off lies in the storage capacity and rate capability of the electrode material,” co-team leader Hengxing Ji tells Physics World. “For example, anode materials with high lithium storage capacity, such as silicon, are usually reported as having low lithium-ion conductivity, which hinders fast battery [charging]. As a result, the increase in battery capacity usually leads to a long charging time, which represents a critical roadblock for more widespread adoption of EVs.”
New black phosphorus anode material
The anode in most lithium-ion batteries is made of graphite. Researchers led by Ji at USTC and Xiangfeng Duan at the University of California, Los Angeles, made their new anode material by combining graphite with black phosphorus. This 2D layered material had been considered before as a candidate for anodes, but tests showed that its electrochemical performance was far below its theoretical potential.
One reason for the shortfall is that the material’s structure deforms during battery operation. This deformation, which begins at the edges of the black phosphorus layers, reduces the material’s quality to such an extent that lithium ions cannot easily transfer through it.
By combining black phosphorous with graphite, Ji, Duan and colleagues showed that the chemical bonds between the two materials stabilize the edge structure and prevent unwanted edge changes. To overcome the continued formation and build-up of an ionically less conductive solid-electrolyte interphase, the team applied a thin polyaniline gel coating to the electrode materials – a strategy that also reinforced the transport path for lithium ions.
Towards higher energy density and fast charging
The researchers tested the charging-cycle performance of their new electrode material by preparing sample electrodes using a method that is compatible with industrial fabrication processes. They found that their test devices had reversible capacities of 910 mA.hour/g, 790 mA.hour/g and 440 mA.hour/g after more than 2000 cycles at 2.6 A/g, 5.2 A/g and 13 A/g, respectively. For context, an anode material that can charge at 13 A/g with a reversible capacity of 440 mA.hour/g implies that an advanced lithium-ion battery made with this technology could be charged in less than 10 minutes.
Ionic scissors cut out phosphorene nanoribbons
“If scalable production can be achieved, this material may provide an alternative, updated graphite anode, and move us toward a lithium-ion battery with an energy density of higher than 350 watts-hour per kilogram,” says Sen Xin, a researcher at the Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and one of the study’s co-first authors.This figure, he adds, means that an electric vehicle equipped with such a battery could travel 600 miles on a single charge – making it competitive with conventional combustion-engine vehicles. By way of comparison, the Tesla Model S can travel 400 miles on one charge.
Full details of the research are published in Science.
Penny Jennings, UCLA Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, email@example.com.


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Per the filing, the October trading volume was $47 billion. Meanwhile, revenue from retail transactions amounted to $346.1 million.
Coinbase (NASDAQ: COIN) has published a financial statement detailing its Q3 2022 earnings and revenue. According to the report, the company has been severely impacted by macroeconomic and geopolitical conditions which have made the crypto market bleed.
According to the report, Coinbase’s monthly transacting users (MTUs) in the quarter exceeded the estimates. After 9.2 million users in the first quarter and 9 million in the second quarter, analysts estimated $7.84 million, according to StreetAccount. However, the company pulled 8.5 million MTUs for the quarter. Coinbase projects that its average MTU at the end of the year will be below 9 million.
Per the filing, the October trading volume was $47 billion. Meanwhile, revenue from retail transactions amounted to $346.1 million. While the company’s revenue was only $590 million as against an estimated $654 million by analysts, it amounted to a 50% loss from its equivalent last year. Also, the firm lost $2.43 per share as against $2.40 by analysts.
Following another poor quarter, Coinbase chief product officer Surojit Chatterjee announced he was stepping down. While Chatterjee will continue to advise the CEO Brian Armstrong, product directors will now report directly to the CEO.
Coinbase to Be More Cautious
After the setback earlier in the year, Coinbase admitted the firm grew too fast, ending 2021 with over 3700 staff. However, after the market nosedived in 2022, the company scaled back on recruitment. It also cut a fifth of its workforce, resulting in about 1000 job cuts.
Coinbase said that in the fourth quarter “we expect lower trading volume and a similar number of MTUs compared to our Q3 results.”
For next year, the company noted that it was going to be conservative in its approach as it expects the macroeconomic conditions that have dragged down the market to continue. While the company remains optimistic, it plans to approach with caution, operating within its $500 million ‘loss guardrail’ determined for the year.
Despite the setbacks, Coinbase partnered with BlackRock in August to allow seamless market entry for institutional investors. There are suggestions that institutional interest remains strong in the market despite the current downturn.


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FCC chief counters industry proposal for cell phone fees
He wants pro-rated charges for those canceling contracts
The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission laid out a plan Thursday to regulate the high fees that cellular phone companies charge customers for canceling their contracts early.
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin's proposal is similar to an industry plan put forward last month.
Martin said he is skeptical that class-action lawsuits would adequately resolve all the pending issues about the unpopular fees. The chairman made his comments at a public hearing.
Companies charge early-termination fees that can range from $150 to $225 to recover the cost of cell phones, which they subsidize under long-term service contracts, according to wireless companies. The fees also defray costs for signing up new customers, companies said.
The fees have resulted in class-action lawsuits in several states and legislative proposals on Capitol Hill and in state legislatures.
Martin did not commit the commission to regulating the fees, but outlined the way such a system should work if it did. His plan would require the fees be related to the actual cost of the phones. A fee for a $50 phone would be higher than for a $5 phone, he said.
