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In the News
Food safety up and down the food supply chain
A product recall can be catastrophic for the food company and its customers and hurt farmers and other suppliers up the food supply chain. Big recalls usually make news in consumer and business media, with follow-up reporting on medical reports, public health notices, and company apologies.
However, other important food safety news occurs both up and down the food supply chain. Food safety, food security, and food animal nutrition and health science and technology connect in many unexpected ways.
Salmonella outbreaks likely to become more severe: University of Sydney researchers develop model
Outbreak News Today, April 18, 2019
Australian researchers expect future outbreaks of Salmonella to become more widespread, according to a study published in Nature – Scientific Reports. The data can also be used to predict early warning signs for outbreaks up to months in advance.
Food banks got Butterball turkey recalled in Salmonella outbreak
CBS News, March 15, 2019
An outbreak of Salmonella schwarzengrund has sickened six people in three states and led Butterball to recall 39 tons of ground turkey. The recalled products were shipped to institutions and retailers, including several food banks.
Raw frozen breaded chicken blamed for two more Salmonella outbreaks in Canada
Food Safety News, March 3, 2019
The Public Health Agency of Canada is reporting two more outbreaks of Salmonella Enteritidis have been linked to raw chicken. One of the outbreaks has sickened 19 people, with two requiring hospitalization. The second identified outbreak has sickened 61 people, though none have required hospitalization.
CDC Ends Investigation Into Salmonella in Chicken Without Finding a Culprit
Consumer Reports, February 22, 2019
The CDC’s investigation into an outbreak of Salmonella infantis that was tied to raw chicken products has finished, though the agency notes that it was unable to find a specific source. The outbreak sickened 129 people, with one death being tied to the outbreak as well. The agency notes that the investigation may resume if more cases are reported.
CDC: 270 ill in Salmonella outbreak tied to turkey products
WattAgNet , February 18, 2019
An outbreak of Salmonella Reading linked to raw turkey products that was originally identified in November, 2018 has continued, according to a recent update from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Since the CDC’s most recent update on December 21, 63 more people in 24 states have fallen ill. Of the total 270 cases, 107 have required hospitalization and there has been one death.
Scientists Use Machine Learning to ID Source of Salmonella
Farms.com, February 13, 2019
Researchers from the University of Georgia’s Center for Food Safety have engineered an approach that uses machine-learning to quickly identify some animal sources of outbreaks featuring Salmonella Typhimurium.
Salmonella from raw pet food prompts recall after one person sickened in Minnesota
Minneapolis Star Tribune, January 29, 2019
Raw turkey pet food sold at three Woody’s Pet Food Deli locations in the Twin Cities has been recalled after one person fell sick, and samples collected by the Minnesota Health Department tested positive for Salmonella.
Government shutdown stops FDA food safety inspections
NBC News, January 9, 2019
The government shutdown is affecting food safety inspections, with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) having stopped most food safety inspections. The agency notes that while foreign food inspections have continued, almost all domestic inspections are on hold until the shutdown is resolved.
The Growing Menace of Salmonella Dublin
Dairy Herd Management, December 18, 2018
With USDA data showing increasing amounts of Salmonella Dublin in dairy herds, what steps can be taken to mitigate the risk to animals? A veterinarian from the University of Wisconsin offers insights for producers and background on the threat.
Zoonotic diseases: progress has stalled
European Food Safety Authority, December 12, 2018
A new report from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) shows that a decline in salmonellosis and campylobacteriosis in past years has stalled over the last few years, with incidence holding steady. EFSA experts note that new, increased efforts will be needed to drop incidence even further.
USDA Ranks Chicken Companies’ Salmonella Safety
WebMD, November 28, 2018
For the first time, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has published performance data for chicken companies’ rankings on Salmonella safety standards. Performance across the industry was highly variable, with data coming from the producers’ facility performance between October of 2017 and 2018.
Epidemiological update: Multi-country outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis infections linked to Polish Eggs
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, November 19, 2018
An outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis linked to eggs produced in Poland has lasted more than six years, with 1,412 cases since 2012. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control says that most of the cases have been reported during summer months, and incidence of the infection are likely to continue despite control measures having been implemented in recent years.
Outbreak of Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella Infections Linked to Raw Turkey Products
Centers for Disease Control, November 8, 2018
More than 160 people from 35 states have been infected by an outbreak of Salmonella Reading that has been linked to raw turkey products. 63 people have required hospitalization, and one death has been reported, coming from California. The CDC notes that there are a variety of products that are contaminated, with samples of raw turkey products, live turkeys, and raw turkey pet food all testing positive for the strain.
Outbreak of Salmonella Infections Linked to Ground Beef
Centers for Disease Control, October 23, 2018
Sixty-three more people have been infected by an outbreak of Salmonella Newport, as part of an ongoing outbreak that’s affected people in 14 states since early August, bringing the total number of cases to 120. CDC officials note that 33 people have been hospitalized as a result of the outbreak, though no deaths have been reported. About 6.5 million pounds of beef products have been recalled as a result of the issue.
Outbreak of Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella Infections Linked to Raw Chicken Products
Centers for Disease Control, October 17, 2018
Ninety-two people have been infected, with 21 requiring hospitalization from an outbreak of Salmonella Infantis, a multidrug-resistant strain of the bacteria. The CDC notes that the source of the outbreak has not been definitively identified, but a variety of raw chicken products have been found to have the bacteria including whole chickens, raw chicken pet food and ground chicken.
JBS Tolleson, Inc., Recalls Raw Beef Products Due to Possible Salmonella Newport Contamination
USDA-FSIS, October 4, 2018
Nearly seven million pounds of raw ground beef products have been pulled from shelves after 57 people from 16 states have been sickened by Salmonella Newport. Cases have been reported between August 5 and September 6, 2018. FSIS officials say the products were shipped to retail locations and institutions across the U.S.
Salmonella outbreak from eggs sickens 38 in 7 states
NBC News, October 3, 2018
Eggs infected with Salmonella have caused 38 cases of illness, with ten severe enough to require hospitalization. The CDC says that most of the eggs were sold in Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee, and have been traced back to an Alabama farm. The outbreak has been ongoing since mid-June.
More food safety industry articles: In the News Archive »
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Collaborative Robotics Market to Top $1B by 2020June 9, 2015 | Business Wire
Estimated reading time: 1 minute
The collaborative robotics sector is expected to increase roughly tenfold between 2015 and 2020, reaching over US$1 billion from approximately US$95M in 2015, according to a new study published by ABI Research entitled Collaborative Robotics: State of the Market / State of the Art. The growth will be fueled by three key markets: electronics manufacturers and electronics manufacturing services companies, small-to-medium manufacturers, and manufacturers seeking robotic solutions optimized to support agile production methodologies.
According to Dan Kara, Practice Director, Robotics at ABI Research, “Collaborative robotic systems, such as ABB’s YuMi and Gomtec / Roberta platforms, Rethink Robotics’ Baxter and Sawyer, Universal Robots (Teradyne) UR family of robots, KUKA’s LBR iiwa and Kawada Industries’ Nextage, were developed in response to a number of pressing social drivers and businesses imperatives, and aided by ongoing technological innovation and dropping prices for powerful enabling technology. The sector is very dynamic and is expanding rapidly with new product offerings being released into the market from both established companies and smaller, emerging firms. Larger firms are actively acquiring smaller companies with proven technology.”
For a deeper look at collaborative robotics, its representative technologies, operational capabilities, political / social imperatives, and business drivers please attend ABI Research’s complimentary webinar: Collaborative Robotics: Market Opportunities on June 11, 2015 at 11 am ET hosted by Dan Kara. Included on the webinar page please also see our complimentary infographic which works in accordance with the upcoming webinar.
About ABI Research
ABI Research provides technology market research and technology intelligence for industry innovators. From offices in North America, Europe and Asia, ABI Research’s worldwide team of experts advises thousands of decision makers through 70+ research and advisory services. Est. 1990. For more information visit www.abiresearch.com, or call +1.516.624.2500.
Purdue’s Semiconductor Innovation Ecosystem Grows with CHIPS-funded, Indiana-led Semiconductor Hub and With Upcoming Summit09/25/2023 | Purdue University
Purdue University continues building momentum as America’s leading university in semiconductors, with a broad range of updates this fall semester.
"Electronics systems are at the heart of almost all modern technology. The performance and functionality of these systems have increased at breathtaking speed, chiefly as a result of advancements in semiconductor technology. Semiconductors do not function in isolation," writes Alison James, IPC senior director of government relations, in a 2023 report for the European Commission’s Directorate General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship. "These electronics systems feature prominently in key sectors like defence, aerospace, space, automotive, medical, and high-performance computing, but electronics are vital to every industry and are central to a variety of EU priorities, including the twin digital and green transitions and Europe’s technological sovereignty."
APCT, a leading name in the PCB and electronics industry, is delighted to announce the appointment of Peter Austin as its President and CEO, effective September 1. Peter takes the reins from former CEO, Steve Robinson, who has retired after years of dedicated service to the company.
KIC Revolutionizes Electronics Manufacturing with Innovative Solutions for Soldering and Curing Processes09/21/2023 | KIC
KIC, a renowned pioneer in thermal process and temperature measurement solutions for electronics manufacturing, is thrilled to announce its participation in the upcoming SMTA Guadalajara Expo & Tech Forum.
Visit Dymax at SMTA International 2023 Discover Innovative Light-Cure Solutions for Today’s Electronics09/21/2023 | Dymax
Dymax, a leading manufacturer of light-curing materials and equipment, will exhibit in booth 1526 at SMTA International 2023 in Minneapolis, MN, from October 10-11.

