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Supermarkets have started a major recruitment drive for staff to help keep busy stores running during the coronavirus pandemic.
In the last month the biggest chains faced unprecedented demands due to panic buying.
While customers have been assured that there are plenty of essential items in stores, staff sickness and increased online orders have led to supermarkets hiring thousands of new workers.
Now officially classed as key workers, the coronavirus pandemic has shown just how important supermarket staff are.
Keep an eye on the stores' websites or head to your local branch to apply.
Here are some of the jobs on offer:
Lidl is recruiting temporary stock assistants to work on a four-week fixed contract.
The job involves cleaning and tidying the store and keeping shelves well stocked for £10.75 an hour in London.
Successful applicants will be expected to start immediately during “an extremely busy time” according to the advert.
A Lidl spokesperson said: “It’s your hard graft that puts food onto dinner tables and keeps our customers coming back.”
Morrisons is hiring temporary Customer Assistants, Home Delivery Drivers and Home Delivery Pickers paid at an hourly rate.
A Morrisons spokesperson said its teams have “never played a more important role in our customers’ lives than they do today.”
Home Delivery Drivers with Morrisons are paid £9 to £10 an hour according to Glassdoor.
Sainsbury’s are hiring temporary staff based on where in store they are most needed them.
Tasks could include advising customers, working on the shop floor and serving on checkouts.
People looking to take up this fixed-term opportunity should ask in their local store, or speak to a Sainsbury’s employee they know.
Tesco is looking for extra temporary customer assistants to work in-store starting immediately.
The job advert says new recruits will “play a key role in keeping our shelves stocked, helping our customers get what they need during this challenging time.”
More than 35,000 people joined the Tesco workforce in the last two weeks with over a million visitors to its careers site.
Tesco CEO Dave Lewis asked customers to “spare a thought for our new colleagues, learning the ropes at an incredibly busy period.”
According to GlassDoor Customer Assistant roles will pay on average £8 per hour.
To check the latest coronavirus cases in your area, enter your postcode to our handy widget here:
For the most up to date coronavirus advice and figures, click here.
Have you been affected by coronavirus in your part of London? If so, email email@example.com


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Dabur India's Q4FY17 net profit at Rs 333.11 crore; proposes dividend up to Rs 212 crore
Dabur India reported marginal year-on-year growth in its consolidated net profit for the fourth quarter ended March 31, 2017 result.
The company registered consolidated net profit of Rs 333.11 crore, sequentially up by 0.49% compared to Rs 331.48 crore in the corresponding period of the previous year.
However, this net profit was higher by 13.39% from Rs 293.76 crore recorded in the preceding quarter.
Consolidated total income stood at Rs 1,979.72 crore, which was down by 4.08% year-on-year (YoY) but up by 2.25% quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) basis.
Sunil Duggal Chief Executive Officer of Dabur India said, "The business faced tough economic environment characterized by extreme volatility in currency, particularly in Egypt and North African markets, as well as crude-led economic turnoil in Saudi Arabia. In the constant currency terms, consolidated net sales remained flat for the fourth quarter. Demand growth, still reeling under the impact of demonetisation, remained slow at the beginning of the quarter."
On segment wise revenue break-up, consolidated consumer business saw 6.78% decline at Rs 1,550.84 crore this Q4. Meanwhile, food business contributed growth of 8.18% to Rs 298.01 crore and retail business was at Rs 30.76 crore up by 3.15%.
For the entire financial year 2016-17 (FY17), consolidated net profit saw 2.06% yoy growth to Rs 1,276.94 crore. However, total income saw decline of 1.06% yoy to Rs 7,999.79 crore.
Duggal added, "However, it improved as the quarter progressed, led by a significant improvement in rural demand. Out India FMCG business ended the quarter with 2.4% volume growth. Riding on our focus on operating efficiencies and judicious cost management, EBITDA margin also increased by 190 basis points."
On standalone-front, net profit was at Rs 302.23 crore growing by 5.25% yoy, while total income stood at Rs 1,494.84 crore up by 0.93%.
