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Pret A Manger to remove 'natural' food claims from store signs because of additives in their bread amid pressure from advertising watchdog
- It was told by the Advertising Standards Authority to remove the word natural
- The ASA said this because their are certain additives in the bread used
- Following consultations with Westminster City Council it is removing the word
Pret A Manger is removing claims that it sells ‘natural’ food from store signs following pressure from the advertising watchdog.
It is a further blow to the reputation of the chain, which was criticised this week over the death of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, 15, who suffered a catastrophic allergic reaction to one of its products.
Earlier this year, the sandwich chain was told to stop using the word ‘natural’ in its marketing by the Advertising Standards Authority because it uses certain additives in its bread.
Pret A Manger is removing claims that it sells ‘natural’ food from store signs following pressure from the advertising watchdog
Now, following consultations with Westminster City Council, the authority which covers the area where the firm’s headquarters are based, it is removing the word from signs.
A Pret spokesman said: ‘This is part of a shop-design refresh programme that pre-dates the ASA ruling.’
Pret declined to confirm if the word would also be axed from coffee cups and packaging.
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The Indian Premier League has reached an agreement to stream matches live on the internet and to mobile phones in regions including India, Pakistan and the Middle East in a deal with Dubai-based company netlinkblue thought to be worth almost $50m (£25m) over 10 years.
Netlinkblue is looking to target cricket fans around the world with content from the Twenty20 competition including live streaming and a 72-hour online catch-up service.
The deal excludes markets such as the US, UK, South Africa and New Zealand due to existing deals with broadcasters. In the UK Setanta has a five year pay-TV deal with the IPL that also covers online video rights.
Netlinkblue, a provider of consulting, technology and IT solutions, is aiming to cash in on the huge popularity for IPL matches in markets such as India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Other key targets include the United Arab Emirates as well as the massive expat Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi cricket-loving populations spread across the globe.
"Cricketing action is a big draw for television viewers and with the emergence of new media technologies we can take the experience to the viewer's office, home and mobile devices," said Akash Aurora, chief executive of netlinkblue.
Netlinkblue has developed a three-tier payment system for online TV viewing.
A day pass costs $2.72 (£1.37), a league pass for the duration of each IPL tournament is valued at $40.57 and an annual pass priced at $51.46.
Netlinkblue originally intended to launch the internet streaming service on its own website www.t20.com.
Live Current Media offers clips of highlights and access to archive content after netlinkblue's 72-hour catch-up TV window.
Geoffrey Hampson, the LCM chief executive, said that the IPLT20.com website has recorded more than 30m page views in the first month of launch from a "truly global audience".
The majority of the content within the official IPL website remains free to access.
As part of LCM's deal with the IPL it is forming a Getty Images-style picture and video syndication service for other media outlets to purchase content.
Lalit Modi, the chairman and commissioner of the IPL, said that the alliance between LCM and netlinkblue to centralise digital media rights would provide "fans globally with a direct window to the on-field action".
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The coming Thanksgiving weekend is going to be huge, says Salesforce. So big that almost half of retailers' annual revenue will come in this one massive Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday weekend.
Mobile will be key.
So will AI, for perhaps the first time, as smart systems are helping to drive more than a third of all retail revenue.
Salesforce sees a ton of shopping data, because the company manages marketing and sales for giant brands with more than 500 million global shoppers. So I asked Salesforce Head of Consumer Insights Rick Kenney for his take on the coming retail extravaganza.
John Koetsier: How big will the retail numbers be for this coming Thanksgiving retail weekend, and how will they compare to previous years?
Kenney: This upcoming Cyber Week will be the biggest digital week ever. We predict that 40% of the entire shopping season’s revenue will be made the first week of the season, which is up from 32% last year. Black Friday, predicted to be up 19% and Cyber Monday, up 16%, will lead the charge for the critical Cyber Week period.
John Koetsier: You’re predicting mobile will drive the majority of retail activity for the first time. What numbers are you seeing there?
Kenney: This is the year that mobile wins! Shoppers will again turn to their phones for visiting sites - as phones will drive 68% of the season’s traffic. But the real story will be that shoppers will not just browse, but buy more on phones than any other device - edging out computers for the top device.
And on peak mobile days, like Christmas Eve, mobile will drive a massive 72% of all traffic and 54% of all orders.
To put mobile’s impact in perspective, we estimate that there will be more visits made on mobile phones this upcoming holiday season than across all devices during holiday 2015. We’re already living in a mobile-first world, and increasingly, holiday shopping will migrate to mobile-only.
John Koetsier: We know mobile commerce has been growing steadily. What factors are driving that primarily?
Kenney: Mobile is the most disruptive force on retail since the advent of ecommerce.
Our ubiquitous use of phones means that researching and buying is literally always at arm’s length. Mobile revenue growth has exploded over the past few years, as retailers have found and reduced friction.
Mobile wallets have helped make buying easier, and adoption from retailers and consumers continues to spike. We expect to see days where mobile wallets account for nearly half of all mobile orders in the US, with PayPal and Apple Pay leading that charge.
Incremental enhancements are also helping mobile’s growth; faster site speeds, larger screens, and more optimized and streamlined websites are also helping.
John Koetsier: Something that’s new in the last few years is how much AI is driving ecommerce and m-commerce. What role does it play, and what advantages is AI providing? Can you quantify that?
Kenney: Over the last year, we’ve seen shoppers come to appreciate the value of AI in their overall shopping experience. AI-powered product recommendations have had a massive impact and are driving 37% of all revenue.
But the real step-function value of AI is just landing now -- searching by images helps accelerate the connection between a shopper’s desire and a retailer’s product catalog, and AI-infused chatbots allow for faster resolution of basic requests like ‘Where is My Order’ and allow retailers to redeploy one of their most valuable assets - the customer service team - towards more nuanced and valuable service inquires.
John Koetsier: Amazon is obviously the 800-lb gorilla in the e- and m-commerce spaces in the U.S. How can other retailers compete?
Kenney: Shoppers have more choice than ever -- they actually prefer to buy from retailers because of customer service, and those that differentiate on service are thriving, while those that have no or little service proposition are challenged or failing,
Brands also hold an advantage -- shoppers prefer to go to brands for innovative and authentic products and experience. In fact, 59% of shoppers are more likely to buy when customized products are made available to them.
The key to success in today’s marketplace-friendly retailing climate is finding where you can attract and retain shoppers and playing to your strengths of either leading with service or providing unique, limited or exclusive experiences.
John Koetsier: For years we’ve seen retailers compete to get their Christmas sales out earlier and earlier. Now we’re seeing it for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Is this an effective strategy, or could it backfire?
Kenney: Over the last couple of years, the first week of the season - Cyber Week - has grown in importance. In the US, Cyber Monday is the biggest digital day, with Black Friday immediately behind. Even Thanksgiving Day has emerged as the fourth top revenue-producing day of the season.
But don’t expect to see shoppers making their purchases in advance of Cyber Week. While we do see traffic increase in the week leading up to the big event, shoppers are reserving their purchases for Cyber Week.
John Koetsier: What role do you see assistants having in e- and m-commerce? And do you see voice driving commerce as well? To what extent?
Kenney: When it comes to voice-activated apps and devices, shoppers are still in the experimentation stage. In fact, only 38% of shoppers reported using a smart assistant to complete a shopping activity in the last three months.
Generally speaking, where voice sits in the overall shopping journey is still a bit of a question mark. However, the connection between voice and mobile is strong wherein “Would you like me to send it to your phone?” will likely become a common refrain.
John Koetsier: Anything else?
Kenney: We are expecting social to play a bigger role this holiday season, as platforms like Facebook and, increasingly, Instagram, will drive 7% of mobile traffic. While social hasn’t yet hit the meteoric growth that Mobile earned, the visual-friendly medium of Instagram looks promising and provides a strong vehicle for brand messaging.
John Koetsier: Thank you for your time!


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The hefty charges add to pressures on costs at the retail stalwart which saw its sales dip over the festive period and has undergone a shake-up of top management.
Property firm Colliers International said its analysis of John Lewis stores in the UK showed that the department store business (not including Waitrose) faced a collective business rates bill of £57.4m in the current year – more than 30 per cent higher than before the 2017 rates revaluation, which took place in England.
This is due to rise to £59m next year, Colliers has estimated, which would represent a huge bill for a department store chain of less than 50 shops.
The retailer’s three Scottish stores, located in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow, account for £2,675,150 in the current year, rising to £2,753,100 from April, according to Colliers.
John Lewis’ flagship London store, just off Oxford Street, is facing a business rates bill of around £10.4m this year. And Colliers has found that 21 other John Lewis department stores are paying rates bills of more than £1m each in the 2019/20 tax year, including Glasgow.
High business rates have been cited as one of the major reasons for the current woes on Britain’s high streets, with pressure mounting to overhaul the system.
John Webber, head of business rates at Colliers International, said: “The increasing shift to on-line shopping, rising costs, including the rise in the minimum wage and dampened consumer confidence are all taking their toll on traditional department stores and John Lewis is no exception.
“We understand it is looking closely at its management layers, its annual bonuses, its Christmas advertising spend and its position with its various landlords. With such a drop in sales, it is no wonder the company is needing to take defensive measures. But, the business rates environment needs to be overcome also.”
The system of business rates is devolved to Holyrood, with MSPs debating final amendments to the Non-Domestic Rates (Scotland) Bill. However, the new legislation has already raised concerns among the business community.
Webber added: “Sadly, given recent announcements designed to help smaller retailers no one in power seems to appreciate that it is the chains that are the big employers in the sector.”