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There have already been two developer previews of Android 14, but this is the first time any user will be able to try out the new version of Google's OS for themselves. You can download the beta onto recent Google Pixel phones, from the latest Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro to as far back as the Pixel 4a 5G. We expect that list to expand beyond Google's own phones in future betas, as it has in previous years.
The new features added in Android 14 beta 1 are aimed partially at developers rather than users, but they're still an interesting bunch of upgrades. For instance, changes have been made to the sharesheet, allowing greater customization for specific apps that will hopefully make moving files around much more convenient.
There's also a more prominent back arrow when using swipe gestures for easier-to-understand navigation.
In addition to these, Google also mentions new graphics effects for developers to use in their apps, and security improvements such as being able to better control what types of data that accessibility apps can use; apps which can require a lot of control over someone's device in order to make them usable by people with specific needs.
Looking at Google's timeline for Android 14, we'll see at least three more beta releases, with a new version dropping each month from now to July. The Final Release section isn't dated, but Google normally introduces the final version of a new Android iteration in October, sharing the stage with that year’s flagship Pixel phone; the Pixel 8 series in this year’s case.
With Google I/O taking place next month, we could see more features, particularly those focused on regular users, announced on stage there. If you're interested in new Google hardware too, you may want to check out what's been rumored for the Google Pixel 7a and Pixel Fold, the two devices rumored to be making an appearance at this event.


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PARIS — The missing piece of the Printemps men's building, Printemps de l'Homme, is in place with the inauguration today of the store’s men’s accessories department on the ground floor. The men’s footwear space remains on the site’s fifth floor.Measuring around 22,000 square feet, the contemporary Wilmotte & Associés-designed space features a light gray marble floor and wood and copper furniture interspersed with multicolored Perspex units.[caption id="attachment_1202630848" align="alignnone" width="300"] A view of the new Printemps de l’Homme accessories department.[/caption]The department boasts a number of brand exclusives and corners by labels including Gucci, Prada, Valentino, Loewe, Longchamp, David Yurman and cutting-edge speaker brand, Devialet.Dedicated areas include urban leather goods, with items by brands such as Want Les Essentiels, Rue de Verneuil and Bonastre; belts, by specialist labels including Maison Boinet and L’Aiglon, and hats, with collections by Stetson, Borsalino and Super Duper, to name but a few.The retailer’s Au Printemps Paris private label is also present across the categories.Boutiques by Montblanc and Christian Louboutin will open soon.Spotlighting brands specializing in artisanal know-how, a section called Le Masculin Singulier, or Masculine Singularity in English, showcases goods by 30 labels from across seven countries, with prices ranging from 50 euros to 3,000 euros. On display are leather goods by Dunhill, handmade ties by E. Marinella, hats by Maison Michel and lifestyle objects including a leather backgammon set by Hector Saxe. The beauty section stocks items by niche brands like Acqua di Parma, Penhaligon’s and Frédéric Malle.A small Japanese section on the other side of the new accessories department offers items like notebooks and handmade soaps by Tamanohada.[caption id="attachment_1202630849" align="alignnone" width="300"] A view of the new Printemps de l’Homme accessories department.[/caption]Occupying around 118,400 square feet, the five-floor Printemps de l'Homme building opened in January 2017 as the first phase in the renovation of around half the store’s surface. The objective, said Printemps chief executive officer Paolo de Cesare at the time, is to make Printemps “one of the most iconic department stores in the world.”The mission was set in motion following the acquisition of the store in 2013 by Divine Investments SA, a Luxembourg-based investment fund backed by Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the former emir of Qatar, whose other properties include London department store Harrods and Italian fashion labels Valentino and Balmain.The project marks the latest effort by Paris department stores to grow the bubbling category. Le Bon Marché opened a new men’s floor in its basement in 2014, while BHV Marais — part of Galeries Lafayette Group — has revamped its men’s building while developing a constellation of men’s wear boutiques in the surrounding Marais district.Printemps spent around 300 million euros on store upgrades between 2008 and 2013 and said it would invest a similar amount in the five years through 2019. That includes 60 million euros for the men’s store, which has gained 40 percent more space in the move.Ready-to-wear accounts for 30 percent of the store’s sales, with women’s representing 55 percent of that total and men’s 45 percent. De Cesare said he expects the men’s business to grow by at least 30 percent in the two years following the completion of the new Printemps de l’Homme.The retailer is maintaining its ambitious objective of sales of 2 billion to 2.2 billion euros by 2020.
Supermodel @helenachristensen teamed up with longtime friend and designer @camillastaerk on a joint @paredeyewear collaboration. The lineup features three styles and 11 offerings, all of which embody a vintage feel. Get all the details on how they celebrated the collab on WWD.com. #wwdaccessories #wwdeye (📷: @slovekinpics)
“It’s a hard industry to keep motivated, as well, so finding different subjects and people is what makes it worth it – when you’re like, oh, I’ve met great people, I feel like I’ve done something good, and I feel proud of having done this,” said French actress Stacy Martin on being grateful for the variety of roles she’s take on. Read @ktauer’s full interview with Martin on her her latest film “Godard Mon Amour.” #wwdeye (📷: @danieldorsa)
After showing in front of the Eiffel Tower for his last two women’s ready-to-wear collection, it looks like @anthonyvaccarello may be heading to the Big Apple. Sources say the designer will stage his next @ysl show in NYC on June 6. Get all the details on WWD.com. #wwdnews #wwdfashion (📷: @aitorrosasphoto)
EXCLUSIVE: Two and half months after John Targon, cofounder and codesigner of Baja East, was hired as creative director of the contemporary division at Marc Jacobs, he has left the company, WWD has learned. Marc Jacobs International, which is owned by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, confirmed Targon’s departure in a statement: “John Targon is a talented designer and we appreciate the work he has done here. Ultimately working together did not make sense for the brand and we wish him the best.” Read the story by @jessiredale, link in bio. #wwdnews
@theluxurycollection is officially launching a collection, tapping Sofia Sanchez de Betak for the capsule. Over 30 styles will be featured in the Chufy x The Luxury Collection, debuting next month at Bergdorf Goodman, The Webster, FiveStory and more. De Betak, known as “@chufy,” drew inspiration for the collection from her trips to Japan in the past year #wwdfashion
@lhd, founder and CEO of @thewebster, has teamed up with @lebonmarcherivegauche for the European launch of her ready-to-wear line, LHD. The launch will come with an exclusive pop-up opening today that’s set to run through May 20. Located on the second floor, it carries her debut Miami-themed resort collection, launched in November as see-now-buy-now. #wwdfashion


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Around half of all U.S. hotel rooms are projected to sit empty this year, according to a new report released by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA).
In its annual State of the Hotel Industry forecast, the trade group said it expects nationwide hotel occupancy to average 52.4% for 2021. Although that figure is above 2020’s annual average occupancy level of 44%, it remains well below 2019’s average of 66%.
Likewise, U.S. hotel room revenue for 2021 is predicted to remain 34% below 2019 levels, at around $110.5 billion.
The AHLA’s report also draws attention to the industry’s high unemployment rate, which was nearing 19% as of December. According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the pandemic is estimated to have erased more than 10 years of job growth within the accommodations sector.
“Job losses have been massive,” said AHLA CEO Chip Rogers during a web forum hosted by the organization on Thursday. “And even though we’ll see an uptick in jobs in our industry [this year], we’re not going to be anywhere close to where we were in 2019.”
While the AHLA expects the hotel sector to add 200,000 direct hotel operations jobs in 2021,
the industry will still remain nearly 500,000 jobs below its pre-pandemic employment level of 2.3 million workers.
In terms of demand, the group projects that business travel for 2021 will be down 85% compared with 2019. Rogers called this year’s expected dearth of business travel “the most damaging part of the economic impact we have seen so far.”
On the leisure travel front, however, the forecast is significantly brighter. The report cited recent AHLA consumer survey results indicating that 56% of Americans say they are likely to travel for leisure or vacation in 2021. That figure is roughly on par with the 58% of Americans who reported they stayed in a hotel at least one night a year for leisure in 2019.
“If everyone follows through with their intent, leisure travel is going to come back in 2021,” Rogers said.


