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The man at the helm of Canada’s central bank says the Bank of Canada plans to be clearer in the coming years when it lets the cost of living rise for the good of the economy.
Governor Tiff Macklem said Wednesday the issue comes down to the trust Canadians have in the Bank of Canada to make sure the pace of price increases don’t run too high.
The Bank of Canada and federal government agreed this week to keep the central bank’s inflation target range of one to three per cent, but the bank will also now more formally keep tabs on the labour market when making interest rate decisions.
In a virtual speech to Empire Club of Canada, Macklem said that may mean the bank may sometimes let inflation run at the higher end of its target range if it helps bolster the job market.
But he also noted that high inflation is difficult for many Canadians because as the cost of living goes up, households have trouble stretching to pay their bills.
Statistics Canada reported earlier Wednesday that the annual pace of inflation held steady in November at an 18-year high as the consumer price index rose 4.7 per cent compared with a year ago.
Over that same stretch, however, wages only went up by 2.8 per cent, meaning that consumers, on average, saw a drop in their purchasing power.
Wages usually lag behind inflation, but with the tight labour market causing wages to already increase substantially for job hoppers, the amount paid to workers could soon catch up to the pace of price gains, said Tu Nguyen, an economist with accounting firm RSM Canada.
A key driver of inflation in November was once again the price of gasoline, which rose 43.6 per cent compared with the same month a year earlier, slightly above the October year-over-year rise of 41.7 per cent.
The annual rate of inflation in November would have been 3.6 per cent if gasoline prices had been excluded, the same as in October.
Also fuelling gains in the consumer price index last month were increases in furniture and food prices.
Supply chain disruptions and low crop yields helped push food prices up 4.7 per cent in November compared with the same month a year ago for the largest increase since January 2015 when prices went up by 5.4 per cent.
November marked eight straight months that headline Inflation has come in above the Bank of Canada’s target range of between one and three per cent, which has not been seen since a similar run ended in December 1991.
Stephen Tapp, chief economist with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, said high inflation isn’t just hitting consumers hard, but is also driving up costs for businesses as the economy struggles with labour shortages, supply chain disruptions, and renewed uncertainty due to the latest rise in COVID cases.
“In the near-term, profitability will be squeezed, and if businesses pass cost increases onto their consumers it’ll prolong pressures,” he said.
The average of the three measures for core inflation, which are considered better gauges of underlying price pressures and closely tracked by the Bank of Canada, was 2.73 per cent for November, up slightly from October, Statistics Canada said. The average was last that high in November 2008.
Stephen Brown, senior Canada economist with Capital Economics, said the rise in the measures suggest inflationary pressures are broadening.
The Bank of Canada has said it doesn’t foresee a first hike to its trend-setting interest rate until at least April. The rate has been at 0.25 per cent since the pandemic upended the Canadian economy almost two years ago.
Since then, employment has rebounded and the economy has nearly shook off of the shook off the shock of COVID-19.
Statistics Canada also said Wednesday that the November inflation reading was the first without special consideration for certain goods and services that were unavailable because of the pandemic. The agency also noted that the data is largely unaffected by November flooding in British Columbia because the majority of prices were collected before it occurred.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 15, 2021.


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Lebanon’s Food Safety Scandal Won't Go Away
The richly varied cuisine of Lebanon offers a seemingly endless parade of delights. Unfortunately, in cities from Beirut to Tripoli, such dishes often come with a totally unwanted side of gut-roiling food poisoning.
Photo via Flickr user sedap
The richly varied cuisine of Lebanon offers a seemingly endless parade of delights, from cold, refreshing salads such as baba ghanoush and tabbouleh to crisp, freshly fried falafel doused in nutty tahini to oozy, honeyed baklava. Unfortunately, in cities from Beirut to Tripoli, such dishes often come with a totally unwanted side of gut-roiling food poisoning.
Last November, Lebanon was rocked by a national food safety scandal after the country's Ministry of Public Health responded to a years-long increase in the incidences of foodborne illnesses by beginning a campaign of surprise inspections of restaurants, slaughterhouses, supermarkets, and farms. The results were worse than the agency expected, and it decided that a public shaming might be just the ticket to getting Lebanon's food businesses to shape up or get out of the game. That month, Minister of Public Health Wael Abou Faour held a press conference to announce the names of more than 1,000 establishments whose food samples had tested positive for a host of unappetizing additions ranging from salmonella to straight-up traces of feces and raw sewage. The list included some of Lebanon's most popular chains, such as luxury supermarkets Spinneys and TSC Mega, all the way down to its street carts and casual cafes.
"I hope we are laying the groundwork for the permanent procedures of food safety in this country," Faour said at the time.
But contaminated and expired food continues to be served in Lebanese eateries at a rate that is uncomfortable—and potentially deadly—for diners there. Last month, a labneh maker in the north of the country was shut down for failing to pass safety inspections, and on Saturday, more than 15 students at the Abi Samra Technical School in Tripoli were hospitalized after eating cheese-filled kaak, or stuffed bread. The ministry of health tested samples of the cheese filling and found that it contained the bacteria staphylococcus aureus at levels 16 times higher than the maximum allowable amount, as well as traces of E. coli, which is found in fecal matter and typically makes its way into foods when the cook doesn't wash his hands. According to Lebanon's Daily Star, all 15 students were hospitalized, two with critical illnesses. The cafeteria, as well as the bakery that provided the kaak, have since been shuttered by the government.
Ambiguity appears to be the cause of Lebanon's food safety woes. According to an article in the Middle East Eye, "there is no one defining food safety law in Lebanon, and when it comes to what is required, legally, of restaurants and supermarkets, it all gets a bit foggy."
Faced with a lack of clear rules or governmental oversight, restaurant owners say, for years they've been self-regulating their food safety practices. Restaurants equipped with the right facilities and knowledge can effectively maintain the hygiene of the food they serve, but others aren't so lucky, according to Walid Hayek, the head of the Syndicate of Owners of Restaurants, Cafes, Nightclubs, and Pastries in Lebanon. (Editor's note: what a title!)
"There are three kinds of restaurants in this sector," Hayek told the Middle East Eye. "Those who internally adopted food safety standards a long time ago, those with good intentions but that don't have the know-how, then those who are just bad."
In spite of the Ministry of Health's public shaming of eateries last year, policy changes on food safety in Lebanon have yet to go into effect. After a delay, a draft of a new food safety law was accepted in January by the country's parliament, but officials have yet to announce when the law might take affect. Additionally, some restaurant owners have complained that the new hygiene effort, which is being handled jointly by the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministries of Economy and Agriculture, is simply too confusing.
"It's good what they're doing but it would have been logical to have one part of the government dealing with us, not three or four agencies," Mahmud—a third-generation restaurateur who refused to give his real name—told the Middle East Eye.

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Local Pressure Shores Up Drug Firms (India)
This article was originally published in PharmAsia News
Estimates released by global investment giant Goldman Sachs project India will be the world's fifth-largest market for pharmaceuticals by 2020. According to the analysis, companies who have already established themselves in Indian will see the biggest returns as a result of this growth. Sun Pharmaceuticals and Nicholas Piramal were cited as two drug-makers with the best prospects to mine India's soon-to-be booming market. In fact, Nicolas Piramal has recently upped its sales force in the country to 3,300 and its pipeline now covers nine therapies. Another corporation looking to cash-in on India's future drug market is Glenmark. The company already boasts an extensive drug portfolio as well as a sales team with 1,900 representatives. Goldman Sachs said the steep increase in drug sales would come as a result of the country's high rates of urbanization and the proliferation of chronic "lifestyle" diseases. (Click here for more
You may also be interested in...
Amgen has an open road for its Mvasi bevacizumab biosimilar after Genentech’s appeal to enjoin sales, over a notice of commercial marketing technicality, was denied. The US firm continues to weigh up patent-infringement proceedings in separate actions.
Coronavirus-induced stockpiling and advanced prescribing of medicines has resulted in generics companies across the world registering unprecedented growth during the first quarter of 2020. However, many companies predict sales will level off again in the next quarter and beyond. And as demand fluctuates following the COVID-19 outbreak, companies have started taking precautionary measures to avoid supply-chain disruptions.
Coronavirus Update: Regeneron Races Into Phase III Trial Of Antibodies To Block Coronavirus Infection
Regeneron and NIAID kick off a Phase III prevention trial for antibody cocktail REGN-COV2.