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In a stunning turn of events on Capitol Hill, Kevin McCarthy, the Republican House Minority Leader, has been ousted from....
Google Settles $93 Million California Lawsuit Over Misleading Location Tracking
Tech giant Google is all set to pay the state of California $93 million in a lawsuit. The lawsuit resolves an accusation that the search engine company was misleading consumers.
Google was apparently not being honest about its location-tracking practices.
The settlement came on Thursday from the Attorney General of California, Mr. Rob Bonta.
The parent company Alphabet Incorporation and Google are the parties to the lawsuit. These companies apparently were deceiving people using the search engine.
The dishonest practice was regarding the data gathered from people using the location services.
The acquisitions say that Google was profiling people. They used to target these people with advertisements when the location history was even turned off.
This means that the search engine knew about people’s location without the service actually being on. They also used this location to come up with ads according to where the people lived.
Google has so far generated about $110 billion from advertising in the year 2023 alone. This accounts for around 81% of its total revenue.
Even last year, Google had a great to pay settlement damages to resolve a similar issue. Those accusations came from around 40 states of the United States.
Some states are choosing to shoe Google on their own without Federal involvement.
Google has simply denied these claims.
A spokesperson from the search engine has stated that these policies were outdated and that the company had changed years ago.
“Consistent with improvements we’ve made in recent years, we have settled this matter, which was based on outdated product policies that we changed years ago,” they said.
In a highly anticipated legal showdown, former President Donald Trump's real estate fraud trial commenced in a New York courtroom....
There has been a lawsuit from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission of the United States against Tesla Inc. It states....
By Jyoti Jha03 Oct 2023


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Automakers are currently asking the Trump administration to rescind federal fuel economy standards, claiming that these rules make cars more expensive and put car ownership out of reach for low-income Americans. However, a new report contends that the data doesn’t support this argument. [More]
Back in August, Audi announced that it was working on technology that would let cars communicate with traffic lights so drivers know when the lights will turn from red to green. The carmaker is now ready to roll that tech out onto real streets, starting in Las Vegas. [More]
Nissan is one of the top auto brands in the country, which is nice and all, but the owner of the country’s largest chain of auto dealers gave us a peek under the hood to explain why he doesn’t like the practices that help get it there. Namely, the company gives huge rebates and incentives to dealerships that make their sales goals. [More]
Another day, another major auto manufacturer announcing plans for a self-driving vehicle: this time it’s Volvo, which says it will offer a fully autonomous car to luxury buyers in five years. [More]
Well, that was quick: shortly after a report from the Financial Times hit the news cycle today saying that Apple was in talks to buy McLaren, the automaker says that’s not happening. [More]
Every summer we find ourselves hearing about children who have died after being left behind in hot cars, and it’s no different this year: 12 kids have died from heatstroke in cars, safety advocates say. In an effort to prevent those deaths, GM has unveiled a new feature that will let drivers know when someone has been left behind in the car. [More]
Federal regulators and automakers from around the world are set to announce an agreement on Friday to reform and improve auto safety following a year of record fines and safety recalls. [More]
The carmaker Subaru is having a great decade so far: their sales have doubled in the United States and they’re having trouble keeping up with the demand. While that’s great news for Subaru, an in-depth investigation from Reuters shows that Subaru and its suppliers have turned to some questionable but legal labor practices to keep the Foresters coming down the line. [More]
While 11 automakers have already recalled millions of vehicles equipped with potentially deadly Takata-produced airbags, a twelfth car manufacturer announced it would also recall thousands of cars with safety devices supplied by the Japanese auto parts maker, although for a different, but still dangerous, reason. [More]
Just as federal regulators caution that it could take years before the nearly 34 million recalled vehicles equipped with Takata airbags that can spew shrapnel upon deployment are replaced, the Japanese auto parts maker says it expects to speed up its output of replacement parts by year’s end. [More]
The newest models of connected cars come with everything from built-in navigation and entertainment systems to roadside assistance. While these features might make life behind the wheel a little easier, a new report found that not enough has been done to adequately protect those components from hackers. [More]
Automakers had their hands full with recalls last year, at least according to the latest numbers from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Today the NHTSA announced that vehicle manufacturers had filed more than 650 safety recalls in 2012, which includes more than 17.8 million vehicles, child seats and other equipment related to automobiles. [More]
The U.S. and Canadian governments now own a substantial portion of General Motors. If that means that us taxpayers are the real owners. So Consumer Reports Cars wants to know: what do you think GM should make?
On Sunday, a judge approved the sale of nearly all of Chrysler’s assets to a group led by Italy-based Fiat. [BBC]
After failing to get its debt-for-stock offer approved last week, and missing the June 1st deadline for concessions from creditors and its union, GM will file for bankruptcy later today. Reuters notes that its filing will be the third-largest in U.S. history, after Lehman Bros and Washington Mutual, and the largest ever in manufacturing.
In case you don’t watch “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” as obsessively as I do, here’s a segment from earlier this week that is relevant to Consumerist readers’ interests. In it, they provide an overview of news coverage of the closing of GM and Chrysler dealerships, and implore the companies to “be a f@#king person!”


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In conjunction with the western release of Persona 5 earlier this month, developer Atlus posted some strict sharing policies that prevented players from taking screenshots or recording videos from within the PS4 UI, and more importantly, restricted players from livestreaming any events of the game past the in-game date of July 7. This was, according to Atlus, to protect new players from spoilers, but the move was met with criticism from fans. It now seems that Atlus has heard the cries of angry players, and has made slight adjustments to its strategy.
In a new post on its website the developer has announced that, instead of using July 7 as the end point for streaming, players are now able to show anything up until September 19.
In addition, Atlus also offered an apology for its strategy: "We also want to apologise to those of you who saw the previous guidelines blog post as threatening," Atlus said. "We want to be transparent about what we do, and the reason we released the guidelines was to give streamers the right information up front. It was never our intention to threaten people with copyright strikes, but we clearly chose the wrong tone for how to communicate this."
Do you agree with Atlus' attempt to protect against spoilers?
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Small businesses have always needed profits. These days, Hannah Ling argues, they need something else as well—principles.
Last December, the former marketing consultant with a passion for flowers and a concern for the environment opened Gardenia Organic, a West Village florist that sells flowers produced without toxic pesticides or fertilizers.
“I feel passionate about this,” says Ms. Ling, who points out that many imported flowers are grown with pesticides that are banned in this country. She also notes that there are at least five other florists close by but none that target environmentally conscious consumers.
Going green can allow entrepreneurs to do good and do well at the same time by mining a new and relatively untapped market, polishing their image and creating media buzz.
Companies must do more, however, than mere public relations “greenwashing” of their images if they want their efforts to pay off.


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Sony Computer Entertainment Japan today celebrates the unrivalled performance of the company's games console over the past year and the attainment, on December 21 this year (today), of its target figure of 500,000,000 units delivered to stores, according to SCEJ.
With production totaling 40,000,000 units in the first eight months of 1998, the company was easily on course for the projected 50 million units by year's end. But as usual, Sony apparently believes that sell-in numbers tell the whole story, and they do not.
Nonetheless, on a global breakdown, the numbers are significant and stack like this (cumulative hardware production total figures):
- Japan 14,250,000 units
- US 19,350,000 units
- Europe 16,400,000 units
More units were sold 'abroad' for Sony than in their home country, despite the Japan release coming a full nine months before the others and an amazing 10,000,000 increase in the last 4 months.
As usual, however, every videogame hardware manufacturer except Sony judges their success with sell-through numbers, not sell-in numbers, such as these. Both Nintendo and Sega always judge their success by hardware units sold from retail shelves (sell-through) to consumers. Sony constantly (and wrongly) touts the number of hardware units its sold to the retail distributors (sell-in numbers). While these numbers sound excellent, who's to say these units will all sell to consumers? They could end up in some warehouse and never be sold.
Source: Sony Computer Entertainment Japan


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Apple is reportedly developing a tool that will let existing iPhone users more easily switch to Android. Such an option would be a big departure for Apple and its closed ecosystem, but it is apparently the result of pressure from carriers, not because the American company suddenly wants to play nice, reported VentureBeat.
Apple has a very specific strategy compared to Google and Microsoft when it comes to its rivals’ app stores. That said, last year the company released its first three Android apps: Move to iOS, Beats Pill+, and Apple Music. The first one, which was quickly destroyed with one-star reviews, lets Android users more easily switch to Apple’s iOS by moving their personal data for them.
Unsurprisingly, Apple’s first Android app benefits Apple. This alleged new tool would help Google (Windows and BlackBerry OS are not mentioned).


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Maersk Line, the world’s largest container line, suffered a net operating loss of almost US$600 million during the three months ended March 31, 2012, and negative cash flow from operations of US$257 million, despite a significant increase in volumes carried. Volumes rose 22 per cent from 1.8 to 2.2 million forty-foot equivalent units (FEU), but average rates declined 9 per cent from US$2,908 to US$2,646, while the average price of bunker fuel rose by 31 per cent from US$523 to US$685 per tonne. The cost of bunker fuel rose to 30 per cent of revenues of US$6.3 billion. On average, each FEU was carried at a loss of US$263 versus a profit of US$217 a year earlier.
Maersk reported that worldwide demand for container transport grew by 1.3 per cent, and that it maintained its global market share. Maersk blames the continuing high rate of deliveries of newbuilds from shipyards for the softness in container rates. During the first quarter, 47 new vessels were added to the world fleet, including 18 with a capacity in excess of 10,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU). On the other hand, increased idled capacity and demolition mitigated the impact of additions to the worldwide fleet.
Maersk has implemented a number of initiatives to restore profitability, including a general rate increase, a capacity reduction of 9 per cent on Asia-Europe routes through “slow steaming”, the full integration of Safmarine into the Maersk network, and other measures.
During the quarter, Maersk took delivery of six new vessels with a combined capacity of 38,000 TEUs, increasing total fleet capacity to 2.5 million TEUs.
Parent company A.P. Moller-Maersk Group produced a net profit of US$1.16 billion on revenues of US$14.3 billion, and expects full 2012 profits to be slightly lower than the level recorded in 2011 (US$3.4 billion). As for Maersk Line, management expects global demand for seaborne container transportation services to increase by 4 to 6 per cent in 2012 and, assuming its recent rate increases will hold, projects a slight loss during the year, or perhaps break-even.
Although Maersk Line is A.P. Moller-Maersk Group’s largest operating subsidiary, the parent has significant operations in oil and gas production and exploration, container terminal activities, offshore drilling and oil production, tanker shipping, freight forwarding, operation of supermarkets, and other activities.