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Creating a Space for Open Discussions on Future Innovation
Earlier this month, innovators from across the world joined LG at its LG NOVA Innovation Festival. Taking place at the Historic Craneway Pavilion in Richmond, California, the Innovation Festival gathered over 500 startups, industry experts, investors, mentors and influencers to converse, collaborate and network on challenges and topics that impact our future.
The festival hosted over 70 speakers, 23 sessions, keynotes from Marc Tarpenning, co-founder of Tesla and NuvoMedia and Mary Lou Jepsen, founder of Openwater and co-founder and CTO of the One Laptop per Child program, and a fireside chat with 4 time NBA Champion with the Golden State Warriors and active investor, Andre Iguodala. For LG, the festival was the culmination of the year-long Mission for the Future Challenge, an initiative led by LG NOVA, the Silicon Valley-based LG North American Innovation Center whose mission is to find innovative, future-impacting startups and entrepreneur communities to build, nurture and help them grow.
“What’s fundamental to changing the world is startups learning how to dance with elephants. These elephants are large corporations who have the resources to assist with this mission.” – Dr. Mary Lou Jepsen
Gaby Novakovic from gener8tor interviews Andre Iguodala, 4x NBA Champion with the Golden State Warriors, General Partner, Mastry Ventures
“Passion is really big. If you don’t love what you do, then it is really hard to succeed.” – Andre Iguodala
Left to right, Lori Schwartz of Storytech, Marco Marinucci of Mind the Bridge, Christine Moon of BlueSpace.Ai, Young Lee of Meta Reality Labs, and Devon Drew of DFD Partners on the Power Panel: All About the Pivot
Insights shared during the panel:
“Now is a great time to be a startup. The world is looking for solutions from early-stage startups. Now, the vast majority of medium to large companies are realizing they need startups.” – Marco Marinucci
“As a leader you have to be constantly thinking ‘are we on track?’. The simple question is, are you offering value to the industry and to your customers?” – Christine Moon
“If you’re not failing from time to time, you’re not innovating enough,” – Young Lee
“Pivoting, for me, means you’re in tune with your customers. You have to be constantly pivoting to leave room to be adaptable to changes. Pivoting is a positive thing.” – Devon Drew
During the festival, LG NOVA announced its selection of finalists for the Mission for the Future 2021 Program and kick-started this year’s global search – Mission for the Future ‘22, the New and the Next. Submissions are open now until October 6, 2022. In this second year, LG and the LG NOVA team have expanded the scope of the program to include the Smart Home, Home Entertainment, Business Solutions and Display Solutions, along with its current tracks in Digital Health, Metaverse and Gaming, ESG/Electric Mobility and Open Innovation, in general. The intent is to get new breakthrough ideas that LG can support with its global infrastructure to help create transformation change sooner versus later.
Left to Right, Dr. Sokwoo Rhee from LG NOVA, Parsoua Shirzad and Andriyko Herchak of Trendi, Keith Loo of Skinopathy, Richard Wang, Diane Guo and Oscar Guo of Metalistings, and David Blaszkowsky of Helios Data, Startup competition winners at the LG NOVA Innovation Festival
One of the biggest highlights of the event was a startup pitch competition, where 12 companies pitched their ideas for changing the world to a panel of veteran entrepreneur judges and investors, including Andre Iguodala. Winners of the Pitch competition were: First place, Trendi, a Canadian robotics company helping the farm and food industry rescue and upcycle food waste into valuable products. Second place, Skinopathy, the digitization of the patient circle-of-care and solving many of the problems in dermatology today. Third place, Metalistings, a multi-chain metaverse aggregator marketplace with maps. And Audience Favorite, Helios Data, a secure data collaboration platform that eliminates data usage risk in personal data analysis and monetization.
Throughout the event, attendees had the opportunity to interact with investors, corporate executives at LG and other companies, subject matter experts and each other as LG looks for ways to bring new innovations to the market that solve some of the biggest challenges in today’s world. That is what the LG Innovation Festival was created for – bring people together to discuss how to create a positive future and improve the quality of life.
“Innovation can happen in many different ways. We believe in the power of uniting startups and big corporations for the ultimate collaboration. Startups have amazing technologies and businesses on their own. We want to lift these startups to another level with LG NOVA. We’re going to see amazing businesses come out of these partnerships,” said Dr. Sokwoo Rhee, SVP of Innovation for LG and Head of LG NOVA.
Contributed by LG NOVA
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31 July 2013 16:54 [Source: ICIS news]
LONDON (ICIS)--Clariant is proceeding with a 50% expansion in capacity at its Azo pigments and pigment preparations plants in Roha, India, the Swiss-headquartered specialty chemicals firm said on Wednesday.
Capacity and financial details were not disclosed.
Clariant said the investment will enhance the capabilities and output at its site "in a sustainable manner by reducing energy consumption and expanding the range of low VOC [volatile organic compounds]-containing pigments preparations offered to the market".
Clariant added it is in the process of doubling its marketing and sales organisation in India, China and Indonesia throughout 2013.
“Our ongoing efforts to strengthen our presence in India are part of a broader commitment to meet growing demand here and in the rest of the region, and to give customers access to high-quality, sustainable products and technical support tailored to their local product development needs,” said Marco Cenisio, Clariant senior vice president and general manager of the Pigments business unit.
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Fire damages Hat Yai bakery
A fire swept through a large, well-known bakery in Songkhla’s Hat Yai district early Monday, police said.
Police said the fire started at the Boon Thavorn shop, which occupies four, three-storey shophouses in Hat Yai downtown, at 5 am.
Five fire engines took about an hour to control the blaze.
Eight people including workers living on the third floor managed to safely escape.
The shop is well known for various kinds of bread and mooncakes, which it sells locally and also distributes to several nearby provinces.
Methee Charnmingporn, 40, a nephew of the shop owner, said he and other relatives and workers were sleeping on the third floor. He was woken by the smoke rising from the second floor and raised the alarm. All escaped in time.
Police have yet to investigate the cause of the fire.


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- Vancouver restaurants West Oak and Pierre’s will be taking over the former home of Fring’s (455 King West, at Spadina).
- Mother Tongue, a new spot from Rob Granicolo (Il Covo) and Francis Bermejo (Bar Buca) will soon be replacing Parcae inside the Templar Hotel (348 Adelaide West, at Peter).
- As previously reported, Cafe Bora, a Korean dessert chain revolving around purple sweet potato-flavoured eats, is opening this fall at 87 Yorkville (at Bellair).
- Bloor Superfresh will soon become Annex Food Hall (384 Bloor West, at Walmer), slated to open later this fall.
- Sportsnet is opening a restaurant: The Sportsnet Grill, overlooking the Rogers Centre inside the Marriott City Centre Hotel (1 Blue Jays Way, at Front), and will feature window-seat reservations on game days.
- A teeny-tiny, under-the-radar gelato counter called Piccolina Gelato E Altra Roba (“tiny gelato and other stuff”) is open at 85 Portland.
- Lone Star Texas Grill (212 King West, at Simcoe) closed its doors last week.
- Hunan-style noodle spot Jin’s Mi-Fen is open at 5515 Yonge (at Finch), replacing Kokoya.
- The third location of Thai joint Eat BKK is set to replace Lady Marmalade at 898 Queen East (at Logan) the Lady is set to relocate to 265 Broadview (at Dundas).
- Gyoko Sushi is open at 2143 Danforth (at Cedarvale).
- Plaxton Coffee is coming soon to 2889 St. Clair East (at Plaxton).
- Recipe Food Co. is now open at 696 Queen West (at Manning).
- Loftea and Sukoi Desserts will be opening at 760 Queen West (at Bellwoods).
email@example.com | @nataliamanzocco


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TSU, Mie Pref. – Time-honored confectioner Akafuku Co. faced fresh allegations of poor food safety Saturday after it was revealed last week that it was falsifying production dates for its bean-jam sweets for more than 30 years.
People familiar with Akafuku’s Nagoya factory said some of the unsold product was repackaged for delivery without being frozen, despite earlier claims by the factory that unsold goods were stored frozen before being going to market again.
The Mie Prefectural Government conducted an inspection of company’s head office in Ise, Mie Prefecture, the same day after the latest allegation was revealed to Nagoya city officials.
Meanwhile, farm ministry sources said Akafuku had established a practice of unfreezing bean-jam sweets in the evening a day before shipment and printing the next day as their production date, farm ministry sources said Saturday.
The Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry confirmed the problem during an inspection Friday after the company was ordered the same day to suspend business for breaking the food sanitation law, the sources said.
Although no consumer health problems have been reported, the practice suggests the true expiration dates for its products likely differed from the dates on their labels. The legal expiration date for “Akafuku” bean-jam sweets is two days after production in summer, and three days in winter.
The sweets are widely sold as souvenirs to visitors to Ise Shrine in Mie Prefecture.
The company, whose business dates back 300 years in Ise, has recently been under fire for printing the day it thaws the products as the production date for more than 30 years. The products were kept refrigerated for up to 14 days after production.
But the newly uncovered practice of printing the next day as the production date is much more serious and is a clear case of false labeling under the Japan Agriculture Standards Law.
The ministry suspects the company deliberately hid the problem because it did not disclose it in past inspections.
Akafuku was ordered to suspend operations for retrieving unsold products from retail outlets, refrigerating, rewrapping and putting new production dates on them, and then shipping them out again.
It has also admitting to separating bean jam and rice cakes from withdrawn products and reusing the jam.
Its affiliated confectioner, Wagashi-Masuya, also based in Ise, said Saturday that it used Akafuku’s separated bean jams between May 2000 and January this year, and that the jams accounted for about 30 percent of the ingredients in its products.


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President Jokowi Calls on Public to Stay Vigilant Amid Global Uncertainty
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has called on the public to stay vigilant amid the ongoing global uncertainty.
“If we look at the consumption sector, the consumer confidence index has returned to its normal position as it was before the pandemic. The retail and sales index has also started to strengthen in line with the easing of people mobility,” the President said at the 2021 Bank Indonesia Annual Meeting in Jakarta, Wednesday (24/11).
The President said that based on the report from Ministry of Finance, the revenues from tax, customs and excise were in good numbers.
“Tax revenues are very good, customs and excise revenues are also very good, and the non-tax state revenues (PNBP) are also more than 100 percent. It grew by 18.2 (percent) YoY, a huge number. But then again, we must stay vigilant amid the uncertainty. We must stay optimistic yet vigilant,” he said.
The President went on to say that manufacturers, factories, and industries will carry out production measures because of the demand.
“The number is very high, 57.2 percent. Factories, industries, and companies see that there is a demand,” the President said.
President Jokowi also praised government officials in the financial sector for their cooperation in dealing with problems during the pandemic.
“We should extend our appreciation to all personnel at Bank Indonesia as well as the government officials at Ministry of Finance, the Financial Services Authority (OJK), and the Indonesia Deposit Insurance Corporation (LPS) for an excellent cooperation,” the President remarked. (BPMI of Presidential Secretariat/UN) (RI/LW)


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Plaxo founder Todd Masonis has a piece of advice for entrepreneurs which runs against the grain of what many others have told us about raising money.
The gist of it is: If you have a good idea, don't get stuck in the mode of thinking that you need someone to give you cash. Just go out and do what you want to do.
"A lot of people don't realize that funding can actually slow you down," says Masonis, who now serves as VP of products for the social networking company, which is best know for helping people manage their contact lists.
A lot of entrepreneurs who come to him with the idea of starting a business often get caught up listing all the reasons why they CAN'T do it, which is obviously not the right mind set.
"It's never going to make sense on paper to go out and start a company," Masonis says. "Statistics say companies are likely to fail, and the odds of success are low. But if you think like that, you're probably not cut out for it."
Besides, there's no way to know what the real challenges will be.
Plaxo faced a backlash a few years ago from people who, like me, didn't appreciate getting unsolicited emails from Plaxo users asking for updated contact information.
Illustrating how sensitive the company is to those concerns, the first executive listed on the company's online masthead is its chief privacy officer, Redgee Capili.
"All the problems people think they're going to have are not the ones they really have," Masonis says.
He also offers valuable insight into a challenge faced by many founders whose biggest strength is technical expertise: when to turn over the reins.Plaxo named it first chief executive in 2005, when it brought in Ben Golub, a veteran of VeriSign and Sun Microsystems.
"We decided we could use some professional management experience, " Masonis says.


