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POWAY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Disguise, Inc., a leading global costume company, and a division of toy and consumer products manufacturer JAKKS Pacific, Inc., today announced a renewal of its North American rights for the iconic series Sesame Street. Disguise will continue to design, market, manufacture and distribute costumes, costume accessories and trunk-or-treat kits featuring new and classic Sesame Street characters.
Sesame Street has been on air for 52 years making it one of the longest running shows in American history. Disguise celebrates its 35th Anniversary in 2022 and has held the Sesame Street license for 31 years. It was one of the very first licenses acquired by the company. Disguise will be introducing new segments, including adaptive costumes and wheelchair wraps to support the strong message of diversity and inclusivity that Sesame Street so proudly teaches.
“I grew up with Sesame Street, as did my children, so it is an honor and a pleasure to continue our partnership on a brand that is near and dear to the hearts of so many generations. Disguise is very much a family brand and the Sesame Street characters echo those brand values and the costumes have always been a hit for both adults and children. Each year, we see families dressing as these lovable characters and we are delighted to continue to make them,” said Tara Hefter, President and GM of Disguise, Inc. “We appreciate the trust that Sesame Workshop has in Disguise during this decades long partnership in rolling out quality, fan favorite costumes and accessories for families each year.”
“Sesame Street has always been a neighborhood filled with characters that come in all shapes, sizes, and colors,” said Gabriela Arenas, Vice President of Global Licensing, Sesame Workshop. “We’re thrilled to continue our long-standing partnership with Disguise as they offer families fun new ways to engage with their favorite Sesame Street friends.”
Owned by JAKKS Pacific, Inc. (NASDAQ:JAKK), Disguise is a world leader in design and development of inventive and cutting edge costumes and accessories with distribution across the world. With Disguise’s continued dedication to detail and quality, these Sesame Street costumes and accessories hit the mark with both customers and retailers alike year after year.
Disguise’s Halloween costumes and accessories for Sesame Street are available online and at major retailers and specialty stores across the world.
About Sesame Workshop
Sesame Workshop is the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, the pioneering television show that has been reaching and teaching children since 1969. Today, Sesame Workshop is an innovative force for change, with a mission to help kids everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder. We’re present in more than 150 countries, serving vulnerable children through a wide range of media, formal education, and philanthropically funded social impact programs, each grounded in rigorous research and tailored to the needs and cultures of the communities we serve. For more information, please visit www.sesameworkshop.org.
About Disguise, Inc.:
Since 1987, Disguise has been a leader in the Halloween industry creating innovative and trend setting costumes and accessories. Based in San Diego, Disguise produces costumes and accessories under many of the world’s leading licensed brands, as well as its own proprietary brands for the nation’s largest retailers including specialty, party and pop up stores. Disguise designs and manufactures millions of costumes for U.S. and other international markets each year bringing smiles and creating memories for kids and adults alike. To see Disguise’s extensive Halloween collection, please visit www.disguise.com and follow us on Instagram (@disguise.costumes), Twitter (@DisguiseInc) and Facebook (Disguise Costumes).
Disguise is a trademark of Disguise, Inc.
About JAKKS Pacific, Inc.:
JAKKS Pacific, Inc. is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of toys and consumer products sold throughout the world, with its headquarters in Santa Monica, California. JAKKS Pacific’s popular proprietary brands include; Fly WheelsTM, Kitten CatfeTM, Perfectly CuteTM, ReDoTM Skateboard Co, X-PowerTM, Disguise®, Moose Mountain®, Maui®, Kids Only!®; a wide range of entertainment-inspired products featuring premier licensed properties; and C’est MoiTM, a new generation of clean beauty. Through JAKKS Cares, the company’s commitment to philanthropy, JAKKS is helping to make a positive impact on the lives of children. Visit us at www.jakks.com and follow us on Instagram (@jakkstoys), Twitter (@jakkstoys) and Facebook (JAKKS Pacific).
©2021 JAKKS Pacific, Inc. All rights reserved.


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Hartley Botanic at RHS Chelsea 2017
Hartley Botanic’s trade stand at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show, will be one of the largest and most ambitious in its category. With five uniquely styled, handmade greenhouses and glasshouses placed within a show garden, there will be plenty to capture the imagination of the modern gardener.
The stand has been designed by Longview Design and will be built by The Outdoor Room, with plants sourced by the Burford Garden Company. The stand will demonstrate the variety of ways Hartley Botanic greenhouses can be enjoyed by the modern gardener.
Hartley Botanic’s Victorian Grand Lodge will be the largest glasshouse on the stand, dressed with architectural and impressive looking tropical and subtropical species – a nod to Victorian plant collectors. Airplants, palms and exotic Gloriosa vine will complement the lodge’s beautiful proportions.
The Opus greenhouse, featured in last year’s award winning show garden, will ‘exhibit’ an incredible collection of orchids, celebrating these wonderful plants like individual works of art. Orchids on show will include the slipper orchid, Paphiopedilum, the South American Zygopetalum and Masdevallia species.
The stand itself will feature exotic and hardy plants from around the world which will add texture as well as help lead visitors around the exhibit. The key theme for both the external plantings and those within the greenhouses and glasshouses is a love of passion for plants and visitors’ sensory experience.
Hartley Botanic will be situated in a prominent location next to the Great Pavilion and show gardens on Main Avenue, which along with the stand’s ambitious plant displays, will help attract visitors.
Longview Design and The Outdoor Room were chosen by Hartley Botanic to design and build the stand because of their RHS Chelsea credentials, having created award-winning show gardens for the last 10 years and being deemed worthy to create three gardens at the show this year.
Tom Barry, managing director of Hartley Botanic, commented: “We wanted to develop and execute the best trade stand possible this year – not just to win awards but to win current and future customers. Hartley Botanic’s 79 year old reputation for ‘the finest greenhouses money can buy’ and its new RHS recommended status has been built on pioneering design and quality which exceeds expectations. It felt fitting that this year’s trade stand reflected these principles in the plant and stand design as well as through our expertly crafted greenhouses and glasshouses. There is no reason why our trade stand cannot be as inspiring and enticing as RHS Chelsea’s show gardens this year, and this is our aim.”
Horticultural director of the Burford Garden Company, Glen Sheldrake, said they were delighted to have been invited to supply and plant the gardens and greenhouses on the Hartley Botanic stand at the Show: “With us both being British heritage brands with an eye for quality and details, we felt it was a great fit. We have worked tirelessly to source the finest plants for the stand, creating a multi-sensory experience for all who visit. We are sure the Hartley Botanic exhibit will be taking the trade stand category to a new level,” he said.
Hartley Botanic are now the RHS recommended aluminium and glasshouse supplier. All Hartley Botanic greenhouses and glasshouses are made to order. Information on their range can be found at: http://www.hartley-botanic.co.uk
RHS Chelsea Flower Show runs from the 23rd to the 27th May, 2017.

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Pakistan’s first packaging alliance seeks green financing, tax holiday for circular economy in budget 2023-24
May 30th, 2023 ISLAMABAD: CoRe (Collect and Recycle) the first multi-stakeholder packaging alliance in Pakistan has sought availability of green financing, 5-year tax holiday for recycling projects, incentivization for infrastructure amongst other recommendations to the federal government...
CoRe Alliance and CDA inaugurate waste bin project in Islamabad
September 14th, 2021 ISLAMABAD: CoRe (Collect and Recycle), an alliance of leading consumer goods and packaging companies, recyclers and non-governmental organizations partnered with Capital Development Authority to install 250 waste-bins in Islamabad.As part of this joint initiative, Fatima Jinnah Park and Lake View Park will each see installation of 125 waste bins,
Climate Change Ministry, CoRe Alliance host convening on recycling
February 19th, 2021 ISLAMABAD: Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC) and CoRe (Collect and Recycle), an alliance of leading food and packaging companies, recyclers and non-governmental organizations hosted a stakeholder convening to encourage dialogue regarding the shared challenges of packaging waste and collection mechanism in the country.


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<<< Go Back
Citroen's Facebook Crowdsourced C1 Connexion Special Edition Is Revealed
• First visual of Citroën’s crowdsourced C1 Connexion special edition revealed on Citroën UK’s Facebook page
• More than 24,000 con...figurations submitted
• Around 10,000 competition entries to win one of the first C1 Connexion production models
• New design phase launched inviting members of the public to submit ideas for the C1 Connexion’s badge
The crowdsourced Citroën C1 is the first production vehicle in the UK created as part of a collaboration with Facebook.
The car creation process took place during April via a specially designed app on Citroën UK’s official Facebook page. Citroën opened a virtual ‘factory floor’ where members of the public were invited to choose what the special edition model should look like and what features it should have.
The most popular configuration was a 3-door version finished in a stylish Caldera Black body colour with Scarlett Red exterior and interior detailing, together with stylish alloy wheels. The C1 Connexion will be based on the New Citroën C1 1.0i 68 manual in VTR trim, an already well specified model that includes day-time running LEDs, air conditioning and electric front windows.
There were more than 24,000 configurations of the C1 Connexion submitted by the public and around 10,000 entries were received in a competition to win one of the first production models. Over the campaign period, Citroën grew its Facebook fan base by more than 13,500 to almost 93,000 fans.
Melina Kacherou-Carage, Head of Digital Marketing at Citroën UK, commented: “This project has really captured the enthusiasm of the Facebook community. We’ve had thousands of configurations, so much positive feedback and now the first images of C1 Connexion, which will be ready to go on sale later in the year. You liked it, now we’re making it.”
Read more >
Launched in 1996, and with more than 1.5 million produced, the iconic…
Read more >
DS 3 CROSSBACK is the luxury compact SUV, combining refinement and advanced…


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As such a huge sector of the nursery industry, innovation comes thick and fast in prams and pushchair products, and trends also change quickly. Progressive Preschool found out from some of the key suppliers what’s new, what’s coming, and what the biggest challenges are in the category.
Getting a child from A to B is no longer the sole function of a pram or pushchair. As a major purchase for new and prospective parents, these products now need to suit a family’s lifestyle, be easy to use and fit with the current trends.
With so many factors to consider, suppliers are finding that consumers are spending a lot of time researching products prior to purchase. Store closures and lockdowns recently took this research online, but customers are now returning to stores to make this all-important purchase.
To read the full feature in the online edition of the January/February issue of Progressive Preschool, simply click here.