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Specialist premium baijiu importer and distributer, Cheng International, is launching a four-part online masterclass in the UK.
The series of classes, which starts on July 13, will focus on baijiu, China’s most famous spirit.
The course, which is aimed specifically at those involved in the UK drinks trade, will be hosted via Zoom and led by the managing director of Cheng International, Qiqi Chen.
Cheng International said it wanted to offer these events to “encourage people to learn about baijiu and to understand how it is made”, as well as exploring its history, which is deep-rooted in Chinese culture.
The masterclasses will also demonstrate how baijiu can complement the range of a retailer that sells exceptional spirits. Cheng will highlight how baijiu matches with food, and how to make baijiu cocktails.
The first UK masterclass, on July 13, will be an introduction to this premium Chinese white spirit, and it is free of charge for up to 100 people. To reserve a place, visit http://bomci.chengintl.co.uk/
The following two classes will focus on different styles of baijiu and will include a tutored tasting, for which samples should be purchased in advance for home delivery. There is a cost for samples. For every order of samples Cheng will donate £5 to The Drinks Trust.
The final class (August 3) is free of charge.
The classes will be held on Mondays on the following dates: July 13, 20, 27 and August 3. The classes will be from 3 to 3.40pm.


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Published on August 9th, 2021 | by The GC Team0
RKW brings Celly smartphone accessories to UK market
Staffordshire-based distributor RKW, known for its SDA product ranges, has partnered with Italian brand Celly, part of the Esprinet Group, to bring mobile phone accessories to the UK market.
The move expands RKW’s offering in the CE sector as the business currently deals with brands such as Akai, ViewQuest and iTek. Celly has over 1000 SKUs in its portfolio of accessories for smartphones, smart working, outdoors, in-car and other areas, including products in Pantone-licensed colours.
The Esprinet Group is reportedly the number one technology distributor in Italy, Spain and Portugal with a turnover of over €4.5 billion in 2020. It operates in over 40 countries across Europe, Asia and Africa.


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In just a day, the uptake for Apple's iOS 9 jumped to almost 11 percent, according to the latest stats from analytics firm Mixpanel.
Rolled out Wednesday across the world, adoption rate of 10.9 percent as of Thursday morning, according to the firm's findings. Mixpanel bases its data on an analysis of mobile app usage, specifically the number of devices using the thousands of apps that it monitors. Its analysis can't provide a complete picture of all iOS devices and users, but it can serve as a good indicator.reached an
Apple refreshes iOS, the software that powers iPhones, iPads and iPod Touch devices, every year with new features and refinements that it hopes will entice users to upgrade and will help it compete with Google's Android mobile operating system. Also important is stability. With iOS 9, Apple needs to avoid the sorts of bug problems that soured the launch of iOS 8 a year ago.
So is 11 percent a good start? Well, it's not quite as good as iOS 8 achieved out of the starting gate, according to Mixpanel's stats from last year. In September 2014, Mixpanel's data showedless than 24 hours after it debuted.
Mixpanel's data differs from that of fellow mobile analytics firm Tapjoy, which has pegged iOS 9 adoption at slightly higher than 6 percent as of Thursday morning, according to a blog posted by Patrick Seybold, Tapjoy's vice president for communications and marketing partnerships. Tapjoy sees iOS 9 adoption at a slightly slower pace compared with that of iOS 8 and way behind that of iOS 7. Tapjoy bases its data on an analysis of more than 200 million unique iOS consumers per month.
"This slow adoption rate underscores the trending rule of thumb for upgrading to a new mobile operating system," Seybold said in his blog. "Unless there are must-have device-changing features in the OS, more and more consumers are waiting a little while for early, annoying bugs to be stamped out, and then upgrade once the OS has been more refined."
Cupertino, California-based Apple has not yet released its own figures on iOS 9 adoption.
The glitches that occurred with the initial versions of iOS 8 do show that may be wise not to rush. Users who wait at least a couple of days to upgrade can gauge the reaction to the new software and see if other people are bumping into trouble.
Users did run into some delays trying to snag iOS 9 on Wednesday, with Apple's servers apparently hiccuping under the heavy weight of all those downloads. But that's not unusual when so many users are trying to download the same software over the same period of time.
Beyond that, there don't seem to be major complaints popping up about iOS 9 bugs or technical issues, at least not yet. It will take a bit of time for most users who've downloaded it to try out every feature.
The latest iOS version includes improvements to the voice-activated Siri digital assistant, the Maps app, the Notes app and the search feature. Like Microsoft's Cortana, Siri can now remind you of calendar appointments. The Notes app now lets you create checklists, draw sketches and add attachments. And the Apple Maps app now has more mass-transit information, including schedules and subway station entrances for urban locales such as New York City, the San Francisco Bay Area, Mexico City and Beijing.
iOS 9 also promises better battery life with a new low-power mode that turns off certain bells and whistles when you run below a 20 percent battery charge. A new split-screen feature lets you run two apps side by side, but only if you're using the iPad Air 2 or later iPads. And Apple has added a new, which aggregates different news sources and topics to help you keep up with the latest stories around the world.


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Crypto to reach 1 billion users in 2030: BCG Report
It’s a widespread sentiment for people outside of the crypto community to look at Bitcoin (BTC) prices and conclude that it’s too late to get into crypto. However, a report shows that the industry is still at the beginning phase of the adoption curve.
In a joint report published by Boston Consulting Group, Bitget and Foresight Ventures, data shows that crypto adoption is still very low compared with traditional investment assets. According to BCG, only 0.3% of individual wealth is invested in crypto, which is incomparable with the 25% put into equities.
The report concludes that the shallow investment penetration means there is still a lot of room for more substantial growth and adoption within the crypto industry.
In addition, the report compares the internet’s adoption curve to reach 1 billion users with current cryptocurrency holders and Ethereum addresses with non-zero balances. The report mentions that “There is plenty of growth to come.”
Source: Boston Consulting Group, Bitget and Foresight Ventures
By comparing the data, the researchers predicted that crypto users may reach 1 billion by 2030 if the trendline continues on its course.
A recent market report by consulting firm Verified Market Research predicted that the nonfungible token (NFT) industry’s value might shoot up to $231 billion in 10 years. According to the report, the sector may continue an annual compound growth rate of 33.7%, with music, film and sports identified as drivers.
On the other hand, a report from McKinsey & Company reported that the Metaverse alone could be valued at $5 trillion in 2030. The international consulting company surveyed consumers and companies across various countries and industries to identify patterns in consumer behavior. According to its findings, e-commerce will be driving the cash flow within the Metaverse, making up to $2.6 trillion in revenue by 2030.


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February 24, 2022, Antigua and Barbuda: On June 8 – 10, 2022 the Antigua & Barbuda Hotels and Tourism Association, in collaboration with the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority will be presenting the 7th installment of the travel trade business to business destination event, Showcase Antigua Barbuda.
The event which has been absent from the destination’s calendar for the past two years due to the pandemic, has been re-designed with a focus not only on the business aspect of the one-on-one meetings with Tourism related businesses, but also presenting the destination’s offerings of Culture & Heritage, Wellness, Romance, as well as Yachting & Sailing.
Patrice Simon, Executive Director of the ABHTA remarked that “Giving our partners the opportunity to experience the destination firsthand is important now more than ever. We are looking forward to welcoming our partners from the US, UK & EU, Canada and the Caribbean for face-to-face meetings with our members. As travel continues to rebound, we cannot miss an opportunity to showcase Antigua and Barbuda to the key decision makers in the travel industry.”
Colin C. James, CEO of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority wants travel partners to continue to keep Antigua and Barbuda top of mind. James said, “Antigua and Barbuda has incredible new product offerings that have come on stream since 2020 and we are more than ready to wow our travel partners, some of who will be making their first visit back to Antigua and Barbuda since the pandemic.
We will be highlighting our key pillars, and our partners can expect to be fully immersed in the destination, as we take them on a journey with vibrant presentations that focus on our heritage and culture, wellness attributes, romance-inducing scenes and our rich nautical elements – all experiences that visitors to the destination can enjoy on their vacation.”
Showcase Antigua and Barbuda will include a welcome event on June 8 and a full day of business meetings on the 9th and the opportunity to play and explore the destination on June 10. Travel partners and local stakeholders can also look forward to a new element being added to this year’s event which will include sessions of consultations on the destination and exploring avenues for growth and development of the industry.
Travel partners and Members of the ABHTA are asked to save the date June 8 – 10 2022. More details on registration will be shared in the coming weeks.