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Bistro BE to import Belgian beer and bites in Brickell
The new bistro opens next month at 1111 SW First Ave. in downtown Miami.
The all-Belgian team behind the new Bistro BE is planning to open the doors to their new Brickell restaurant by mid-July.
Owner Emmanuel Verschueren, chef Frederik Appelt and manager Philippe Walschaerts will oversee the 110-seat space, which includes an open kitchen centered around a modern-contemporary design in the Axis Brickell (1111 SW First Ave.).
Verschueren says he wants Bistro BE to show diners that "Belgian cuisine is more than mussels, frites and waffles," explaining its influence from both French and German traditions. (That said, Bistro BE's menu will feature mussels and frites and waffles in both savory and sweet forms.)
The bistro's Belgian-focused beer list will include more than 50 bottled varieties and eight draft options, and Verschueren promises proper glassware, serving temperature and pouring technique. Wine also will be available.
Bistro BE will serve lunch and dinner daily.
- The List: Casa D'Angelo's Angelo Elia
- South Beach openings: Soho Bay, David's Cafe, a new Dewey's, Bodega, Chicken Kitchen, La Savina
- Dewey LoSasso to run new restaurant at Schnebly Winery and Miami Brewing Co.
- American Social now open in Brickell
- Cibo Wine Bar expands to South Beach
- Top 10 most popular Miami food/drink places on Instagram in 2014
- The List: The Dutch's Conor Hanlon
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Motril will export 200,000 tonnes of celestite ore from its quarries this year
MOTRIL will export 200,000 tonnes of celestite ore from quarries in the province this year
The port of Motril, on the coast of Granada, just recorded the largest shipment of solid bulk cargo in its history, landing a deal with China, to export around 50,000 tonnes of two types of semi-celestite. concentration of the mines of Montevive, in the municipality of Las Gabias, in the province of Granada.
Canteras Industriales, the owner of the mines and the commodity – established in Granada since 1972 – expects around 200,000 tonnes of material to leave the Granada quay this year of this type of ore from quarries in the province, with the type sought by its Chinese client – from the mines of Las Gabias – being a raw material whose purity varies between 70 and 77%, according to grenadedigital.es.
The Chinese will use the raw material in the manufacture of semiconductors or chips, commonly used in the operation of cell phones, displays, tablets, computers, and anodes for electric vehicle batteries, among other utilities, and in a press release, Jens Bruno, the administrator of the company that manages the port of Motril, predicted: “Due to the high demand, we hope to end the year with an export of 200,000 tonnes”.
In addition, Canteras Industriales is dealing with the commissioning of a dense medium concentration plant with a production capacity of 50,000 to 80,000 tonnes per year of 90% ore, from the recycling of waste landfills and rejected ore, called environmental liability.
The company currently employs eight workers directly, but this number will increase once the concentration plant is commissioned, but to this are added all the indirect services such as dockworkers, consignees and transporters.
One example is the recent transfer of minerals from the mine to the port, which involved 2,000 trips by truck, and as José García Fuentes, president of the local company Transportes Sabio, said, “Expeditions of this type also demonstrate the efficiency of the operation and raise the level of prestige of the Port of Motril with the sector ”.
Thanks for reading, and don’t forget to check The Euro Weekly News for all your up-to-date local and international news.


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You can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs. So that’s what this article is about. We’re going to dissect our ‘pandemic’s effects on ecommerce’ survey and do a video teardown of our winner’s online store.
If you thought we were going to give away our secret omelet recipe so easily, you’re crazy, man.
In 1979, Michael Aldrich introduced online B2B and B2C transaction processing, an industry we now call ecommerce. We haven’t seen a pandemic of this nature and magnitude since before then.
So, it’s safe to say, we went into our current pandemic with absolutely no idea as to how it would affect our industry…
There was no crystal ball!
As we draw close to the end of the pandemic’s second year, the data is flooding in. However, we wanted to hear it from the merchants’ mouths. So we created our own ‘Pandemic’s effects on ecommerce’ survey…
As an incentive for taking the survey, we offered the chance to win an online store video teardown with ShopCreatify’s CEO, Ross Allchorn. We have included the video teardown at the end of this article, so be sure to read to the end.
The winner also received $300 in task credit, with TaskHusky, to help them implement some optimizations. It will be interesting to revisit the winner’s online store once this is done!
So, what are online merchants thinking? How has the Pandemic affected their online stores for the last two years and how will a third year of the pandemic affect ecommerce?
We would like to see more data before making any outright claims. However, below is our take on the results of our survey.
Insight 1: Small business owners seem to feel that while the pandemic has accelerated the move to online shopping, they also feel it has either stagnated or hindered growth for their smaller online stores.
ShopCreatify’s take on why this could be: This could be due to bigger online stores having the budget to reach and service the influx of online shoppers.
Insight 2: The same smaller businesses, for the most part, said they made little to no changes to their online stores to combat the negative effects of the pandemic, or leverage off it.
ShopCreatify’s take on why this could be: Well… money. In a competitive world, it takes budget to make money. It’s hard to stand out against competitors who own the space above the fold in search with paid ads, or through a big team working on their SEO and UX. Fear through unpredictability might be at play too - keeping the pennies “safe” rather than investing in uncertainty.
Insight 3: Larger online stores felt the pandemic accelerated the move to online shopping and they were able to capitalize on it. They don’t seem to think year three will have as great an effect on sales.
ShopCreatify’s take on why this could be: It stands to reason that if there was an influx of online shoppers and one had the budget and strength to target those users, and then retain them with an ultimate user experience, that they would be able to capitalize on sales.
As people are now getting used to the new normal, and/or are less fearful of heading out to physical stores, sales could balance out a little in year three. Shoppers are also feeling the financial strain of the pandemic now, so it doesn’t matter where they WISH to shop if they don’t have the money with which to do it.
The online merchants’ take on what will be important in 2022:
According to the US international trade administration’s website:
“The data tells us that COVID pandemic-related business restrictions have forced a global business paradigm shift towards the digital economy, which has negatively impacted traditional business models while also creating opportunity through sales diversification online.”
The above seems to strengthen the view that the pandemic has accelerated the consumers’ move to online shopping. The key will be to ensure your website stands out in the clutter, in any way you can, in order to leverage off this.
They’re on a mission: “Every child deserves a music education, and the better our site is, the more children we can help begin and advance in instrumental school music.”
Well Kincaid’s Music, not only does your mission sound worthy, but it sounds like this was the perfect time to have your name pulled out of the hat. Between your video teardown and $300 task credit, we hope you will be able leverage off the paradigm shift towards the digital economy, and accomplish your mission.
Kincaid’s Music Video Teardown
By Ross Allchorn, CEO and founder of ShopCreatify.
If you’d like to know how we can help you optimize your online store, improve your user experience, and help you stand out in the clutter, contact us.
Masthead egg pic by Fernando Andrade.
We send relevant, and useful eCommerce information for successful merchants straight to your inbox.


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Public restrooms have become a civil rights arena, as restrooms have become targets for degrading people of color, and currently, transgender people. However, Target, one of US largest discount retailers, has rubbed its customers the wrong way by declaring that people can choose restrooms that correspond to their gender identities. This has resulted in a call to boycott its stores According to USA Today, Target’s inclusive position on transgender rights is deemed to encourage sexual predators, in addition to endangering women and young girls who would be visiting its restrooms (Malcolm, 2016). The new law on transgender in the US is contemplating on a proposal to “force individuals to use the bathroom that corresponds with the sex listed on their birth certificate” (Mclean, 2016, par. 3). Although a lot of customers have vowed to boycott the stores due to safety reasons, Target is willing to stand by its policy to correspond to the legislation on transgender issue and LGBT rights.
Many questions emerge for schools’ administrations, as well among students, on how to support transgender students. In Maryland State, the respect for transgender students while using restrooms is carried out by allowing such students to use the nurse’s office, since many public schools only allow students to use sex-specific bathrooms and locker rooms (“Providing Safe Spaces for Transgender,” 2015). The regulations permit transgender students to utilize facilities of their choice, which they perceive as safe to enhance their privacy. Alternatively, schools should designate a “single restroom with a locking door as a unisex/gender neutral restroom” that should be available to all students (p. 13). Generally, most states do not allow public schools to disclose information that could reveal students’ transgender status. Thus, this could be the best option that other states should adopt.
Malcolm, H. (2016, April 27). More than 700,000 pledge to boycott Target over transgender bathroom policy. USA Today.
Mclean, R. (2016, April 20). Target takes stand on transgender bathroom controversy. CNN, Money.
Providing Safe Spaces for Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Youth: Guidelines for Gender Identity Non-Discrimination (2015, Oct. 27). Maryland State Department of Education.


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An absolute bomb is dropping on the crypto world this afternoon. Rumors of a billion-dollar Dogecoin (CCC:DOGE-USD) purchase by a certain billionaire’s company are floating around this week. Yes, the rumor mill is beginning to stock up evidence that Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) is behind one of the largest DOGE purchases of the year. Is Tesla buying Dogecoin? Let’s look at the DOGE rumors.
Crypto YouTuber and DOGE extraordinaire Matt Wallace has been dropping Dogecoin news and rumors for some time. He was the first to report about the rumored Dogecoin smart contracts early in the week. And now, he’s claiming that Tesla is behind a gigantic purchase of DOGE just over a week ago.
On his Final Stand YouTube channel, Wallace made his case. Tesla’s $1.5 billion purchase in Bitcoin (CCC:BTC-USD) earlier in the year was a highly successful venture, one which netted the company a healthy profit. The purchase did well to boost cryptos across the board as well; that is, until Musk’s divorce from BTC led to a market-wide correction.
Since then, Musk has been flirting heavily with DOGE and its supporters. Asking on Twitter if investors want him to add DOGE as a Tesla payment method, it’s clear that he’s quite fond of the coin.
All About Musk, Dogecoin and the Latest DOGE Rumors
Wallace has revealed to his viewers that a $1.5 billion purchase of DOGE occurred on May 10. Funnily enough, that’s the exact same amount that Tesla spent on its Bitcoin. The owner of the wallet is unclaimed and there are no patterns to suggest anything but a large investor deciding to drop a pretty penny into the meme coin.
But, there is reason for investors to pay attention. Wallace reminded his viewers that it took Tesla two weeks to reveal to the world its BTC stake back in February. It has only been nine days since the mysterious bulk purchase occurred.
That Twitter poll in which Elon Musk asked if DOGE should be a payment method for Tesla? It was posed the day after someone made the $1.5 billion purchase.
Wallace is since doubling down on his conviction that Tesla is behind the purchase. He posted his video in a reply to Musk’s “Tesla has diamond hands,” tweet from earlier today. With so much interest in the future of Dogecoin prices, be sure to stay tuned.
On the date of publication, Brenden Rearick did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.