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The China-based start-up has stated that all of the trips have two safety engineers present; one who is behind the wheel, and another one monitoring the data gathered during each trip.
TuSimple are not disclosing who their customers are but said at CES 2019 that they have a total of 12 contracted customers and are planning to expand from 11 operating autonomous trucks to 40 by June of this year.
An additional route from Arizona to Texas will also be introduced in early 2019, the company said.
TuSimple is working towards developing a Level 4 system (as defined by SAE) which would enable the truck to take over all of the driving in certain scenarios. A critical point in their solution is the usage of camera-centric perception solutions that differ from the focus on the usage of LiDAR that much of the autonomous vehicle tech industry is focused on.
They currently race to grab a hold of the future autonomous truck industry against incumbent OEMs, such as Volvo, Daimler and Tesla, but also against other startups with visionary plans, such as Starsky robotics, Embark, Einride and Uber owned Otto .
With the introduction of automation, both the cost structure and utilization of trucks are likely to be heavily impacted. An impact that might also trickle down to the cost of consumer goods. How savings made from automation will be distributed is still unknown, but with the accelerated growth of e-commerce, the demand for trucking of goods is growing.
Also, if OEMs choose to retain the liability for their autonomous trucks they will likely be further inclined to develop transport-as-a-service solutions to control the maintenance and usage of their trucks. Small pilots like this one could be a way to gather data and learn before expanding their business.
Written by Mahdere DW Amanuel, RISE Viktoria.
2. 2018-07-16. These 6 companies are making the self-driving truck a reality.


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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), in cooperation with Bexco Enterprises Inc., doing business as Million Dollar Baby of Montebello, Calif. is announcing a voluntary recall of 18,000 children's four-drawer dressers
Baby Matters, the company that makes Nap Nanny recliners, claims the product is safe when used as directed, but the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says the baby recliner is dangerous and is responsible for 5 infant deaths and numerous injuries.
In an unusual move, CPSC has teamed up with four major retailers who say they will recall the product themselves after Baby Matters refused to issue a voluntary recall.
Amazon.com, Buy Buy Baby, Diapers.com and Toys R Us/Babies R Us had already agreed earlier this month to stop selling the product. Now they are offering customers a chance to return the Nap Nanny.
CPSC spokesman Scott Wolfson praised the companies.
The retailers were great. They were not obligated to carry out this recall, he said. It's estimated that 150,000 of the Nap Nanny have been purchased since the product came on the market in 2009. The recliners sell for around $125.00.
CPSC has been in negotiations with Baby Matters for a mandatory recall but the owner of the company and creator of the Nap Nanny, Leslie Gudel, says the product is safe.
In email, Gudel told ABC News, Baby Matters is disappointed to hear that four retailers have chosen to voluntarily recall the Nap Nanny. As I've said before, the loss of an infant is an unthinkable tragedy, and I am truly heartbroken for the families who have lost a child. But when the Nap Nanny has been used properly, no infant has ever suffered an injury requiring medical attention.
This isn't the first time the product has been recalled. The initial versions of the Nap Nanny were recalled and redesigned in 2010 after the first reported death. The sides were raised, additional warnings added, and an instructional video was added to the company's website.
CPSC says the Nap Nanny recliners have continued to cause infants to suffer injuries and deaths. The government agency believes the product contains design defects, as well as de


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MasterPass Says ‘Hola’ to Spain (Feb. 13, 2014)
MasterCard has launched its MasterPass online shopping service in Spain, the payment card network said this week. The country becomes the fourth European market in which MasterCard is offering MasterPass to financial institutions, merchants and consumers, following rollouts in the U.K, Italy and Sweden. The service launched in Australia and Canada in early 2013, with the U.S. following soon after.
In Spain, MasterCard aims to capitalize upon high smartphone and tablet penetration, which has helped mobile shopping gain 11 percent of all online commerce in the country, according to a study by the Online Business School. “[A]ny device is becoming a shopping device,” said Ovido Eqido, country manager for MasterCard Spain. “In this context, MasterPass becomes a digital payment solution with great potential for merchants, consumers and financial institutions.”
Visa Inc. introduced its own digital wallet—known as V.me—to Spain last year. Like MasterPass, V.me stores consumer data in the cloud to enable consumers to make quick and secure purchases—especially useful when shopping on smartphones and tablets. Among the other companies seeking to capitalize on the shift to mobile shopping are Google and PayPal, both of which have developed wallets that store consumer and payment data. In October, Amazon unveiled a one-click shopping feature to enable e-commerce merchants to accept payment from customers once they login with their Amazon usernames and passwords.


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As I write this, Yahoo has thwarted Microsoft's attempts at a friendly takeover, and Microsoft now appears to be gunning for a hostile takeover instead. Yahoo is talking to AOL, News Corp, and maybe even Google about possible partnerships, probably as a ploy to force Microsoft into paying more money for a Yahoo buy. All in all, it's been a fun week for watching Kabuki theater.
It's easy to see why Yahoo would spurn Microsoft's advances, not the least of which is Jerry Yang's own nostalgia over Yahoo, his online baby. But emotions aside, Yahoo should realize that a Microsoft buyout may be the best thing ever to happen to the folks from Sunnyvale.
Let's start by clarifying what Yahoo really is -- an issue that Wall Street, the press, and even Yahoo itself seems to have trouble teasing out. Yahoo is a media company. The technology side of the business is secondary.
I could give lots of supporting examples to that assertion, but I'll settle for three.
1. Search vs. Content. Yahoo is No. 2 in search (a technology), but is an unrivaled leader as a portal/content publisher. Even Yahoo's search success owes much to its portal popularity: many of its searchers originate as visitors to the content pages, and proceed to the Yahoo search bar from there. That's a world of difference from Google, the bulk of whose search traffic arrives directly to the Google brand with a search intent.
2. Leadership. Jerry Yang certainly has his tech credentials, but the company really came of age under the leadership of Terry Semel, a Hollywood veteran. Again, compare that leadership with Google's Eric Schmidt, whose pre-Google career has spanned Novell, Sun, Xerox, and Bell Labs.
3.Technology. Even where Yahoo does show real technology leadership, that tech leadership is focused largely on monetizing its content/publisher pages --with systems like its Smart Ads behavioral targeting (which looks at data from both portal visits and search), and acquisitions like Right Media and Blue Lithium. When it comes to technologies that aren't part of the content network, Yahoo often falls behind the game -- as it did with Panama.
Of course, Yahoo isn't justa media company. It's a media company with technology at its heart; as such, any technology deficiencies that Yahoo may have are real causes for concern. Which is why, to be blunt, Yahoo needs tech help.
Enter Microsoft. Microsoft is one of the most innovative technology organizations in the world; it's also a lousy communicator. Compare, for instance, the brilliant power of the Microsoft Office software with the undecipherable mess that is Microsoft Office Help. Or better still, simply recall Clippy.
Microsoft has carried that tech/communications disparity over to online media. Hence, while AdCenter has proven itself to be a truly revolutionary platform for targeted online advertising, Live.com has had such trouble attracting searchers that it's resorted to ridiculous bribery. And while poor communications may be tolerable in software, it's a deathblow in media.
That's why Yahoo and Microsoft need each other. Microsoft can provide Yahoo with the tech backup it needs, and Yahoo can teach Microsoft how to improve its interactions with online users . It's a match made in heaven.
None of the other Yahoo partnership options offer this kind of symbiosis. AOL and News Corp would both supply Yahoo with more market share as a portal, and News Corp's MySpace would obviously catapult Yahoo deep into the social sphere. But Yahoo doesn't need to become a larger portal; it needs better technology. Nor am I convinced that MySpace is Yahoo's ticket to a turnaround, as MySpace has problems of its own from rival Facebook. Google could give Yahoo the needed tech push, but it seems to have backed away from the Yahoo bargaining table. (At least part of the reason Google's backed away from Yahoo is that Google isn't interested in Round 2 of government scrutiny. Round 1 was GoogleClick.)
Of course, Yahoo would only benefit from Microhoo if Microsoft understands Yahoo's full value. The second Microsoft decides to ignore Yahoo's true core as a media company -- and instead tries to devour Yahoo for spare technology parts -- then Yahoo is entirely ruined. There's a real possibility that this will happen, and I'm sure it's a threat that keeps Jerry Yang up at night. But then again, if Microsoft leads a successful Yahoo shareholder rebellion, Jerry Yang's fears would be moot, anyway.
That's why Yang and Co.'s best opportunity is to embrace Microhoo head-on. Yahoo should certainly shop itself around in the hopes of raising its asking price, but should also realize that Microhoo may well be the best thing that's happened to Yahoo so far.
In the end, Yahoo may well transform into a beautiful MSN butterfly


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Uber says bye, bye to Boise. Don't let the trees hit you on the. . .
BOISE -- Uber announced they were ceasing operations in Boise Thursday, nearly five months after launching in the City of Trees.
Uber management wasn't pleased with the city's proposal, which included background checks for drivers, annual inspections by the city, requiring driver's carry insurance, making drivers adhere to airport shuttle regulations, requiring drivers get a physical and commercial licenses, and requiring Uber to get a business license.
KTVB-TV article here
Idaho Statesman article here


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PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — A Lansdale-based craft distillery is launching two new brandies made out of fresh fruit. A well-known television chef was in town promoting the spirits.
Boardroom Spirits has introduced two eau de vie style brandies. An apple called “A” and a pair called “P.” They have been added to “B,” a 100 percent beet spirit and “C,” a 100 percent carrot spirit.
Chef Robert Irvine has partnered with Boardroom. He says its a fresh and clean line.
“It’s almost like, and I hate to say this, but you can drink and get drunk healthily,” Irvine said.
The television personality says a portion of proceeds will go to the Robert Irvine Foundation which focuses on giving back and supporting military personnel.
“A portion of all the money we make with Boardroom goes to our foundation to build homes for our civilian handicapped warriors,” he said. “You’ll see a tag, we haven’t got them on yet, but you’ll see a tag to tell you that when you buy that.”
Boardroom says you can cook with the spirits too, making things like roasted chicken with apple brandy gravy or poached pears with pear brandy reduction.