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An animal companion, be it a furry pup, cuddly kitty, or even a tiny hamster, can improve one's quality of life. And this is why the COVID-19 pandemic was accompanied by a marked rise in the ownership of pets, otherwise dubbed the "pet boom”.
People all over the world found solace and comfort during difficult times such as city lockdown periods by welcoming furry, four-legged friends into their homes. But sadly, the demand for pets has since cooled dramatically, with some people even giving up their recently-domesticated animals to rescue organizations and shelters.
With these events, it’s safe to say that the pet boom is, in fact, over. However, the situation is not as dire as many are claiming it to be.
The Pet Boom In the United States
The rise in pet ownership and adoption was particularly high in the U.S., and country-wide shelters and animal breeders saw a dramatic rise in demand. Cats and dogs were the most popular choice for many.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) reported that nearly one in five households acquired a cat or dog in 2020, accounting for approximately 23 million American households. Already an animal-loving nation, the total number of pet-owning households in the U.S. increased to over 71 million.
Demand for pet food and care services also spiked — a record $123.6 billion was spent on pet food and care in 2021, following a 2020 high of $103.6 billion.
Return to “Normal” Life
The pandemic may no longer be a disruption to our everyday life, but that doesn’t mean that things have gone back to the way they were before. Many people faced a host of post-pandemic challenges, with some relocating, changing jobs, or closing down their businesses. Even those who were not forced to upend their lives have had to contend with rising costs of living due to a looming recession and national housing crisis.
Unfortunately, a combination of these challenges and the resumption of daily schedules have led to an increase in the number of animals entering shelters across the nation compared to the number of animals leaving them—many shelters are reporting lower adoption rates as well as an influx of owner surrender requests. Some organizations also documented spikes in Google searches for terms like "sell a puppy" and "selling a dog".
No Cause For Concern
Though animal rescue organizations reported an uptick in the number of people requesting to surrender, return or re-home their pets at the start of 2021, the trend has yet to become a crisis as some had predicted.
For one, the pandemic adoption phenomenon that emerged in 2020 may have been overstated. A 2021 report from Shelter Animals Count, a national database of shelter statistics, found there were 20% fewer pet adoptions in 2020 compared to 2019, due to a smaller pool of animals available in shelters and fewer people relinquishing their pets.
Though not as reliable, data from non-shelter sources also indicated that though average animal prices shot up, the number of animals sold was not as high as expected.
Additionally, Shelter Animals Count found that U.S. shelters saw only a slight increase of 0.56% in shelter intake levels from 2020 to 2021. This was 23% lower than the number of animals returned in 2019. The Best Friends Animal Society also reported that while owner surrenders went up 82.6% in 2021 compared to 2020, they were lower than 2019 numbers by 12.5%.
Pets Are Still Providing Companionship and Comfort to Families
There may be varying information on pet returns but one thing is clear: more homes are showing love to animals and embracing them as family members.
Pet adoption rates have remained higher after the pandemic, suggesting that the trend towards pet ownership is not just a fad but a reflection of a cultural shift towards increased acceptance of companion animals.
The popularity of pet adoption has also been on the rise in emerging markets across South East/South Asia, Central Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Eastern Europe.
…But There Are Compounding Challenges
Though an encouraging trend, the increased demand for animals during and after the pet boom has highlighted the dire situation that shelters and animal rescue organizations are facing.
Shelters nationwide are overcrowded due in part to a spay and neuter backlog that was created during the pandemic. In addition, there’s a shortage of veterinarians and shelter staff. Veterinary practices, from small clinics to large animal hospital chains have reported being overwhelmed in the past few years.
Takeaway: Adoption Is Still On The Rise
The pet boom may be over, but pet ownership will likely continue to see a steady rise.
What remains to be seen is the adaptations that will come up to meet the demand for healthcare and well-being services.


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California’s Supreme Court ruled in favor of greater cardholder privacy this week in a decision that will likely affect many state consumers when they make credit card purchases.
In a unanimous ruling, the seven judges of the state’s high court found that retailers do not have the right to ask consumers to supply their ZIP code when completing credit card transactions.
The decision, which stems from a class-action lawsuit against home retailer Williams-Sonoma, overturns an earlier legal precedent from 1971. This prior ruling stated that consumers could not be asked for personal information that may be used to track them, CNN reports.
[Resource: 12 Tips for Protecting Your Identity]
In the case, Jessica Pineda was asked for her ZIP code by Williams-Sonoma. The company then sold information compiled from its customers to other sources who used it to get her home address. Retailers may still ask for this information under the new decision; however, they will be barred from recording it or storing it in a database.
However, while many consumers will likely approve of the decision due to its stance on privacy, some experts are displeased with the outcome, the news source says.
“We think it’s a terrible decision because it dramatically expands what personal information is, by including a ZIP code as part of an address,” Bill Dombrowski, president of the California Retailers Association, told CNN. “We are surprised by it.”
However, the ruling would allow for ZIP codes to be collected by merchants in certain scenarios, such as at gas station pumps where it is used for security reasons. The law also specified that this information would remain required for bank deposits and cash advances, The Los Angeles Times reports.
While the new ruling would only affect credit card users in California, it echoes similar legislation that has been enacted in other states.
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Folk Festival A Big Economic Boost For Butte
The Montana Folk Festival in Butte kicks off tonight. This year is its 10th anniversary, and it’s a significant boost to the Copper city’s economy.
Earlier today, staff at the Uptown Cafe were busy preparing for the expected dinner rush. Mary McAlexander, the manager said, “Business for us quadruples on this weekend from what it would normally be, so we love it.”
Festival organizers say the event is expected to bring in 150,000 people over the weekend. And while the event is free, George Everett with Mainstreet Uptown Butte - an organization that focuses on community revitalization - says the festival has a big economic impact on the historic mining city and the state.
“For every dollar we spend, we estimate that about $25 dollars comes back into the economy, whether it’s local or beyond us in Montana," Everett says.
Keeping the event free means that people have more money to spend on hotels, food, and trips to nearby communities and attractions, Everett says.
“It’s a great draw in-between the (national) parks, and we try to market it that way for people coming from out of state," Everett says. "We invite them to come and visit Yellowstone and Glacier, but check out the Folk Festival in between and that results in people staying longer in Montana, spending more money.”
Everett recognizes that not all of the city’s businesses are thrilled when the Folk Festival rolls around each year.
“But overall the impact is pretty substantial, even for them," he says. "You know, it might be a furniture business, and they might look at it and say, ‘Well, I’m not going to sell any couches now.’ But sure enough the people who do make the money - the bars, the restaurants - they’re going to go buy furniture after they make a lot of money off the festival. It’s a rising tide that helps all ships.”
Maria Pochervina is the Executive Director of the Butte Convention and Visitors Bureau. Pochervina agrees with Everett that the festival is good for Butte businesses.
“I’m a business owner in Uptown Butte as well so I really see an uptick in sales this weekend," Pochervina says. "I think that everyone does better.”


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UK Hosting Company, Gradwell Communications, Chooses Duda For Their Website Builder
UK-based Gradwell Communications, founded in 1998 and an award-winning provider of communications technology with more than twenty thousand SMBs and partners, has launched its new innovative website builder, powered by Duda, that meets the SEO and eCommerce needs of modern websites.
“Businesses are now, more than ever, looking for an easy, affordable solution to build an online presence and extend their reach,” said Simon Mewett, CEO of Gradwell Communications. “We would like to ensure our new and existing customers have the right tools for the job. With Duda, it allows our customers with no coding or website building experience, to build a fantastic looking website quickly and efficiently.”
Gradwell Communications is the latest in a string of companies in EMEA that have adopted Duda as its website builder of choice.
“Partnering with Gradwell Communications was an easy decision,” said Itai Sadan, CEO of Duda. “We are very excited to expand Duda’s reach across the U.K., and we see Gradwell as a key player in helping us achieve this goal.”
“Thanks to Duda’s compelling website builder, we are also able to give our existing customers a fantastic opportunity to update and secure their website easily and affordably,” said Mewett.
For more information regarding Gradwell’s new website builder please visit: https://www.gradwell.com/cloud/website-builder/ and see some of the fantastic features for yourself.
For further information about partnering with Duda, email email@example.com.


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Canary Wharf and Docklands Minicab company, Carrot Cars, are excited to announce that they have been shortlisted for the Customer Service Excellence Award at The Wharf 2016 Innovation in Business Awards.
Having already won the London Transport Award for Taxi and Private Hire Operator of the Year in 2015, this will be the second award that Carrot Cars has been nominated for, due to their high customer service standards, which they have worked hard to achieve. Consistent improvement on training and recruitment standards has seen Carrot Cars become the premier minicab company in the E14 and Docklands areas, and has meant that they have been able to organically spread their wings into the City of London.
Carrot Cars are very proud that their attention to the happiness of their customers is being noticed and that they are being rewarded for offering a great experience for their passengers; something they believe should just be standard throughout the industry.
The Innovation in Business Awards 2016 ceremony will be held on Thursday, September 29, at the Radisson Blu Edwardian New Providence Wharf and Carrot Cars General Manager, Adam Wiltsher said "We are very proud to have been shortlisted for the award. Customer service has always been at the heart of everything that we do so to be recognised in this category is a real honour."
“The other shortlisted contestants are: One Canada Square Restaurant; Boisdale of Canary Wharf and City Cruises, so there is stiff competition, but even to be named among these high profile, customer service pioneers is an amazing achievement for us. May the best team win!”