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Keeping your computer files organized is a nightmare in today’s wired world. Imagine spending hours and hours looking for a file on a messed folder is quite a chore. Maybe you should consider arranging your files appropriately so you can … Read the rest
With more than a century under its belt, Rolex has become a staple name in the field of luxury watch manufacturers. The mystique that comes with the name Rolex has only increased people’s interest in the brand. The manufacturer keeps … Read the rest
Having an online website can help increase your prospective customers greatly than what your physical land-based office can reach. The same is true for your law firm website. Your website does not end its work after it has been established. … Read the rest
Apple Inc said on Monday it will issue a software patch later this week for a bug that lets iPhone users hear audio from users who have not yet accepted a video call.
The bug, which Reuters was able to … Read the rest
A 10-page memo that went viral inside Google and has been obtained by Gizmodo sees a Google software engineer arguing that women are underrepresented in tech not due to bias, but rather because of inherent psychological differences from men.
The … Read the rest
“The Middle Ages is a space where white supremecy is legitimised. The maintenance of white privilege. The gamer community use ‘historical facts’ to legitimise this kind of literacy,” said British Ph.D. candidate Victoria Cooper recently. Mediaeval representations in video games … Read the rest
Google Inc said on Thursday it had started testing the latest prototypes of its self-driving cars on Mountain View, California roads, with safety drivers aboard.
The prototypes will join Google’s Lexus cars, which use the same self-driving software, the company … Read the rest
As US mass surveillance continues to make headlines, one man has had enough. Philip Zimmermann, creator of one of the most widely-used encryption systems, has moved his company to Switzerland, claiming societies need to “roll back” surveillance tactics.
Expressing his … Read the rest
An MIT report has found that regular solar panels like the ones used today could supply much of the world with power. They believe terawatts of energy could be produced by 2050 and say that investment, not technology, could be … Read the rest
The head of the nonprofit group that oversees the world’s Internet addresses expressed confidence Thursday that it would be privatized and out of US government control by year’s end.
Fadi Chehade’s comments came despite criticism in the US Congress, where … Read the rest
Electric car pioneer Tesla unveiled a “home battery” Thursday which its founder Elon Musk said would help change the “entire energy infrastructure of the world”. The Tesla Powerwall can store power from solar panels, from the electricity grid at night … Read the rest
Plenty of people these days are prepared to augment their bodies with face furniture, piercings, rings and tattoos.
But would you implant a chip in your hand to show how easy it is to exploit an Android phone?
That’s what … Read the rest
During a time when the gaze of the world’s technology lovers is firmly on technologically developed areas such as North America, East Asia and Europe, the notion that one of the least developed areas on the planet, Africa, could soon … Read the rest


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Xerox Said to Split in Two; Icahn Gets Board Seats, WSJ Saysby and
Company has been conducting review of structural options
Essentially unravels Xerox's largest acquisition of Affiliated
Xerox Corp. will announce Friday that it’s splitting itself into two companies, essentially unwinding its largest-ever acquisition, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing unnamed people familiar with the matter.
Famous as the brand behind the copy machine, the now-struggling Xerox will divide itself into a company grouping its hardware operations and another that will house its services business, according to the Journal. Xerox will announce the move when it reports earnings Friday, the newspaper said. Carl Icahn will be given three board seats on the services company’s board, according to the Journal.
Sean Collins, a spokesman for Norwalk, Connecticut-based Xerox, had no comment on the report. Icahn didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
In November Icahn took a stake that now stands at 8 percent in Xerox, in the belief that the shares were undervalued. He said at the time he intended to speak with executives and the board to improve operational performance and pursue strategic alternatives. Xerox said earlier that it was conducting a broad-based review of structural options for the company’s business portfolio and capital allocation.
With the separation Xerox will basically unravel its purchase of Affiliated Computer Services Inc., which it bought in 2010 for $6.2 billion. That deal helped Xerox expand into markets including managing and automating electronic payments for governments and processing claims for insurers, as part of its strategy to expand in services.
In October, Xerox reported third quarter services revenue of $2.4 billion, and document technology sales of $1.8 billion.
Xerox shares fell 1.7 percent in extended trading in New York to $9.07. They have declined 13 percent this year compared with a 7.4 percent drop in the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index.
Icahn, 79, rebranded himself as an activist investor and outspoken shareholder advocate after gaining fame as a corporate raider in the 1980s. In recent years, he has taken stakes in technology-related companies including Apple Inc., EBay Inc., and Netflix Inc., and agitated for changes such as share buybacks and spinoffs, which he argued would create shareholder value.
Icahn led a lengthy fight at EBay, agitating for the Internet marketplace to spin off payments unit PayPal Holdings Inc., which it eventually agreed to do. In November, Icahn Associates Corp. disclosed it had sold the EBay stake and reported a 3.8 percent holding in PayPal. At Apple, Icahn was outspoken in demanding more cash be returned to shareholders, and the tech giant subsequently increased its dividends and stock buybacks.
The New York-based investor is worth about $19 billion, according to data compiled by Bloomberg, and primarily invests his own fortune, rather than relying on money from outsiders.
(An earlier version of this story corrected the number of board seats Icahn will receive.)


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Aldi shoppers were evacuated this afternoon after the discovery of what is believed to be an unexploded World War II bomb.
Shoppers were rushed out of the supermarket in Northampton as authorities raced to the scene.
Bomb disposal experts rushed to the Weedon Road store this afternoon.
The supermarket has since been cordoned off while investigations are carried out. Other businesses in the area have also been evacuated.
It is understood the alarm was raised following the discovery of what appeared to be an unexploded device from WW2.
A spokesperson for Northamptonshire Police said: “Members of the public are being advised that several businesses have been closed in the Weedon Road area of Northampton.
“Northamptonshire Police received a report that a suspicious item had been found at premises in the Mansard Close area of the town at about 9.10am this morning.
“Following an initial assessment, colleagues from Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service and the Explosive Ordnance Department (EOD) were called to attend the scene.
“A cordon has been established while a further assessment takes place, which has resulted in the closure of Mansard Close and part of Duston Road, along with the closure of several businesses in Weedon Road.”


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Indian government probe into EV industry uncovers subsidy misuse linked to imported components.
In an eye-opening development, the Centre is reclaiming Rs 469 crore from seven leading electric two-wheeler makers, including giants like Hero Electric and Okinawa. These companies have claimed benefits without adhering to the FAME II scheme’s standards, thereby violating domestic manufacturing norms. A failure to comply could lead to a severe blow — their de-registration from the scheme, blocking any future participation.
An intensive probe by the heavy industries ministry discovered that these companies exploited fiscal incentives, violating the scheme’s core rules. While the scheme promotes electric vehicles manufactured with Indian components, the implicated companies allegedly resorted to imported parts.
Out of the scrutinized companies, Hero Electric, Okinawa Autotech, Ampere EV, Revolt Motors, Benling India, Amo Mobility, and Lohia Auto stand out. As a repercussion, two from the list have indicated their willingness to refund the incentives with accrued interest.
A spokesperson for Hero Electric clarified, “The notice is tied to a phase where Hero Electric’s actions were compliant.” Furthermore, Lohia Auto CEO, Ayush Lohia, expressed that they had not yet received any official communication on the matter, questioning the information’s credibility. On the other hand, representatives from Okinawa Autotech and Revolt Motors opted to remain silent.
A colossal Rs 10,000-crore initiative, the FAME-II scheme, was unveiled in 2019 to augment the adoption of electric and hybrid vehicles. This was a successor to FAME India I, launched in April 2015, and it allocated a whopping Rs 895 crore to the cause. While incentives for three-wheelers and four-wheelers cater to public and commercial transport, two-wheelers primarily target private vehicles.
To conclude, the government’s move underscores the importance of trust and compliance in the booming EV industry. Only time will reveal the broader implications of this episode for the involved stakeholders and the industry at large.


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Picture this: hashish from a merchandising machine.
That is actually the idea behind “anna” (sure, all lowercase), a brand new product being rolled out by a Boston-based hashish tech firm of the identical identify. Here’s the way it works, per a demo on the company’s website: a buyer walks right into a dispensary, the place they’re met by an “anna.agent”; after finishing the check-in, which incorporates verification of the client’s drivers license, the agent then wirelessly unlocks the machine, a self-checkout kiosk by way of which purchases are made.
The kiosk permits prospects to browse the choice of hashish or CBD merchandise by utilizing a touchscreen and full the acquisition by deciding on “checkout.” The agent then is notified of the checkout, critiques the acquisition and asks for cost from the client. Upon verification of cost, the agent dispenses the merchandise wirelessly.
Welcome to 2020, proper? Retail shops throughout the nation have embraced automation within the final decade, changing cashiers with self-checkout mechanisms. That seems to be the motivation behind anna, which claims that its product “cracks the code for bringing today’s advancements in retail automation to the cannabis industry.”
“The retail technology available to dispensaries has inhibited the cannabis industry’s path to normalization. In many traditional retail industries, self-checkout transactions are standard,” Matt Frost, the founder and CEO of anna, said in a press release this week. “With anna, our stakeholders will see very quickly that prioritizing retail efficiency improves store traffic, and allows associates to spend additional time with more inexperienced customers. anna epitomizes ‘Cannabis Retail for Now’.”
But the corporate can be seizing on this new period of social distancing and restricted interactions ushered in by the COVID-19 pandemic. Frost stated that the product is all geared towards getting prospects out and in of the shop extra effectively.
“A self-checkout solution does lend itself well to these times,” Frost stated, as quoted by the Boston Business Journal. “There’s a bigger appetite for what we’re doing now.”
Along with the touchscreen interface, prospects can even full their purchases by way of anna or by using “online ordering by scanning their QR code upon arrival, keeping the checkout process to under a minute,” according to the corporate’s press launch. This, the corporate says, will permit “dispensaries and CBD retailers to service customers while adhering to today’s social distancing guidelines.”
The product is launching this week in two Colorado dispensaries: Strawberry Fields in Pueblo, and Starbuds in Aurora. According to the press launch, the corporate additionally plans to launch the product subsequent month in Massachusetts, whereas additionally increasing its presence in Colorado. By subsequent yr, anna hopes to develop to Canada, California, and Nevada, as effectively.
So what is going to all of it appear to be precisely? “A typical anna setup involves three to four units placed on the dispensary or retail sales floor, creating a subnetwork within anna’s larger cloud architecture,” the corporate stated in its press launch. “The interior can be configured to accommodate products of all sizes, and its capacity exceeds 2,000 products in a footprint just under 8 square feet.”