In its meeting held on Monday, the company's board of directors recommended a final dividend of 100% which brings total dividend for the year to 225. It has also proposed a final dividend of Re 1 per share aggregating up to Rs 212.01 crore including dividend tax."
Lastly, Duggal said, "We have taken steps to efficiently manage the emerging risks and challenges, leveraging our strong herbal and ayurvedic heritage."

domain: news


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Tesla may be the world’s leading seller of plug-in electric vehicles, but CEO Elon Musk wants the U.S. oil-and-gas industry to ramp up production.
“Hate to say it, but we need to increase oil & gas output immediately,” the billionaire tweeted Friday. “Extraordinary times demand extraordinary measures.”
Mr. Musk added: “Obviously, this would negatively affect Tesla, but sustainable energy solutions simply cannot react instantaneously to make up for Russian oil & gas exports.”
He joined rising calls to stop buying Russian fossil-fuel products and unleash domestic producers in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
The U.S. and Europe have imposed financial and economic sanctions on Moscow but specifically avoided slapping an energy embargo on Russia, a major supplier of oil and gas to the West, over concerns about higher fuel prices.
Among those who responded to Mr. Musk’s tweet was Rep. Lauren Boebert, Colorado Republican, who said: “America is funding Russia’s war by buying Russian oil and gas rather than producing our own.”
SEE ALSO: Hawaii suspends Russian oil imports after Ukraine invasion
Russia brings in an estimated $500 million per day from its exports of crude oil, natural gas and petroleum products, representing about half of the country’s revenue.
U.S. imports of Russian crude oil and petroleum products hit a record high last year, averaging about 700,000 barrels per day, prompting a bipartisan push for legislation to enact a ban on fossil-fuel products from Russia.
The world’s richest person, Mr. Musk also tweeted his support for Ukraine and “my sympathies to the great people of Russia, who do not want this.”
Tesla set a record last year by delivering 936,172 electric vehicles worldwide, nearly double the 499,550 vehicles produced by the company in 2020.
SEE ALSO: White House says blocking Russian oil would increase prices, rules out no-fly zone in Ukraine


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Led development forecast
Through the rapid development of nearly ten years, LED lighting products are gradually replacing traditional lighting products and become the main force of home, commercial, industrial and outdoor lighting. Due to the rapid improvement of the cost performance of LED lighting products, the penetration rate of LED lighting products is also increasing year by year. . In 2017, the global LED lighting penetration rate reached about 40%, and LED lighting technology has matured. Compared with developed countries, China’s LED lighting companies have cost advantages. Compared with other developing countries, China’s LED industry chain is fully equipped, so China has become the global LED lighting production base.
According to the data of the High-tech Research Institute LED Research Institute (GGII), in 2017, the global LED lighting market output value reached 536 billion yuan, of which, the output value of LED lighting in mainland China was 296.9 billion yuan, an increase of nearly 21% year-on-year, and the global proportion reached 55.40. %, of which LED lighting exports exceeded US$20 billion, up 37% year-on-year. Considering that global LED lighting penetration still doubles space, GGII expects that China’s LED lighting market is expected to remain at around 15% in the next few years. Market growth, China’s LED lighting market will reach 461.4 billion yuan in 2020.
Post time: Nov-20-2018


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Oxygen8 Money is launching its new service, TopUp To Send. The innovative system allows customers to buy and send mobile credit to their family and friends overseas in a quick and easy manner.
The service that TopUp To Send provides is simple to use, making mobile credit transfer easier. All the sender needs to do is enter their mobile number and the mobile number the credit needs to be sent to and the process is quickly set in motion. The system then lets the sender know the value of the credit they have available and what the amount allows them to convert and send.
Commenting on the launch Nouman Hashmi, CEO of Oxygen8 Money says: “We are thrilled to launch TopUp To Send. There are over 200 million people working and living in a country other than their own and combined, these people send $300 billion back home every year. Airtime transfer is the ideal remittances solution for sending small amounts of ‘value’. While the transfer of airtime takes place immediately, there are no transfer fees or charges to be paid for using our service. This advanced service offers customers a reliable platform to send credit around the world”.