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Atkins Nutritionals has launched a major new sampling campaign across the United States as it looks to boost its existing direct mail and online marketing capabilities.
Under the new initiative, the weight management company is to spend millions of dollars on advertising aimed at encouraging Americans to log onto its newly-revamped site.
In return for entering their contact details, visitors to the site will be sent a number of samples, including literature and nutrition bars, with Atkins confident that the enhanced direct mail powers allowed for by this new data will more than offset the up-front costs.
The head of marketing at the company Allen Silkin revealed to DM News that the aim is to boost the size of the existing database by around 350,000 potential customers, taking its total size to well in excess of 2.5 million.
"This is the start of diet season, so we wanted to 'incentivize' new customers to join," he said.
"We also want to promote Atkins' free weight loss program and online tools, so users can achieve the healthy weight they're looking for."
News of the campaign comes soon after the website CIOL.com advised insurance firms to stay on top of their data quality.


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Jeremie Blondel is new VP of sales of The North Face EMEA
Blondel will join the high performance outdoor business from another VF Corp label, Vans, where he has been working since 2014. In 2016 he was promoted to senior director of the skateboarding label.
In his new role based in the group’s European headquarters in Stabio, Switzerland, Blondel will be responsible for The North Face’s entire wholesale operation in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
His main focus will be to drive growth in the region whilst strengthening the brand’s evolution and marketplace management following twelve consecutive quarters of double-digit growth.
“The North Face is one of the few brands in the world that is loved as much on top of a mountain in the Alps as it is on the streets of Berlin. Originally coming from Chamonix I grew up seeing explorers heading into the mountain with that iconic logo on their arm, and it’s incredible to see that transcend into the city today,” said Jeremie Blondel.
Blondel’s appointment follows that of Jan Van Leeuwen as vice president and general manager of The North Face EMEA in November.
The outdoor brand also operates in the Americas and Asia Pacific.
Copyright © 2023 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.


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A Hobby Is Something Everyone Needs To Have, If you are looking for a way to reduce stress, occupy your time and meet some new and interesting people, taking up a hobby might be just the ticket you are seeking. When thinking about what hobby to do, there is a lot of options out there. Flying remote control drones for a hobby is probably one of the best ways to relieve stress and have fun at the same time.
It is believed that by the year 2025, commercial drones could be responsible for billions of dollars in the economy. Over 100,000 jobs will be attributed to the drone market which in turn creates a significant amount of money in tax and there are no signs of this slowing down anytime soon.
Could it be long before these drones are being used without any human involvement at all? The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has predicted that in just three years, these drones or quadrotors will be able to complete jobs such as delivering parcels without any human oversight whatsoever. The drone market is constantly changing and the rules and regulations are always changing as a result.
DJI, a Chinese company founded in 2006, is the market leader in recreational drones and is set to hit $1 billion in revenue next year. With a product range that includes the Phantom 3 and the Inspire 1, their products are widely used around the world in a number of different industries including farming and policing. DJI’s devices have also been associated with the solution to many natural disasters as drones can be used to hunt for hurricanes or search for the cause of a forest fire and help to keep the fire under control.
Remember to be safe when flying remote control drones for a hobby, Always read the instructions on how to work with any equipment for your new drone. Keep the hobby area cleaned and organized. If you can, take lessons for a more experienced person. This hobby is going to be enjoyable for a lot of years if you’re safe when you do it.
Web Pblishing News


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Every brand that advertises in Mumbai or Delhi will also advertise in Dubai: Prashant Panday, Mirchi
After a nine-month break in the UAE, Radio Mirchi returns for South Asian listeners across MENA. Prashant Panday, MD and CEO, Mirchi takes us through the brand’s plans, which include launches in new markets
Expansion to Mumbai and Pune, headcount ramp up from 70 to 240 this fiscal, says CMO Bikash Chowdhury
The Times of India Group has opened an operation in Singapore for business development across Asia-Pacific.
Top news, insights and analysis every weekday
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Even by the rough-and-tumble standards of hard-fought merger and acquisition deals, Mylan’s reaction to Teva Pharmaceuticals’ unsolicited bid to acquire the U.S. drug maker was unusually harsh. Teva’s response has so far been restrained. The fight isn’t going to be a contest between nasty and nice, but analysts say the odds are weighted in Teva’s favor.
- Mylan says Teva offer too low and stock 'unacceptable'
- Teva makes $40 billion offer to buy U.S. drug maker Mylan
- Teva bid for Mylan may be complicated by drug overlaps, shortages
- The Ticker / Teva launches generic version of schizophrenia drug in U.S.
- Mylan chairman tells investors he would consider buying Teva
Robert Coury, Mylan’s executive chairman, made known he opposed any Teva offer even before it was formally made. But he laid out his objections on Monday in a long, sharply-worded letter of more than 3,200 words. He not only attacked the idea of merging the two companies (“lacks industrial logic and is a terrible cultural fit”), but also took swipes at the company itself (“poorly performing, troubled”), its management (“dysfunctional culture”), its stock price (“low-quality and high-risk “) and even its CEO Erez Vigodman for being a neophyte who has no experience in pharma (Vigodman came on board just over a year ago after stints heading food and chemicals companies).
Sanford C. Bernstein analyst Ronny Gal told The Wall Street Journal he didn’t expect “as venomous a response” as it showed. “If Mylan believes it can offer its shareholders a better value than Teva’s offer, I think it has some explaining to do,” he said.
Vigodman, despite his being and born and bred Israeli, has so far held back. After Coury’s stinging criticism, he simply reiterated its offer on Monday: “While we are disappointed that Mylan has formally rejected our proposal, the Teva board and management team are fully committed to completing the combination of Teva and Mylan,” he said.
On the other hand, Chaim Hurvitz – a former Teva director and son of the late Eli Hurvitz, Teva’s legendary CEO – wasn’t sparing in his criticism of Coury. “This is Coury by the book – a very vitriolic person with a lot to lose. He would lose the private planes, cars and everything else. We all expected this part,” he told the financial daily Globes on Tuesday. “The Mylan board of directors is composed half of management, which is in effect subordinate to him. The shareholders have no real representation. The real war will be for the shareholders.”
Mylan has acted to head off the Teva bid by putting into place a poison-pill defense and mounting its own, unwelcome bid for a third generic drug maker, Perrigo, a U.S. company whose shares trade on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.
On top of that, Mylan on Monday issued four conditions for the Teva bid to be acceptable to the company. At face value, they seem to preclude any chance of Teva succeeding and, indeed, Teva’s share price has fallen about 4.5% since it announced its bid on April 21. But Ken Cacciatore, the Cowen & Company analyst who first predicted Teva would bid for Mylan, says the conditions are not insurmountable.
Mylan said its shares are worth “significantly in excess of $100 per share” and uses language suggesting it should be worth roughly $120 a share – 25 times earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. That’s far in excess of Teva’s $82-a-share offer. But analysts believe Teva will likely sweeten the offer to roughly $90 a share. Cacciatore says Mylan shareholders realistically expect Teva to go up to $88-92, while five investors polled by Bloomberg News on Monday said a suitable takeout price would be $85 to $95 a share. At that point “Mylan shareholders will begin to assert pressure on management and the board to negotiate,” Cacciatore said in a note to investors.
Cacciatore said Coury has a legitimate gripe about Teva’s stock and it historic underperformance, but Teva can get around that by making an all-cash offer and later making a secondary offer of its shares to the public. An all-cash offer would make Coury’s other criticism of Teva irrelevant, since Mylan shareholders would not have a stake in the newly combined company.
The antitrust issues Coury raised are a more serious obstacle, Cacciatore and other observers said.
Globally, Teva holds 12% of the global generic market, while Novartis AG, Actavis and Mylan each account for about 9%, according to UK market intelligence firm Evaluate. Their U.S. market shares are less clear because generic drug company reporting on product sales varies, but Wells Fargo analyst Michael Faerm estimates a combined Teva-Mylan would account for 22% of U.S. prescriptions.
Teva has already looked at the competitive overlap between its portfolio and Mylan’s, and started discussions with the Federal Trade Commission about the possible merger, sources told Reuters last week. But divesting products won’t be that simple. Teva is working on a generic version of EpiPen, Mylan’s best-selling treatment for severe allergic reactions, and Mylan on a generic version of Teva’s top-seller, the multiple-sclerosis drug Copaxone.
“These are two pipeline products that both companies have highlighted over and over as important for them,” said BMO Capital Markets analyst David Maris.
Reuters contributed to this report.