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Canadians spent $488 on back-to-school gear, Google says
Online and YouTube searches are running well ahead of last year, the search giant says of its tracking data.
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The average Canadian will spent $488 on back-to-school supplies, Google Canada says.
About a third of that, $163, will be spent online, the search engine giant says.
Online searches for school gear peak in August and this year is running ahead of last year’s record-setting numbers, the company says
YouTube searches are also following that trend, Google Canada says, with video searches related to the start of school double those of last year.
What videos do people search for? “Dorm room tour,” with 544,000 versions to choose from, “school supplies,” makeup tutorials and “haul.”
Laptops lead the online search terms, Google Canada says, followed by phone plans, school supplies and the generic “back-to-school.”
Using its own data, Google Canada produced these statistics for back-to-school shopping:
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A year ago, Google revealed the custom chip that it built in secret to accelerate machine learning tasks in its data centers. On Wednesday, the company unveiled a second generation of the chip, which is capable of not only running software but also training it.
The next generation of the tensor processing unit – more commonly known as the TPU – is the latest sign that internet companies are growing impatient with slowing improvements in computer chips for machine learning, which involves training programs on reams of data and then applying the lessons to new information.
Google’s first chip was only capable of make judgments with what it had already learned. But the newest TPU can also run the vastly complex algorithms used in training, a vital part of the process that involves leafing through hundreds of thousands of images or search terms, learning the difference between them without explicit programming.
The announcement suggests a shallow but deepening wrinkle in the semiconductor industry, which has struggled with the end of Moore’s Law and slowing improvements in computer hardware. Last year, Google said that its chips were around three processor generations (or around seven years) ahead of the next most advanced chips.
At the same time, chip suppliers are pouring billions of dollars to stay ahead of the machine learning demands of cloud companies like Google and Microsoft, which has also devised custom chips for data centers. Google’s latest chip is a potential threat to Nvidia, which claims that its graphics chips are significantly faster than TPUs at training and inferencing tasks.
Last week, Nvidia revealed that it had spent $3 billion on its latest accelerator chip, which contains specialized “tensor cores” to perform 120 trillion operations per second for deep learning. Inside the silicon slab are more than five thousand processor cores and 20 billion transistors to divide and conquer sophisticated software.
Read the source article at Electronic Design.


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ST. LOUIS – Benson Hill, a food technology and ingredient company, is going public in a combination with Star Peak Corp. II, a special purpose acquisition company. The transaction is expected to provide Benson Hill with approximately $625 million.
Benson Hill’s CropOS platform uses predictive analytics to simulate genetic outcomes for plants. The technology has the potential to shorten the traditional crop breeding process and reduce development costs for new food and ingredient products, according to the company.
Benson Hill has two business units – Ingredient and Fresh. The Ingredient unit is currently focused on generating soybean and yellow pea ingredients to be used in the development of plant-based products. In soy, Benson Hill is working with growers to scale production of Ultra-High Protein soybean varieties in 2021, which can reduce processing costs and water and energy usage. In yellow pea, the company has developed a genomic map that, in combination with the CropOS platform, enables Benson Hill to accelerate its breeding program to develop differentiated varieties.
The Fresh business unit focuses on produce. The company seeks to develop and commercialize different varieties of fruits and vegetables as well as products that may have functional attributes.
“Since our founding in 2012, we have developed our CropOS technology platform to combine data science, plant science, and food science, a truly differentiating convergence of disciplines,” said Matt Crisp, chief executive officer of Benson Hill. “As a result of this technology innovation and our go-to-market approach, we are now at the launch phase to deliver and help meet the explosive demand for plant-based ingredients that can displace processing steps, reduce additives, and serve as the ‘picks and shovels’ for the plant-based food revolution.”
The company generated $102 million in 2020. The Ingredients business unit is expected to deliver annual top-line growth of 50% to 100%, according to the company.
“We believe Benson Hill is at the epicenter of the evolution in our food system, with a business model that’s capable of materially transforming the sector by accelerating novel products’ paths to market and scale,” said Eric Scheyer, CEO of Star Peak.
Following the close of the transaction Benson Hill will have a valuation of approximately $1.35 billion.


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Christmas in Zoar on Dec. 6 and Dec. 7 will be an event that combines history and commerce.
The opportunity to glimpse at the past will be all around visitors to Historic Zoar, founded in in 1817 by German Separatists. The community survived as a communal settlement for eight decades, and now is a village of 75 families living in houses built from the founding year to the present.
But, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 6 and noon to 5 p.m. Dec. 7, more than 30 artisans will set up shop in Zoar to sell such goods as jams, jellies, candles, candies, sleigh bells, wood items, jewelry, baked goods, wreaths, personal care products, glass goods, artwork, clothing, musical instruments, craft items, and homemade pet products. They are holiday gifts to make even an historian wide-eyed.


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The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has revealed a new export certification programme to assist US food exporters in fulfilling importing country requirements.
Export certification under the Federal Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act aims to provide US exporters another tool to facilitate exports to countries that import food products from the US.
FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb said: “While American food standards are among the most stringent in the world, the FDA recognises that some US trading partners seek additional assurance that imported food products are produced under applicable requirements, and may request specific language or product information on export certificates.
“The new export certification programme will continue FDA’s efforts to help facilitate American global exports and boost our nation’s economy.”
The FDA’s export certification programme for foods is intended to be complementary to export certification for foods currently issued by other US government agencies.
The agency said that it will continue to coordinate and work with other government agencies on export certification and will partner in interagency consultations for any new requests from foreign governments to ensure the needs of US exporters are met.
The FDA added that it will continue to issue the current “Certificate of Free Sale” for dietary supplements, medical foods and foods for special dietary uses.
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2022
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Celcom Axiata Berhad together with local celebrities delivered the new iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus smartphones right at the doorstep of Celcom customers during the midnight iPhone launch last Thursday.
A selection of Celcom FIRST customers living around Klang Valley and who had pre-ordered the new iPhones via Celcom from 9 October to 14 October, were chosen to experience the exclusivity for a privileged personalised special delivery of their new smartphones by local celebrities.
Local celebrities who participated in the Celcom iPhone 6s delivery include Amber Chia, Scha Al-Yahya, Winnie Soo, Jack Lim, Shaheizy Sam, Ella Aminuddin, Yasmin Hani, and Sha’arin Mohammed Razali Wong and Awal Ashaari.
On the midnight of the Celcom iPhone 6s launch in Malaysia, the celebrities were flagged off by Zalman Aefendy Zainal Abidin, Chief Marketing and Sales Officer, Celcom Axiata Bhd and Tuan Syed Md Najib Syed Md Noor, Chief Customer Service and Retail Officer of Celcom Axiata Bhd from the Blue Cube@Sunway Pyramid.
Teh Ooi Keat, one of the selected lucky Celcom iPhone 6s customers who pre-ordered said he was surprised to receive his new iPhone6s Plus from Soo Wincci during the early hours of Friday morning.
“When I was first told a celebrity was going to deliver my phone, I totally did not expect Soo Wincci to be the one delivering it to my doorstep.” Teh who has been a Celcom customer for almost a year said he never expected to experience such a special visit when he first signed up.
Another lucky Celcom customer, Rozali Ahmad, said he was surprised to have Shaheizy Sam deliver the phone to him at 2am.
“I was actually anticipating someone like Neelofa to deliver the phone to me, but Shaheizy was equally as surprising and awesome,” he said.
Meanwhile, six lucky Celcom iPhone 6s customers, the first three walk-in and three pre-order customers who arrived and waited during the midnight launch at BlueCube@Sunway Pyramid walked away with their brand new iPhones for only RM6.50.
Walk-in customers Shawn Low, 25, and Jesseca Chow, 23, who are friends, arrived at Celcom’s BlueCube@Sunway Pyramid 33 hours before the midnight launch on Thursday. Low said he wanted to experience the long queue that he has read about during most iPhone launches in other countries.
“It came as a shock because I did not expect to win something this big. I was only looking forward to receive my new phone and cherish the experience of queueing up for more than 30 hours,” Low said.
“I really did not expect to receive a gift of purchasing my phone for only RM6.50. I am really happy and am glad that my patience paid off with good virtue,” Chow said.
Zalman said this personalised and exclusive give-away is something extraordinary that every Celcom customer can continue to expect. He said these expectations are in-line with Celcom’s FiRST brand promise which is to bring exclusive privileges and the best customer experience.
Celcom iPhone 6s Midnight launch
[Video] Celcom iPhone 6s Midnight launch.Disclaimer: Video copyright belongs to Celcom.
Posted by Malaysian Wireless on Monday, 19 October 2015