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Kawasaki designs, builds wheel loader ‘For the Cure’
Painted light pink with bright pink “Susan G. Komen for the Cure” decals, the wheel loader was ordered by the new Kawasaki distributer as an addition to their rental fleet.
Bud PeCoy, a principal with Mid-Country Machinery, a construction equipment dealer and rental company headquartered in Fort Dodge, Iowa, along with partners Mark Swedlund, Lucas Peed and Bob Conaway created the breast cancer awareness campaign when they learned that one of their customers suffered from breast cancer.
Mid-Country anticipates donating 10 percent of the wheel loader rental proceeds during the course of the next 54 months.
“Hopefully, this is just the beginning of our contribution,” stated PeCoy in a written statement. “We are passionate about this cause because we feel it’s safe to say that many of us have known someone with this devastating illness. Our hope is that we can not only heighten awareness, but also donate money for the research, treatment, and the never-ending search for the cure.”
Kawasaki is the newest addition to the successful Breast Cancer Awareness program by Mid-Country Machinery joining a Kobelco SK210 Mark 8 excavator and 2 JLG 800S telescoping boomlifts.
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Last Friday, the FCC updated information on its upcoming 2016 broadcast incentive auction, increasing the estimated opening bids from an estimate released in October. However, the Expanding Opportunities for Broadcasters Coalition, a broadcaster group, believes that the value predicted is far too low.
These opening bid estimates are in relation to the first part of the two-part auction, due to take place in early 2016. This first part will be a “reverse” auction in which broadcasts agree to sell the rights to their spectrum. In this reverse auction, the maximum opening bids are as high as they go.
This reverse auction will work on what’s called a descending clock format whereby bidding prices fall in each round. Broadcasters can exit without penalty, and prices continue to drop until the number of willing broadcasters meets a number set by the Commission.
In New York City, the maximum opening bidding price is set at $870 million, with the second most valuable market (LA) being set at $630 million. Median average prices for those two markets are $660 million and $560 million respectively. And it’s these prices that have seemingly upset a group of broadcasters.
“Since the auction goes only down from the starting prices, stations in these markets have no chance of ever seeing the original Greenhill expected values,” Padden said, according to Broadcasting & Cable. “That is why the starting price formula has to be changed as suggested by the coalition.”
It’s the second part of the auction that most interests T-Mobile and its fans. Because, once the reverse auction has taken place, a more traditional auction unfolds in which carriers and other companies can bid on spectrum licenses. The spectrum on auction is 600MHz frequency, and offers the opportunity for T-Mo to acquire more low-band airwaves to bolster its network and improve indoor LTE coverage further that it will have done with its current band 12 network.
This is the auction initially planned to take place at some time this year. But after legal-hold ups between the Commission and the broadcasters, the FCC only expects to start accepting applications towards the end of 2015. This inevitably meant that the auction itself was delayed.
Of course, this delay buys T-Mobile a little more time to raise extra funds necessary to buy the spectrum, and could prove to be a blessing in disguise. There’s a lot more detail to read in the sourced articles below, so be sure to give them a read.


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New Shadow of the Tomb Raider Trailer Shows off Lara’s New Set of Crossing Techniques
Square Enix and Eidos Montreal have released a short new Shadow of the Tomb Raider trailer which shows off Lara’s new crossing techniques.
The trailer is rather short but is quite action-packed. You can check it out for yourself down below:
Shadow of the Tomb Raider recently went ‘gold’ and is scheduled for a release in September on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
The third entry in Lara’s Tomb Raider reboot series was officially announced back in March of this year.
In Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Lara must master a deadly jungle, overcome terrifying tombs, and persevere through her darkest hour. As she races to save the world from a Maya apocalypse, Lara will be forged into the Tomb Raider she is destined to be.
“Thanks to their incredible expertise, knowledge of the franchise and outstanding creativity, Eidos-Montréal, in collaboration with Crystal Dynamics, is delivering a powerful experience with Shadow of the Tomb Raider,” said Yosuke Matsuda, president and representative director of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. “Shadow of the Tomb Raider will take the series to new heights and Lara Croft to new depths.”
“Shadow of the Tomb Raider will challenge Lara Croft in new and unexpected ways,” said David Anfossi, Head of Studio at Eidos-Montréal. “Our team has created a diverse set of skills, combat techniques and equipment for players to master, and they’ll certainly need them if they hope to survive the deadly jungle environments and tombs.”
The PC version of Shadow of the Tomb Raider is being handled by developer Nixxes. "Nixxes Software is proud to announce that we have teamed up with our long-standing partners at Eidos-Montréal to release Lara Croft’s latest adventure, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, to PC (STEAM) on September 14, 2018", the Dutch developer said back in April of this year. "Veterans of working on the Tomb Raider franchsie, Nixxes is thrilled to be bringing Lara Croft’s defining moment to the PC platform."


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Cadillac Converj concept
- John Neff
- Aug 18, 2011
Cadillac has just announced that the production version of its 2009 Detroit Auto Show show star, the Converj Concept, is on the way. Dubbed ELR and borrowing technology from the Chevrolet Volt, the on-again, off-again angular coupe had been rumored anew in the last few days. Now, Cadillac has officially confirmed that development of the extended-range electric coupe is already underway.
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Sony "better not be drinking any champagne yet," warned Yankee Group analyst Mike Goodman. He said they now face a possibly more formidable competitor -- online or over-the-air digital distribution.Source: Yahoo News
In fact, his research firm projects that in five years video on demand will account for 30 to 50 percent of movie rentals and sales via cable, satellite, telco or the Internet. "The majority of that marketplace will be high-definition fare," he said.
Other observers have noted that, for Internet distribution, there is the problem of displaying movie fare on a TV screen, rather than on a PC. Goodman countered that downloading to TVs has already started. He noted that Microsoft's Xbox 360 has accounted for as many as 380 million "pieces of content" downloaded -- including games and other material -- and virtually all of it has been played on a TV.
Goodman said he "wouldn't be shocked" if Microsoft, which had backed HD DVD and offered a HD DVD player for the Xbox, now releases a Blu-ray add-on. His perspective is that Microsoft's support of HD DVD "was intended to delay the success of Blu-ray, because they fundamentally believe that the future is digital distribution" on demand. A delay in Blu-ray meant on-demand distribution would have more time to develop, he said. Most of Microsoft's effort toward distribution, he pointed out, has been for the online service Xbox Live.
Next-gen DVD war isn't over yet
Posted on Friday, Feb 22 2008 @ 06:11 CET by Thomas De Maesschalck


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Thursday, November 30, 2017
The Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library has 58,968 items cataloged as of the end of November 2017. We started cataloging items from the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. 56,203 items have been reviewed for accuracy and completeness. 50,749 items have gone through the copyright review process. 47,992 items are currently published in the digital library.


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Cunard made the news this week when the Queen named the fleet's latest ship. We've found even more exciting news about the famous cruise line: Iglu Cruise has cut £400 off the price of a transatlantic crossing onboard the Queen Mary 2, meaning the price is now just £499 per person.
This offer is for the eastbound crossing, departing from New York City on 1 November and arriving in Southampton seven days later. The price includes flights from the UK, transfers, seven nights' accommodation in an Inside Stateroom and all meals and snacks onboard.
Iglu Cruise is also offering upgrades to Balcony Staterooms for £49 per person. Extra nights in New York City from £99 per person, per night**.
Book by 20 October.
Travelzoo tip: Keep in mind that there's no baggage restrictions on the ship so if you book a pre-cruise stay you can bring all your shopping home.
About the ship: The Queen Mary 2 offers 14 bars, including a traditional English pub, and 10 restaurants. Sports facilities such as fitness suites, a basketball court, a tennis court and a running track are available. The ship also offers a spa and the only planetarium on a cruise liner. Highlights includes afternoon tea with Cunard's traditional White Star service, 24-hour complimentary room service, as well as workshops and shows.http://www.travelzoo.com/uk/cruises/caribbean/902274/


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GOVERNMENT has outlawed the importation of vehicles older than 10 years, NewsDay can report.
Statutory Instrument (SI) 54 of 2024 Control of Goods (Import and Export) (Commerce) (Amendment) Regulations, 2024 (No 10) says anyone who imports a second-hand vehicle aged 10 years and above shall bear the costs of re-exportation.
Prior to the latest SI, second-hand motor vehicles aged 10 years and above required an import licence from the Industry and Commerce ministry.
“It is hereby notified that the Minister of Industry and Commerce, in terms of Section 4(1) of the Control of Goods (Import and Export) (Commerce) Regulations, 1974, published in Rhodesia Government Notice 766 of 1974, hereby makes the following notice:
“… Second-hand vehicles aged 10 years and above from the date of manufacture shall not be imported.
“Any second-hand vehicle prohibited under this subsection shall be re-exported by the owner of the said vehicle at his or her expense.”
In 2020, Finance and Economic Development minister Mthuli Ncube imposed a ban on second-hand private use vehicles above 10 years from the date of manufacture.
Ncube made the policy pronouncement while delivering his 2021 budget.
Government made a U-turn in 2021.
Critics say government official seem to want to be the only ones who are able to afford cars, while the rest of the country looks on in envy.
Ordinary Zimbabweans have been turning to cheap Japanese second-hand vehicles as locally assembled ones are priced beyond reach.
The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) pocketed more than US$2 billion and ZWL$29 billion from vehicle imports in 2022, showing a strong appetite for imported cars among the rich and poor.
Last year, Ncube increased the import duty for luxury vehicles.
Government and independent statistics show that US$500 million is spent annually to import second-hand vehicles from Japan, while a small clique of the rich and the State buy top-of-the-range cars.
Government has splurged millions of dollars on vehicles like Range Rovers, Mercedes-Benzes, Toyota Land Cruisers and other top cars for Cabinet ministers.


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GM is recalling 8,519 2013-model year Chevrolet Malibu sedans as one or more rear suspension bolts may not have been tightened properly, which could lead to loss of vehicle handling and increase the risk of a crash, according to documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Owners initially may notice noise and minor handling issues, but as the condition progresses sudden changes in vehicle handling could occur, NHTSA said. Owner notification has already begun.
GM also is recalling 3,896 2012-model year Buick Verano, and Chevy Camaro, Cruze and Sonic cars to address potentially faulty airbags, NHTSA said.
The driver side front airbag has a shorting bar that may intermittently contact the airbag terminals, possibly causing the airbags not to deploy and increasing the risk of injury, according to NHTSA. The recall is expected to begin on February 13.