TopUp To Send can send airtime credit to 250 operators in 78 countries and is fully accessible 24/7, 365 days a year. The service also guarantees 100% security for all of customers.


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Winter brings darker nights and increased opportunities for callous thieves.
Research shows that break-ins surge during the longer, darker evenings which provide ample hiding places for shady burglars.
And as the festive period usually leads to increased socialising, crooks will be on the lookout for unattended homes.
As Brits prepare for the clocks to go back they are being reminded to be vigilant against thieves.
Tim Downes, of Halifax Home Insurance, told The Mirror: "The clocks going back should act as a timely reminder to protect our homes from burglars during the darker days.
"There are many advantages to shorter evenings and many people will happily swap summer parties and barbecues for quiet nights in front of the fire.
"However when the clocks change, we also see an increase in burglary using force.
"Following some of our simple tips is an easy way for homeowners to protect their properties during the darker days.”
There are things you can do to safeguard your home against heartless thieves who want to steal your valuables.
Alarm systems can be useful, as can checking in with neighbours and letting them know when you are planning on being away.
To help you make better decisions, John Lewis Home Insurance asked a group of ex-offenders for their advice on where people should – and absolutely should not – hide items such as jewellery and other small valuables while away.
Don’t be obvious
Ex-crooks said the best thing for families to do is avoid hiding valuables in obvious places such as living room drawers and dressers.
Instead, random locations such as cereal boxes, pasta and even children’s toy boxes.
Westminster Bridge closed as armed police seal off hospital following 'security alert'
Thieves will target the main rooms of a house – the living room and kitchen – so expensive goods need to be hidden in the more unusual places.
Even locked safes that are not secured to a wall or floor will be targeted – thieves search the obvious places first.
One said: "Most people have got a ‘bits and bobs’ cupboard in their kitchen where they often keep their keys.
"Instead, I would hide my car and house keys in the food cupboards if I was going away – rice packets, cereal boxes. They are not going to go through all your food packets. DVD cases are another good place to hide valuables because they are harder to find.”
Children’s rooms are a ‘no go’
One burglar said there was an ‘unwritten rule’ that thieves do not go into children’s rooms.
Kid’s bedrooms, and playrooms, are said to be a no-go area for criminals.
One said: “Children’s bedrooms wouldn’t be a bad place to hide belongings. Ideally something of high value would be hidden in a toy or a toy box.”
Tell-tale sign you're not home
As we approach the festive season there is bound to be an increase in online shopping.
And that might be a big giveaway that you’ve gone away for a weekend to see friends or family, making you a prime target.
Posties are known to leave parcel deliveries on doorstops – giving would-be thieves a big clue that someone is away.
How to see Mars from the UK today – at its ‘biggest and brightest’ until 2035
And letters and leaflets sticking out from letterboxes or on doormats are another giveaway.
One offender said: "The increase of online shopping has made it easier – if you’re walking down the road and see a parcel on a doorstep there is a good chance someone is not in.
"I would suggest not ordering parcels if you won’t be around when they arrive and getting neighbours to check for parcel deliveries regularly while you’re away."
Leave a light on
It’s a classic tip that will put a thief off.
The best room to leave lights on when you go away is said to be the hallway, according to half of those ex-offenders questioned about their habits.
Timer switches are deemed to be the best way to create the illusion that a family are still home.
Using security cameras, including the popular smart doorbells that have front facing cameras, are also good deterrents.
One ex-con said they target homes between 4 and 5pm, during the school run and rush hour, as many homes will be empty for a set amount of time.
Others said that they watch homes for up to two months before breaking in – but would stay inside for as little as five minutes.