Martin said such fees should be pro-rated, or reduced over the time of the contract. The nation's two largest wireless carriers have both begun pro-rating fees, with other national carriers promising to follow.
The chairman also said the contract should be a reasonable length of time and extension of contracts should not necessarily include a renewal of the termination fee.
Finally, he said, consumers should have a chance to examine their first bill before they are subjected to the fees.
The Associated Press revealed details last month of the industry's efforts to help consumers avoid such fees in exchange for letting companies off the hook in state courts where they are being sued for hundreds of millions of dollars by angry customers.
State officials have resisted the imposition of federal control over the fees, saying state protections are more responsive to consumers.


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If you ever rent a car, we have an important consumer alert for you. More and more renters are complaining about breakdowns, after receiving a car with tens of thousands of miles on it.
For Joanie Flaig, her husband, and daughter, it was to be the trip of a lifetime, to Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon.
But they didn't expect they'd have to make the trip in a rental car from a major agency with a sputtering engine and worn tires.
"My husband noticed that the drivers side rear tire was completely bald. He said, wow, we have a long way to go, that could be an issue," Flaig said.
Joanie says they were several hundred miles from the rental counter when their Chrysler 200, with more than 45 thousand miles on the odometer, started exhibiting middle aged car problems.
We were somewhere between the Wyoming Utah border, in the middle of mountains, no cell coverage, and the engine light came on," Flaig said.
Turns out it was leaking coolant.
" We opened it up and noticed it had less than a cup of water, and hardly any coolant whatsoever," Flaig said.
Joanie and her family managed to limp it to another rental office, where they traded the Chrysler for another car.
But the Wall Street Journal says this is becoming more common, as rental fleets get older and older.
It says low mileage rental cars are getting harder to find. But Joanie says next time, they will be a lot more careful.
"We will check the mileage and if it has more than 45,000 miles, I will probably go in a say I want a different car," Flaig said.
Bottom line... If you end up with a stinky, high mileage used car, don't leave the lot with it. Ask to see what else is available. It may save you some hassles down the road.


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You are now following the details of the Dubai’s non-oil foreign trade delivers solid growth in first half of 2019 news and now we leave you with the details
Mohamed Nass - Dubai - Dubai recorded a non-oil foreign trade of AED 676 billion in the first half of 2019, an increase of 5% year-on-year from AED 644 billion in the corresponding half last year. The first-half figures, which represent a staggering growth of 87% from 2009, reflect the ability of the emirate’s trade sector to raise its strength and competitiveness despite a challenging global trade environment.
Exports registered the highest rise at 17% to reach AED 76 billion while re-exports were up 3% at AED 210 billion and imports grew 4% at AED 390 billion.
Dubai’s non-oil foreign trade volumes surged 31% year-on-year in the first half of 2019. Data released by Dubai Customs showed that the total volume of the emirate’s foreign trade reached 56 million tonnes; a record jump from 43 million tonnes registered in H1 last year. Exports rose by 46% to 10 million tonnes, re-exports were up 39% to 9 million tonnes and imports increased 26% to reach 38 million tonnes.
Commenting on the non-oil foreign trade growth, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai said: “The strong performance of Dubai’s foreign trade reflects the robust fundamentals of our economy and our ability to generate fresh growth opportunities even in an adverse global environment. Dubai’s ability to maintain high levels of trade growth is a tribute to the vision and planning of its leaders who sought to drive economic diversification at an early stage and create a hard and soft infrastructure that empowers growth. Dubai has constantly worked to introduce innovative policies and services that facilitate global trade through Dubai, in the process, transforming itself into one of the world’s foremost trading hubs. Dubai’s flexibility, ability to adapt to change and its responsiveness to the needs of businesses and investors have made it a model for sustainable growth.”
“The diversified profile of Dubai’s foreign trade reflects not only its strengths in traditional sectors but also its emergence as a hub and major market for technological innovation. The latest results also point to Dubai’s rapidly growing trading links with the world’s fastest growing economies. As the Dubai Silk Road project begins to take shape, the outlook for the emirate’s foreign trade is set to get even better,” His Highness added.
The emirate’s foreign trade out of free zones was the biggest contributor to the increase in total trade in H1 2019 accounting for AED 287 billion (+12% YoY). Direct trade continued to be the largest contributor to total trade at AED 386 billion (+1% YoY). Customs warehouses trade accounted for AED 4 billion.
All transfer modes witnessed increases in value in H1 2019. Air and sea trade accounted for 83% of total trade. Trade by land saw the highest increase at AED 114 billion (+8% YoY), while air accounted for AED 311 billion (+3% YoY), and sea trade recorded AED 252 billion (+6% YoY).
Sultan bin Sulayem, DP World Group Chairman & CEO and Chairman of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation (PCFC) said: “Undoubtedly these are challenging times with the global trade war and regional geopolitical tensions causing uncertainty and despite this backdrop, Dubai has delivered non-oil trade growth of 5% in the H1 2019 to AED 676 billion. With the continued upward trend of the foreign trade sector, we have reasons to be positive about the future of our national economy.
“The strong growth delivered by non-oil foreign trade is a healthy sign of how resilient and appealing the Dubai economy is, which further reinforces Dubai’s profile as a key regional and international trading hub.”