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From fast food chains like Burger King to local vegetarian restaurants like Superiority Burger, alternative meats have become one of the top restaurant trends in New York City. However, this trend isn’t limited to the east coast. Restaurants across the country are scrambling to meet customers’ growing demands for meatless meats amidst a plant-based patty shortage.
Part of the rise of meatless meat is due to the major gains that Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat, two of the plant-based meat industry’s leading competitors, have made in 2019. Earlier this year Impossible Foods launched its Impossible Burger 2.0, a “meatier” plant-based burger known for its “bleeding” that earned the company partnerships with fast food and fast casual restaurants alike. Beyond Meat has also seen increased success since going public in May—while the company’s shares started off at $25 each, they’ve since jumped to $80 a share.
Beyond the Impossible
However, the demand for meat alternatives can’t be contributed to Beyond and Impossible alone. Much like with any other product, consumer demands have created a market where meatless products are able to thrive. In the past, plant-based meats would have been limited to a niche market of vegans and vegetarians. As carnivorous consumers become more concerned with the environmental costs of meat consumption, however, the meatless market is expanding.
As companies like Impossible and Beyond aim to include those looking to cut back on meat in addition to those looking to cut meat out of their diets altogether, they are faced with a new challenge: creating products that are able to compete with the taste and cost of real meat. While Beyond and Impossible have attempted to reach consumers by creating more realistic plant-based alternatives, companies like Memphis Meats are experimenting with the idea of cell-based meats that can provide animal products without reduced environmental impacts.
Cell-based meat is grown from cells (such as stem cells, fat cells, or muscle cells, depending on the type of meat) which are submerged in a growth medium replicating the environment in a particular animal’s body. Though cell-based meats are still in the works, they hold the potential to provide customers with motherless meat free of slaughterhouses, cages, and antibiotics. Motherless meats could also reduce land use, water use, and greenhouse gas emissions.
However, cell-based meats face major challenges. First, labs must work to develop different scaffolding materials for meat growth. “Scaffolding” is the term used to describe the substance that cell-based meat grows off. When producing meats similar to ground beef, which are removed from their scaffolding, the scaffolding must simply be safe enough for growth. When developing fuller muscle meats such as chicken breast, however, the scaffolding must be edible.
Labs are also working to deal with issues of scaling, or the ability to mass-produce a product. As seen with this summer’s Impossible Burger shortage, it can be difficult for newer companies to keep up with growing customer demands.
What This Means for Restaurants
Scaling poses an issue for restaurants in addition to alternative meat companies, as customers who go to a new restaurant with the specific intention of trying a meatless product are unlikely to return if they aren’t able to order the item on their first visit.
That being said, restaurants have much to gain from incorporating alternative meats into their menus. While cell-based meats from Memphis Meats still cost roughly $2,400 a pound to produce, making their price point high, restaurants that can afford to provide these luxuries are sure to draw publicity and business from those looking to be among the first to try motherless meats.
Restaurants unable to afford cell-based meats, on the other hand, can still benefit from the alternative meats trend. Restaurants can attract new clientele through the popularity of products like the Impossible Burger, whether that be a vegetarian restaurant appealing to more carnivorous customers, or a traditional restaurant offering more choices for vegan and vegetarian consumers.


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NEW YORK, N.Y. – Walmart reported improved customer traffic and an uptick in a key sales figure for the third quarter, even as a stronger dollar pressured its performance overseas.
The world’s largest retailer also issued a forecast for the holiday shopping season that largely topped Wall Street expectations, and narrowed its full-year outlook after cutting it in August.
Its shares rose more than 2 per cent in morning trading Tuesday.
Wal-Mart has been pressured on a number of fronts this year. The company, based in Bentonville, Arkansas, is facing increasing competition from online retailers like Amazon.com and dollar stores, and its profits have been squeezed by pay raises for workers and a strong U.S. dollar that has dampened sales from overseas.
In the U.S., the company is also trying cleanliness and service. Greg Foran, CEO of the U.S. division, said during a call with reporters Tuesday that customers are telling the company they’re seeing improvement in the stores.
During the quarter, the company said sales at stores open at least a year rose 1.5 per cent, marking the fifth straight quarterly increase. But the increase was driven by higher traffic, while average spending per visit dipped. This figure is a key gauge of a retailer’s health because it excludes results from stores recently opened or closed.
For the fourth quarter, which includes the key holiday shopping season, Wal-Mart said it expects sales at established locations to rise 1 per cent. Foran declined to say how much that would be driven by increased traffic, versus higher spending. But he expressed confidence in the company’s holiday plans.
“We’re feeling good about what we’re pulling together,” Foran said.
Sales in Wal-Mart’s international segment, meanwhile, fell 11 per cent to $29.81 billion. Excluding the impact of currency fluctuations, sales were $34.7 billion.
For the quarter ended Oct. 31, Wal-Mart Store’s net income fell 11 per cent to $3.3 billion. But its earnings of $1.03 per share topped Wall Street expectations for 97 cents per share, according to Zacks Investment Research.
Revenue slipped to $117.42 billion from $119 billion. On a constant currency basis, revenue was $122.4 billion. Wall Street expected $117.82 billion.
Wal-Mart also narrowed its forecast for full-year earnings to a range of $4.50 to $4.65 after cutting that outlook in August to $4.40 to $4.70 per share.
Analysts expect, on average, $4.50 per share, according to FactSet.
The retailer also said it expects fourth-quarter earnings to range between $1.40 and $1.55 per share. Analysts forecast, on average, $1.42 per share.
Its shares rose $1.69, or 2.9 per cent, to $59.56 in morning trading.
Wal-Mart shares have decreased 33 per cent since the beginning of the year, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 index has stayed nearly flat. The stock has declined 30 per cent in the last 12 months.
Elements of this story were generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on WMT at http://www.zacks.com/ap/WMT
Keywords: Wal-Mart Stores, Earnings Report, Priority Earnings


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SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Hewlett-Packard Co CEO Mark Hurd unexpectedly resigned on Friday after a sexual harassment probe found he had a “close personal relationship” with an HP contractor who received improper payments.
The shocking announcement from the world’s top personal computer maker sent its shares plunging 10 percent as Hurd is one of the most admired chief executives in Silicon Valley and credited with reviving the company after the tumultuous reign of Carly Fiorina.
HP said one of its former contractors, involved in marketing activities from late 2007 to the fall of 2009, had levied sexual harassment allegations at Hurd.
HP said Hurd, who is 53 and married, had a “close personal relationship” with the contractor. An investigation found no violation of HP’s sexual harassment policy, but did find that Hurd violated standards of business conduct, HP said.
There were instances where the female contractor received compensation or reimbursement without a legitimate business purpose, HP said.
A source familiar with the situation told Reuters that Hurd never had sex with the woman and that the expense account issues stretched over two years and amounted to no more than $20,000.
“The board investigation found that Mark demonstrated a profound lack of judgment that seriously undermined his credibility and damaged his effectiveness in leading HP and Mark agreed,” HP General Counsel Mike Holston said.
Hurd will be replaced by Chief Financial Officer Cathie Lesjak on an interim basis. Lesjak has taken herself out of consideration as the permanent CEO, HP said.
Hurd said the decision to step aside was a “painful” one.
“I realized there were instances in which I did not live up to the standards and principles of trust, respect and integrity that I have espoused at HP,” Hurd said in a statement.
News of the shake-up stunned the technology world. HP is the largest technology company in the world on a revenue basis, and is a major player in personal computers, servers, services and printers.
“Shock and puzzlement, that’s how it’s going to go down,” said Russell Hancock, president and chief executive of Joint Venture Silicon Valley, an area business group. “There wasn’t anybody who criticized his handling of the company.”
The buttoned-down Hurd brought stability to HP after Fiorina resigned in February 2005 in the wake of a controversial deal to acquire PC maker Compaq.
“Mark Hurd was extremely instrumental in turning this company around,” said Susquehanna Financial Group analyst Jeffrey Fidacaro. “There’s going to be a serious gap in leadership at the top of this company.”
HP, a Silicon Valley icon that was founded in a Palo Alto garage in 1939, has experienced a fair amount of turmoil in recent years. In 2006, former HP Chair Patricia Dunn resigned after reports surfaced that the company had hired private investigators to spy on board members and journalists to plug media leaks.
A SUCCESSFUL TENURE
Hurd will be well compensated as he departs HP. According to a regulatory filing, he will receive a severance payment of $12.2 million.
Shares of HP have more than doubled since Hurd, the former CEO of NCR Corp, took the helm five years ago, cutting costs and expanding HP’s footprint in the services market with acquisitions like the 2008 purchase of EDS Corp for $13.9 billion.
In a bid to reassure investors that its financials are healthy despite the departure of Hurd, HP raised its outlook for the full year, saying it now expects profit, excluding items, of $4.49 to $4.51 per share, compared with a previous outlook of $4.45 to $4.50.
HP said its board of directors has formed a search committee to find a new chief executive and board chair.
“It’s a negative because the positive leadership that HP has had under Hurd is identified with his name,” said Nehal Chokshi, an analyst with Technology Insights Research-Southridge Research Group.
HP, which was scheduled to report quarterly earnings later this month, also pre-reported its results.
Shares of Palo Alto, California-based HP closed at $46.30 on the New York Stock Exchange and fell to $41.50 in extended trading.
Reporting by Alexei Oreskovic; Additional reporting by Sinead Carew, Alex Dobuzinskis, Jim Christie, and Ritsuko Ando; Editing by Gary Hill, Tiffany Wu and Richard Chang
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.