Protect your home from thieves this winter
- Keep curtains and blinds open but move expensive items out of view
- Set up smart home security such as doorbells with cameras so you can monitor your property even while you’re away
- Use an alarm system – some even link directly to security firms
- Use timer switches on indoor and outdoor lights to ensure your home looks occupied
- Ask a friend to move your post or use the Royal Mail Keepsafe service
- Don't advertise your departure on social media, your voicemail message or out-of-office email
- Lock up your valuables using a secure well-hidden safe
- Hide your goods in unusual locations
- Inform your neighbours you are going away so they can keep an eye on your property
Source: Read Full Article


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Shares of Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL), the country's leading fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) player, fell over 4% in intraday trade on Friday even after the company reported decent earnings in the quarter ended December 31, 2022. The third quarter earnings were in line with market expectations, but investors remained concerned about the proposed hike in a royalty payment to parent, Unilever. The company has proposed to increase royalty fees to the parent (Unilever) from current 2.65% to 3.45% (by 80 bps).
Extending losing streak for the second straight HUL shares opened 3.5% lower at ₹2,556 against the previous closing price of ₹2,650.25 on the BSE. During the session so far, the largecap stock has dropped 4.2% to ₹2,540.05, while the market capitalisation slipped to ₹6.07 lakh crore. The FMCG stock has tumbled 5% in the last two sessions compared to 0.5% fall in the BSE Sensex.
HUL shares touched a 52-week high of ₹2,741 on December 9, 2022, while it hit a 52-week low of ₹1,901.80 on March 8, 2022.
HUL has underperformed the BSE FMCG index in terms of one year returns. The sectoral leader has gained 10% in the last 12 months as compared to 16% rise in the BSE FMCG index. The stock has given a muted return of 2% in a six month period, while it has fallen 3.7% in a month. In the last one week, HUL shares have gained 1.5% as compared to 2% rise in the BSE benchmark Sensex.
For the third quarter ended December 31, 2022, the FMCG major reported a net profit of ₹2,505 crore for the third quarter, up 12% year-on-year from ₹2,243 crore in the year-ago period. The revenue rose 16% YoY to ₹14,986 crore in Q3FY23, driven by strong growth in the home care segment, which witnessed 32% growth.
Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) for the quarter stood at ₹3,537 crores, up 8% year-over-year. EBITDA margin declined 180 basis points to 23.6%.
Analysts view on HUL earnings
Post Q3 results, JM Financial has given “Buy” rating with a target price of ₹2,875, a potential upside of 8.5% from the current market price, citing that earnings were broadly on expected lines. The agency said that the market is now more focused on estimating the damage that occasional tinkering of royalty rates could do to the intrinsic value of the stock.
“Management alluded to rural slowdown likely bottoming out but didn’t sound too convincing about growth acceleration being around the corner, in our view. A lot of the hopes are still pinned more on government actions and macro rather than on factors that HUL would drive on its own. The hike in royalty to Unilever (80bps hike over three years) takes near-term earnings down by c.2-3% but sentiments down by likely a few notches more.… HUL is one of our preferred staples plays but the stock is likely to take a short-term beating given the negative sentiments around the royalty angle,” it said in a report.
ICICI Securities has maintained an “Add” rating with a price target of ₹2,650, saying that earnings were in line with estimates. “HUL’s 3Q results met consensus expectations; however, increase in royalty and central service fees have been a dampener. However, overall impact on operating margins shall be offset with mix-improvement (premiumisation) and scale-benefits,” it said in a report.
As per the agency, the proposed increase in royalty fees to the parent (Unilever) increased from current 2.65% to 3.45% (by 80 bps). “This will take effect in a staggered manner; around 45 bps increase from Feb’2023 to Dec’2023, 25 bps from Jan to Dec’2024 and ~10bps from Jan 2025. Out of 3.45%; 1.95% is allocated towards royalty for trademark and technology while 1.5% towards central services agreement (procurement, marketing etc),” ICICI said in the report.
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CABSAT 2014: pay-TV players to drive MENA TV everywhere
Joseph O'Halloran | 11-03-2014
The Middle East (ME) is optimal for growth of multiscreen video distribution and TV everywhere in the region is set to accelerate as over-the-top pay-TV is expected to grow at a CAGR of 60% says analyst Frost & Sullivan.
According to its research, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) will be linked through 545 million consumer connected devices by 2020, impacting business models and personal lives in a way that the analyst says is “unforeseeable” today.