Bin Sulayem further pointed out that the PCFC and Dubai Customs are constantly innovating and developing customs processes with the use of smart, automated technology-based systems to enable traders to do business more efficiently while saving them time and cost, which will boost growth further and add more value to trading across Dubai.
Asia Biggest Trade Partner, Trade with India Up 20%
While China remained the largest trading partner, there was a 20% growth year-on-year in trade with India. The top three trading countries by value remained the same as H1 2018 with the biggest trading partners being China, followed by India and the USA. These contributed AED 71 billion (+4% YoY), AED 67 billion (+20% YoY) and AED 39 billion (-1% YoY) respectively to the total value traded in H1 2019.
Saudi Arabia maintained its position as Dubai’s largest Arab and GCC trade partner and fourth globally with AED 27.7 billion. Switzerland came fifth at AED 26.5 billion worth of trade.
Trade in Precious Metals and Stones Up 3%
The total value of gold, diamonds and jewellery traded through Dubai in H1 2019 totalled AED 180 billion, an increase of 3% YoY. The telecom market (AED 79 billion) was the second highest contributor and trade in petroleum oils more than doubled from last year at AED 48 billion. Motors accounted for AED 33 billion.
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1) The trust funds for Social Security are in trouble and will run dry by 2035. But Social Security is not going bankrupt because the program’s primary source of revenue is payroll taxes, which at present is 12.4% of pay. So even if the trust fund should run out, Social Security still would have the money to largely keep up with benefits. A much greater danger for retirees is high inflation, for historically the first to suffer from a collapsing economy are those on fixed incomes.
2) The recently signed phase one agreement with China made for a cease-fire in the trade, but leaves the tariffs largely in place, with some considering the tariffs to be the new norm in international trade. China has committed to making $200 billion dollars in purchases from America. The agreement does not address the intellectual property issues, both the forced intellectual transfers and out right theft.
3) Claims for unemployment benefits fell more than expected last week, indicating a sustained strong labor market. Claims dropped 10,000 last week to 204,000 with the labor market remaining on a solid footing, the unemployment rate holding near a fifty year low of 3.5% for December. Layoffs were in manufacturing, transportation and warehousing.
4) Stock market closings for – 16 JAN 20:
Dow 29,297.64 up 267.42 Nasdaq 9,357.13 up 98.44 S&P 500 3,316.81 up 27.52
1) Ford Motor Company’s sales in China has declined for the third straight year, falling by 26.1%. The company has been trying to revive sales in China after the decline started in 2017 and plans to introduce thirty new models in the next three years, with a third being electric models. General Motors has also experienced a decline in sales of 15% this last year.
2) One of the largest suppliers of parts to Boeing’s 737 MAX, Spirit AeroSystems, is laying off 2,800 workers. Based in Wichita Kansas, will eliminate 20% of its workforce. Smaller layoffs will happen at its facilities in Tulsa and McAlester, with half its annual sales from parts for the 737 MAX. Since last February, Spirit’s stock has fell from a high of $100 a share to $71.50 on news of the layoffs.
3) Expectations are that the U.S. will remove China from its list of currency manipulators two days before the signing of initial U.S. – China trade agreement. Part of the agreement is that both nations will not devalue its currency to gain a competitive advantages of exports. Labeling China a currency manipulator was viewed largely as a symbolic action.
4) Stock market closings for – 13 JAN 20: Stocks are up 495% in the past decade.
Dow 28,907.05 up 83.28 Nasdaq 9,273.93 up 95.07 S&P 500 3,288.13 up 22.78
1) The aircraft manufacturer Boeing Aircraft has announced it is bringing production of the 737 MAX to a temporary halt the first of January. Boeing is America’s largest manufacturing exporter and the largest component of the Dow Jones industrial average, so there are fears that Boeing’s decision will send shockwaves through the American economy. Boeing will redeploy workers on the MAX production line to other projects therefore avoiding layoffs and furloughs. After the aircraft’s grounding nine months ago, Boeing has continually encountered hurdles with domestic and global regulators.
2) Stocks closed at record highs on Monday, their fourth straight gain, a result of the Phase One trade deal between China and the U.S., clearing the way for Wall Street to end a banner year. A further positive note is strong economic data out of China, topping expectations, with American economic data showing positive signs too.
3) For the last few years, sprits distillers have seen explosive growth, a result of a tax cut from the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act. But this tax cut is due to expire on 31 December, resulting in a 400% increase in Federal liquor tax, which would put the brakes on the distilling business. Renewing the tax break is running into congressional dysfunction and partisan fighting over taxes and spending.
4) Stock market closings for – 16 DEC 19:
Dow 28,235.89 up 100.51 Nasdaq 8,814.23 up 79.35 S&P 500 3,191.45 up 22.65
1) The Trump administration has reached a trade deal in principle with China. Reportedly, the United States has offered to cut existing tariffs on Chinese goods by as much as 50%, while also suspending new tariffs that are scheduled to become effective on Sunday. This is a bid to secure a “Phase One” trade deal. The 50% tariff reduction would be on $375 billion dollars of Chinese goods, and $160 billion dollars in goods scheduled to become effective on the fifteenth of December.
2) The natural gas boom has fizzled because of a glut in U.S. gas with sinking profits. Hydraulic fracturing has uncorked a lucrative new source of natural gas supply, with billions of dollars poured into export terminals to ship gas to China and Europe. But the drop in gas prices has caused a bust with energy companies shutting down drilling rigs, filing for bankruptcy protection and slashing the value of shale fields. The supply of gas has far outstripped demand and the over-supply likely to remain for several more years.