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A new report from the American Library Association reveals the changing ways in which Millennials and Gen Z are engaging with library services in the US.
The latest report from the American Library Association found that libraries continue to play an important role in the lives of Gen Z (age 13-25) and millennials (age 26–40) – with 54% visiting a physical library within a twelve-month period.
The report also found that libraries continue to attract Gen Z and Millennials who don’t identify as readers – offering a number of valuable serviced beyond books including a safe, free place to hang out; important resources and advice during big life changes; Wi-fi enabled work spaces; and creativity resources like maker spaces and media production equipment.
The impact of technology on Gen Z and millennials reading preferences and library use was of particular focus to this report, with survey results showing that 92% of Gen Z and millennials check social media daily, with 25% report checking multiple times an hour.
Yet the report found that this increasingly online existence of this younger generation did not correlate with a straightforward preference for the digital. Print books are Gen Zers’ #1 preferred book format, and browsing bricks-and-mortar libraries and bookstores continues to be relevant to their discovery of new books.
The survey found that Gen Zers buy and read more than millennials in all formats, and that reading for Gen Z was primarily motivated by “me time” and the desire for escapism.
In terms of book discovery, Gen Z invests more trust in celebrities, influencers, and social lists, with more than a third (34%) discovering books based on recommendations from TikTokers, Instagrammers, bloggers, Discord streamers etc. By contrast, millennials read significantly more online news services (57% compared to Gen Z’s 36%) and printed newspapers (27% compared to Gen Z’s 14%). For both groups, recommendations from friends ranked the highest overall.
The report also highlighted the growing appetite for graphic novels, including manga and comics, with 59% of Gen Z and millennials reporting they would choose the graphic/manga version of a story over a text-only book.
In terms of digital library collection use, the survey found that only 37% of Gen Z and millennials borrowed from library digital collections, and that a lack of knowledge on how to access digital library collections was a barrier to regular use.
The report also examined the use of libraries by African American, Black, Hispanic and Latinx users – revealing a proportionally higher use of physical libraries and digital collections, as well as a preference for graphic novels and fanfiction among other findings.
- 54% of Gen Z and millennials visited a physical library within a twelve-month period.
- Libraries attract even Gen Z and millennials who don’t identify as readers. 43% of Gen Z and millennials don’t identify as readers. Of that “non-reader” group, 54% have been to their local library in the past twelve months.
- 52% of Gen Z and millennial physical library patrons said they borrowed from library digital collections.
- 75% of Gen Z and millennial physical library patrons believe a library wait of one week or less is “long.”
- Given a choice, 59% of Gen Z and millennials would choose the graphic/manga version of a story rather than a text-only book.
- More (64%) African American or Black Gen Z and millennials visit the physical library, 10 percentage points higher than the general survey population and 47% of Black Gen Z and millennials overall (not just physical library patrons) have used digital collections, compared to 37% of the general population
Overall the report indicated that, for libraries, there is an opportunity to proactively educate younger library users about digital library resources; “meet users where they are” by engaging with digital and online platforms, and to actively demonstrate the social dimension of books for a younger generation by providing them spaces for community to meet and talk.
To find out more about the reading habits of Australian Gen Zers, visit the Teen Reading in the Digital Era project.


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LinkedIn grows; Twitter Blue to get ad-free subscription tier; and Amazon Fresh adds delivery fees to orders under $150.
GO car subscription expands into 4 new markets; LinkedIn wins class action lawsuit; 2021 was a good year for print magazine launches.
Later this year, LinkedIn will shutter its professional networking platform in China and replace it with a standalone InJobs app.
Google says it won’t support third-party cookies or build alternate identifiers, Piano acquires AT Internet and Netflix wins big at the Golden Globes.
Scroll tests limited partnership with McClatchy, Walmart adds free shipping to subscription program & Hartford Courant to shut down newsroom.
FCC chairman Ajit Pai will resign Jan. 20, DOJ is looking at antitrust violations by Facebook & Google, and LinkedIn shares subscription jobs.
Streaming video revenue estimates for 2025, Google to pay news licensing fees to publishers and 2020 blogging statistics
Gaming growth, TikTok competitors, and publishing partnerships dominate the subscription headlines this week.
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In a series of tweets, the president addressed an unusual controversy stemming from a speech Thursday that New York Fed President John Williams delivered.Marketsread more
Four members of the House Armed Services Committee, including ranking member Mac Thornberry, R-T.X., said moving forward with the contract was critical to U.S. national...Technologyread more
Companies aren't waiting for the U.S.-China trade war to be resolved, says the head of the world's biggest money manager.Investingread more
George Nader helped arrange a January 2017 meeting in the Seychelles between Erik Prince and the head of Russia's sovereign wealth fund, who reported directly to Vladimir...Politicsread more
"I'm not hearing people blame the Fed as much as they're blaming tariffs," says CNBC's Jim Cramer.US Economyread more
Earlier, Williams said in a speech that "it's better to take preventative measures than to wait for disaster to unfold."The Fedread more
Gold has been on fire this year and some investors think it is poised to do something it has only done twice since World War II.Marketsread more
The University of Michigan's preliminary print on its consumer sentiment index ticked up to 98.4, from 98.2 in June. Economists polled by Refinitiv expected the preliminary...Economyread more
The mega-cap tech stocks that have led much of the record-long bull run have started to lose steam, but investors are still giving them the benefit of the doubt.Marketsread more
Houston, we have liftoff. Fifty years ago, man landed on the moon and McDonald's and a handful of other stocks took off into the stratosphere. Two of them have more fuel in...Trading Nationread more
Amazon's PillPack was informed this week that it will soon be cut off from patient medication data, according to people familiar with the matter.Technologyread more
Travelers will soon be able to find Nirvana—as well as Soundgarden, Mudhoney and Band of Horses—and recordings from other bands in the Sub Pop indie-rock catalog at a store opening in April at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
"For many people, the airport serves as a first and last impression of a city," said Megan Jasper, vice president at Sub Pop. "Sub Pop hopes to add to the quality of that experience by proudly representing the city's love for music and its culture."
Founded in 1988, the Seattle-based label vaulted grunge rock to international fame. Sub Pop is to Seattle what Motown was to Detroit and Sun Records was to Memphis.
"Seattle music has become part of the cultural identity of the city and is as rooted in our 'brand' as Amazon, Microsoft and Starbucks coffee," said Charles R. Cross, author of the forthcoming book "Here We Are Now: The Lasting Impact of Kurt Cobain. " "Sub Pop is a big part of that, and even though not every local band is on Sub Pop, their name, more than any other, evokes Seattle music to many people."
The roots in Northwest culture "fit well into Sea-Tac airport's retail offerings, [which] feature a unique combination of local and national brands," airport spokeswoman Christina Faine said in an email. "Locally there is a following for Sub Pop, with its quintessentially quirky Northwest merchandise."
Faine said live performances outside the Sub Pop store will complement the airport's existing music program, which includes short concerts, music videos and recorded greetings by local musicians. The store will sell T-shirts and posters celebrating the region's cultural history, as well as CDs and vinyl records.
"You can get Starbucks and Seattle's Best coffees almost everywhere, but there are only a few places left where you can find rare Sub Pop vinyl," Cross said. "Now our airport is one of them."
The job posting for manager at the Sub Pop airport shop makes it clear that music is a priority: "Knowledge of the Sub Pop catalog, Pacific Northwest music, the Seattle music community and the city of Seattle" is required, it stated.
In addition to the Sub Pop store, Metsker Maps, a popular Seattle shop selling maps, globes, travel guides and geography-themed books and gifts, will open a branch Sea-Tac in May.
(Read more: Airports ramping up downtown rail connections)
It's a different story 160 miles south, where Oregon's Portland International Airport (PDX) will lose two of its three branches of the iconic indie bookstore Powell's City of Books, whose flagship in downtown Portland fills an entire block.
"The airport is rethinking the retail on the concourses and likely responding to the changing patterns of travelers who want to get past security quickly," Powell's Books CEO Miriam Sontz told CNBC. "But leases that were coming due later this year are not being renewed, and the option offered of extending these leases to Dec. 31 doesn't work for our business."
The airport is asking tenants with expiring contracts to join other interested businesses in submitting proposals for future operations.
"The proposals would be part of a program in its early stages that would redevelop airport concessions as we continue to improve the passenger experience at PDX," said Port of Portland airport spokesman Steve Johnson.
Powell's two post-security branches will close June 30, but its pre-security store, which opened in 1988 and offers games, toys and gifts along with new and used books, will remain. The airport store also buys used books.
(Read more: Airport upgrades: Changing rooms, outdoor plazas)
"We're very sad—this was not a choice we wanted," Sontz said. "I may be the CEO, but I'm also a traveler. And I think this will affect people's ability to have that last chance to grab a bit of reading before a long flight."
—By Harriet Baskas, special to CNBC.com. Baskas is the author of seven books, including "Hidden Treasures: What Museums Can't or Won't Show You, " and the Stuck at the Airport blog. Follow her on Twitter at . Follow Road Warrior at .