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Long Island City faces Amazon dilemma: How to reap rewards amid changing landscape
Long Island City, the New York neighborhood where Amazon plans to expand, has been changing from a working-class area to a gentrified hot spot for the past decade. HQ2 will accelerate that trend, sparking concerns from business owners and residents.
Inequality makes it harder than ever for cities to say no to AmazonWhen even mega-cities like New York are subsidizing Amazon, what hope does anyone else have?
BuzzFeed will tell you what Millennials want, for a feeScotts Miracle-Gro, the plant-care giant, had a problem: Millennials weren't gardening enough. So the company turned to one of the most renowned experts on millennial behavior, BuzzFeed.
Are you a minority borrower? You might want to think twice about using an online lender.Black and Latino consumers pay higher interest on home loans than whites or Asians with similar credit scores -- even when shopping online.
Shellshocked investors don't know where the next bomb will dropAnxiety is an occupational hazard, a fact of life, for professional traders. After all, even on good days, something is always going wrong, somewhere.
Inside Nike's store of the future, where a smartphone helps you shopThe new flagship in New York is a template for cities around the globe.
Bankers can only dream of deals with reluctant tech billionaireJack Dangermond spent his entire career ignoring the capital markets. The advantage of this approach was on full display last month, on a day when tech titans like Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg lost almost $33 billion, as the Nasdaq Composite Index dropped the most in more than seven years.
Amazon 'lotto' winners in New York and Virginia see housing jackpot"It's changed from a buyers' market to a sellers' market just like that," said Rick Rosa, a broker with Douglas Elliman Real Estate. "The slowdown that happened in Long Island City is now not going to happen."
Constable: Visiting one of his restaurants, founder Dick Portillo still one of the crewDick Portillo arrives without an entourage, but he's hardly anonymous as he heads to the counter to order his favorite beef and Italian sausage combo "with a little juice." Even after selling his Portillo's empire for a reported $1 billion, Portillo can't resist popping behind the counter and says of the restaurant, "This is my baby."
Competition to AmazonGo is coming from an unlikely source: IsraelAmazon.com set off a global race to automate grocery shopping. The latest entrant comes from a nation not known for state-of-the-art retail experiences: Israel.
Your smartphone photos are totally fake -- and you love itNight Sight on Google's Pixel, which shoots pictures in the dark, shows how phone cameras have become faketastic.
A Weighty Question for Employers: Is it Illegal to Discriminate Against Employees Because of Obesity?Since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act ("ADA"), one of the issues which continues to perplex employers is whether obesity is a disability under the Act. The answer to this question is important for many reasons.
Weiss & Company LLC celebrates 50th anniversary in styleLast month, a crowd of over 300 gathered at The Glen Club in Glenview to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Weiss & Company LLP, one of the area's most enduringly successful accounting firms.
The most ignored retirement assetThe main goal of someone when they retire is to make sure they have protected the Longevity of their money, they can maintain a Lifestyle they are accustomed, to have the Liquidity needed to maintain that lifestyle, and to leave a Legacy to their heirs.
Suburban Business News
from the staffs of the Daily Herald and the Business Ledger
- Downers GroveConstable: Visiting one of his restaurants, founder Dick Portillo still one of the crew
- NapervilleParking data in, but Naperville awaiting museum decision in redevelopment process
- GrayslakeClassic Dog n Suds drive-in in Grayslake for sale
- MundeleinMundelein jacks up fee for video gambling machines
- LincolnshireSullivan's Steakhouse closes in Lincolnshire
- BusinessHurricane Michael leads Allstate to $202M in losses during October
- NewsElmhurst may tweak city planning update to address neighbor concerns
- RosemontHilton's boutique Rose Hotel opens in Rosemont
- BarringtonNew shoe store in downtown Barrington
- EducationStreamwood High precision manufacturing program, instructor awarded $50,000
- Glen EllynGlen Ellyn plans to borrow $10 million for parking garage, streetscape projects
- PalatinePalatine chamber seeks award nominees
- Oak BrookBallard Designs opens in Oak Brook
- NapervilleIce cream business owner faces multiple child pornography charges in DuPage County
- St. CharlesWindy City Motorcycle adds BMW and Royal Enfield
Through the Film Magnifer: Cheech and Chong, White Sox, Sunbathing, Roller Disco, Muhammad Ali, war protests and more
Through the Film Magnifier: Johnny Cash, Homing Pigeons, John Belushi, Ted Nugent, Marshall Brodien and more.
Through the Film Magnifier: Featuring singing nuns, Kickapoo rock fest, the Paddock Olympics, rocket clubs and more.


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CNBC Pro highlights the top performing stocks this week and analyzes whether the good times will continue.» Read More
Kevin Cronin, Putnam's head of investments, thinks technology is the way to play the current feeble market environment.
Companies with good dividend payments are attractive during periods of market volatility, Wouter Weijand, chief investment officer of high income equity at Fortis Investments said Friday.
Bob Pisani offers another installment of ETF 101: the Trader Talk blogger's periodic guide to exchange-traded funds.
Q: On Fast Money's trader radar we look at the stock lighting up screens across Wall Street today. This department store chain began 100 years ago as a single store called 'The Golden Rule'...
Joseph Greff, analyst at JP Morgan, told investors that performance of cruise stocks would depend on the price of crude oil.
David Strasser of Banc of America Securities says there's value for the investor who shops where consumers are already shopping.
With commodities prices -- especially oil prices -- slipping, will money be returning to the U.S.? Shana Orczyk of Peak Financial Management and John Massey of AIG SunAmerica Mutual Funds offered CNBC their market insights.
In a market full of turbulence, 5-star fund manager Daniel Brewer is picking energy and financials -- very carefully.
Options trading points toward developments at Hershey -- similar to what swirled around Anheuser-Busch -- according to Interactive Brokers' Rebecca Darst.
The digital age has transformed the way people watch television, and James Altucher has translated that transformation into a couple of fresh ideas for investors.
The back-to-school shopping season has already produced a wide range of grades among retailers this year, according to Needham's Christine Chen. She finds some clear winners.
The health-care sector has been getting healthier, according to Schwab's Paul Alan Davis.
John Dorfman's prescription for a portfolio: A pharmaceutical, a defense contractor, a media company, and a technology stock.
The Federal Reserve held U.S. interest rates steady on Tuesday. Where does that leave investors? Frank Holmes of U.S. Global Investors and Michael Cuggino of the Permanent Portfolio Funds offered CNBC their investment ideas.
As the Fed kept the key interest rate steady on Tuesday, CNBC asked the experts where to find opportunity in the marketplace.
Conventional wisdom says that if investors use their discretion, they won't have anything to do with consumer discretionary stocks. Jeff Krumpelman begs to differ.
U.S. light, sweet crude oil prices -- trading on the Nymex -- could fall toward $100 per barrel in the short term, Nick Batsford of Hobart Capital told CNBC.
Neil Hennessy, portfolio manager of the five-star-rated Hennessy Focus 30 Fund, offered CNBC insights -- and stock picks -- to beat a bear market.
Is there fizz left in the beverage stocks? UBS analyst Kaumil Gajrawala thinks so. "These are fairly recession-proof companies," he told CNBC.
To give investors an edge, CNBC asked the experts for their best trades now.


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German battery company sonnen has received highly regarded industry credentials as a South Australian manufacturer, almost a year after the official opening of the assembly and manufacturing facility at the site of the old Holden factory.
The company, which was founded in 2010 and operates in numerous countries around the world, has received the well-known Australian Made badge and recognition from the Office of the Industry Advocate (OIA) as a manufacturer of South Australian products.
Minister for Energy and Mining Dan van Holst Pellekaan said the sonnenBatterie eco 9.53 hybrid battery was given approval as Australian Made by meeting the criteria set out in the Australian Consumer Law and the Australian Made, Australian Grown (AMAG) Code of Practice.
“Home batteries are gaining momentum in South Australia as consumers are empowered to generate and store their own electricity, reducing their power bills,” the Minister continued.
“The Home Battery Scheme is an Australian-first. Our reputation in clean energy transition has paved the way for international companies like sonnen to set up advanced battery manufacturing in our state.”
Sonnen has thus far produced 2,000 batteries locally at their facility in Elizabeth, which was built to scale for the production and export of batteries to the Asia Pacific region and has the potential to produce 12,000 batteries per year.
Mr van Holst Pellekaan said the factory is creating jobs for South Australians across this sector which is constantly gaining momentum.
“sonnen began with 39 employees in November 2018 and now has 47, and this paints a promising picture for the future of this kind of manufacturing in our state.”
sonnen Managing Director of Australia, Nathan Dunn said that Australia is going through ‘a significant clean energy transition’.
“Home owners are increasingly aware about the benefits of home batteries in reducing their bills and being able to rely on the solar energy they have generated during the day”, said Mr Dunn.
“As we continue to identify new markets in Asia with export potential for certified Australian Made sonnenBatteries, sonnen will look to increase the manufacturing of our home batteries.”


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China hotel market is currently an attractive place for hoteliers from all over the world, so there’s no wonder why many famous companies do everything to launch new properties there. Hyatt Hotel Corporation is no exception and so this is why it has recently announced the launching of 11 new hotels in China. They will be opened in different resorts and developing cities of this country. Hyatt, that currently owns hotels under its brand name and under the name Andaz, will have 22 building hotels in China in total after these plans are taken into action.
The list of hotels that are scheduled for opening:
- Hyatt Regency Guiyang hotel
- Hyatt Regency Changbaishan hotel
- Hyatt Regency Tianjin East hotel
- Hyatt Regency Qingdao hotel
- Grand Hyatt Shenyang hotel
- Hyatt Regency Changchun hotel
- Park Hyatt Changbaishan hotel
- Grand Hyatt Sanya Haitang Bay hotel
- Hyatt Regency Wenzhou hotel
- Grand Hyatt Dalian hotel
- Hyatt Regency Jinan hotel
Four of 22 hotels that Hyatt currently builds will be opened in 2011. In 2012 the company plans to open 9 more accommodations. The hotels that will be launched in the next year are 253-key Park Hyatt Ningbo, 364-key Hyatt Regency Guiyang, 450-key Hyatt Regency Qingdao and 350-key Hyatt Regency Jinan.
These hotels will be a valuable addition to the existing 17 Hyatt hotels in China. The company has accommodations in all popular cities of the country, such as Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Macao and Taipei. Currently China is the second country in terms of the number of Hyatt hotels with the US occupying the leading place.