3) The number of applications for unemployment jumped to more than a two year high last week, but experts don’t think this signals a coming round of layoffs. Claims are up by 49,000 for a seasonally adjusted 252,000 for the week ending the seventh of December. The previous week, claims had dropped to 203,000, which was a seven month low. In the same period, the government reported adding 266,000 new jobs to the economy.
4) Stock market closings for – 12 DEC 19:
Dow 28,132.05 up 220.75 Nasdaq 8,717.32 up 63.27 S&P 500 3,168.57 up 26.94
1) As part of its restructuring plan, HP announced they will cut about 7,000 to 9,000 jobs, resulting in an estimated savings of about $1 billion dollars. While HP expects to incur labor and non-labor cost of about $1 billion dollars, they expect to generate at lease $3 billion dollars of free cash flow. As of 31 October 2018, HP had world wide employment of about 55,000 workers.
2) Consumer spending has been the bright spot in an economy showing signs of weakening on multiple fronts, in particular manufacturing. Economists worry if consumer spending will continue to prop up the economy, saying that the up coming Christmas season will be a test. Issues such as trade, interest rates, global risk factors and political rhetoric are where confidence can be eroded by deterioration of these items.
3) The new Costco in Shanghai China reports membership of more than 200,000 as compared to an American average of 68,000 per store. Costco will open a second Shanghai location in early 2021. The first day opening, the store was so swamped with customers, that the doors had to be closed for four hours to limit the number of people inside to safe limits.
4) Stock market closings for – 4 OCT 19:
Dow 26,573.72 up 372.68 Nasdaq 7,982.47 up 110.21 S&P 500 2,952.01 up 41.38
1) Despite positive last quarters, both General Motors and Ford Motor company’s are concerned about the U.S. auto market taking a turn for the worse. Shares for the two automakers, as well as Fiat Chrysler, fell because of smaller figures for the quarter, although smaller than market analysis projected. There are also concerns of the overall impact from a slowing U.S. and international economies with the impact it would have on new car sales.
2) For the second day, the stock markets nose dived with the Dow losing more than 800 points these last two days. Fears of an economic recession cause the Dow to lose 490 points on Wednesday, with indications that manufacturing is slowing down, and even though manufacturing accounts for only 10% of the economy, investors see this as an indication that the economy is contracting soon with a possible recession in the near future.
3) With the markets in decline, there is a lot riding on the up coming job numbers this Friday. Fears of a coming recession could be reinforced with poor job numbers signaling that a recession is nearing. So far, there is little evidence of layoffs on the rise despite scattered reports that more companies are cutting jobs.
4) Stock market closings for – 2 OCT 19:
Dow 26,078.62 down 494.42 Nasdaq 7,785.25 down 123.44 S&P 500 2,887.61 down 52.64
1) America now has such a surplus of natural gas, that it’s being burned off instead of sold and used. The problem isn’t a lack of a market to sell to, rather it is insufficient distribution infrastructure. There isn’t enough pipeline capacity to get the gas from the oil fields to customers. In West Texas, enough gas is burned off each day to fuel every house in Texas. Natural gas prices are negative in some areas as producers pay people to take the gas off their hands.
2) The international banking giant Deutsche Bank is getting out of the investment banking by closing its equities business. This restructuring will result in posting a $3.1 billion dollar loss for the second quarter and an overall loss of $8.3 billion dollar into 2022. Additionally, there will be a loss of 18,000 jobs or one fifth of their labor force.
3) The summer labor force of teenagers is shrinking as American youth opt for summer school and extracurricular activities. Only about 40% of highschool age kids are working during their summer vacations, compared to more than 60% in the twentieth century. This leaves businesses with a dilemma of find enough workers, especially those business which are more active in the summer months and need that extra short term labor boost. Much of this shift is because of increased emphasis on education for the young, who opt for summer school and summer college prep programs instead of earning some pocket money.
4) Stock market closings for- 8 JUL 19:
Dow 26,806.14 down 115.98 Nasdaq 8,098.38 down 63.41 S&P 500 2,975.95 down 14.46
1) The U.S. economy has entered its 121st month of economic growth setting a new record. Some experts are saying the real economic recovery may only be in its infancy. It’s just this last year that the gross domestic product caught up with estimates of its potential. Periods when GDP exceed potential are when workers typically enjoy the greatest wage gains. There are concerns of a changing environment with global trade disputes and other risks slowing down the economy.
2) Another daily newspaper has announce it is closing down, in what this year has been a rash of daily newspaper closing as well as massive layoffs. The Vindicator of Youngstown Ohio, which just celebrated its 150th anniversary, will cease publication the end of August, with 144 people losing their jobs. Virtually all daily newspapers have had deep cuts in staff these last couple of years, giving credence to the prediction that all the daily newspapers in America will be gone in ten years, displaced by newer mass media technologies.
3) The Payless ShoeSource is going out of business, closing all of its 2,500 retail stores. Once the largest and most successful family owned business in the country, the chain is succumbing to competition from big-box stores and on-line retailers. Founded in the 1960s, its demise could be the largest retail liquidation in history. Payless strategy uses customer self help allowing a minimal labor force of one manager and a couple of cashiers.