Even though Frost & Sullivan notes that linear pay-TV services contribute dominantly to revenue and viewership of video in the region, it adds that there is growing evidence that consumers increasingly watch content on video-capable Internet-connected devices. Eventually, it believes that as the time spent online approaches the time spent on watching TV, content creators are seeking ways to distribute the content to multiple platforms.
In its research Frost & Sullivan observed that YouTube currently dominates the multiscreen video in the region but added that all of the leading local content providers—including Etisalat, OSN and Middle East Broadcasting Centre (MBC) — also offer their own online and / or multiscreen video services through their own networks or online video platforms.
Looking at the key over-the-top market, Frost & Sullivan estimates that pay-TV providers’ OTT services currently comprise less than 10% of the owners’ subscriber base. However, this is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of at least 60% over the next three years, as the service operators increase their investments in various offerings such as video-on-demand (VOD). The analyst also noted the presence in this sector of TE Live, Shahid, Icflix, and Istikana, who offer a plethora of international content alongside local Arab videos.
"A typical TV everywhere ecosystem includes at least 15 different components spanning ingest to management, delivery, monitoring, and playback of content,” said Vidya S. Nath, Research Director, Digital Media Practice, Global Innovation Centre, Frost & Sullivan.
“Most vendors providing these solutions are multinational companies. Creating a cohesive collaborative set-up that can unify content workflows for linear broadcast television alongside multiscreen distribution will be priority for broadcasters, studios, and pay-TV providers over the long term."


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The Galaxy S4, Samsung’s flagship device of 2013, is selling like hotcakes. The Korean giant has shipped over 40 million units in less than seven months. But not all has been rosy in recent weeks. The S4 has a serious security glitch, exposing all Samsung Account details and giving sniffers full access to private information.
Introducing Checkmarx Software Composition Analysis (CxSCA)


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According to the Daily Mail, the Chancellor is believed to be examining whether to extend the current VAT cut, a move that is widely considered by business to be vital to the sector's long-term viability.
At present the VAT rate for hospitality businesses is set to revert back to its pre-pandemic level of 20% in April following a series of reductions made by the Treasury over past two years in response to the Coronavirus pandemic.
The sector has been campaigning to make the 12.5% rate permanent for some time.
In February, more than 250 leaders from the hospitality and leisure sector signed a joint letter to the Treasury calling on the Chancellor to maintain the current VAT level to enable businesses to continue their recovery, protect jobs and help stave off higher inflation in the economy.
More recently, UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls told a Government select committee that retaining the 12.5% rate for hospitality and tourism is vital if the UK is to remain competitive versus international rivals, attract visitors from abroad and encourage Britons to go out and spend.
And in the last week the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Hospitality and Tourism concluded in a report on the retention of the 12.% rate that VAT should not return to 20% in April, citing UKHospitality data revealing that the lower rate would bring benefits including jobs, international competitiveness and social wellbeing.
Simon Jupp MP (East Devon), Chair of the Hospitality and Tourism APPG, said: “Having sought views across the industry, it’s clear that keeping the reduced rate of VAT will help the hospitality and tourism industry get back on its feet after an exceptionally difficult two years. It’s really important to support the industry to help showcase the best of the UK.”
Thousands of businesses 'at the mercy' of Chancellor's Budget
The Chancellor is reported to be plotting a host of tax cuts and freezes is this week's Spring Statement amid mounting pressure over the surging cost of living.
Businesses across the hospitality sector have seen cost inflation soar over the last few months, with many relying heavily on tomorrow's mini Budget to alleviate some of the financial pressures from rocketing supply, energy and fuel costs.
The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), which represents more than 1,200 independent bars, clubs and live music venues across the UK, warns that unless urgent support is given, there will be a catastrophic effect on the economy with many cafes, restaurants, bars, hotels, venues and nightclubs forced to close due to escalating costs, sending thousands of people out of work.
“We must now rely on the Chancellor once again, in his mini budget, to shore up the financial support and relief to allow headroom for businesses to survive, in light of the current debt levels and cost inflation, specifically around VAT, energy and fuel,” says Michael Kill, CEO of the NITA.