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Another clothing retailer is tightening its belt and closing stores.
Teen fashion chain Rue21 said Saturday that it will close nearly 400 stores nationwide or its nearly 1,200 U.S. stores. The closures include five of its nine Milwaukee-area locations, according to its website. Those stores are located at the Midtown Center in Milwaukee, Germantown Plaza III in Germantown, The Shoppes at Fox River in Waukesha, Tanger Outlet Center in Lake Geneva and the Corporate Center in West Bend.
Sources said the chain, based in Warrendale, Pa., was preparing to file for bankruptcy, Bloomberg reports.


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By Corey Petty
Social media and the rise of other rapidly evolving digital technology has made people more connected than ever. Thanks to the increasing amount of data that people (willingly) put out there about themselves, finding out the most intimate details about a person is often just a click or two away.
While the upside of this interconnectedness is better transparency for all, it also brings an unprecedented danger to personal privacy.
In 2018, social media giant Facebook was the victim of a major security breach that exposed the personal details of over 50 million users. Among some of the information leaked includes the username’s, hometown, and gender. Similarly, companies like Yahoo and Marriott have also been victims of hacking in recent years, with over half a billion people affected.
All of this sets the stage for a conversation on the importance of privacy and its role as the next basic human right, and every sector has a part to play.
For one, governments around the world are then realizing that protection of personal data is something basic they owe their constituents.
On May 25, 2018, the European Union put into effect the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), an initiative meant to modernize laws on protecting personal information. GDPR fundamentally altered how businesses and organizations from the public sector could handle information on their customers, acting as a replacement for previous data protection laws that were created back in the 1990s. Among some of the stipulations include giving individuals easier access to whatever data companies have on them and stricter requirements for getting the consent of people whose information will be collected.
But programs like these aren’t just limited to the West. In India, a bill ordering companies with data on any Indian citizen to have a copy of the data in Indian territory has been passed on to the parliament. Thailand has passed their own version of the GDPR, much of which includes the same stipulations on data collection but adds the possibility of fines and imprisonment for violators.
NGOs aren’t exempt from the reality of data breaches either. AIESEC, the world’s largest youth-run organization, was the victim of a data breach exposing millions of applications with details like DOB, gender and email. Oxfam was criticized by data protection watchdogs after accidentally leaking the personal details of whistleblowers they had been working with in Haiti.
Unfortunately, NGOs have been stuck with a reputation of being especially susceptible to data breaches. Op-eds have been written exposing how many NGOs have built a culture where senior leadership lacks the technical expertise or understanding to make data protection a priority. There’s also the unfortunate truth that many of their beneficiaries wouldn’t have a platform to complain on if their data were mishandled.
But the good news is GDRP has forced many of these agencies to shape up, with data protection quickly shooting up to the top of their agenda. Some like Amnesty International have turned to releasing guidelines on data privacy not only for their employees, but for the general public as well. The guide contains directives starting out with first understanding which companies track you the most (Google, Facebook, and Twitter) and then segues into the best ways to navigate these platforms while still getting maximum protection. It even goes as far as recommending third-party protection tools, such as the anonymous search engine Duck Duck Go.
The private sector
In line with all these developments, the private sector has been forced to step up its data protection protocols. In the US, retailers including Walmart have rushed to add “Do Not Sell My Info” options on their websites and signage in stores after the enactment of a California consumer privacy law. This lets shoppers prohibit Walmart from selling their data to third-party companies. Even Facebook has released a privacy check-up tool which lets users easily navigate how their info is being collected and shared.
It isn’t just about big companies either. Small-to-medium enterprises are also being highly encouraged to follow the best security practices. Though they don’t have the same resources as their biggest counterparts, small steps such as keeping software updated and ensuring their data is backed up could mitigate the risks of a cyberattack.
There’s a financial benefit to observing data privacy practices. According to a study by tech conglomerate Cisco, businesses usually see an average return of 2.7 times their original investment when they institute data privacy practices. With over 2,800 companies in numerous countries participating in the study, it was also reported that companies who prioritized investing in privacy also gained a clear advantage over their competition. With this in mind, there may come a time when rather than just looking to comply with data protection practices, companies would be eagerly rushing to implement them.
The future of privacy
With privacy increasingly prioritized by just about every sector, it’s only a matter of time before we start seeing products aimed squarely at guaranteeing privacy.
Our flagship product, the Status Mobile App, is exactly that. A three-in-one platform that acts as a secure messenger, crypto wallet, and a secure web3 browser, it uses blockchain technology to decentralize transactions and data storage. Furthermore, it also uses the P2P messaging layer Whisper to remove any third-party intermediaries from accessing communication altogether.
All of this is on top of end-to-end encryption and use of the Double Ratchet algorithm for additional layers of privacy and security. This means even if a data breach occurs and hackers get ahold of the private key needed to decrypt your message, they couldn’t retrieve your information.
Now more than ever, being equipped with the proper tools to protect one’s privacy is a must. Every sector recognizes the role they must play and the consequences if they fail to do so.
Privacy is no longer a luxury – it’s a human right.
Corey Petty is the co-founder and host of The Bitcoin Podcast Network, and is also currently the head of security at Status.im, a developer secure communication tool that upholds human rights online.


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Do you have a T-Mobile Galaxy Note 8 that never got the Android 8.0 Oreo update that began rolling out on April 1? If so, we now know why that update never came.
T-Mobile says that the Galaxy Note 8's Oreo update is "temporarily on hold". The update began rolling out on April 1 but was paused on April 3.
T-Mo doesn't offer any details as to why the update was paused, but it's likely that some bug was discovered and so a new build had to be created. Unfortunately, it's unclear when the update might begin rolling out again, but hopefully it'll be soon since the original Oreo update was paused three weeks ago.
If you've got a T-Mobile Galaxy Note 8, did you get your Android 8.0 Oreo update?


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Sixteen years after her daughter’s dresser tip-over death, Sterling mom still fighting for safer furniture standards
Kimberly Amato still has her daughter Meghan’s Christmas outfit from 2004. A red velvet skirt with white embroidery and a black turtleneck sweater, it’s tucked away with some other tiny toddler clothes – the tags still on it.
Meghan never wore the sweet little outfit. Sixteen years ago, a week before Christmas, she died under a dresser on her bedroom floor while the rest of her family was asleep.
No one in the house heard the dresser fall. Meghan’s little body prevented it from hitting the floor hard, and she was unable to cry. She suffocated as a result of airway compression by a drawer.
Before the nightmare unfolded, Amato, of Sterling, had never heard of a dresser tipping over onto a child. At the time, she was a childbirth educator and birth doula with a 6-year-old boy and 3-year-old year twins – Meghan and her twin brother – who had carefully childproofed everything in her house.
“I was often accused of being overly-protective and over the top with the childproofing. I had even removed the furniture from the living room so they couldn't jump off of it,” she said. “I was teaching infant care classes and this was not something that was part of the curriculum. It wasn't in parenting magazines or classes. Furniture anchors were not sold in stores with other childproofing supplies, so no one knew they existed.”
Amato never imagined the short, 100-pound dresser in her daughter’s room would, or even could, tip over. She never imagined her blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl, who weighed just 28 pounds, could somehow pull down a stable-looking piece of furniture that took two adults to move. Marketed for children’s rooms, Amato figured the dresser had been vetted for safety.
It is a common assumption, according to a recent Consumer Reports survey. Ninety-six percent of Americans believe that home goods costing $75 or more, such as dressers, adhere to a required safety standard.
But that wasn’t the case when Meghan died on Dec. 18, 2004. And it still isn’t true today.
Called to action
Every day, nearly 40 kids are injured when a piece of furniture, an appliance, or a television tips over, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CSPC). And on average, a child dies in such an incident about every two weeks.
The CPSC’s most recent report attributes furniture tip-overs to the deaths of 556 people from 2000 to 2018. Most victims were between the ages of 1 to 3 ½ years old, and nearly all of them were under the age 14. And at least 210 people—mostly children ages 6 and younger—have been killed when dressers or other furniture that store clothes have tipped over.
Still, regulations and safety standards remain unchanged. In fact, there is no mandatory safety standard for the stability of furniture like dressers.
Instead, there is only a voluntary standard, which states that a clothing storage unit taller than 27 inches should stay standing with 50 pounds of weight hanging from an open drawer, while the other drawers are closed. Manufacturers have the option to meet this standard or not.
“The more I learned, the more angry I became,” Amato said. “The industry expects the consumer to finish making the furniture safe by anchoring it to the wall, however studies have shown that even if parents are aware that dressers can tip, many still don't anchor them, either because they don't think it will happen to them, because they don't have the tools or know-how, or they rent and are afraid they will lose their security deposit.”
Since she lost Meggie, Amato has been working to change this. The very night Meghan died, Amato wrote an email to her loved ones to inform them of the tragedy, and implore them to anchor their dressers to the wall.
Within weeks, she founded Meghan’s Hope, an organization to raise awareness of furniture tip-overs. She told her story with local mom groups and day cares, exhibited at safety fairs, asked pediatric offices to post or share flyers and brochures.
In 2014, she became a spokesperson for Nationwide's Make Safe Happen Campaign, and the following year, helped inform the CPSC’s Anchor It! campaign. The advent of blogging and social media helped Amato reach more and more people, but still, she wanted to find a way to move beyond awareness, and drive change.
Two years ago, Amato and six other families from across the nation who had lost children in tip-overs formed Parents Against Tip-Overs (PAT). “We'd all been doing a similar thing, trying to educate and raise awareness in our local area, and were all having trouble reaching the people we knew we needed to reach and to do so nationally,” she said.
Partnering with other consumer advocacy groups like Kids in Danger, Consumer Reports, and the Consumer Federation of America, PAT created a plan gaining the attention they believe the tip-over issue deserves. Then, they went to Washington.
A federal standard
PAT families are among dozens of groups lobbying for stronger standards and advocating for the passage of the STUDY Act (Stop Tip-Overs of Unstable Risky Dressers on Youth), which would require a mandatory safety standard for dressers within one year of its enactment.
“The industry’s standards are completely voluntary and don’t protect enough children,” said William Wallace, manager, Home and Safety Policy for Consumer Reports. “Right now, there’s no easy way to simply look at a dresser and tell whether it’s likely to tip over—so it’s critical to put a strong standard in place that consumers can trust.”
Where the voluntary standard falls short – not accounting for situations like a child climbing, sitting or standing on drawers, or even the dresser being on carpet – the STURDY Act calls for testing stability for real-life scenarios on all free-standing clothing units. That would include loaded drawers and multiple open drawers, accounting for the impact of carpeting on stability, and simulating the dynamic forces a climbing child would cause.
The law would also mandate strong warning requirements and labels.
The STURDY Act passed the House with bipartisan support last fall, but has been sitting in the Senate Committee of Commerce, Science and Consumer Protection for over a year.
If it doesn’t pass the Senate by the end of this year, advocates will have to start over with the next session of Congress in January. Frustrated, Amato blames “bitter partisanship” for the failure in moving the bill forward.
“I assure you that furniture falls equally on children, regardless of whether their parents are Republicans or Democrats,” Amato wrote in an op-ed published last month in USA Today. “This is not a partisan issue.”
What you should do
Parents aren’t helpless as they wait on lawmakers or the furniture industry to make changes. Families can dramatically reduce the risk of tip-overs by properly anchoring items that can tip or fall to the wall.
“The No. 1 excuse I hear is ‘I'm always with my kids,’” said Amato. “You aren't. You sleep. You use the bathroom. You look at your phone, the TV, or a computer while you are ‘watching’ your kids. You are human. It’s OK.”
Amato reminds parents that no one thinks “it” will happen to them – whatever “it” might be. Tip-overs happen every 24 minutes, and about every 30 minutes, tipped furniture or a falling TV sends an injured child to the emergency room. More than half of tip-overs happen in a bedroom, but it’s not just dressers that can fall: shelving units, wardrobes, televisions, and appliances can all be dangerous.
“What I want to say to parents is this: You cannot tell by looking at a piece of furniture if it will tip. It doesn't matter how tall or short it is, how heavy or light it is, how old or new it is, how expensive or cheap it is, who made it or where you bought it. Physics is what causes furniture to tip,” said Amato. “You can be in the same room and be powerless to stop it.”
AnchorIt.gov has tips and how-tos for securing furniture. Anti-tip straps or anti-tip kits are sold online and in-stores for as low as $5 and take as little as five minutes to install.
“The money it costs to anchor everything is a small price compared to a funeral,” said Amato. “I know that sounds harsh, but I buried my beautiful little girl three days before Christmas. I share her story so you don't ever have to walk in my shoes.”