4) Stock market closings for- 2 JUL 19:
Dow 26,556.14 up 19.32 Nasdaq 7,958.05 up 45.06 S&P 500 2,926.73 up 12.95
1) Consumer spending increased in May as well as prices creeping up too. Both point to a slowing economic growth and benign inflation pressures. These two facts gives the Federal Reserve more reason to cut interest rates next month. Inflation is under the 2% target for this year with a projected 1.5% verses 1.8% originally expected. Consumer spending is about two thirds the U.S. economy.
2) Consumerism is changing fast, with a push to ‘no cashier checkouts’. Amazon Go stores are pushing the technology where sales payment is made automatically just by picking out items and walking out the door. E-commerce and on-line shopping continue their assault on traditional brick and mortar stores. Another strategy is showrooms in place of stores that allow the customer to try out products prior to purchasing them. Finally, drone delivery allows getting your purchases at home in less time than it takes to drive to and from a store. All these new technologies are coming together with increased profits by reducing labor cost.
3) The weekly jobless claims has increased more than expected, although there is no sign of significant layoffs as the economy slows down. Unemployment claims were 227,000 up by 10,000. The economy is slowing with manufacturing sliding down and the trade deficient widening as consumer confidence ebbs.
4) Stock market closings for- 28 JUN 19: Results from bank stress test edged markets up. Best June performance since 1938.
Dow 26,599.96 up 73.38 Nasdaq 8,006.24 up 38.49 S&P 500 2,941.76 up 16.84
1) British Steel, Britain’s second biggest steel maker, collapsed on Wednesday. This leaves 5,000 jobs directly at risk, while also threatening another 20,000 at suppliers. The company had been seeking a $95 million dollar loan to cover losses suffered because of European orders lost from the uncertainty of Brexit. European steel manufactures have been under pressure from Chinese steel manufactures, with Europe taking antidumping measures against China.
2) The collapse of airline Wow Air is having a detrimental effect on Iceland’s economy. The airline had turn tourism into Iceland’s major economic boom which pulled Iceland out of its financial collapse over a decade ago. In addition, Iceland has suffered a disastrous fishing season. With Wow Air out of business, tourism is expected to drop dramatically.
3) The Dollar General store chain is making its millions of profit via catering to those in the lower economic strata. About 57% of Dollar General’s customers come from households of less than $49,000 yearly income, with 30% less than $25,000. The company has been able to sidestep the recent meltdown of retailing that has ravaged other big retailers, despite having a minimum of e-commerce.
4) 22 MAY 19 Stock market closings:
Dow 25,776.61 down 100.72 Nasdaq 7,750.84 down 34.88 S&P 500 2,856.27 down 8.09


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TVS Motor Company has rolled
out the MY 2019 TVS Apache RTR 180. The
premium motorcycle brand recently crossed a key sales milestone of 3 million
units and this refreshed model introduction is part of the celebration.
The motorcycle is available in
five colours - Pearl White, Gloss Black, T Grey, Matte Blue and Matte Red. The Apache RTR 180 is priced at RS 84,578
(Ex-showroom, New Delhi) and Apache RTR 180 ABS version is priced at Rs 95,392
(Ex-showroom, New Delhi).
The new TVS Apache RTR 180
will now come with a unique race inspired graphics showcasing its winning
streak on the race track. The refreshed
model has many new features including a white back-lit speedometer with
dial-art, novel Alcantara like finish seats, a crash guard with integrated
frame sliders and a forged handlebar end weights for detailed premium
The motorcycle is developed to
deliver a top speed of 114 km/h, making it the fastest motorcycle in its class.
TVS Apache RTR 180 is the first-in-class to introduce Dual- channel ABS on
Indian roads, giving the bike formidable stopping power and superior braking
control that compliments its high-performance capability.
Uno Minda, a leading Tier 1 supplier of proprietary automotive solutions to original equipment manufacturers, has launched its new premium range of alloy wheels in the Indian aftermarket in collaborat...
Greaves Retail, India's leading fuel-agnostic mobility solutions provider and a unit of Greaves Cotton Limited, has announced the launch of its complete range of e-rickshaw batteries under the brand '...
Kia India is now offering an electric sunroof in its Sonet Smartstream G1.2 HTK+ variant. The model will be available at Rs 9.76 lakh. Sonet has already more than 3.3 lakh customers in last three year...


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Are your light-colored locks destined to go green this summer? (Photo credit: Stocksy/Jovana Rikalo)
Chlorine is commonly assumed to be the culprit behind Kermit-colored hair. But the truth is, another compound designed to keep the pool clean may actually be what’s turning your hair green.
Copper sulfate is often added to swimming pools to combat algae, according to the authors of a 2014 case study about a 15-year-old girl whose blonde hair was turning progressively green. “Copper compounds in the water bind to the protein on the surface of the hair shaft and deposit their color,” the researchers explain. (This can also occur if your home has new copper piping.)
Although blonde hair is the most likely shade to go green, “it happens to other colors also,” says Steve Pullan, a trichologist at the Philip Kingsley hair clinic in New York City. “You just don’t notice it as much.” As a hair scientist, he sees green-haired goddesses all summer long — and has noticed a trend among these clients: They’ve often bleached their tresses.