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Polk Vision Participates in Safer Internet Day
LAKELAND – Polk Vision’s Smart Communities Team is recognizing Safer Internet Day through social media. Team leaders are encouraging the public to participate in the national initiative on Feb. 7.
ConnectSafely,org, the U.S. coordinator for the celebration, is offering a variety activities to get involve, including sharing the #onegoodthing hashtag to help grow a better internet. Polk Vision will post on its Facebook page a series of activities and prompts to encourage followers to participate in the nationwide event. The social media posts will also help promote the organization’s Smart Communities Team.
“Being a Smart Community is about high speed affordable Internet access. But it is more than that. It is also about being “smart” and educated on safe Internet use and security,” said Terry Brigman, the City of Lakeland’s Director of Information Technology and co-chair of the Smart Communities Team.
The Smart Communities Team facilitates opportunities to ensure every individual, corporation, non-profit, visitor, government entity and community partner has access to affordable high-speed internet services.
Starting as an initiative of the EU Safe Borders project in 2004 and taken up by the Insafe Network as one of its earliest actions in 2005, Safer Internet Day has grown beyond its traditional geographic zone and is now celebrated in more than 100 countries worldwide, and across all continents.
From cyberbullying to social networking, each year Safer Internet Day aims to raise awareness of emerging online issues and chooses a topic reflecting current concerns. This year’s national theme is ‘Be the change: Unite for a better internet.’
Hiep Nguyen, the City of Winter Haven’s chief information officer of Technology Services, said one way people can ensure a safer internet is to do a better job of protecting their passwords. Passwords are like underwear and they shouldn’t be lying around, Nguyen said.
ConnectSafely.org will offer a lifestream event on Safer Internet Day at 9 a.m. eastern time. To watch, visit http://saferinternetday.us/livestream/.


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Government study: ‘e-cycling possible for 7 in 10 commutes’
According to the latest study from the SPF Mobility and Transport, bicycles with electric assistance allow for greater distance, making them competitive on 10 to 25 km commutes.
Thanks to e-bikes, the cycling potential for daily home-to-work commute doubles to 68%. The Federal bureau also notes that one in two Flemish cycled to work last year, compared to only one in five Walloon.
“On the basis of our survey, it can be considered that unassisted cycling is competitive over home-to-work distances of up to 10 km, which represents 37% of commutes. With the development of 25 km/hour and 45 km/hour electric bicycles (speed pedelecs), cycling is also becoming competitive over distances of 10 km to 25 km, representing 31% of commutes.
In total, thanks to electrification, the potential of the bicycle for home-to-work trips has almost doubled, from 37% to over 68%,” notes the SPF Mobility and Transport.
With the current health situation pushing toward alternative mobility solutions, sales of bicycles are increasing. Nearly 20% of the people questioned in the survey intend to buy an e-bike or a speed pedelec, whereas only 8% intend to buy a conventional bike.
‘These figures confirm the increasing trend toward the electrification of bicycles. The share of e-bikes in sales could even reach 65% in the next few years,” adds the study. It is also noted that e-bike owners use their vehicles more often, minimum once a week.
Belgium is a country of discrepancies. According to the study, 55% of Flemish citizens used their bicycles at least once last year. That percentage falls down to 25,2% in Brussels and 20,3% in Wallonia.
“From one Region to another, we note big differences in cycling. In Wallonia, bikes are mainly used for leisure. In Flanders, cycling is both leisure and a means of transport for shopping and commuting. In Brussels, the use of the bicycle for home-to-work trips is higher than in other regions,” concludes the study.


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With Android-based handsets such as the EVO 4G selling out quickly, it comes as no surprise that Android as an OS should continue to gain in other areas as well. Today, Quantcast confirms that the Android OS has increased its web consumption share to 20%, mostly at the expense of the iPhone, and taking share from all other platforms. Although the iPhone still maintains a significant lead, it can be expected to continue to lose share to Android.
Compared to just a year ago, the Android OS platform has doubled its share while the iPhone has continued its slow decline.
Looking at the annual, quarterly and monthly numbers, Android has constantly been increasing its share at the expense of all other platforms.
With new, highly sought-after handsets like the EVO 4G, and as more Android handsets hit the market, the overall share of Android will continue to rise. It's just a matter of time before Android becomes the market leader.


text: We have exciting news today to report!!! The website, Backpage.com, that has been a focus of websites selling people for sex, has for the first time settled with three plaintiffs out of court! The three plaintiffs were under aged girls when sold for sex on the web site. Up until now there has not been a court that has been willing to hear a case ... until this past Tuesday, October 3rd. There are about two more weeks of this breaking event that we will be following on PATH Saves!


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Credit card fraud occurs on nearly a daily basis in the United States. According to the ‘2011 Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book’, issued by the Federal Trade Commission [http://ftc.gov/sentinel/reports/sentinel-annual-reports/sentinel-cy2011.pdf], almost 280,000 complaints of identity theft were received last year, and of those, 14 percent, nearly 40,000, were the victims of credit card fraud and debit card fraud. The size and intricacies of Internet fraud continue to grow each year as well, as criminals find new and more elaborate ways to scam the public. Presented here by ScoreSense, fraud cases that recently grabbed attention are highlighted as a reminder that fraud and scams are always occurring.
Earlier this year, four women in their early twenties were arrested for committing credit card fraud by manufacturing and then using card information obtained by identity theft. A banking insider was supplying the women with the stolen identity information, who in turn manufactured cards with the data and made purchases with them. Police found a complete credit card embossing and tipping machine in one of the suspect’s apartments. In all, 54 credit cards were manufactured, and over $35,000 in merchandise and gift cards was purchased. All four are charged with 16 counts of felony identity theft and credit card fraud.
In June of 2011, an individual was found guilty of bank fraud, credit card fraud, and aggravated identity theft after devising several schemes to defraud hundreds of individual cardholders and several large creditors of millions of dollars. In one scheme, the individual, Jean-Daniel Perkins, bought and sold sensitive information, including financial and credit card information stolen from individuals through Internet fraud, and then used that information to manufacture credit cards. In a separate scheme, he set up merchant accounts with American Express, and then used hundreds of stolen individual American Express credit card account numbers to make fictitious purchases and pay himself for the delivery of non-existent goods. He is facing up to 50 years in prison for credit card fraud, plus additional counts.
In July, a criminal ring involving identity theft of social security cards was broken up, and several individuals were arrested. The scheme was two-fold. The first part of the scheme involved the purchase of stolen social security numbers. These cards, usually along with another form of fake ID, were then sold to “customers”. Co-conspirators then set about fraudulently building up the credit scores on the fake IDs by adding the name as an authorized user to the accounts of other co-conspirators. Once the credit scores were above 700, the “customers” were told to open bank accounts and credit card lines in the names of the stolen IDs, who then used these accounts to commit credit card fraud and debit card fraud.
Criminals are finding new ways to commit credit card fraud, and they could be doing it at your expense. Protecting your personal information is important, but it’s not enough to outsmart the ingenuity of cyber thieves. You need the protection afforded by credit monitoring service like ScoreSense, which has sophisticated technology to monitor your personal information 24/7 on the Internet to alert you to unauthorized activity.
If you are concerned about becoming the victim of credit card fraud, visit our website at www.scoresense.com or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.


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A spate of recent crashes has brought the system under regulatory scrutiny. To date, Autopilot resources have rightly focused entirely on safety.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has revealed in a recent announcement that the automaker's forthcoming super auto - the next-generation Roadster - will feature an "Augmented Mode" which will enable the drivers to handle the vehicle's power.
"That issue is better in latest Autopilot software rolling out now & fully fixed in August update as part of our long-awaited Tesla Version 9".
While Tesla is selling a full self-driving package, that does not mean that consumers will be able to use it immediately.
"The software update is good news", Elazar Advisors' Chaim Siegel was quoted as saying by Reuters, adding the stock was still benefiting from Musk's last week's Model 3 prediction that Tesla will likely hit a "5,000 auto week by the end of this month".
It has not been made clear which self-driving features would be included in the August update. The features will be available for Autopilot 2.0 vehicles.
Several Tesla crashes have, according to both the company and government investigators, been caused by drivers placing too much faith in Autopilot, taking their hands off the steering wheel and their eyes off the road.
The price of Musk cutting off analysts?
As a remake of one of Tesla's very first vehicles, the new Roadster has been kept under wraps for the past few months and from the outside at least, the Tesla Roadster continues the design language we've seen on the Model X, Model 3 and updated Model S, with a somewhat more aggressive edge. Tesla has been going through trying times with the production of the Model 3 not going as planned but is expected to reach the target soon.
It's worth bearing in mind, the official Tesla website still says "Enhanced Autopilot should still be considered a driver's assistance feature with the driver responsible for remaining in control of the auto at all times".
GM had said it will expand the roll-out of Super Cruise to all its Cadillac models beginning 2020.