“Billions of pounds in public funding will be wasted if the Chancellor lifts taxes within the budget, crippling an industry that has worked hard to survive, only to be let down at the last hurdle.”
“The rhetoric from Government of 'Leave no one behind' is becoming a distant memory for businesses that committed to supporting the Government's public health strategy, but have been left once again awaiting their fate.”


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Kia recorded a total sales of 16,750 units last month August 2021 against the sale of 10,853 units last year August translating to YoY growth of 54.3% while the MoM growth showed a growth of 11.3% as compared to the sale of 15,016 units in July 2021. Kia Seltos attracted the greatest number of sales amongst all the three siblings which is 8,619 units, while the Sonet like always showed great sales of 7,752 units and the Carnival is just Carnival with sales of 379 units last month.
Kia India retained its 5th position in this month market share count just behind Maruti, Hyundai, Tata and Mahindra. Although the company only has 3 cars in its Indian line-up, but they are enough to rival all the companies in the Indian market.
Executive Director and Chief Sales and Business Strategy Officer of Kia India, Mr Tae-Jin Park said, “In CY2021, we have sold almost 1.3 lakh vehicles till now, with an average of over 16,000 vehicles per month. With the festive season around the corner, we are anticipating a further rise in this number. To cater to the pent-up and upcoming demand for our vehicles, we are taking appropriate measures to enhance the production output.”
A few days ago, Kia India also launched the new X Line of its best-seller Kia Seltos, which features many updated visual upgrades to the current Seltos in an all-black matte avatar. The X Line is similar to its sister company’s N Line which recently got introduced in India with the recent reveal of the Hyundai i20 N Line. The Kia Seltos N Line has also received visual upgrades like an all-black interior while retains its 1.4-litre four cylinder turbocharged petrol engine and 1.5-litre four cylinder turbocharged diesel engine options.
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The United States Mint has updated its daily bullion sales report to Sunday, October 31, 2021. The bullion sales report reflects bullion coins that the Mint sold to Authorized Purchasers for the previous week and is different than the weekly numismatic product report. This week’s report shows that the Mint sold 63,500 bullion coins in the past week. This is down substantially – over 90% – from the 642,000 reported last week in sales.
For the second time in the past three weeks, the Mint reported no sales of the silver one ounce American Eagle. However, all of the gold varieties of the American Eagle did have reported sales. 17,500 of the one ounce gold Eagle were sold to Authorized Purchasers last week. That puts its sales total at 945,500 for the year, a new record. Meanwhile the 1/2-ounce Eagle saw 4,000 coins sold last week. That puts its sales total at 88,000 for 2021. This is also a new record. 10,000 of the 1/25th-ounce Eagles were sold last week as well as 30,000 of the 1/10th-ounce coins. Those coins now have 150,000 and 450,000 coins sold respectively. Those too are well beyond the sales of last year.
There were no reported sales of the one ounce platinum American Eagle bullion coin last week.
Turning to the American Buffalo, another 2,000 of these one ounce bullion coins were sold last week. That puts its sales total tantalizing close to 300,000 at 298,000. This bullion coin, like the gold American Eagle coins, has already surpassed last years sales total.
Here is the complete breakdown of bullion sales for the Mint last week:
|American Eagle – Silver||26,751,500||26,751,500||0|
|American Eagle – Gold 1-Ounce||928,000||945,500||17,500|
|American Eagle – Gold 1/2 Ounce||84,000||88,000||4,000|
|American Eagle – Gold 1/25 Ounce||140,000||150,000||10,000|
|American Eagle – Gold – 1/10 Ounce||420,000||450,000||30,000|
|American Eagle – Platinum||75,000||75,000||0|
|Total Bullion Coins Sold||28,694,500||28,758,000||63,500|
As a reminder to collectors new and old, United States Mint bullion coins are sold to Authorized Purchasers and cannot be directly purchased from the Mint itself. The United States Mint updates is bullion sales report each day at 5:00 PM Eastern. USCoinNews.com publishes a weekly summary of the previous week each Monday. You can find the report on the Mint’s site here as it is available to the public.