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Google will include two new gestures with the Pixel 4 that will take advantage of the Project Soli chip.
Recent reports noted that Google would include with its upcoming flagship offering the Project Soli chip, a technology unveiled by the search giant a few years ago. This chip emits electromagnetic radiation to perform functions similar to radars, allowing devices to detect motion and movement by measuring distances between an object and the device.
After the search giant unveiled the chip in 2015, Google demonstrated how Project Soli chip works by embedding it in a smartwatch that runs Wear OS the following year. In the Wear OS smartwatch, the chip was utilized to recognize gestures that control music playback and the interface of the device. Google also incorporated the chip later on in smart home speakers.
Initially, there was no apparent reason on Google’s decision to include a Project Soli chip into the Pixel 4, and there is some speculation that the search giant may take advantage of the radar technology to perform alternative unlock methods. Reports claim that Google will not include fingerprint sensors, and it will instead rely on facial recognition to unlock the device.
However, a new report claims that the Project Soli chip will likely serve as an “Aware” sensor that enables the Pixel 4 to feature two new gestures. These new gestures are termed as Skip and Silence, and an inspection of the beta versions of Android Q indicates that these gestures will allow people to control music playback, similar to how the chip was used in the Wear OS smartwatch.
With the addition of a sensor dedicated to gestures, users no longer need to talk or touch their smartphones to control music playback. There is also a possibility that more gestures, made possible by the Project Soli chip, will be added soon. Among the gestures that Google may introduce later include the ability to control the volume of the device remotely.
Recent leaks already provided details about the design of the Pixel 4. Based on recent CAD renders of the device, the Pixel 4 will have a square camera bump located at the upper left-hand corner of the handset. In addition to the two rear cameras, the camera bump will also include a spectral sensor, although the function of this module is not yet clearly described.
The front of the handset, on the other hand, will no longer have a notch, and the smartphone will instead have a top bezel that possibly contains five imaging modules. There is no information yet about the specifications of the modules, although the handset will likely include standard and wide-angle sensors similar to the modules found in the Pixel 3 and the Pixel 3 XL.
Among the other features found in the Pixel 3 series that will likely return in Pixel 4 include Active Edge sensors, wireless charging, and NFC. Active Edge sensors allow users to activate the Google Assistant or silence incoming calls and notifications by pressing the sides of the device.
Google will reportedly launch the upcoming Pixel this coming October, and more rumors will likely emerge over the past few months that will detail the design and specifications of the device.


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What does black economic power look like? It’s a question comedian Kerry Coddett asked her sister one day while coordinating a bar crawl for people of the African diaspora to unite in supporting black-owned businesses in their neighborhood. The idea became Kwanzaa Crawl, which launched in Brooklyn in 2016.
On the day after Christmas—the first of Kwanzaa—while many sleep in, over 2,500 New Yorkers will gather at noon for this year’s event. They will chant, dance and praise the strengthening of the black community and culture in the streets of both Brooklyn and Harlem, to a playlist created by Coddett with songs such as the classic McFadden & Whitehead’s “Ain’t No Stopping Us Now” and the black national anthem “Lift Every Voice and Sing” playing out of the organizers’ speakers.
Coddett, who envisions the crawl expanding nationally, encourages participants to dress in whatever makes them feel “unapologetically black and beautiful.”
“I want you to be able to be in your house, turn on the TV and be like, What is happening? Why is everyone in the street in head wraps and dashikis singing?” she says.
Last year, the event had over 1,600 participants who visited more than 17 black-owned businesses in Brooklyn. They’ve added a Harlem leg this year, bringing the number to over 25 bars across both neighborhoods. Harlem staples such as Silvana, Lenox Saphire Bar & Restaurant, Londel’s Supper Club and more will be participating and whipping up unique cocktails for the event.
“In the climate of this moment, we understand the importance of using our dollars, voices and other tools at our disposal to amplify our collective impact toward progress for black and brown people,” Coddett says.
As the co-founder of Operation Mobilize, the umbrella organization behind Kwanzaa Crawl, she is passionate about targeting issues around black economic power and has created the crawl to measure the impact the black community has on local businesses.
“Given the spending of black consumers and Kwanzaa’s emphasis on supporting black culture, and taking into consideration that many black people don’t know much about Kwanzaa,” Coddett says, “this crawl is an opportunity to educate people and make Kwanzaa cool again.”
Tickets are $20 each, with a portion of the proceeds going to Barbershop Books, a nonprofit focusing on bringing youth reading spaces to barber shops across the nation, and The BLK Projek, a food-justice initiative based in the Bronx that teaches youth of color how to farm. Every participant gets a cup and wristband, the latter entitling each crawler to entry and drink specials at bars.
“We learned a lot in 2016, and we know that this year will be an even greater opportunity for us to learn, unite and empower the members of our community to think about the impact they can have not just on individual businesses in their communities,” Coddett says, “but on the scale of this city, the country and even the world at large.”


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Binance has announced that it is extending Christiano Ronaldo’s NFT drop until July 23. The platform announced the launch of Forever CR7: The GOAT NFT Collection on July 3.
Collectors can purchase different Ronaldo NFTs that are valued based on their rarity. These are Super Super Rare (SSR), Super Rare (SR), Rare (R), and Normal (N). The platform said that each rarity comes with benefits and utility. It described the utility of each rarity as follows:
- SSR: The SSR NFT featuring “The Bicycle Kick” will be available in an auction. By holding an SSR NFT, the user will receive a training session with Cristiano Ronaldo, an entry ticket to Binance Blockchain Week, a signed Binance football jersey, a video recording from Cristiano Ronaldo as he talks through his thoughts and feelings of the goal for the corresponding NFT, and a printable signed Binance x CR7 poster.
- SR: An SR NFT features “The Bullet Header”, “The Minute Milestone”, “The Hat-Trick King”, “The GOAT”, “A Star Is Born” or “The Rocket Man”. With an SR NFT, the holder will receive a signed Binance football jersey, a video recording from Cristiano Ronaldo as he talks through his thoughts and feelings of the goal for the corresponding NFT, and a printable signed Binance x CR7 poster. SR and R NFTs will be available via subscription mechanism.
- R: The “R” NFT features “The Flash”, “The Eighth Wonder”, “The Backheel”, “The Knuckleball”, “The Game Changer” or “Under Pressure”. The NFT holders will each receive a printable signed Binance x CR7 poster, a genuine “Thank You” message from Cristiano Ronaldo, and access to the upcoming Binance x CR7 giveaways.
- N: The N NFTs will be presented in a ForeverCR7 Box, available for direct purchase. It contains one out of seven NFTs, i.e., “The 100”, “The 200”, “The 300”, “The 400”, “The 500”, “The 600” and “The 700”. Holder will receive a genuine “Thank You” message from Cristiano Ronaldo, and access to the upcoming Binance x CR7 giveaways.
Super Super Rare (SSR) NFT bidding price starts from 15,000 USDT
The release said that users may purchase the rarest of ForeverCR7: The GOAT NFTs during an auction that commenced on 2023-07-03 14:00 (UTC) . It is expected to run through 2023-07-05 14:00 (UTC). It added that if there are no active bids, the auction will remain live until 2023-07-23 at 14:00 (UTC). A total of six “The Bicycle Kick” SSR NFTs are available in the auction. Bidding price will start at 15,000 USDT.


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AUSTRIAN company Pankl Automotive has announced plans to construct a new plant in Topoľčany in western Slovakia's Nitra region.
Construction on the plant, which will manufacture car components for the car industry, is due to begin in June and is expected to be completed by September.
Pankl Automotive plans to employ 240 people working in three shifts. The investor has obtained land from the town of Topoľčany, which plans to create an industrial zone in the area.
According to information from Pankl Automotive management, the company plans to move production of piston rods from existing plants in the Austrian towns of Bruck an der Mur and Kapfenberg to Topoľčany.
The Topoľčany plant is expected to produce parts worth €4 million per year.
29. Jan 2007 at 0:00 | From press reports


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Amazon shares tanked in after-hours trading Thursday — at one point down more than 15 percent — after the company reported the first quarterly loss since 2003.
Amazon lost $274 million in the third quarter, or 60 cents per share, down from a $63 million profit, or 14 cents per share, for the same quarter last year.
The company stated that the $169 million loss related to its investment in online coupon company LivingSocial was one of the reasons for the loss.
Amazon invested $175 million in LivingSocial in December 2010, when online coupon companies were a hot commodity. Since then, however, both Groupon and LivingSocial have been suffering as consumers report "deal fatigue" (something Amazon is familiar with) and drop their subscriptions to the services.
Amazon Chief Financial Officer Tom Szkutak emphasized the company's strong digital sales during a conference call with investors Thursday.
"We like the idea of selling Kindle Fires and being rewarded through the purchase of content going forward," Szkutak said after an investor asked why the company is not making money on sales of its Kindle Fire tablets.
He said Amazon intends to add more content going forward, but does not intent to change its strategy there.
"Digital content is growing very fast," Szkutak said.
Overall, sales for the quarter were up 27 percent to $13.8 billion, compared to $10 billion this time last year, with sales of media up 11 percent to 4.6 billion, and sales of electronics and other general merchandise up 36 percent to $8.6 billion.
Emily Parkhurst is editor in chief of the Puget Sound Business Journal.