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Following the announcement of new MacBook Pro's at WWDC today, Apple has already released a software update for the Mid 2012 MacBook Pro. The update, which weighs in at 1.06GB, offers updates to a few non-specific issues:
About MacBook Pro (Mid 2012) Software Update 1.0
This update is recommended for MacBook Pro (mid 2012) models.
The update includes fixes that improve graphics stability, external display support, and USB 3 device support.
Top Rated Comments
You should then consider making your music on a cheeseburger in future.
It's not like it's only adding data, it replaces code too.
Not so odd... after all... they both sell MACS.
the kind of business that will make them millions more in profit.
Ha ha lol. Is possible to be the longest whine post ever in macrumor. Is amazing. So funny you spent time to write that false essay. No fact is in it, but took you long to write. Lolz


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Allergies to Alcohol
Alcohol may trigger respiratory allergies
Two recent studies have found that drinking alcohol can worsen allergy symptoms such as sneezing, itching, coughing and headaches. If you suffer from seasonal allergies, you may want to avoid alcoholic beverages until pollen season subsides.
It's not the alcohol itself that's the culprit, but rather the fact that beer, wine and liquor contain histamine, a chemical produced during the fermentation process. This is the same compound that produces allergic reactions in the body as part of an immune response. Wine and beer also contain sulfites, which can trigger asthma- or allergy-like symptoms as well.
Scientists in Sweden conducted a study involving thousands of people, and found that those suffering from asthma, bronchitis or hay fever were far more likely than the general population to experience runny noses, sneezing and other respiratory complaints after having a drink. Red and white wine produced the strongest effect, and women were about twice as likely to be affected as men.
Another study, published in the journal Clinical and Experimental Allergy, looked at thousands of women and found that two glasses of wine a day doubles the risk of allergy symptoms, even in women who did not have a history of allergies.
These findings suggest that allergy and asthma sufferers may want to avoid other foods that either contain histamine or cause it to be released in the body, such as aged cheeses, anything pickled or fermented, and foods containing yeast.
April 19, 2010
The New York Times


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Coronavirus affecting tech manufacturers and businesses. Developing new diagnosis technology.
How coronavirus affecting the world currently is visible as many companies are struggling with production and shipping. Some major events such as MWC Barcelona 2020 (Mobile World Congress) where many phone makers are showing their new devices are canceled. Xiaomi earlier this month revealed Mi 10, which is supposed to be released globally at MWC is delayed as well. Even dropshippers are affected by the virus with new restrictions and significant delays in delivery. With many people skeptical about products "made in China" transmitting the virus, sales slowing over paranoia that the virus may live on the packages.
Using the Johns Hopkins University made real-time tracking of COVID-19, you can see the areas of contamination and concentration of confirmed cases. Many people are accusing China of hiding real numbers of infected.
Many airports at the start of diseases started checking passengers with thermographic cameras and checking their temperature. Unfortunately, the incubation period of COVID-19 is between 2 and 14 days, much longer than previous influenzas.
Many major tech companies announced that they would temporarily close their factories, stores, offices, some of those companies are Apple, Samsung, Microsoft, Tesla, and Google. Apple also warned its investors that sales could be affected by the shortage of iPhone supply. Some companies reopened stores in some Chinese cities, while some are not.
Diagnosing coronavirus takes approximately an hour using current technology. Dr. Danielli's lab is developing new technology that can reduce diagnosis time to around 15 minutes.
We have found a way that only required five or six duplication cycles, as opposed to 30, by adding magnetic particles that help us concentrate the fluorescent molecules and aggregate them inside the laser beam, thereby multiplying the signal strength by several orders of magnitude, Danielli said.
Since the occurrence of coronavirus, one of the most urgent medical challenges that doctors in countries affected by this situation facing is the need to determine the higher amount of possibly infected people in a short amount of time. New technology produced by researchers at Bar-Ilan University might help them in this work, drastically reducing the time required to study saliva samples. Doctor Amos Danielli from the Alexander Kofkin Faculty of technology produced the field for sensitive discovery of virus-specific RNA sequences in 2007 to call cattle diseases. Since then, the similar application has been accommodated for multiple viruses, including Zika, Danielli told this Jerusalem place.
The recent study issued by the Georgia Tech-based working group stated that the future of intelligent city engineering would be conditional on jobs and city governments understanding the finer levels of IoT technology and the way it affects business models and the lives of citizens. This study examines, among other things, the dangers and possible advantages of different types of common IoT, from the ethical, scientific and practical perspective. One important point researchers got is that IoT deployed in open places together between city governments, private organization and citizens themselves gets a different set of stakeholders to answer to. Citizens need transparency and strict safety and privacy protections, in order to be ensured that they will take this application safely and get a clear understanding of the way their data can be used by the system.
Written by: Iggy
Date: February 23rd, 2020


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Two of the nation’s leading Midwest-based general merchandise retail chains, Shopko Stores and Pamida, recently announced they will merge to create one of the largest U.S. retailers focused on serving smaller and rural communities.
“There will be no impact on current Shopko stores,” affirmed Shopko spokesperson Tara Powers when asked if the store in North Branch would be affected. “The change will be seen at Pamida stores that will be converted over to the Shopko Hometown format over the next year, but Shopko stores will remain as is.”
The combined entity will have nearly 350 locations in 22 states and plans for new store growth to begin later this year. Financial details of the merger, which is expected to close in mid-February, were not disclosed, according to a press release on behalf of the retailers.
The release continued:
With annual revenues of $2 billion, Green Bay, Wis.-based Shopko operates 149 stores in 13 states located throughout the Midwest and western regions. Pamida, based in Omaha, Neb., operates 193 stores in 17 states, primarily in regions including the Midwest, and has revenues of about $1 billion.
Pamida and Shopko are complementary in terms of locations and communities served, as well as a shared focus on brand-name selection, personalized service, pharmacy services and community involvement.
The combined company, to be headquartered in Green Bay, will use the Shopko name and be led by Shopko President, Chairman and CEO W. Paul Jones. Pamida President and CEO John Harlow will serve on the leadership team and help direct the integration process.
There will be no change to Shopko’s stores, and approximately $80 million will be invested over the next 12 months in the conversion of most of Pamida’s locations to the Shopko Hometown store concept and brand.
Shopko Hometown combines pharmacy services with a broad offering of national brands and high-value private label brands of apparel, toys, consumer electronics, seasonal items, and lawn and garden products.
Over the past two years, Shopko has purchased seven stores from Pamida and successfully transitioned them to the Shopko Hometown format. These locations have delivered an improved customer experience and have seen a significant increase in store traffic, sales and profitability, affirming the potential of the merger.
Once Pamida’s chainwide conversions are complete, the company plans to accelerate the addition of new Shopko Hometown stores later this year and into 2013. Both companies are owned by affiliates of Sun Capital Partners, Inc., a leading private investment firm focused on leverage buyouts, equity, debt and other investments in market-leading companies.


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In a bid to boost virtual concerts amidst the coronavirus pandemic, Spotify, in collaboration with Songkick, has added a feature for artists to list upcoming events on their pages. The firm is making this adjustment in view of the surge in viewership for live streaming events due to the lockdowns, which forced many of us to remain within our homes. It noted that physical events such as concerts are still far away.
"With many tours postponed until 2021, the necessity for these virtual events is set to continue, and we want to make it easy for Spotify listeners to learn about virtual events for the artists they love, as well as artists they’re discovering for the very first time."
Starting today, any kind of virtual event can show up in the "On Tour" area, which previously listed only live shows. Musicians will be able to set up the listing through Songkick or Ticketmaster only, but Spotify noted that virtual concerns can be "hosted on a multitude of platforms." These may include Twitch, Instagram Live, YouTube Live, or a hosted website of the artist's choice. Spotify stated:
"A select number of Ticketmaster events will also be automatically listed on Spotify."
The virtual concerts will also be added to the Spotify's Concerts hub, which can help artists promote their live podcast recordings, at-home or in-studio performance, and Q&A sessions.