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Sylvester Computer Guy
It has been reported that the Windows 10 update Microsoft recently released may cause problems with Google Chrome. If your Chrome has started acting buggy in the last 30 days, it may be due to this issue. The recommended first step to try is manually telling Windows to check for available updates. Microsoft has released a patch that is supposed to address the issue, and rather than wait for it to filter down to you on its own schedule, you can just check for Windows updates to grab it down for yourself.
Has this happened to you? Has your Windows 10 spring update been smooth? Let us know in the comments below!
via Sylvester Computer Guy https://ift.tt/2E4296C


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12 April 1999
Brown reveals revised organic rates
By FWi staff
AFTER more than a year, the government has finally revealed the terms of its scheme to double the payment rates to producers who want to convert to chemical-free farming.
The scheme, first announced by former agriculture minister Jack Cunningham almost a year ago to the day, was formally launched today by his successor Nick Brown.
The new payment rates mean that land eligible for the Arable Aid Payment Scheme (AAPS) will now receive £450/ha rather than £250/ha over the five-year conversion period.
Under the new Organic Farming Scheme, improved land not eligible for AAPS will command payments totalling £350/ha over the five years.
Additional annual payments of £30/ha paid on the first five hectares have been replaced by lump sums per farm of £300 in year one, £200 in year two and £100 in year three.
Speaking at the launch in Worcestershire this morning, Mr Brown said that demand for organic produce was strong and continuing to grow.
“I am pleased that so many farmers are realising the opportunities that organic farming can offer and are seeking to convert,” he said.
“We expect demand for the new scheme to be strong and we expect the budget for it to be fully committed.”
But conventional farmers who use chemicals to produce food should think carefully before converting to an organic system, added Mr Brown.
“Conversion to organic systems will not be right for every business and certainly should not be seen as an easy option,” he said.
The new rates are as follows (£/ha):
|Type of land||Year 1||Year 2||Year 3||Year 4||Year 5||Total|
|Eligible for AAPS or under permanent crops||225||135||50||20||20||450|
|Improved land not eligible for AAPS||175||105||40||15||15||350|


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Connecticut first state to require labeling genetically modified foods
- Staff St. Louis Business Journal
Connecticut lawmakers passed a bill on Monday requiring food manufacturers to label products that contain genetically modified ingredients.
However, the state's governor said he would sign the bill into law only if it includes a provision that the measure would not take effect unless four other states passed similar laws, the New York Times reports.
More than 20 other states are considering similar measures. Monsanto and other seed companies spent millions of dollars last year to defeat a GMO labeling ballot initiative in California. A New York labeling measure was defeated in committee on Monday after members of the committee were lobbied by the Council for Biotechnology Information, a trade group of which Monsanto is a member.
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Kingston Ranks First For DRAM Module Supplier
It’s been recently that Kingston Technology ranks at the top for being the best third-party DRAM module supplier in the world according to analyst firm TrendForce.
Kingston takes top spot for DRAM module supplier
It appears that Kingston has retained their number one spot with an estimated 80.33% market share on US$12.9B revenue. Last year’s ranking means that it is the 17th consecutive year that TrendForce has placed Kingston at number one on the list.
According to TrendForce, DRAM prices were lower in 2019 due to an ample supply combined with weaker demand from both the server and client sides, thus resulting in less revenue for many module makers.
As we are transitioning 8GB density DDR4 chips to 16GB, Kingston has said that the new water lithography needed to produce 16GB DRAM also provides a power savings over last-gen 8GB. This in turn improving battery life on mobile systems and reducing costs in data centers. Previously, Kingston shipped 64GB Registered DIMMs last December, as well as refreshing the entire Server Premier product line to feature 16GB solutions in July 2020.
Pokdepinion: Well it’s been 17 consecutive years that they’ve taken top spot, they must be doing the right things.


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Shepherd Neame, brewer and owner and operator of 310 pubs in Kent and the south east, has said since the resumption of trading on 12 April the company's cash generation and profits have been ahead of expectations.
In a trading update following the close of its financial year on 26 June, the group said demand has taken a step up from 17 May, when indoor trade was allowed, and continued to benefit from pent-up demand with particularly strong trading at its rural and coastal pubs and hotels.
Retail sales were impacted by the extended closure of 15 Shepherd Neame central London pubs, almost all of which reopened from 19 July, although their trade levels are expected to remain below prior levels for some time to come.
For the 11 weeks of 12 April to 26 June, managed pubs that were open and trading achieved 84% of their 2019 revenue and total retail sales, including those closed pubs in London, were 60% of 2019 levels.
For the initial period of outdoor trading between 12 April and 16 May, open pubs achieved 62% of 2019 levels and from 17 May, when indoor trading resumed, to the year end, those sites that were open achieved 97% of 2019 levels. Since full restrictions lifted on 19 July the group saw a "modest increase" in sales.
For the 11 weeks from 12 April to 26 June, tenanted pubs achieved 77% of their 2019 volume. For the four weeks of June, they achieved 91% of 2019 beer volumes. After charging no rent for all the weeks of lockdown, Shepherd Neame's tenanted pubs returned to 90% of normal rent as from 21 June and, as from 2 August, will return to normal rent.
Despite the "encouraging" restart, the company said it will "inevitably" report a loss for the financial year to 26 June, after such lengthy periods of closure, though less than originally forecast.
Shepherd Neame's net debt was £89.8m at the year end, down from £92.4m in December 2020, and the company said it had sufficient and growing liquidity to "restore its financial health" over the next 12 to 18 months. It added that while costs were still tightly controlled and the business run "very prudently", the board was "increasingly confident of a full recovery and a return to the prior growth path and dividend payouts for shareholders".
Jonathan Neame, chief executive of Shepherd Neame, said: "It has been great to be open again, and our team members and licensees are delighted to be able to welcome our customers back. Although we continue to trade below full capacity, we have benefitted from strong pent-up demand. The business is back on the path to recovery and has been cash generative and profitable since re-opening.
"Although we naturally have to be cautious in case further restrictions are imposed during the winter months, we are now looking forward and planning beyond the pandemic with some optimism, driven by the rapid return to near normal trading levels in the past few weeks."