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Mike Foley, a drug industry veteran and director of the Tri-Institutional Therapeutics Discovery Institute, has a pointed message for the New York life sciences industry: Don’t waste the moment. Changing the course of New York biotech has been a saga that dates back to the 1990s, and as Xconomy has detailed, progress has been made […]
NYS Entity Status
NYS Filing Date
SEPTEMBER 24, 2014
NYS DOS ID#
NYS Entity Type
DOMESTIC BUSINESS CORPORATION
2014 - M & E PHOTOGRAPHY INC.
AROUND THE WEB
- “It’s Shame On Us If We Blow It”: Highlights From NY Seizes the Momentum
By Ben Fidler - Wednesday Jun 7, 2017
- Snap Partners With Factual To Dig Deeper Into Location Data
Wednesday Jun 14, 2017
Location data provider Factual on Tuesday announced a deal with Snap Inc., Snapchat's parent company. Snap will have access to Factual's data product, Global Places, to power relevant experiences on its mobile app.
- Capitalism Deserves More Respect From Millennials
Tuesday Jun 20, 2017
Netflix, cellphones, and iPads are all products of a profit-driven economy, says Stephens Inc.'s Warren Stephens.
- A North Carolina Couple's Modern Duplex
Thursday Jun 22, 2017
Architect Phil Freelon and his wife, Nnenna Freelon, a Grammy-nominated jazz singer, bought a Durham, N.C., penthouse apartment and created a loft-like, two-story space. Photo: Alston Thompson Photography for The Wall Street Journal
- Divers use custom Snapchat Spectacles to explore deep underwater
By Sasha Lekach - Saturday Jun 24, 2017
- Time Inc. Moves Into Social Video, Targets GenZ And Millennials With 'The Pretty'
Tuesday Jun 20, 2017
Eager to capture the attention of 16- to-35-year-old beauty enthusiasts, Time Inc. has launched "The Pretty," a new social video brand. What's notable is the all-video approach that offers how-tos, hacks, product information, and entertainment, plus the plan to target both GenZ -- starting at around age 16 -- in addition to Millennials.
- Growbots raises $2.5M for its machine learning-based sales automation platform
By Frederic Lardinois - Wednesday Jun 21, 2017
Growbots uses machine learning to provide sales teams with the right leads to kickstart their outbound sales process. The service, which argues that its product can save each member of a sales team a few days of work every month, today announced that it has raised a $2.5 million funding round from Buran VC, Lighter Capital and a number of angel investors. This brings the company’s… Read More
- Apple Feud Deepens With Court-Appointed Monitor
By Christopher M. Matthews - Tuesday Dec 31, 2013
A feud between Apple Inc. and a lawyer appointed by a federal court judge to monitor the company's e-book pricing reform became even more acrimonious Monday.


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Contaminated Cosmetics Pose Growing Risk to Consumers
By Scott Faber
A rash of product recalls, government warning notices and contaminated cosmetics may finally push Congress to give our broken cosmetics law a makeover.
This month, a key Senate committee announced a bipartisan plan to consider cosmetics reform legislation this spring and work for its passage by the full Senate this year.
Since 2015, Sens. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. and Susan Collins, R-Maine, have been relentlessly pushing their colleagues to take up their bill to give the Food and Drug Administration the power to review the most dangerous chemicals in cosmetics. Their bill has broad support from cosmetics companies of all sizes and public health groups.
Recent events have lent new urgency to the need for reform. Key issues include:
- Asbestos in kids' products. Experts have found asbestos in cosmetics marketed to kids by Justice and Claire's.
- Burned scalps. A class-action lawsuit was recently settled by a company making hair relaxers that have been linked to burned scalps.
- Hair loss. Thousands of women and girls lost some or all of their hair after using a shampoo sold by a celebrity hair stylist.
- Mercury poisoning. A skin whitening cream was recently the subject of an import alert after the FDA detected mercury in the product.
- Unsafe hair spray. The FDA also found an imported hair spray that contained methylene chloride, one of the few chemicals currently banned from cosmetics.
- Contaminated cosmetics. The FDA continues to find cosmetics contaminated with bacteria, including a body wash, face powders, shadows and lotions.
- Eye shadow with coal tar. The FDA recently found imported eye shadows containing coal tar chemicals—including this product and this product.
- Eyeliners with lead. The FDA continues to intercept eyeliners containing an ingredient called kohl, which can contain significant lead levels.
- Unsafe colors. Many cosmetic products contain banned color chemicals, including shampoos, cleaners, temporary tattoos, and "Piggy Poop" soap.
Last year, The New York Times reported that contaminants such as mercury, lead, bacteria and other banned ingredients were showing up in an alarming number of imported personal care products.
The Times story was based on an FDA letter that revealed imports of personal care products have doubled in the last decade and imports from China have increased 79 percent in the last five years.
In 2016, 15 percent of imported personal care products inspected had "adverse findings" and 20 percent of products the FDA tested in its own labs had adverse findings.
In addition to requiring FDA review of the most dangerous chemicals in cosmetics, the Feinstein-Collins bill also requires companies to ensure that products are produced in ways that reduce the risk of contamination. If contaminated products pose serious risks to consumers, companies would be required to alert the FDA within 15 days.
Whether Congress will pass new cosmetics legislation this year remains to be seen. But the case for reform has never been clearer.
- Non-Stick Chemicals Used in Pans, Food Wrappers Linked to ... ›
- Household Products Cause as Much Air Pollution as Cars ... ›
EcoWatch Daily Newsletter
By Will Sarni
It is far too easy to view scarcity and poor quality of water as issues solely affecting emerging economies. While the images of women and children fetching water in Africa and a lack of access to water in India are deeply disturbing, this is not the complete picture.
The Past is No Longer a Guide to the Future
We get ever closer to "day zeros" — the point at when municipal water supplies are switched off — and tragedies such as Flint. These are not isolated stories. Instead they are becoming routine, and the public sector and civil society are scrambling to address them. We are seeing "day zeros" in South Africa, India, Australia and elsewhere, and we are now detecting lead contamination in drinking water in cities across the U.S.
"Day zero" is the result of water planning by looking in the rear-view mirror. The past is no longer a guide to the future; water demand has outstripped supplies because we are tied to business-as-usual planning practices and water prices, and this goes hand-in-hand with the inability of the public sector to factor the impacts of climate change into long-term water planning. Lead in drinking water is the result of lead pipe service lines that have not been replaced and in many cases only recently identified by utilities, governments and customers. An estimated 22 million people in the US are potentially using lead water service lines. This aging infrastructure won't repair or replace itself.
One of the most troubling aspects of the global water crisis is that those least able to afford access to water are also the ones who pay a disproportionately high percentage of their income for it. A report by WaterAid revealed that a standard water bill in developed countries is as little as 0.1 percent of the income of someone earning the minimum wage, while in a country like Madagascar a person reliant on a tanker truck for their water supply would spend as much as 45 percent of their daily income on water to get just the recommended daily minimum supply. In Mozambique, families relying on black-market vendors will spend up to 100 times as much on water as those reached by government-subsidized water supplies.
Finally, we need to understand that the discussion of a projected gap between supply and demand is misleading. There is no gap, only poor choices around allocation. The wealthy will have access to water, and the poor will pay more for water of questionable quality. From Flint residents using bottled water and paying high water utility rates, to the poor in South Africa waiting in line for their allocation of water — inequity is everywhere.
Water Inequity Requires Global Action — Now.
These troubling scenarios beg the obvious question: What to do? We do know that ongoing reports on the 'water crisis' are not going to catalyze action to address water scarcity, poor quality, access and affordability. Ensuring the human right to water feels distant at times.
We need to mobilize an ecosystem of stakeholders to be fully engaged in developing and scaling solutions. The public sector, private sector, NGOs, entrepreneurs, investors, academics and civil society must all be engaged in solving water scarcity and quality problems. Each stakeholder brings unique skills, scale and speed of impact (for example, entrepreneurs are fast but lack scale, while conversely the public sector is slow but has scale).
We also urgently need to change how we talk about water. We consistently talk about droughts happening across the globe — but what we are really dealing with is an overallocation of water due to business-as-usual practices and the impacts of climate change.
We need to democratize access to water data and actionable information. Imagine providing anyone with a smartphone the ability to know, on a real-time basis, the quality of their drinking water and actions to secure safe water. Putting this information in the hands of civil society instead or solely relying on centralized regulatory agencies and utilities will change public policies.
Will Sarni is the founder and CEO of Water Foundry.
Note: This post also appears on the World Economic Forum.
Reposted with permission from our media associate Circle of Blue.
- Newark Water Filters Are Working, Tests Suggest - EcoWatch ›
- Newark's Lead Crisis Escalates - EcoWatch ›
- Mice exposed to nicotine-containing e-cigarette vapor developed lung cancer within a year.
- More research is needed to know what this means for people who vape.
- Other research has shown that vaping can cause damage to lung tissue.
A new study found that long-term exposure to nicotine-containing e-cigarette vapor increases the risk of cancer in mice.
Six months: That's how much time Mexico now has to report on its progress to save the critically endangered vaquita porpoise (Phocoena sinus) from extinction.
It may seem innocuous to flush a Q-tip down the toilet, but those bits of plastic have been washing up on beaches and pose a threat to the birds, turtles and marine life that call those beaches home. The scourge of plastic "nurdles," as they are called, has pushed Scotland to implement a complete ban on the sale and manufacture of plastic-stemmed cotton swabs, as the BBC reported.
By Tim Radford
Scientists in the U.S. have added a new dimension to the growing hazard of extreme heat. As global average temperatures rise, so do the frequency, duration and intensity of heatwaves.
Oscar-award winning actress and long-time political activist Jane Fonda was arrested on the steps of Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on Friday for peacefully protesting the U.S. government's inaction in combating the climate crisis, according to the AP.
By Caroline Hickman
I'm up late at night worrying that my baby brothers may die from global warming and other threats to humanity – please can you put my mind at rest? – Sophie, aged 17, East Sussex, UK