Related: 9 Sneaky Hair Loss Culprits
“Even natural hair can become green,” Pullan tells Yahoo Health. But coloring your hair — especially when bleach is involved — makes the shaft of each strand more porous, allowing your locks to absorb the pool chemicals more easily. In fact, in a study called “The Green Hair Problem,” conducted way back in 1979, researchers found that hair treated with peroxide or damaged by the sun was more likely to suck up copper.
To shield your strands, soak them with fresh water before diving into the pool. That way, “the hair is already wet, like a sponge,” says Pullan. The result? It’s less likely to absorb the copper-tinged pool water. Even better, wet your hair and coat it with conditioner before swimming. Pullan recommends Philip Kingsley’s Swimcap Cream, originally developed for the U.S. Olympic synchronized swimming team — it contains sunscreen to shield your hair from UV rays, while also creating a protective barrier against copper. Afterward, rinse off in the pool shower to eliminate any lingering chemicals.
Still have a green-hair mishap? You may be able to mask the funky hue with a shampoo formulated to prevent gray and blonde hair from going brassy, says Pullan. In addition, “we deep-condition to lift out impurities and cleanse the scalp very thoroughly,” he says. You can also try a chelating shampoo — that is, one capable of stripping away mineral-build-up — such as Redken Hair Cleansing Cream Shampoo.
Your Next Read: Summer Water Workout
Have a personal health story to share? We want to hear it. Tell us at email@example.com.


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Dutch chef Nick Bril announced in his Instagram about the new restaurant he opens in April in Antwerp, Belgium.
The restaurant will be housed in a new hotel called August Antwerp, that is set to open on the site of the right across The Jane, two Michelin starred restaurant of succesful chef.
The Dutch chef who partnered with Sergio Herman to open The Jane after working with him at Oud Sluis for many years, said the new restaurant will be more simple and more accessible than the cuisine of The Jane.
“The hoteliers of Hotel Julien, a renowned boutique hotel in Antwerp contacted me as they were opening a hotel just a few metres away from our restaurant. They wanted to speak about the possibility that guests at their hotel would be able to book a table at The Jane,” Nick told Food and Wine Gazette.
Nick said that the hotel will strengthen the Jane in terms of being able to offer rooms for visitors who come to the restaurant. “It is a win win for us. It gives me the possibility to have a second restaurant and a hotel that is extremely close to The Jane.”


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Shipt workers to strike over pay structure
Workers for the Target-owned grocery delivery service Shipt are striking Wednesday in protest of the company rolling out a less transparent payment structure nationwide.
The walk-off will coincide with the day that the new pay model will take effect in 12 metro areas, including Chicago, Tampa, Richmond, Va., and Portland, Ore.
Shipt shoppers are raising alarm over the change, which they say would likely reduce pay by at least 30 percent based on a similar pay shift that occurred at the end of 2019.
While Shipt previously had a simple model for calculating payouts — a 7.5 percent commission on all orders plus $5 — the new model, dubbed V2, rolled out in some markets last year doles out pay based on a black box algorithm.
“We do not like the transparency because we’re not able to calculate or figure out exactly how it is that we’re being compensated,” Willy Solis, one of the strike’s organizers and a shopper in Texas, told The Hill on Monday.
While Shipt stresses that the model being introduced to new metro areas this week is not exactly the same as V2, the differences are hard to spot, especially since the algorithms are not made public.


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Cavagnaro’s Shoe Repair a Stockton mainstay for three generations
STOCKTON — Cavagnaro’s Shoe Repair has been a staple in Stockton since Dan Cavagnaro’s grandfather, Tony, bought the family’s first store on Weber Avenue in 1935.
Cavagnaro’s dad, John, and his uncle, Leonard, took over the business from his grandfather when he retired in the 1970s. But the cobbler tradition of his family actually goes back four generations, starting with his great grandfather in Italy.
Watching Cavagnaro work, it’s hard to believe he had ever wanted to do anything besides fixing shoes. But Cavagnaro said taking over the family business was never something he aspired to, instead choosing to go to school to learn how to build hot rods and do upholstery.
That all changed when his dad got sick. Cavagnaro said he realized that the family business was where he belonged.
“When my dad was on his deathbed, I told him I'm going to come back and take the store over, and you should have seen the way it made him,” Cavagnaro said. “I gave two weeks’ notice on my other the job. I came to work here on Tuesday and my dad died on Wednesday. It’s like he waited for me to get here.”
Cavagnaro bought the business from his uncle two years later in 2015.
At one time, the family had three locations and employed about 17 people. Now, it’s just him and his mom at the family’s only shop in Lincoln Center.
He still keeps his classic cars parked out front just like his dad did, and his dogs Ginger, Fred and Elvis meander around the shop as Cavagnaro plugs away at the piles of shoes that surround him.
Signs and a clock from his grandfather’s first store hang on the walls, along with dozens of photos of the Cavagnaro family and shoe repair awards. A ticket machine that‘s about 100 years old sits on the counter and is still used for customer orders to this day.
So what’s the secret to staying in business for 85 years?
“Just do a good quality job at a fair price, and your work will speak for itself,” Cavagnaro said. “If you do good work, they're going to follow you. That's always been our philosophy.”
Customers still come to him from places like Rio Vista, Cavagnaro said. A few others even mail their shoes.
“I have one guy in Wisconsin that moved,” Cavagnaro said. “He sends me his shoes and then I send them back. ’Cause he knows we do good work.”