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The U.S. FTC questioned more than half a dozen patent-licensing incidents at Qualcomm as it closed its antitrust case. Co-founder Irwin Jacobs told his company’s story and defended its practices as Qualcomm opened its case.
SAN JOSE, Calif. — The U.S. Federal Trade Commission questioned more than half a dozen patent-licensing incidents at Qualcomm as it closed its antitrust case here. Co-founder Irwin Jacobs told his company’s story and defended its practices as Qualcomm opened its case.
An antitrust expert for the FTC cited Qualcomm’s “no license, no chips” policy, its refusal to license chip rivals, and its exclusivity deal with Apple.
“Qualcomm could use its chip leverage to get unreasonably high royalties on standards-essential patents, so when an OEM purchased a rival’s chip, it would be paying an unreasonable amount,” said Carl Shapiro, a Berkeley economics professor and former chief economist for the antitrust division of the U.S. Department of Justice.
Testimony spans CDMA, 3G, and LTE eras
Shapiro used court testimony and market-share studies to conclude that Qualcomm used monopoly power on CDMA and LTE modem chips through 2016 in ways that harmed system makers, rivals, and consumers. A lead attorney for Qualcomm noted that Shapiro did not attempt to quantify any harms and that his study was theoretical in nature.
An FTC attorney showed Jacobs documents suggesting that Qualcomm reduced CDMA royalties for China Unicom in exchange for an agreement to use its chips worldwide. He also showed an email from Jacobs to a Samsung executive promising a royalty reduction if the South Korean giant continued to purchase a set percentage of its WCDMA chips from Qualcomm.
“They were a good customer, purchasing a large percentage of chips from us, and we wanted to encourage that,” said the 85-year-old Jacobs, who served as Qualcomm’s CEO until 2005 and retired from its board in 2012.
Qualcomm held monopoly power in both premium LTE and CDMA basebands through 2016, an expert for the FTC testified. Click to enlarge. (Source: Carl Shapiro)
In a 2004 letter, Qualcomm told an LG executive that it would have to stop purchase orders and shipments of WCDMA chips if the handset maker did not agree to pay royalties.
“This was for 500 and 6,000 [test] units, not production quantities … Chips for CDMA continued to ship [to them] during this dispute without any disruptions,” Jacobs said.
“They claimed if we shipped [the WCDMA chips], they would have no responsibility to pay royalties for those or other chips … I don’t know what the resolution was other than we continued to do business with LG,” he added.
A 2007 email from another executive noted that LG would pay a 5% handset royalty when using Qualcomm chips and a 5.7% royalty when using rival’s chips. During a separate 2001 dispute, Jacobs sent an email to a Samsung executive noting that Qualcomm did not ship chips to licensees not performing on their obligations.
“We had this dispute about whether CDMA 1x was included in an agreement, and without an agreement, we did not ship ASICs … The main issue was to remind him of that and to get this resolved,” Jacobs said.
Monica Yang, an IP attorney for Taiwan’s Pegtron, testified via video that the company was “under huge time pressure” in 2007 to strike a CDMA2000 license with Qualcomm to win business making Apple iPhones.
“When I negotiated, I knew you had to sign the [royalty agreement] to get the chipsets … We were in a position where we didn’t have much to bargain with,” Yang said.
Next page: Jacobs tells his story, Shapiro cites a caveat
Qualcomm’s price reductions after the entrance of rival Mediatek in the market was evidence of a monopoly, one expert said. Click to enlarge. (Source: Carl Shapiro)
Founder tells his story, expert cites a caveat
Marvin Blecker, who retired in 2014 as vice president of licensing for Qualcomm, noted that the company sometimes offered incentives to get OEMs to adopt 3G rather than WiMax, an Intel-backed alternative. In an email to him, one Qualcomm colleague suggested cutting off chip supply to one customer involved in a protracted patent negotiation.
Under direct testimony, Jacobs said, “It was always our policy that we didn’t disrupt supply.”
As Qualcomm’s first witness, he also told the story of the company he co-founded in 1985 to explore opportunities in digital communications, a topic he co-wrote the first textbook on while teaching at MIT.
“At the time, cellular was based on analog — FM radio, basically,” he said. “People could see potential for substantial subscriber growth and a move to digital.”
Jacobs got ideas for how CDMA could be used while driving from L.A. to San Diego after a meeting with Hughes about a satellite contract. Qualcomm subsequently developed ways to use the then-unpopular technique to lower power, increase capacity, and ease handoffs in mobile networks.
One of its first CDMA demos that attracted interest was conducted in February 1990 from a van carrying a large prototype driving around Manhattan “in the middle of the night.”
To get the market started, Qualcomm developed three handset and two base station chips as well as its own handsets for the first networks in Hong Kong and South Korea. Back in 1995, “no one [else] had the confidence to build [CDMA] handsets,” Jacobs said.
The company also drafted text that formed the basis for a standard completed in July 1993. AT&T was the first to license the technology, followed by Motorola, providing funds to fuel the research.
Irwin Jacobs received a lifetime achievement award from Imec last summer. (Image: EE Times)
“It’s exciting to see something go from an idea to something used by people around the world,” he said. “I still get a kick out of going to a restaurant and watching people take their phones out.”
“Qualcomm should be commended for its technology achievements,” noted Shapiro in his testimony. “In a number of respects, they were leaders and had superior products — that’s one reason why they had market power.”
“What’s important is that companies who are not as good or don’t have scale are not impeded in challenging the leader,” he added. “If a company is ahead, it doesn’t mean they can trip up a company behind them — it means they can’t, actually.”
Judge Lucy Koh will rule on the case after Jan. 28, when attorneys for Qualcomm are expected to finish taking testimony. In April, a separate case between Apple and Qualcomm is set to begin proceedings in San Diego.
— Rick Merritt, Silicon Valley Bureau Chief, EE Times.


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submit your news
Company News, New Products
Tex Visions Introduces a New Line of Materials and Digital UV Printing
Tex Visions on Wednesday officially launched a new line of substrates to complement its new UV Printing Capabilities.
“These new substrates are a welcome and valuable addition to our already popular and profitable product line,” said CEO Marcel Ruhland. “Our resellers have long inquired about UV printing, and I am pleased we are now able to offer this new product line.”
Using top-of-the-line UV Printing equipment, the custom sign and printing company can now produce lithographic quality images on a variety of new materials including foamboard, AC board, Coroplast® and magnetic sheeting. Existing materials like vinyl and adhesive clings are also available using UV printing. Tex Visions is now capable of creating images at a Blue Wool Scale 8, the highest rating available for color stability and lightfastness.
All of the new materials are completely customizable, and free contour cutting is available. Another benefit of the new product line is complimentary two-layer printing on clear substrates. By adding a white underlay or overlay to images on clear materials like plexiglass and clear PVC sheeting, colors will have a vibrant appearance. Three-layered printing is also available to create a double-sided effect on clear materials like window clings.
Tex Visions’ new materials and printing capabilities expand its existing product line to items such as yard signs, vehicle and refrigerator magnets, store front signage and floor mats.
About Tex Visions
Tex Visions is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of display hardware and custom textile printing. Tex Visions offers the latest high quality innovations for indoor and outdoor displays, including flags, banners, P-O-P and more. The company’s exclusive products include the Bowflag®, T-Pole® and Q-Frame®. For more information, visit www.texvisions.com.
Tex Visions Introduces New Advertising Tent Accessories
FIND IT - MARKETPLACE


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Recently Kartik Aryan and Kirti Sanon were the guest on KFK6 latest episode. Kartik is becoming the next fashion icon. He is always in news for his looks whether it is his gym look,airport look or a movie date.
Kartik is going to be a guest on Karan’s show for the first time. Kartik is getting lot of attention before the episode gets aired. Karan is known for wearing expensive jackets but this time it is Kartik who is wearing an expensive skull jacket by Mastermind Japan.
A post shared by Kriti (@kritisanon) on
Kartik’s single jacket cost is equal to the cost of 4 trips to London. Everone noticed his jacket but very few know the price. The actual price of his jacket is close to 4.5 Lakhs.
Kartik will be next seen in the upcoming movie Luka Chuppi opposite Kirti Sanon.


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GPS Sat Navs Reading List Week 47: Articles from the web – Idealo News
- Photo: FlickR/PizzoDisevo/ creative commons
Satellite navigation systems are so popular that thieves started to focus on sat navs rather than car radios. A reasonable number of articles reported on sat nav thefts during the last week. They are attractive booties, as the helpful navigation gadgets are packed with high-tech features and often left in cars. The GPS market is also very agile too and new GPS systems hit the market every week, which increases the number of available devices in cars. TomTom finally launched the Go 940 Live and Go 540 Live. But sat navs are also attractive for traffic planners. The BBC brought an article on using in-car navs to get out of traffic jams. Last but not least, this week’s reading list on sat navs closes with reviews of the Garmin Nuvi 205/255 and Alpine PND-K3.
Sat Nav Launches and Announcements
- TomTom launches new Go Live sat navs – Which? – New sat navs from TomTom: the Go 940 Live and Go 540 Live.
- Tech that trumps traffic tangles – BBC News – Earlier in November, TomTom released the newest models of its sat-nav devices, with a service known as HD Traffic. “It’s about time we used global positioning satellite (GPS) systems to get us out of a jam”, writes the BBC.
Sat Nav Stories
- Avoid drunks with the party sat-nav – Telegraph UK – The world’s first satellite navigation system designed with parties in mind.
- Sat navs are targeted by thieves – GazetteLive UK – Police have issued a warning after a “worrying” spate of sat nav thefts from cars.
- Cars raided for sat navs – expresssandstar.com – Sat Navs have been taken from cars and vans in Cannock.
- Super sat-navs will tick drivers off for their errors – Times Online – Next generation of navigation systems takes sat navs from being simply an electronic mapping device to being a driving instructor, Times Online reported.
- Ever want to do this to your GPS? – GPS TrackLog – Frustrated with your GPS? Check out this video, but don’t try this at home.
- Ministers pushing for tougher speeding penalties – Which? – Tough new penalties for speeding, drink driving and other ‘excessive behaviour’ will be considered by ministers, it was announced on Thursday.
Sat Nav Reviews
- Garmin Nuvi 205/255 Full Review GPS Lodge – Full review on these new sat navs from Garmin.
- Alpine PND-K3 Review – GPS Lodge – Alpine is known for their quality car electronics. Their PND-K3 GPS is a widescreen (4.3-inch) gps that comes with US and Canada NAVTEQ maps preloaded.
Other reading lists at Idealo News