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A few weeks ago, One Million Moms -- a division of the American Family Association, which was named a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center -- was in the news protesting the fact that JC Penney had signed talk show host Ellen DeGeneres as their spokesperson, as she is gay and thus "not a true representation of the type of families that shop at their store." They were unable to bend the department store chain to their will, but this week, they're at it again with a new target: Archie Comics.
Batwoman and Kevin Keller are among the nominees for Outstanding Comic Book at the 23rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards. GLAAD, The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, is an LGBT media monitoring organization, and its annual awards hon
At this past July's Comic-Con International in San Diego, Archie Comics announced that its popular new character Kevin Keller, the first openly gay member of the iconic Riverdale Gang, would star in his own ongoing comic book. The publisher also told readers they would see Keller get married in a future issue of Life With Archie, the series that explores the possible paths of
At this past July's Comic-Con International in San Diego, Archie Comics announced that not only would its exceedingly popular new character, Kevin Keller, the first openly homosexual member of the iconic Riverdale Gang, will star in his own ongoing series, but that readers would also see Keller get married in a future issue of Life With Archie. The publisher announced this week that the happy event will take place in Life With Archie #16, on sale in January. Introduced last ye
The star of Kevin Keller continued to ascend last weekend at Comic-Con International in San Diego, where it was announced that the first openly gay Archie Comics character would graduate from his in-progress miniseries to a full-fledged ongoing series next February. Not only that, Kevin's popularit
Industry: Valiant Entertainment is planning a 2012 comeback lead by former Marvel CEO and Vice Chairman Peter Cuneo has assumed the role of Chairman of Valiant. No word on which characters are included (aside from X-O Manowar, Bloodshot and Harbinger) or what creators are involved.
Almost exactly a year ago. Archie Comics announced that they were adding a new character to the increasingly diverse roster of Riverdale: Kevin Keller, a young man with a love of comics who works for the school paper -- and also happens to be the first openly gay chara
We were pleasantly surprised when Archie Comics introduced its first openly gay main character to the iconic Riverdale tradition, and the publisher has impressed us again with the news that all Archie titles will be released simultaneously in print and digital formats. That's right, starting April 1 all new Archie comics will be available for sale in iVerse's Archie app on the same day the print versions go on sale in comic book stores and elsewhere. Archie is the first maj
Archie Comics announced today that the timeless city of Riverdale is poised to welcome its first openly gay resident this September in "Veronica" #202 with the introduction of Kevin Keller, the latest addition to Archie's increasingly diverse gang of friends.
"The introduction of Kevin is just about keeping the world of Archie Comics current and inclusive. Archie's hometown of Riverdale has a
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Granville cruise-in rescheduled for Sunday
The Classic Car Cruise-In scheduled last Sunday is rescheduled for this Sunday from 2 to 6:30 p.m. at Abe’s Body Shop at 460 S. Main St., Granville.
The event was postponed due to rain.
The free event is sponsored by the Granville Committee for the Licking County United Way.
Car enthusiasts will have the chance to see more than 100 classic cars, trucks and tractors from the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s.
Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs. The Tan Beer band will perform and Taco Sherpa will be selling food. There will be two $100 drawings and a 50-50 drawing.
A registration fee will be taken at the door for all participating cars, trucks and tractors. All proceeds will benefit the United Way of Licking County.
For more information, call 740-398-7605.


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Picture used for illustrative purposes alone
Dubai - The Dubai Police have launched 15 electronic pay devices in police patrols to enable offenders to pay their fines immediately by using credit or debit cards.
A smart crime prediction system, a robot that can read and record signatures in transactions and electronic pay devices that enable payment of fines through credit or debit cards on the spot of the violations are a few among the 18 smart services launched by the Dubai Police at Gitex 2016.
Punishment: Jail, Dh20,000 fine for tampering with car number plates
At its pavilion at Gitex, Lt.-Gen. Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina, Commander-in-Chief of the Dubai Police, announced that the launch of these new smart services would serve the police's strategy in promoting security, crime reduction and prevention and detection and arrest of perpetrators. "Some of the smart services launched here are being used for the first time, in a bid to preserve the security, which requires innovative ideas transformed into a smart system," he said.
Technologically sound: Dubai Police can now issue traffic fines via app
The Dubai Police have launched 15 electronic pay devices in police patrols to enable offenders to pay their fines immediately by using credit or debit cards.
Brigadier Khalid Nasser Al Razooqi, Director of the General Department of Smart Services at the Dubai Police, said that the adoption of the robot is the first system of its kind in the world. Through this system, a person can do transactions with the Dubai Police from anywhere in the world using smart signing on any smart device touchscreen. The audio, video as well as the location of the user could be recorded and the police can return to this information whenever it is required.
Be warned: Latest list of traffic violations and fines in Dubai
Another smart service is a virtual assistant that allows customers to communicate with the police without any human intervention. The smart personal assistant for iOS, Siri, is linked to the virtual assistant and it can receives commands and observations immediately without the need to log in to the application, Brig. Al Razooqi elaborated.
The Dubai Police have also introduced the smart officer service, which can draw accidents and review traffic violations by recording them on video.
Try to avoid this: Jump red signal in Dubai, get fine of Dh800
Touch of a Button service, launched at the Gitex could be used to issue documents and certificates needed by companies.
In cooperation with Nissan, the police introduced an SOS system that can work automatically in 'Nissan Patrol' vehicles and send distress signals automatically when the car involve in crash.
Dangerous: Up to Dh30,000 fine for jumping Dubai tram red light
Dubai Police are the first agency to introduce smart Security Predicting System which predicts time and place of future crimes, based on historical data and algorithm equations.
CAREEM and Next Future Transportation partnership


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This blogger wasn’t shocked at the success of the Chevy Volt but it looks like General Motors was. A number of sources are now reporting that they are going to more than double the number of Chevy Volts they produce next year from 45,000 up to 120,000!
Additionally, it looks like GM may also try and boost Volt production for this year from 10,000 to 25,000. Wow, you can almost hear the exectives talking to themselves saying, “Holy crap, people really do like the Volt!”
GM North America President Mark Reuss stated late last year that Chevy Volt production levels would be bottle-necked by the limited number of battery packs that LG Chem could produce. There has been no announcement on how or if this hurdle has been addressed but presumably it has. Only time will tell how many Volts will hit the car lots over the next couple years.


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The U.S. FDA and China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) on December 11 announced renewal of an agreement to enhance cooperation between the two nations on food and feed safety.
The agreement includes:
- Enhancement of FDA’s ability to identify high-risk food products entering the U.S. from China.
- Collaboration to facilitate inspections of facilities that process and produce food.
- A focus on high-risk foods frequently exported from China to the U.S., including canned and acidified foods, pet food and aquaculture.
- The creation of processes for FDA to accept relevant, verified information from AQSIQ regarding registration and certification.
In November 2008, after the two countries signed the original agreement, FDA opened offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. These offices have enhanced public health protection by strengthening FDA’s relationship with Chinese food safety authorities, performing inspections, conducting outreach to Chinese industry representatives regarding FDA requirements, and gathering information on trends and events that affect the safety of food exported from China to the U.S.
The December 11 announcement extends the agreement for an additional five years.
In the five years since the signing of the original agreement, FDA says it has made significant progress in numerous areas, including:
- Increased inspections of Chinese food facilities -- By establishing a permanent inspection presence in China, FDA has dramatically increased its overall number of facility inspections—from no inspections in 2007 to 85 in 2011.
- Enhanced cooperation on high-risk foods -- In conjunction with AQSIQ, FDA experts have conducted workshops for members of the Chinese industry on FDA requirements for several categories of high-risk foods, including low-acid canned foods and farm-raised fish. As a result, Chinese regulators have implemented more stringent oversight of canneries shipping products to the U.S. FDA and AQSIQ have also worked jointly to identify strategic ways to address problems associated with use of unsafe drugs in growing ponds at Chinese fish farms.
- Enhanced collaboration with Chinese food-safety authorities -- FDA has significantly deepened its understanding of China’s food safety system, developed key relationships with Chinese regulators, and now meets regularly with Chinese food safety officials in face-to-face talks on matters of mutual concern. FDA frequently holds joint workshops with Chinese food regulators to provide training and build regulatory capacity, and specify FDA standards and requirements for industry.
- Joint outreach on the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA -- Since enactment of FSMA in 2011, FDA has worked with AQSIQ to conduct multiple outreach events for Chinese food safety officials and regulated industry on the impact this historic new law will have on Chinese food exports to the U.S.
- Confidence-building in laboratory work -- In the aftermath of problems associated with melamine in dairy products in China, FDA worked directly with AQSIQ to enhance FDA’s understanding of and confidence in China’s laboratory system for testing food. This work laid the groundwork for future scientific collaboration in this area.


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The smell from the IKEA store in Älmhult is driving neighbours crazy
The self-assemble furniture giant will have to defend itself in a Swedish court after residents in Älmhult, southern Sweden said they can no longer deal with the stench.
Neighbouring homes say a strong smell is emanating from the town's grand store and has been for the past four years.
Ikea's headquarters are still located in the small town of Älmhult, where Ingvar Kamprad opened the first store in 1958.
But local residents are now kicking up a stink about a problem which appears to have started when the store moved to a new site in the town and was connected to the municipal sewage grid in 2012.
The flat-packaged furniture store is causing a big stink in Älmhult
The stench affects mainly residents on Västra Backgatan in Älmhult, reports the Smålänningen newspaper, quoting several written complaints to the local authority about the stinky issue.
One wrote: ”We are so damn tired of the smell.
"I know that a neighbour opposite us explained that it's like the smell of fresh c**p and that is pretty accurate."
Another wrote: ”Today has been a record day and that's nothing positive. It smells so incredibly bad.”
The Ikea store has been accused of smelling of open sewage pipes
One more told Älmhult Council to "do something now about this sewage smell".
However, the local authority has already tried to find a resolution.
It has sealed wastewater wells, carried out various tests and flushed out pipes, but nothing has worked.
In January council officers contacted Ikea, which then examined its food waste disposer and grease separators.
Both suffered from a similar stench and the council discovered the latter had set off an alarm indicating its maintenance was overdue, but that Ikea had not taken any action in response.
Ikea's hq is still located in the small town of Älmhult, where Ingvar Kamprad opened the first store
The Swedish furniture giant installed new equipment in May to get rid of the smell, but the complaints kept coming.
Smålänningen reports that tests have also suggested that Ikea could be exceeding the official limits for how much oil and grease it may release into the wastewater system.
The matter is now being taken to Sweden's land and environment court.