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Kelly Osbourne has warned critics of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s Vogue cover to “back off.”
The backlash over the celebrity couple appearing on a recent cover of the iconic fashion magazine spread like wildfire, with former Buffy star Sarah Michelle Gellar even threatening to cancel her Vogue subscription.
Kelly compared the reaction to the one that came when the magazine featured LeBron James and Gisele Bundchen on the cover in 2008, saying that both portraits had the opposite impact to what Vogue had intended.
The Fashion Police presenter said the “awful things” that were said about the couple were “disgusting.”
She added, “Sooooooo to all you people bashing Vogue, Kim, Kanye, and Anna stop and really think for a second because I am willing to bet my life that whether you recognize it or not somewhere hidden deep down inside of all of us is the dream of being on the cover of VOGUE!!!
“So back off stop sh*tting on people’s dreams that have come true and try for once to be happy for other’s success. Stop raining on their parade!”
You tell them Kelly!


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Geo News Live Streaming Online Pakistan
Price 2019 - Geo News Live Streaming Online Pakistan, Geo news live streaming | desifree.tv, Geo news is a pakistani news channel, owned and operated by jang group.the channel started its test transmission on 14 august 2002 and regular transmission in october 2002. geo is an urdu word which translates to ‘live’ in english.it is one of the most popular t.v channels in pakistan.. Live tv streaming - watch online pakistan tv channels, Now you can watch live pakistani tv channels on your laptop, smart phone, or tablet without any issue. you can watch buffer free live tv online to get hold of any latest news, an episode of your favorite drama serial, or any talk show etc. live tv streaming of all the leading pakistani channels is available on this platform.. Geo tv live geo news live watch live geo tv online geo, Live geo tv live geo news live pakistan urdu tv channels geo tv online express news ary news dunya news bbc world news cnn aljazeera news geo entertainment tv aag tv geo super tv. . geo news live streaming and also the different systems of the same system are digitally transmitted at the recurrence of about 4114 mega hertz with level ..
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BUFFALO, N.Y. (RELEASE) - Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo today announced his office hasobtained a temporary restraining order against a Western New Yorkwood-pellet fuel company he sued for taking more than $200,000 fromconsumers and then failing to deliver any products or refunds.
Based on Cuomo’s lawsuit, Erie County Supreme CourtJustice Sheila A.
DiTullio today signed a temporary restraining order banningAllegany Pellets, LLC and its owners, Paul and Iasia Ceglia ofWellsville, from accepting advance payments from consumers,destroying any business records or property, and transferring anyof their assets.
Allegany Pellets and the Ceglias encouraged consumers topre-order pellets in Spring 2009. The company took in approximately$200,000 in advance payments from dozens of consumers and promisedto deliver 1,900 tons of wood pellets in the subsequent months sothat homeowners would be prepared for the 2009-2010 winter season.However, Allegany failed to deliver any of the pellets or issuerefunds.
“This company and its owners repeatedly lied to consumersand continued to solicit new orders despite an inability to deliverwood pellets that were bought and paid for months before the winterheating season began,” said Attorney General Cuomo. “Myoffice is seeking restitution, penalties, and additional financialsafeguards to ensure this company cannot scam anyone in thefuture.”
The Attorney General’s investigation revealed that inSeptember, Allegany Pellets sent a letter to customers who pre-paidfor pellets informing them that it would not deliver the productsuntil the end of the year, well into the heating season. The letteralso stated that Allegany had incurred significant layoffs andasked consumers to “dig deep” while the companyattempted to make good on their orders.
In reality, Paul and Iasia Ceglia were always the only employeesof the company, and while consumers were asked to “digdeep,” the Ceglias were unwilling to do the same. Aninvestigation uncovered that the Ceglias have extensive real estateholdings including 75 acres of oceanfront property in Nova Scotia;30 acres and 70 rental properties in Wellsville; and their ownresidence on 2 acres in Wellsville. Rather than use some of theextensive properties as collateral to provide refunds to consumers,the Ceglias only offered the vague promise that, at some futuredate, they would deliver the pellets for which the customers hadalready paid.
Additionally, even after the letter detailing thecompany’s dire situation was sent out, Allegany Pelletscontinued to solicit pre-order sales and accept payments fromconsumers.
Cuomo’s lawsuit seeks restitution for the impactedconsumers, as well as penalties and costs to the state.Additionally, the suit seeks to bar the Ceglias and Allegany fromoperating in New York state unless they post a $200,000 performancebond.
The case is being handled by Assistant Attorney General JamesMorrissey under the supervision of Assistant AttorneyGeneral-In-Charge of the Buffalo Regional Office Russell Ippolitoand Deputy Attorney General for Regional Affairs J. DavidSampson.
Buffalo Police have arrested 26-year-old Nicholas Finnegan of South Buffalo and charged him with pushing Russ Ross to his death.
The Niagara County Sheriff's responded to Saunders Settlement Road near Comstock in Cambria Friday night after receiving a tip about a suspected meth lab.
Police say there were 32 burglaries, 20 in Albion, five in Medina, four in Oakfield and three in the City of Lockport.
Firefighters had to withdraw from a smoky fire in Blasdell at a multi-dwelling home on South Park Avenue Friday night because the flames were so intense.
Call 4 Action looked into claims this week that members of BJ's Wholesale Club were paying too much on sales tax on some deeply discounted items.
State Police in Pennsylvania are investigating an alleged pedophile pastor already facing charges in Western New York.


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PayPal, the online-payment company owned by eBay., said Friday that it plans to launch a new service this year designed to make it easier to pay for items using cell phones and other mobile devices.
Cell phone users can currently buy items through PayPal using the standard version of the service that Internet retailers use on their Web sites.
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Borderlands 2 has hit a milstone in sales, announcing today they've passed the 5 million copies shipped landmark. For comparison's sake, Resident Evil 6 shipped near 3.7 million copies going into its launch and Capcom posted record numbers for the time period. 5 million copies of Borderlands 2 basically ensures we'll be getting more Borderlands for a long time in the future. Much more.
Randy Pitchford, oddly wearing a Randy Pitchford mask and walking across a bed of hundred dollar bills, had the following comment to bestow upon the public:
"The overwhelmingly positive response to Borderlands 2 from our fans has been incredible. Players have embraced Borderlands 2 as their next hobby with over 50 million interactions with Claptrap in the central town of Sanctuary and 12,000 real world years’ worth of time spent shooting and looting their way through Pandora! We are just getting started and have incredible momentum to improve and add to the game all the way through the holiday season and beyond. We can’t wait to show everyone what more we have in store for Borderlands 2."
It's great to see Gearbox so focused in on Borderlands' future, and even though some DLC development goes to a third party you know they're cooking up something grand behind closed doors. After the release of the Mechromancer and Captain Scarlett and Her Pirate's Booty, it's exciting to think where we'll end up next.
Borderlands 2 is currently available on PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.


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“The President has raised legitimate issues with respect to China, but no one wins in a trade war. Make no mistake, American customers and American autoworkers will be harmed by these actions.”
HFA supports the measure introduced today by Senator Corker to require Congressional approval prior to the imposition of tariffs or other restrictions on imports for national security reasons.
The President’s decision to impose significant tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from the European Union and our NAFTA trading partners is disappointing and counterproductive. A tariff is a tax and this action will raise prices and hurt American auto producers and their customers.
Here for America tells the story of international automakers, their ever-growing impact on the U.S. economy, and the benefits they provide to local communities. The contributions of international automakers and dealers are integral to the success of today's U.S. auto industry, the most vibrant and competitive auto market in the world.
Here for America is an initiative of the Association of Global Automakers to increase public education about the importance of international automakers to American job creation, economic growth, technological innovation and strong communities.


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North Korean workers in China are processing seafood that ends up for sale in American stores, an Associated Press report published Wednesday revealed. North Korea takes up to 70 percent of the wages its workers make overseas, and uses the money to prop up the regime and its $1 billion nuclear weapons program. South Korea estimates that the nuclear program is worth more than $1 billion.
American importers who use North Korean products could potentially find themselves facing criminal charges: Importing products made by North Korean workers anywhere in the world is a federal crime, following a new law signed by President Trump in early August.
North Korean workers make clothing and numerous other products in Chinese factories. Plants in Hunchun were found using North Korean workers.
With tensions between the USA and North Korea running high and relations between Beijing and Pyongyang at a historic low, questions are being raised about how China might respond in the event of a regime collapse.
"Any country that hosts North Korean guest workers, provides any economic or military benefits, or fails to fully implement United Nations security council resolutions is aiding and abetting a unsafe regime", Tillerson said in July after North Korea's successful test of an intercontinental ballistic missile.
Every Western company involved that responded to AP's requests for comment said forced labor and potential support for North Korea's weapons program were unacceptable in their supply chains. A Walmart rep says they learned about this whole fiasco in an audit "a year go", and chose to ban Hunchun fish at some indefinite subsequent date.
John Connelly, president of the National Fisheries Institute, urged its 300 members, including the largest seafood importers in the US, to "ensure that wages go to the workers and are not siphoned off to support a risky dictator". The scene along the China-North Korea border provides some clues. "It's supporting a repressive regime".
United Nations sanctions prevent North Korea from obtaining work permits for new workers abroad, but do nothing to constrict the workforce already overseas.
Despite AP seeing North Korean workers, Hunchun Dongyang's manager Zhu Qizhen denied that they hire them and refused to give details.
Seafood can remain in the supply chain for more than a year.
"Combating forced labour is a complex problem that no one company, industry, or government can tackle alone", she said.
Per the AP's report, some brands of salmon found in Walmart and ALDI stores was linked to North Korean workers based in China.