Claudia, Cavagnaro‘s mom, has worked in the family business on and off since she married her husband in 1965. She says their long tenure is the result of consistency.
"Hopefully, pleasing the customer as much as we can and doing the best we can with what we have to work with,” she said.
Another thing that saves him is every woman has a pair of black boots that they can’t do without, Cavagnaro said.
Business has gotten tougher over the years, Cavagnaro said. But if it were easy, everybody would be doing it.
“We live in a throwaway society,” Cavagnaro said, adding that today, shoes are also made with cheaper and less-sturdy materials. “A lot of people just throw shoes away now instead of getting them fixed.”
He still sometimes has more work than he can handle, though, often resulting in 10 to 15 hours a day six or seven days a week. And it’s not just fixing shoes. Cavagnaro pretty much does it all: dyeing, polishing, cleaning, custom lifts, restoring gun holsters, replacing baseball mitts, fixing zippers on purses and golf bags, reinforcing running shoes so they don’t tear, orthopedics, broken buckles and much more.
“A little bit of everything; anything I could make a dollar doing,” Cavagnaro said.
No one is left to continue on the business when Cavagnaro retires. He wants to work until he turns 65 because that will be in 2035, a century after his grandfather started Cavagnaro’s Shoe Repair.
“There’s some Fortune 500 companies that don’t make it 100 years,” Cavagnaro said. “If a shoe repair place my grandpa started for our little family, to do it 100 years would be a pretty big feather in my cap.”
It gives him pride that people in Stockton still recognize the Cavagnaro name.
“My dad always told me that you're never going to get rich, but you know if you work hard, you'll have a nice place to live and a couple cars,” Cavagnaro said.
Contact reporter Cassie Dickman at (209) 546-8299 or email@example.com. Follow her on Twitter @byCassieDickman.


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Last month, Microsoft found time to release an SDK for the Xbox 360 Kinect peripheral—after a gigantic amount of hooplah when people discovered how imminently hackable the device is—and it’s been leaving other contenders in the dust ever since. This month, at the Game Developer’s Conference, Sony has revealed that they too want to get into the business of offering academia and homebrew programmers a chance to cut their teeth on Sony’s motion-capture peripheral: the Move.
Yesterday, in a post on Sony’s blog, they revealed some of the details surrounding their new academic SDK and how they expect it might change the future of their own achievements in the gaming industry,
Hi Gamers, John McCutchan, Senior Engineer with SCEA’s Developer Support team, here to tell you about an exciting initiative we’re unveiling for PlayStation Move during GDC this week. Later today, I’ll be giving a presentation on Move.Me, a new software application that provides academics and hobbyists access to PlayStation Move’s technology, enabling them to create entirely new applications using a PC, the Move motion controller, the PlayStation Eye, and the power of the PlayStation 3 system. We know many of you might not be able to make the trek to San Francisco for the show, so we wanted to give you a quick overview of Move.Me here.
When we launched PlayStation Move last September, we knew it would set a new benchmark for precision in motion controlled gaming. Even before PlayStation Move was publicly available to all of you, we were talking about the device’s potential implications for academics and researchers. While visiting conferences like Games for Health and SIGGRAPH last year, these same researchers and academics expressed strong interest in utilizing PlayStation Move’s cutting edge technology for their own purposes. Move.Me is the result of these conversations, and is an opportunity for PlayStation to inspire new, revolutionary applications in other fields beyond gaming.
The weird thing about this SDK is that it seems that it actively requires the PS3 to do the processing for the Move peripheral. This is not the case with the Microsoft Kinect and in fact has been possibly a giant mover in the innovation direct towards the Kinect—that people could just take the device, plug it into their PC, and go from there.
Perhaps Sony overlooked that, or they’re simply unwilling to unlock the secrets of the drivers and software that underlie the proprietary motion capture system.
That’s a huge disadvantage when it comes to homebrew hacking. Consoles may be computers themselves, dedicated to the purpose of providing games and apps to consumers, but most of them don’t really represent so much dedicated power that they cannot be virtualized on a reasonably powerful personal rig.
Is Sony going to release the virtual machine that does the pattern and motion recognition processing for the PC so that people can skip the Sony PS3 step entirely? Hopefully so, since when academics actually produce something useful for these devices, it’ll be a little bit bizarre if every implementation must also install a PS3 component into their equipment (or connect it to their computer) in order to make use of it.
If they don’t, someone will do what they did with Kinect and backwards engineer the motion capture software black boxed in the PS3 and get it to run on the PC instead.
All that said, it’s good to see another game console move in to push into Microsoft’s current dominant territory. Competition will be good for innovation and force some sort of reaction that will probably generate a lot of invention—as long as Sony doesn’t shoot themselves in the foot by staying too locked down.


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China’s soybean imports, which are mainly sourced from Brazil, fell last year, the first time since 2018.
China, the world’s top consumer of soybeans, imported 96.52 million tonnes of the oilseed in 2021, down 3.8 per cent from 100.33 million tonnes in 2020, data from the General Administration of Customs showed, as falling hog margins and increased wheat feeding curbed demand.
December imports, however, climbed 18 per cent compared with the same month a year earlier, coming in at 8.87 million tonnes.
China imported 58.393 million tons of soybeans from Brazil from January to October 2021, 4 per cent less than that purchased in 2020, after record highs last year. China is the world’s biggest buyer of the Brazilian oilseed.