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Google have confirmed in a press conference that they will will be providing YouTube users a way to skip the pre-roll adverts that appear before a video is launched. Together with a special advert selection feature that will allow you to select adverts you are interested in before watching longer YouTube content.
But don’t worry if your an advertiser, when your advert is skipped you wont get charged, only when your advert is watch do you have to pay Google.
This new advertising model will now force advertisers to become more creative and produce more appealing adverts. Studies have shown that audiences are incredibly tolerant to adverts that they enjoy.
Full details of the mechanics of the system have not been revealed as yet, that will determine how these adverts are skipped and when. As it might be possible for advertisers to put their logo and message in the first couple of seconds of the adverts before the viewer has time to skip it. Allowing the advertiser to flash their sales pitch without the cost of running the full advert.
I am sure that Google will have measures to stop these types of tricks, but it will be interesting to see the as it is released near the end of 2010.
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J P Morgan Chase & Co Reiterates Neutral Rating for Valvoline Inc. (VVV)
J P Morgan Chase & Co restated their neutral rating on shares of Valvoline Inc. (NYSE:VVV) in a report published on Wednesday. J P Morgan Chase & Co currently has a $22.00 price target on the basic materials company’s stock, up from their previous price target of $20.00.
Several other research firms have also recently weighed in on VVV. Zacks Investment Research cut shares of Valvoline from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, June 27th. Deutsche Bank AG reaffirmed a hold rating and set a $23.00 target price (up from $22.00) on shares of Valvoline in a report on Saturday, June 3rd. Finally, Seaport Global Securities raised shares of Valvoline from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $26.00 target price for the company in a report on Wednesday, June 7th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the stock. The stock has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $25.83.
Shares of Valvoline (VVV) opened at 22.13 on Wednesday. Valvoline has a 52 week low of $18.30 and a 52 week high of $24.98. The stock has a market cap of $4.48 billion and a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.38. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $22.95 and its 200 day moving average is $23.09.
Valvoline (NYSE:VVV) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 1st. The basic materials company reported $0.34 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.35 by $0.01. Valvoline had a net margin of 13.00% and a negative return on equity of 106.06%. The company had revenue of $534 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $530.57 million. Valvoline’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.0% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts forecast that Valvoline will post $1.37 EPS for the current year.
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The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 1st will be issued a dividend of $0.049 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, August 30th. This represents a $0.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.89%. Valvoline’s dividend payout ratio is currently 15.50%.
A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Tdam USA Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Valvoline by 0.5% in the first quarter. Tdam USA Inc. now owns 61,160 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $1,501,000 after buying an additional 309 shares in the last quarter. Ngam Advisors L.P. boosted its stake in shares of Valvoline by 4.4% in the first quarter. Ngam Advisors L.P. now owns 18,595 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $457,000 after buying an additional 776 shares in the last quarter. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Valvoline by 23.7% in the second quarter. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. now owns 11,005 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $261,000 after buying an additional 2,105 shares in the last quarter. Wedbush Securities Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Valvoline by 15.6% in the second quarter. Wedbush Securities Inc. now owns 17,375 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $412,000 after buying an additional 2,345 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Eos Focused Equity Management L.P. boosted its stake in shares of Valvoline by 1.1% in the second quarter. Eos Focused Equity Management L.P. now owns 230,749 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $5,473,000 after buying an additional 2,531 shares in the last quarter. 28.34% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Valvoline Company Profile
Valvoline Inc (Valvoline) is engaged in the production and distribution of automotive, commercial and industrial lubricants, and automotive chemicals. The Company operates through three segments: Core North America, Quick Lubes and International. The Core North America segment sells Valvoline, and other branded and private label products in the United States and Canada to both consumers performing their own automotive maintenance, referred to as Do-It-Yourself (DIY) consumers, as well as, to installer customers using Valvoline products to service vehicles owned by Do-It-For-Me (DIFM) consumers.
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It’s the inability to do anything about it.
Part of the frustration for merchants is that it’s virtually impossible to negotiate with the card associations, according to Kenneth Posner, a Morgan Stanley analyst. Merchants can choose between two options: pay the fees and abide by the card association's rules, or simply don't accept credit cards.
“They have shown an ability to raise prices even when merchants complain,” he said. “The big frustration is not necessarily the magnitude of the cost. It’s the inability to do anything about it.”
Source: Quad City Times, An increase of ‘intercharges’


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Volvo global sales up in February and in the first two months
Still a good result for Volvo global sales in this beginning of the new year. The Swedish carmaker has in fact registered in February a 5.7% increase to 36,515 units bringing the total of the first two months to 71,990 units, 5.4% more.
The XC60 remains the bestseller model with 11,393 cars sold expecting a further consolidation with the next generation that will be unveiled at Geneva. Positive trend also for V40/V40 Cross Country and XC90.


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Four air cargo trade organizations—The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA), the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA) and the Global Shippers’ Forum (GSF)—have signed a letter of intent committing to work towards the formation of an industry advisory group facilitated by TIACA to ensure the air cargo industry has a strong, unified voice in its dealing with worldwide regulatory authorities and other bodies whose decisions directly impact on air cargo.
The agreement commits TIACA, IATA, FIATA and GSF to work together to look at their current positions on issues such as security, customs reform, e-Commerce and the environment to try to find common ground to best protect and promote the interests of the air cargo industry, the organizations and its customers. The review will also look at the associations’ respective resources committed to industry affairs and consider how to make the most effective use of the existing and growing relationships TIACA, IATA, FIATA and GSF have with relevant government departments and other regulatory bodies.
The associations will also discuss the involvement of other global industry groups in the air cargo supply chain and seek the support of bodies such as the World Customs Organization (WCO).
“TIACA, GSF, FIATA and IATA will continue to operate as they do today in terms of how they support their respective memberships,” says Michael Steen, vice chairman of TIACA. The initiative will look at how the organizations can combine their respective strengths, contacts and resources in the area of regulatory affairs.
“We all share a common goal to protect our members against costly and sometimes unnecessary changes in legislation and to have a practical input into any future regulatory challenges before they become mandatory,” Steen adds. “We also want to have the strongest possible voice when it comes to highlighting to policy makers the vital role air cargo plays in world trade, in employment, in consumer choice and in the growth of developing markets.”
“By value 35% of goods traded internationally travel by air cargo. In volume, that’s 26 million tons of cargo annually. Without air cargo, the global economy cannot function,” notes Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s director general and CEO. “The industry is working together to improve efficiency with programs like IATA’s e-freight. But governments have not always received clear signals from industry on what is needed for efficient global air cargo operations. A strong and unified industry voice with the Global Shippers Forum is a step in the right direction. But we cannot be successful without an effective regulatory environment.”


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The beautiful city of Palma is preparing to host the 35th Palma Boat Show, where Princess will be showcasing five stunning motor yachts. The show will be open from 27 April until 1st May, and promises an exciting showcase of some of the best brands in the world of yachting.
We will be showcasing up to six yachts in all, that includes the all-new Princess V65 as well as the Princess 75 Motor Yacht, Princess 56, Princess 49 , Princess V50, Princess V62 and Princess S72. The V65 is just one of the refreshed Princess V Class range. This exciting new model was launched at the Dusseldorf Boat Show in January. At just over 60 feet in length, she offers en-suite accommodation for up to 8 guests, as well as a vast outdoor space for relaxing and entertaining al fresco – the perfect yacht for mediterranean cruising.
Princess Motor Yacht Sales sister company, Chris-Craft Balearics will present two high performance cruisers – the Chris-Craft Launch 27 – a family-sized runabout of luxurious proportions, and the Motorboat Award winning Calypso 30, which enjoyed its European Launch at last year’s show.
The Palma Boat Show will be open from 11am until 8pm daily. If you would like to join us, contact Linda Zibala from our Mallorca team on +34 971 234 140, or email firstname.lastname@example.org


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One diet fits allBMJ 1999; 318 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.318.7199.1646d (Published 19 June 1999) Cite this as: BMJ 1999;318:1646
Led by the American Heart Association, four major health groups have agreed on a diet to reducethe risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes. The American Cancer Society, the AmericanDietetic Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the National Institutes of Health have endorsed the diet, which is low in fat and high in fruits and vegetables.
The “Unified Dietary Guidelines” should make it easier for the public to understand what a healthy diet is. The guidelines will be published in the 27 July issue of Circulation,the journal of the American Heart Association. Circulation is also available at www.circulationaha.org.
The report was due to be released at a news conference in New York as the BMJ went to press. Richard Deckelbaum, director of the Institute of Human Nutrition at Columbia University in New York and one of the authors of the study, said, “I realised when I was giving talks about healthy lifestyle that you didn't need different diets [for the diseases listed above]. They should be the same.”
The unified guidelines offer six simple rules: eat a variety of foods; choose most foods from plant sources; eat five or more servings of fruit and vegetables each day; eat six or more servingsof bread, cereals, pasta and/or rice each day; eat high fat foods sparingly, particularly those from animal sources; and keep the intake of simple sugars to a minimum.
Fat should account for no more than 30% of calories, and saturated fat (found in dairy products and meat) should be less than 10% of total calories.
Dr Deckelbaum suggests eating low fat dairy products, trimming meat carefully, and eating modest portions. Salt intake should be limited to 6 g a day–about a teaspoon–including the sodium in food. Cholesterol should be limited to 300 mg a day.
Total calories should be only enough to maintain desirable weight, since a third of Americans are severely overweight. The diet meets nutritional needs of children over the age of 2 years, women, and elderly people, as well as the general public, the consensus said.
In addition, the guidelines recommend that women consume low fat dairy products to increase calcium intake and lessen the risk of osteoporosis and eat foods rich in folates to reduce the risk of birth defects.


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– A world of opportunity for brands by James McEwan, PSI
China’s growing love affair with international destinations has seen a significant increase in air travel and overseas spending, with numbers predicted to rise exponentially by 2023.
We have recently forged a strategic partnership with ForwardKeys, a company dedicated to studying global travel movements. We’ve overlaid its global air travel data with further insight including our unique OCS* profiling plus location heat-mapping across 48 of the most prominent global cities, to identify the biggest changes to Chinese traveller movements and mind-set.
Mainland China is experiencing rapid growth amongst its middle classes and with this change comes greater prosperity. This increased spending power means that Chinese consumers are now contributing over half of their disposable income to the travel market, with the leisure sector projected to account for 62% of all their travel by 2023.
Traditionally, China’s travellers opted for shorter-haul destinations, with Special Administrative Regions (SARs) – such as Hong Kong and Macao – receiving almost half of all travel. However, between 2013 and 2023, 61 million households in China are expected to earn above USD 35,000 per annum – considered a key income threshold for opening up international travel.
According to TripAdvisor China, almost half of Chinese visitors to the site are now researching destinations outside Asia, with Paris, Rome, London, Los Angeles and New York amongst the most popular. Predictions suggest that by 2020 Chinese visitors will represent 9% of all North America’s tourists, 19% of Europe’s, and 29% of Australia and New Zealand’s tourists.
As for Europe, the UK saw an 18% increase in Chinese tourists during the first half of this year, 13% of whom combined their trip with at least one other European country. Travel from China to Germany saw a 7% increase within the same period with 34% of these visitors then visiting at least one other European country.
The three segments of the outbound leisure market expected to grow the fastest are affluent youths (18 to 30), senior professionals (45 to 55), and small groups of families and friends (30 to 45 – increasingly travelling independently, but also part of organised tours). Cities are their primary destinations accounting for over 85% of outbound travel and when SAR regions are excluded, it remains that 70% of all outbound travel is to major cities.
When it comes to duration of stay, London is currently one of the top long-haul cities globally, with an average stay of seven nights. Melbourne and Sydney come in a close second, at 6.5 nights.
Shopping remains a key driver in terms of choice of travel destination. Other motives include sightseeing, relaxation and, increasingly, special experiences – thus increasing consideration for destinations such as New Zealand. Perceived safety and ease of visa access are also key.
By 2030, Chinese travellers are expected to spend USD 700 billion annually during overseas trips. Shopping abroad offers consumers the chance to purchase premium goods such as handbags and watches, aided by favourable exchange rates, and at the same time swerve China’s 30% luxury goods tax. Currently this brings the average UK spend of Chinese tourists to £2,174 (200% more than the average visitor).
Understanding how, when and where Chinese consumers pay for goods and services whilst abroad is key to engaging them effectively.
Tmall Global (Alibaba’s international brand shopping division) has launched a service allowing Chinese tourists to prepay for duty-free purchases online before going on vacation, and then picking these up at the airport. Such is the influence of Alibaba that its founders have managed to agree with customs authorities in many cities like Shanghai and Guangzhou to speed up clearance procedures.
Overall transactions with Tmall Global have increased more than 10 times since its launch and more than 100 overseas brands, including some of Europe’s leading supermarkets, are currently waiting in the wings to set up stores on its interface. According to tax rebate company, Global Blue, Chinese global shoppers currently account for nearly 30% of all tax-free shopping worldwide. Some 80% of Chinese travellers make overseas purchases, and nearly 30% base their destination choice on retail opportunities.
Importantly though, retail is no longer confined to airport terminals. Across Asia for example we are seeing the construction of large downtown malls by duty-free operators such as King Power, Shilla and Lotte, featuring on-site luxury hotel accommodation, casino facilities and other premium entertainment. For some luxury brands, up to 50% of their duty-free sales are now attributed to downtown retail.
Another notable insight into the current Chinese mindset is a growing obsession with health products. In the wake of an influx of fake and contaminated wellbeing products on the Chinese market, Australia and Japan – who enjoy unequivocal Chinese consumer trust – are seeing a boom in sales for this sector. Even duty-free retail – traditionally the reserve of luxury goods and perfumes – is increasingly allocating shelf space for vitamin supplements and infant care products. The Chinese appetite for Australian powdered milk is such that supermarket chains Coles and Woolworths have seen the need to introduce a four-tins-per-person limit.
This deeper understanding of the behaviour of Chinese travellers provides new and exciting opportunities for brands. PSI is excited to be helping many of the world’s leading brands explore these opportunities.