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Scottie dog move over.
Who's that lounging on the fence on Park Place?
Why a silver cat.
The ever-regal feline has won a spot on the Monopoly board.
Habro Inc., makers of the world's most famous board game announced the results of its Facebook vote today. One token - the iron - lost the popularity contest and will be banished from the board later this year. Game lovers picked the cat over four other nominees for the new token.
"We put five new tokens out for our fans to vote on and there were a lot of fans of the many different tokens, but I think there were a lot of cat lovers in the world that reached out and voted for the cat to be the new token for Monopoly," said Jonathan Berkowitz, vice president for Hasbro gaming marketing told the AP.
The ouster of the iron was big news here in Pennsylvania - wheelbarrow capital of the world - where legions fans waited on thimbles and needles to see which piece would get knocked off the board. Harrisburg-based Ames True Temper, which makes 80 percent of the wheelbarrows in the U.S. and launched a social media campaign to "Save the Wheelbarrow."
The Scottie dog was in no danger of being bumped, generating the most votes among Monopoly lovers in 120 countries.
Feline fans are no doubt celebrating the cat's rightful place on the Monopoly board. As I write with one cat on the arm of my chair and another behind my head, it's no secret which new token I supported. (The cat's competitors were the guitar, the robot, diamond ring and helicopter.)
One fan suggested it might even be time for the game to be renamed "Meowpoly."


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After tying up with Sony Pictures and Warner Brothers earlier this year, Singapore telecom operator Singtel has launched its video streaming service HOOQ in India, reports ET Tech. The beta version of the Indian service will be launched today, followed by a formal roll out next month. The service will follow releases in Thailand and Philippines.
The company claims that HOOQ will have a catalogue of over 10,000 movies and TV series, including titles from Sony and Warner Brothers like the Harry Potter series, Spider Man, Friends and Gossip Girl. The platform will also offer regional content from India, China, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Korea and Japan. The ET report mentions that the catalog will also include Indian film and TV content from studios like Rajshri, Reliance, Shemaroo, Balaji and Whacked Out Studios.
Bandwidth indicator, offline play
Users will be able to stream content for Rs 199 per month and also download it (although what all is downloadable is not clear yet). Apparently, HOOQ will also feature a content recommendation engine. Users will also be offered adaptive streaming, bandwidth indicator and offline play.
Service on 5 devices
The service will provide on-demand premium content for a fee. At Rs 199, users will get unlimited access to content across 5 devices where 2 devices can be used simultaneously. The service, the report adds, was built keeping low bandwidth and speeds in mind for uninterrupted service. HOOQ will concentrate on metros initially and expand to Tier I and Tier II towns going forward.
Singtel had mentioned previously that HOOQ would use Singtel Group’s carrier billing capabilities. In India, the carrier billing facility will be provided by Airtel, in which Singtel owns a 32.34% stake. The service can be paid for through credit cards, debit cards, net banking and Paytm wallets.
Last month, Quickplay announced that its managed video platform will power Singtel’s HOOQ. The solution will initially include its library of multi-language content featuring over 10,000 movies and TV series and DRM solution by Microsoft PlayReady and Verimatrix.
Other video streaming services in India:
–Last month, digital entertaiment company Hungama.com was set to launch a new application called Hungama Play for streaming movies. The new application will feature about 3,000 Indian and English movies.
In January, The Viral Fever Media Labs launched a movie streaming service called TVF Inbox Office, with the slacker comedy film Suleimani Keeda the only movie available for streaming on the site at present.
– Star India had also launched a video streaming service in beta called Hotstar.com in the same month. Hotstar seems to include all of Star India’s television and sports offerings along with offering Bollywood & regional movies from other studios.
– In September last year, media company Pritish Nandy Communications(PNC) announced the launch of a service similar to Netflix and Hulu.com in India called Ogle, after acquiring it in July. The service was expected to officially launch by end the of last year, however currently the Ogle website informs visitors that TV shows, movies & live events will soon be launched on the platform. Last year, Ogle had live streamed the NH7 Weekender concerts.
– Google had rolled out its movie streaming service YouTube Rentals in India, back in March 2013. YouTube Rentals offers users a wide range of Bollywood, regional, off-beat & international movies, which they can rent or purchase for online viewing.


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[Textile Vision] Leading companies in the industry have entered the market one after another. Why is “recycled fabric” attracting attention?
1. “Recycled fabrics” became the darling of the exhibition.
At the 25th China International Surface Accessories Exhibition before the 11th holiday, the green “recycled fabric” can be said to be in the limelight. eg: recycled FDY, DTY filament polyester yarn.
During the visits to the exhibitors, a number of textile companies said: This year's "recycled fabrics" fever has increased significantly, and many customers are inquiring about such fabrics. The owner of a weaving company in Shaoxing, which specializes in jeanette, said that the company's full-recycled matting flat peach has received enthusiastic response in the market. At this year's show, it has reached purchase intentions with many customers.
At the exhibition, Ms. Ding, a salesman of Shengze, said that in the first half of this year, the company's newly-developed recycled fiber purchase volume has increased greatly. At present, more and more customers have begun to try to use recycled fiber.
In fact, the price of recycled fabrics is more expensive than traditional fabrics! The price of grey fabrics of recycled fabrics is often 50% higher than that of traditional fabrics, while the price of finished fabrics may be nearly 80% higher. Although more expensive, the market's recognition of green recycled fabrics is getting higher and higher. Look, consumers are also more willing to pay for “regeneration”.
2. Recycled fiber has become a trend, industry leaders have entered
Previously, the international sports brand giant Adidas CMO has stated that by 2024, 100% of its own products use recycled polyester fiber; while Nike, Uniqlo, H&M, GAP and other brands have issued a statement expressing their support for “recycled fiber”. It is believed that in the near future, green recycled fiber will become the "only supplier" of these international giants.
In the upstream of the textile industry chain, polyester manufacturers have long smelled the business opportunities of “recycled fiber”. Domestic polyester leading enterprises have entered the recycling fiber and vigorously developed new environmentally-friendly recycled fiber.
In the field of recycled fiber, Japan Toray can be regarded as the first textile company to eat crabs. Toray has developed a new commercial fiber called “&+”. The successful development of this fiber will create a new world in the field of commercial fiber production of waste PET plastic bottles.
During the development process, Toray developed a series of innovative technologies such as traceability technology to produce this high value-added, plastic bottle-derived white fiber. It is mainly used in sportswear, fashion, overalls, home clothes, and consumer goods that were previously prohibited from using waste plastic bottle-derived fibers due to pollution problems.
Toray plans to build PET plastic bottle-derived fiber production systems through its global manufacturing facilities and expand its applications in the fiber, fabric and apparel supply chain. Toray will also establish a new supply structure to meet the needs of sustainable customers.
As part of its Green Innovation Business Development Program, Toray is constantly building its position in the energy, biomass, recycling and related industries and providing lasting environmental, resource and energy solutions.
China will vigorously develop recycled 100% pet bottle yarn
3. Promote green manufacturing
The Xinhua News Agency reporter learned from the China Chemical Fiber Industry Association that China will vigorously develop recycled fiber, polylactic acid fiber, and degradable fiber to enhance the independent innovation capability and green manufacturing level of the chemical fiber industry and improve the recycling system.
Chemical fiber is one of the most important materials for industrial production and social life. The green manufacturing level of the chemical fiber industry reflects the ability of a country to produce cleanerly. At present, the world chemical fiber industry is accelerating its transition to a more environmentally friendly and green direction. China is the world's largest producer and consumer of chemical fiber. The huge market demand and production scale call for cleaner and environmentally friendly manufacturing methods.
If you want to take the lead in the recycled yarn market, please contact us immediately：


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Like many, Audi is gearing up to introduce a range of new electrified models, adding to its range of plug-in hybrid models and its e-tron and e-tron Sportback EVs.
But in the next few years, its series of new electric cars will expand significantly, and the model set to act as the supreme flagship model will be the new e-tron GT.
Shown so far only in prototype form - which is impressively close to what the production version will be like - it’s set to be one of this year’s most exciting new cars, and is due to be revealed shortly.
Here are five things you need to know about it
It’s based on the Porsche Taycan
Undoubtedly one of the automotive highlights of 2020 was the Porsche Taycan – this sports car firm’s first EV – which proved that electric cars could still be superb to drive.
And given that Porsche and Audi both sit under the Volkswagen Group umbrella, it’s the Taycan that provides the foundations for the e-tron GT – perhaps the perfect starting point. Both cars sit on a platform known as ‘J1’, and even share similar batteries and electric motors.
It will be the first electric ‘RS’ model
When it comes to performance cars, Audi ‘RS’ models are held in the highest regard, but have so far only been available with a petrol engine.
Until now that is, as the Audi e-tron GT will be the first battery-powered model to wear an ‘RS’ badge. While full powertrain details are yet to be revealed, it’s expected to be the firm’s most powerful road car ever – featuring in excess of 600bhp, which should make it capable of hitting 0-60mph in under three seconds.
The cool concept car-like looks will make it into production
It was at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Auto Show when Audi pulled the wraps off its e-tron GT in concept form, and while two years might have elapsed since then, it’s set to enter production with few changes.
With its intricate LED lighting – a trademark feature on modern Audis – along with a glamorous and swoopy shape, it should be one of the most stylish new cars around when it arrives later in 2021.
Audi has created a new ‘sound’ for it
One of the key things many petrolheads mourn in the switch from combustion engines to EVs is the unmissable sound of an engine.
So to help with that, Audi has developed a new sound for the e-tron GT, which is described as “sporty, expansive and sophisticated”. There are 32 different sounds the car can create, based on driving experience. While not trying to mimic the sound of a petrol motor, it aims to add some audible flair to the model.
It’ll roll off the same production line as the R8 supercar
While Audi might already have its e-tron SUVs, these models are produced at a plant in Belgium, so the new GT will be the firm’s first EV to be produced in Germany at Neckarsulm.
Audi’s flagship EV will also be sharing a production line with the brand’s overall range-topper – the R8 supercar. In addition, the EV will also be carbon-neutral in terms of its production, furthering its eco-credentials.Enquire on a new Audi