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Taste of Natalie’s Nectar can transport you
Sat., Jan. 29, 2005
To the wine aficionado, the joy of tasting is often in the transportation.
A fine wine can take you, they say, to the hillside whereon the grapes drew life from the soil and to the spring and summer of its birth and maturation. Through the subtle use of oak, cherry, grapefruit and other additives and spices, a wine can paint an entire portrait in the palette.
That ability is what makes sampling and tasting each new crop of wine from each different winemaker such a passion.
“There really is an art to winemaking,” said Mike Conway, the winemaker at Latah Creek. “The science of making wine hasn’t changed in centuries. It’s the art of the individual winemaker that makes each wine special and different.”
Latah Creek, which is open for tasting seven days a week, is debuting a new wine – a product of a union of which Conway is especially fond.
“We have a new sweet, red desert wine, a Reciotto, that we’ve just brought out,” he said. “It’s already proving to be popular and we think it will continue to be. It’s a project that my daughter and I did together. She recently decided that she wants to go into winemaking and we decided to do this together.”
The father-daughter dynamic was heartwarming, Conway said.
“It’s a learning process,” he explained. “Any new project is like that, especially with someone just starting out. But it’s great to have her want to be involved.
“She started out as a biology student with the intention of becoming a physical therapist, but somewhere along the line, the passion for wine took over.”
Called “Natalie’s Nectar” after daughter Natalie Conway-Barnes, this reciotto is made by adding unfermented juice from cabernet sauvignon grapes back into fermented juice from the same grapes.
It’s a new entry for a Northwest winery. Most desert wines, Conway said, are white, such as ice wine.
The reciotto is just the latest entry of Italian-styled wines into Northwest cellars.
“French wines have kind of priced themselves out of the market,” Conway said. “The trend to Italian wines has been a way to combat that.”
The increasingly popular Sangiovese, which Latah Creek frequently serves mulled, is an Italian table red. The popular Pinot Grigio is its white counterpart.
“Northwest grapes are very well suited to the Italian style of winemaking,” Conway said. “We’ve been able to travel quite a bit throughout Europe and see what they’re doing in other countries. That’s where the idea for the reciotto came from.”
And where the tasting can take you.
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In a world worried about complacency in markets, where should an investor look for rumblings of disorder? A good candidate is Turkey.
The volatile emerging market has offered investors plenty of reasons for concern in recent years: increasing authoritarianism under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a failed coup attempt, persistently high inflation and a continued reliance on foreign financing. Now a fresh bout of worries has hit. Inflation has risen into double-digit territory, reaching 11.9% in October, way above the central bank’s 5% target. Turkey has been engaged in political spats with the U.S. and Europe. Growth has been strong, although there are concerns it is reliant on a credit binge that is unsustainable.
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Thank you for reading the news about GRAPHIC: Saudi gaming spend leads Arab world and now with the details
Jeddah - Yasmine El Tohamy - BERLIN: German sportswear maker Adidas AG expects a strong China-led recovery in sales this year, though profit will be trimmed by costs associated with divesting its Reebok brand.
Preparing to presenting its 2021 outlook on Wednesday as part of its five-year strategy, Adidas said it has reopened 95 percent of its stores after coronavirus lockdowns and expects 2021 sales growth rate in the mid-to-high teens, rising to as much as 30 percent in greater China, the rest of Asia and Latin America.
“The 2021 outlook appears broadly consistent with consensus estimates once Reebok stranded costs are added back,” said Jefferies analyst James Grzinic.
Rival Puma last month said it expects the financial impact from lockdowns to last well into the second quarter but that pandemic-driven growth in running should help to support a strong improvement after that.
Adidas reported fourth-quarter sales up by a currency-neutral 1 percent at 5.55 billion euros ($6.59 billion) while operating profit slipped slightly to 225 million euros, ahead of the 5.47 billion and 202 million euros expected by analysts.
About half of its stores were closed in Europe in the period, but online sales grew 43 percent.
As part of its new strategy, Adidas will manage greater China as a separate market from the rest of Asia and it has integrated Europe, Russia and emerging markets into a new Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region.
For EMEA, Adidas expects sales growth in the mid-to-high teens, but only a high single-digit percentage in North America.
Net income from continuing operations is projected to rise to between 1.25 billion and 1.45 billion euros.
However, Adidas expects a hit of about 250 million euros to operating profit from costs to make Reebok a standalone company, with a third of that in 2022 but none in 2023.
Adidas last month said that it plans to sell or spin-off the underperforming brand, 15 years after it bought the US fitness label to help it compete with arch-rival Nike Inc.
These were the details of the news GRAPHIC: Saudi gaming spend leads Arab world for this day. We hope that we have succeeded by giving you the full details and information. To follow all our news, you can subscribe to the alerts system or to one of our different systems to provide you with all that is new.
It is also worth noting that the original news has been published and is available at Arab News and the editorial team at AlKhaleej Today has confirmed it and it has been modified, and it may have been completely transferred or quoted from it and you can read and follow this news from its main source.


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LIME fights on, but loses more
LIME'S fight for mobile subscribers may have returned strong gains for the beleaguered telecoms company.
But the new call tax implemented mid-July and tougher competition in broadband has eaten away at the company's revenue.
What's more, LIME posted another billion-dollar loss during the quarter that ended September 30, pushing its accumulated losses past $35 billion.
The British-owned firm reported that its mobile revenue climbed by 21 per cent during the three months to September 30, when compared to the corresponding period last year. This was as the result of 20 per cent growth in subscribers and a 12 per cent rise in average revenue per user (ARPU) from its calling plans — XL and Talk EZ.
"Our Talk EZ plan attracted 100,000 subscribers in 100 days," said Garfield Sinclair, managing director of Cable and Wireless Jamaica, which operates as LIME.
The company said that ARPUs for postpaid mobile increased by six per cent, prepaid by 11 per cent and broadband by three per cent.
"Our fixed line business benefited from improved margin percentages due to reduced payments to other local operators, which are now being charged at the lower termination rates and on a per second basis," said Sinclair.
He was referring to a lowering of cross network charges from $9 a minute to $5, which was enforced by the Office of Utilities Regulations.
Indeed, during the quarter under review, payments to other operators fell by 40 per cent, or by $563 million, when compared to the same period last year.
However, revenue for the quarter was down by 12 per cent year on year to $4 billion.
"The special telecommunication tax implemented in mid-July had a strong adverse impact on fixed-voice revenue, which declined by 13 per cent," said Sinclair.
The new tax — five cents per minute for all calls between local landline numbers — was implemented the same day the termination rates were lowered.
Sinclair also said that "broadband revenues have fallen as a result of a net reduction in subscribers and lower priced packages".
Lower revenues coupled with increased advertising and marketing cost and a lower gross margin resulted in a smaller operating profit, from $435 million during the three months ending September 30, 2011 to $93 million during the review quarter.
What's more, the telecoms company continued to undergo a restructuring exercise, which resulted in its incurring expenses of $512 million, consisting primarily of one-time termination benefits.
As a result, LIME's net loss was $1.3 billion — similar to year-earlier levels — and its deficit climbed to $35 billion, while its current liabilities are still $1.6 billion above its current assets.
Moreover, LIME's long-term borrowing from Cable and Wireless increased by $1.2 billion over the six months to September 30.
However, back in the UK, executives expressed optimism over the Jamaican subsidiary's performance.
"We saw improving results in Jamaica, where our 'fightback' campaign is gathering momentum following regulatory changes made by the Government," said Tony Rice, CEO of Cable and Wireless Communications, LIME's parent. "We have seen good traction in the key market of prepaid mobile and the business is re-energised."


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Beijing denies plan to ban ship imports
Shipping firms not ordered to buy locally-made vessels: ministry
China will not ban imports of ships to boost demand for locally-built
vessels made by companies such as Guangzhou Shipyard International
Co, a Ministry of Communications official has said.
In recent weeks, China's state media has bemoaned a rise of newbuilding
Read more on Shipping Times


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Nestlé’s outlook improves, strengthening health and wellness focus to serve it well
Nestlé, the world’s largest food group, has announced growth of 3.4% beating forecasts and causing the Swiss-based company to enhance their full-year expectations.
The growth came as they strengthened their position as a health & wellness company, gained greater traction in key developing markets and saw premium brands increase their market share. Their food and beverages division, which includes the Milo, Nescafé, Kit-Kat and Lean Cuisine brands, was credited as the driving force behind the sales success.
“These record sales in the first 9 months reflect strong growth momentum in both the developing and the developed world,” Paul Bulcke, Nestlé CEO, said. “The Group’s brands hold leadership positions in dynamic categories and will continue to deliver profitable growth on the back of our nutrition, health and wellness strategy. Indeed, such is the strength of alignment: 280,000 Nestlé people sharing the same vision and commitment to operational excellence, selling billions of products to consumers across the world, day after day.”
“This is the driving force behind an outstanding shorter-term operational performance which, in turn, ensures the longer-term delivery of the Nestlé model: a good level of organic growth, combined with a constant currency EBIT margin improvement, year after year.”
“The Group’s success in developed markets is increasingly driven by its capacity to innovate with new added-value products and services as well as continuously renovate the existing portfolio,” a company statement added. “Moreover, the premium and luxury end of the market continues to provide strong growth, with brands such as Nespresso, Häagen Dazs and Gourmet pet food performing well.”
In developing markets it was Nestlé’s Popularly Positioned Products (PPPs), an integrated business model to reach out to emerging consumers offering them quality, taste and nutritional content at affordable prices, which spurred growth.
Nestlé anticipates successful times to continue despite the economic turmoil, with their increased focus on ‘health and wellness’ expected to hold them in good stead for the future.
“Nestlé is committed to becoming the recognized global leader in nutrition, health and wellness and the reference for sustainable financial performance in its industry. The alignment of the Group’s businesses behind this commitment will drive profitable growth both in the current environment and in the longer term, demonstrating Nestlé’s defensive qualities as well as its strong growth credentials,” the statement concluded.
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