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Kendall Jenner has come under fire for her latest modelling campaign. Named as the face of Pepsi, a commercial was released to the masses yesterday featuring the 21-year-old model, however due it’s content, it only lasted one day before the company decided to pull the pin on it.
The commercial featured a platinum blonde Kendall, posing for a photoshoot as a protest is in full force outside. Kendall is lured into the fray by a handsome photographer leaving her blonde wig and fashion crew behind. Once in the crowd, the reality TV star hands a police officer a can of Pepsi, sending the protestors into a fit of cheers.
As soon it was released, the commercial was subject to a day of viral backlash, resulting in Pepsi taking it off the air.
The ad has been compared to a photo that went viral from a Black Lives Matter protest and in turn is seen as being highly insensitive to recent events.
Pepsi has released a statement apologising for the ad.
‘Pepsi was trying to project a global message of unity, peace and understanding. Clearly, we missed the mark, and we apologize. We did not intend to make light of any serious issue. We are pulling the content and halting any further rollout. We also apologize for putting Kendall Jenner in this position.’
Kendall was the first model to land a global campaign for Pepsi since supermodel Cindy Crawford, and is yet to make a comment on the controversy caused by the campaign.


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Topics Covered: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.
GPay can share UPI data under law, says Google:
Google India Digital Services Limited has told the Delhi High Court that its GPay app, being a TPAPs (Third Party Application Providers), is allowed under the law to share customer’s UPI (Unified Payments Interface) transaction data with third parties.
But, what’s the issue?
A petition was filed against Google India’s payments app, Google Pay, at the Delhi High Court as it flouted the rules of Unified Payments Interface (UPI) interoperability.
- According to the petition, Google Pay does not allow new users to use their existing Virtual Payment Address (VPAs) or UPI ID on its platform, which the consumer might have created through other UPI platforms or apps.
- And this is against the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) Guidelines.
- As per NPCI guidelines on interoperability, UPI payment platforms need to give a choice to users to transact using their existing IDs.
Also, the petitioner had claimed that GPay was acting as a payments system provider in violation of the Payments and Settlements Act as it has no valid authorisation from the central bank of the country to carry out such functions.
What does interoperability mean?
Interoperability enables payment systems to be used in conjunction with other payment systems. It allows prepaid payment instruments (PPIs) issuers, system providers and system participants from different systems to undertake, clear and settle transactions across systems without participating in multiple systems.
What has the RBI said?
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has told the Delhi High Court that Google Pay is a third party app provider (TPAP) and does not operate any payment systems.
- Therefore, its operations are not in violation of the Payment and Settlement System Act of 2007.
The Payment and Settlement Systems (PSS) Act, 2007:
It provides for the regulation and supervision of payment systems in India and designates the Reserve Bank of India (Reserve Bank) as the authority for that purpose and all related matters.
The Reserve Bank is authorized under the Act to constitute a Committee of its Central Board known as the Board for Regulation and Supervision of Payment and Settlement Systems (BPSS), to exercise its powers and perform its functions and discharge its duties under this statute.
- What is UPI?
- About NPCI.
- Key provisions in the Payment and Settlement Systems (PSS) Act, 2007.
- Who has the power to set up BPSS?
Sources: the Hindu.


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With 80 diamond companies, including some first time participants, the Israel Diamond Institute Group of Companies (IDI) is hosting the largest pavilion at the June Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair. The Fair is slated from June 21 – 26, 2012.
Apart from the companies exhibiting at the pavilion, there will be about 20 Israeli companies exhibiting throughout the show. This is the second time that IDI is organizing a national pavilion at this show and the pavilion this year has grown from 60 companies last year to 80 companies. This increased participation underlines the importance that the Israeli Diamond Industry attributes to the event and to Hong Kong, as a vital and growing diamond market.
Asia makes up 35 percent of Israel polished diamond exports and net polished diamond exports to Hong Kong in 20111 were at $1.9 billion. IDI Chairman Moti Ganz said “We believe in the economic future of this region and the growth in demand for diamonds and diamond jewelry here.” IDI Managing Director Eli Avidar said “We are focusing much of our marketing efforts on Asia – especially Hong Kong. We participate in three trade shows in Hong Kong throughout the year, and at every show we have more and more Israeli exhibitors. Although we have expanded the size of our pavilions demand is so great that we have a waiting list for some of the shows,” Avidar added. He also added that IDI’s Chinese-language portal site has become an important vehicle for facilitating direct contacts between these countries.
An online mini-site is being provided on the IDI portal site, and offers contact details of the Israeli exhibitors at the show and otherwise. It also gives a virtual view of the pavilion at the show.


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Samsung Galaxy S3: 4.65 inch Super AMOLED screen and HD Plus LTE
Just two days ago, we reported that the latest rumors about the Samsung Galaxy S3. The marketing of the new Samsung flagship is fairly close to the strategy of Apple. So there are very many rumors and alleged inside information, but the South Korean group itself remains very secretive. This strategy gives the Galaxy S3 extremely big stir in the blogosphere. Of course, the success of the new Samsung smartphones are not guaranteed, however, Apple shows that this strategy brings a great advantage.
In the latest rumors, it goes to one of the LTE technology and the other is the built-in screen of the new Samsung counterparts. For the Korean Blog hankyung.com reported it, that had resulted from experiments that Samsung Electronics wireless business unit president called reporters in the presence of smaller Sinjonggyun information. In this interview, the reporter received information about the hardware components and a personal impression of the Samsung S3 employee on Galaxy.
“… The Galaxy S3 will meet the expectations of a lot better than the Galaxy S2 …”
This statement should meet the aspirations of all potential buyers of the new Samsung flagship. However, this statement is not the only information that can be drawn from this discussion. Sun Sinjonggyun reconfirmed that S3 is the Galaxy at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. As the date is the 26th February being considered.
For the next Sinjonggyun spoke about the hardware of the new Samsung smartphones, so LTE is expected in the device. The market opens up more and more for this technology.
“… LTE is expected because the market is open to …”
Of course it is possible that the Galaxy is not being sold in Germany S3 with LTE, as well as the Galaxy Nexus is sold in our country with a GSM / UMTS version. However, the mobile operators are currently preoccupied with the development of the LTE network, unfortunately, mostly in big cities and “underserved” areas.
Next, the blog talks about a 4.65 inch Super AMOLED Plus HD display, which is to be installed in the new Galaxy model. This should have the screen the same size as the Galaxy Nexus. I personally find it a tad too big, but this is a matter of taste. What do you think of a display this size?
Currently these are only speculations, and only at the Mobile World Congress in late February in Barcelona, the final product is presented. Further information can and rumors on the Samsung Galaxy S3 read about her in our hodgepodge of rumors to the Galaxy S3.
Users search for:
- S3 LTE
- samsung galaxy s3 lte
- galaxy s3 lte
- samsung S3 LTE


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The Clubhouse application denied reports of leaking its users data, as the company moved to Twitter to clarify its position, saying: this is misleading and wrong, and Clubhouse has not been hacked, and the data referred to is the general information of the account within our application, which anyone can access. To it via our application or API.
The CEO of Clubhouse, Paul Davison, said, the report called the leak of personal user data is false, and he said in response to a question about the platform’s exposure to a data breach: No, it did not happen, and this is misleading and wrong, and we have not been hacked, and the data referred to is information. The public account is from our app, so the answer to that is no.
It is reported that a previous report issued by Cyber News claimed that the SQL database containing users personal information had been leaked over the Internet, and the report claimed that 1.3 million users data had been leaked for free on a popular hacker forum.
According to the report, the leaked data includes information such as user ID, name, image URL, user name, Twitter data, Instagram data, number of followers, number of people followed by the user, date of account creation, invited by the user's profile name.
The Cyber News report stated that the SQL database does not include sensitive information such as credit card details, however, even the profile name, with connections to other user profiles on social media that have been identified and created, can be sufficient. Cybercriminals cause real harm.