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Chinese phone makers Xiaomi, Oppo and Realme have launched their financial services apps called Mi Credit, Oppo Kash and Realme Paysa to offer small ticket loans to SMEs, credit score analysis and insurance cover.
Analysts expect smartphone sales to fall 10-15% in the January-March quarter, but expect a sharper impact in the April-June period, and four to five week delays in new launches.
With millions of Indians still using feature phones, it’s no surprise that KaiOS Technologies is already the second most popular mobile operating system in India after Android
Aadhaar, they said, would be a simpler and more foolproof authentication mechanism than the one using QR codes to verify IDs of new users before selling mobile connections.
JioPhone had a 21% share of the overall handset market and commanded 38% of the feature phone segment, which grew 11% in 2018.
India is expected to be the only major smartphone market to grow in 2019, following on from a strong 2018, with Xiaomi and Samsung set to fight out for the top slot.
HMD Global, which has launched nine smart phones this year and rolled out Nokia 6.1 Plus and 5.1 Plus on Tuesday, is targeting this festive season with several offers.
Earlier this month, Ambani announced the JioPhone, its basic model of the 4G featurephone, will be sold for `501 in exchange for any feature phone from July 21.
JioPhone held a huge lead at the top of the featurephone market with 35.8% share, followed by Samsung with 9.8% share, and Itel, Nokia and Lava with 9.4%, 7.3% and 5.6% shares, respectively.
An executive at a smartphone maker said making an affordable VoLTE feature phone still costs about Rs 800 more than a JioPhone and it would be challenging for telcos to bridge that gap with offers.
“The feature phone market increased 18% on-quarter in April-June quarter, contributing to almost 54% of the total market," Senior analyst at Counterpoint Research said.


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Colds and flu are something we suffer through every winter in the UK – sipping home remedies and trying to catch, bin and kill germs wherever we can. Well, if you’ve you been feeling a little under the weather lately you might be interested to learn that a new Norwegian study has revealed that a lack of Vitamin D might be the cause.
Earlier this month the Netherlands bore witness to an outbreak of flu that prompted scientists at the University of Oslo to conduct a study into flu epidemics, the results of which pointed specifically to a lack of vitamin D in the body.
According to the study - which examined data on flu epidemics in Sweden, Norway, the USA, Singapore and Japan - bouts of flu increase in both infection and mortality rates as soon as exposure to sunlight (our main source of vitamin D) drops. The study compared the infection and mortality rates for each month and found that the number of flu-related deaths recorded during winter can rise to anything between 20 and 600 times higher than during a summer epidemic.
Don’t panic, the number of flu epidemics in the UK is much lower and far less severe. However, Vitamin D has been proven to be good for our bones, joints, energy levels and mood and recent findings have shown that 9/10 of us aren’t getting enough. Perhaps it’s time to invest in a supplement…or a beach house?
Professor Johan Moan explains:
"Vitamin D acts as an antibiotic and strengthens the immune system. UV radiation exposure stimulates the production of vitamin D in the skin. In the winter months, when the sun’s zenith is too low in the sky for vitamin D synthesis to take place, the body’s vitamin D level drops, as a result of which its protective effect is unable to fully develop.”
Sounds like a good excuse for a holiday if you ask us. We think we feel a sneeze coming on…
I am the Assistant Site Editor and owner of one of the largest nail varnish collections in the UK. I love all things health and beauty especially trying out new products and treatments and telling the world all about them.See my profile


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Vodafone Idea seems to be in a state of confusion as the telecom operator seemingly brought back a prepaid plan that it recently discontinued. The telco removed the Rs 501 prepaid plan that bundled 3GB daily data, unlimited calls for a validity of 28 days. Now as per a fresh report, Vi has added back the Rs 501 recharge pack to the prepaid plan list.
As per the India Today report, the Rs 501 prepaid plan, is now back on the list but with a hike of Rs 100. The plan is said to offer benefits similar to Rs 601 prepaid pack, which means subscribers will get 3GB daily data, Disney+ Hotstar one-year subscription, unlimited calls, 100 SMS per day but for a validity of 28 days.
Further, the report notes the same plan to be available on the Vodafone Idea mobile app for Rs 501 which means users recharging via the app will get a discount of Rs 100. The plan is also said to provide an additional 16GB of data.
We tried to individually check the prepaid plan on the Vodafone Idea website, and mobile app, but it wasn’t listed on either the site or the app.
However, if you have a Vi prepaid SIM and are looking for plans that offer Disney+ Hotstar free access for one year, unlimited calling benefits, high-speed data, and free SMS, you can opt for Rs 901 and Rs 3099 prepaid packs. There is an annual prepaid plan at Rs 3055 which includes Disney+ Hotstar benefits, 1.5GB daily data, unlimited calls, and 100 SMS per day. As for the Rs 901 prepaid plan, it bundles year-long access to Disney+ Hotstar, and 3GB per day for a validity period of 70 days and an additional 48GB of data. Meanwhile, the Rs 3099 prepaid pack offer 1.5GB high-speed data per day, 1-year access to Disney+ Hotstar, 100 SMS per day, unlimited calling benefits, and 2GB of backup data per month.
The post Vodafone Idea likely brings back discontinued plan for a new price appeared first on BGR India.


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Five online platforms begin selling onions at subsidized price
The government on Sunday withdrew the existing 5% import duty on onion in a bid to tackle the skyrocketing price of the key cooking ingredient.
Following the directives of the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the Ministry of Finance took the initiative.
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) under the finance ministry issued a statutory regulatory order (SRO) in this regard on the day, withdrawing the 5% import duty.
“With the withdrawal, onion import is now duty-free ,” Syed Golam Kibria, Member, NBR told Dhaka Tribune.
Onions import would be duty-free from tomorrow (Monday), as no other duties or taxes on onions is applicable on onions at import stage.
Considering the overall current situation, the decision will remain effective till March, 2021, according to the letter.
The market has been in turmoil since the Indian government recently announced a halt to onion exports. In such a situation, it’s expected that the withdrawal of the duty will keep the supply normal.
Earlier, the Commerce Ministry had written to the National Board of Revenue (NBR) requesting the withdrawal of the 5% duty imposed on onion imports.
On Wednesday, the Finance Minister said the withdrawal of the existing duty on onion imports would be considered.
Meanwhile, the government also inaugurated the online and subsidized sale of onions via e-commerce platforms to curb its price hike and make it available digitally for consumers.
Consumers will now be able to purchase up to three kilograms of onions at Tk36 from eight e-commerce platforms. The maximum limit would soon be increased to 5kg, said a press release.
Delivery charge of onions was fixed at a maximum of Tk30.
Five online platforms received dealership on Sunday, namely - Chaldal, Shwapno, Sindabad, SobjiBazaar, and Jachai, while three more will also receive their dealership licences soon.
The three remaining platforms are BdSole, Ekshop and another unnamed one.
Another e-commerce platform for women entrepreneurs, Windy, was also said to receive TCB dealership to sell onions online soon.
These companies received dealership after the government scrutinized their warehouse, delivery capacity and e-CAB recommendation.
The government expects the e-commerce platforms to initially sell 10,000 tons of onion.
Each of those e-commerce companies will receive half a ton of onions from the TCB each day. They can replenish their stock from TCB after every three days, the release added.
Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi inaugurated the initiative, titled "Ghorey Boshey Shosthir Peyaj", in association with the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) and the e-Commerce Association of Bangladesh (e-CAB).
During the launching, he said that the Commerce Ministry decided to sell onions via e-commerce as an alternative for those who cannot purchase it from open market sale (OMS) trucks.
He also assured the people that more onions were about to hit the markets as India allowed export of 25,000 tons of onions to Bangladesh on Saturday.
Onion imports from Myanmar, Turkey and other countries were also underway, hence there should be no onion crisis in the country, he added.
TCB Chairman Brig Gen Ariful Hasan said that although the OMS trucks were active across the country, this new pilot project would help those who prefer to purchase onions online rather than stand in long queues.
Shami Kaiser, president of e-Cab, said: “Today we have brought online onions for the people in collaboration with the government. Each of the organizations that will work in this project told us they will abide by the rules and will give priority to the service of the people more than their profits."
Chaldal director Ishrat Nabila said that they wanted to work with the government and work for the people, which was made possible through this project.
Md Jafar Uddin, commerce secretary, presided over the launching ceremony. Among others, top commerce ministry, TCB, e-CAB officials and those from the e-commerce companies were also present.


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Ecuador may join the Pacific trade alliance
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos announced on Monday that the Pacific Alliance plans to add new members and Ecuador may be interested in joining. The alliance is a trade organization that currently consists of Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru.
Ecuador President Lenin Moreno says he is studying the possibility of joining the alliance and said a decision could come soon. “This is a regional integration initiative that we have been watching for several years so we understand the benefits that if offers,” he said.
In addition to opening new markets for Ecuadorian products, Moreno said he was also interested in the opportunity to “maintain and deepen multi-lateral ties of friendship and cooperation with countries in the Pacific region.”
Santos, who is president pro tempore of the alliance, wants to bring Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and Singapore into the alliance in addition to other Latin American countries. Santos met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at last week’s Summit of the Americas in Lima and said that expansion offered much more than new trade opportunities.
“We look to build cultural, educational and scientific, as well as economic bridges across the Pacific,” he said.
Ecuador signed a trade agreement with the European Union in 2016 and is currently in trade talks with the U.S.