Chinese feed producers also stepped up purchases of wheat to replace corn in 2021, as prices of the latter grain soared to record-high levels.
Demand for wheat as feedstock eased later as corn prices fell following a bumper harvest while wheat prices rose, CLBrief reported.


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Xbox Live will soon be supported on mobile devices and the Nintendo Switch.
Yesterday, Microsoft has dropped a surprise announcement that it will be extending Xbox Live across other platforms outside the Xbox One and the PC. It’s definitely an exciting headline, though we weren’t really sure what it meant at first.
Microsoft clarified that bringing Xbox Live to the Switch and mobile devices would bridge the gap on all platforms so it can connect players across. This means that developers on the mentioned platform can now utilize Xbox Live’s friends’ list and achievements – it doesn’t actually mean that you can play Xbox Live games on these platforms.
Other Microsoft games and apps on mobile devices already have some sort of Xbox Live integration so this announcement is merely an improved way in uniting the service.
Don’t be disappointed though since it gives us a glimpse of how the future of gaming will be where the platform will no longer be a barrier for everyone to enjoy. Cross-platform play is already being supported on a couple of games, and pretty soon you might see console exclusives being made available on every platform.


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Ireland to Reduce Waste by Cutting out All Single-Use Plastic
Ireland is ready to say goodbye to plastic cutlery, plastic balloon sticks and grocery items wrapped in plastic as a way to drastically reduce the amount of waste in Irish landfills, according to the Ireland’s national broadcaster, RTE.
Speaking at a Waste Summit in Dublin on Monday, the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment Richard Bruton said the government is working on mapping out a plan to ban single-use plastic plates, cutlery, straws, balloon sticks, cotton buds stick, polystyrene cups and food containers, although a fee on the use of such plastics is being discussed as a possible first step, as RTE reported.
Bruton said he would also like to completely end the use of non-recyclable plastic like the crinkly plastic that bags of bell peppers are packaged in, but is first considering charging supermarkets a levy for using it.
“I am determined to step up ambition and put in place strong policy tools to deliver on our new targets,” Bruton said, as The Irish Times reported. “Today is a chance to shape that roadmap. Leadership in this area is crucial if we are to secure a more sustainable, resilient Ireland for future generations.”
The Minister hosted the Waste Summit and met with over 100 key players from industry — local authorities, waste collectors, household representative groups and NGOs — to discuss effective implementation of the climate action policies, according to The Irish Times.
The government strategy goes beyond ending single-use plastic and levies on packaging. It hopes to hit a number of benchmarks, including reducing food waste by half, increasing plastic recycling by 60 percent, doubling the amount of recycled material that is used, and cutting dependence on landfills by 60 percent, as The Journal in Ireland reported.
The ambitious new policies will have far-reaching implications for retailers, especially supermarkets; fast food restaurants, manufacturers, the packaging sector and consumers, The Irish Times reported.
The European Union has suggested a ban on single-use plastic straws and cutlery for its member states and gave EU countries two years to write the legislation into their national law. There is particular urgency for Ireland, since it is an outlier amongst member states, generating much more waste per capita than the European average. In Ireland, the average person generates over 400 pounds of waste packaging every year, of which 130 pounds is plastic, as The Journal reported.
“Managing our resources properly is crucial to securing a better, more sustainable Ireland for future generations,” said Bruton, according to the Irish Times. “It is central to the Climate Action Plan – 60 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions come from our use of materials.
“All along the supply chain we can do better – 70 percent of food waste is avoidable, half of the material we use is not being segregated properly, two-thirds of plastic used is not on the recycling list and labels are confusing,” he said.
— EcoWatch (@EcoWatch) April 7, 2018


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B+L bringing big growth to Valeant
Thanks largely to Bausch + Lomb Inc., Canadian pharmaceuticals company Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. ended 2013 with big gains in revenues and with big profits.
Valeant, which purchased B+L in August for $8.7 billion, announced its latest quarterly earnings Thursday. For the three months ending Dec. 31, Valeant had sales of $2.06 billion — more than double the $986 million it took in the same three months in 2012.
And after expenses, Valeant pocketed $125 million or 37 cents per share, compared with a loss of $89 million or 29 cents per share a year earlier.
Profits would have been even bigger if not for the $128 million Valeant spent on restructuring and integration costs related to B+L. Since Valeant's takeover of the iconic eye care company, it has cut more than 400 positions from administrative and other positions at its manufacturing plant on North Goodman Street in Rochester and at its tower in downtown Rochester. Valeant also has moved B+L headquarters from Rochester to New Jersey.
In a statement, Valeant CEO J. Michael Pearson said "Our dedicated team of professionals continued to deliver strong top line and bottom line results. We are particularly pleased with the outperformance of the Bausch + Lomb businesses, coupled with the fact that the company returned to positive organic growth."
With B+L and a variety of other recent acquisitions under its belt, Valeant is expecting big growth for 2014.
For 2013 overall, Valeant revenues of $5.6 billion and cash earnings per share — which don't count a variety of business expenses — of $6.24. For 2014, the company said it is expecting revenues of $8.2 billion to $8.6 billion and cash earnings of $8.25 to $8.75.
It is in the midst of acquiring Rhode Island-based PreCision Dermatology, and expects to close on that business in the second quarter. It bought Solta Medical of California for $250 million in January.