The United States Mint updates is American Buffalo bullion sales report each day at 5:00 PM Eastern. USCoinNews.com publishes a weekly summary of the previous week each Monday. You can find the report on the Mint’s site here as it is available to the public.


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As war in Ukraine and sanctions on Russia threaten global economic growth, the future of China’s “dynamic zero COVID” policy is under scrutiny as a factor in supply chain disruptions and rising inflation.
While the rest of the world is opening borders and learning to live with COVID-19, China’s elimination strategy – which involves using mass testing and tracing, border controls and snap lockdowns to contain the virus – has weighed on the post-pandemic economic recovery at home and overseas.
Keep readinglist of 4 items
The restrictions have slowed domestic spending across China, set off a brain drain in Hong Kong, and triggered export disruptions that have been blamed for fuelling rising inflation worldwide.
In January, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said Beijing’s pandemic strategy increasingly looked like “more of a burden” to the economy.
“At a time of heightened market volatility, any possible news on another more serious COVID outbreak in China will stir market reactions and add further to commodity price volatility,” said Tommy Wu, lead economist at Oxford Economics in Hong Kong.
GlobalData has forecast a 4.6 percent global inflation rate in 2022, compared with 3.6 percent in 2021, revising its inflation estimates upward for many of China’s major export destinations, including the US, Germany, the Netherlands, and Vietnam.
The crisis in Ukraine has exacerbated pre-existing global inflation fears, with oil prices surging above $100 a barrel for the first time since 2014.
China has declined to condemn Russia, the world’s second-largest natural gas producer and third-largest oil producer, over its invasion of Ukraine, and instead, has called on all parties to “exercise restraint”.
“China supply-chain disruptions have driven up input costs for firms across sectors who’ve had to pass the higher cost of production on to consumers thereby driving up global good prices,” Gargi Rao, a GlobalData economic research analyst, told Al Jazeera, listing the US, Hong Kong, Japan, Vietnam, South Korea, and India as among the economies most vulnerable to China’s supply chain disruptions.
“To tame these inflationary pressures, central banks in major economies are likely to hike policy rates. However, even after hiking policy rates, inflationary pressure may persist as the rise in price level is mainly driven by supply shortages.”
While the economic impact of zero COVID pales in comparison to the potential fallout of the war in Ukraine, the unpredictability and suddenness of disruptions can have costly, albeit short-lived consequences.
A lockdown in the southern Chinese city of Baise last month interrupted the transportation of aluminium ingots and raw materials to factories, triggering export delays that sent prices to a 14-year high.
“Supply chain interruptions in China don’t discriminate by industry or geographic region,” Trivium China analyst Taylor Loeb told Al Jazeera.
“They are unpredictable and have happened all over the country. The uncertainty will continue – not around the policy per se, but around the fact that the ‘when’ and ‘where’ of outbreaks, and the lockdowns that follow them, are unpredictable.”
Apparently concerned about the economic fallout, Beijing has in recent months experimented with more targeted lockdowns that have focused on specific venues or neighbourhoods rather than whole cities.
“The impact of lockdowns in China on supply chains will depend on how the lockdowns are implemented,” Tianlei Huang, a research fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington, DC, told Al Jazeera.
Huang cited Shanghai – which locked down specific buildings and locations rather than the entire city – as a good example of an effective targeted lockdown strategy.
“With well-targeted lockdowns, economic activity interruptions can be minimised,” he said.
Wu of Oxford Economies said a more targeted approach would help “keep production running as much as possible in case of COVID outbreaks.”
A recent explosion of cases in Hong Kong has cast further doubt on the sustainability of a strict “zero COVID” stance. After keeping infections near zero for most of the pandemic, the international financial centre is reporting more than 30,000 cases and 100 deaths each day. Under the city’s most draconian pandemic restrictions since the pandemic began, businesses are facing months of forced closures, supermarket shelves are being stripped bare, and international talent is heading for the door.
Despite repeated flare-ups in infections, mainland China has reported fewer than 4,700 deaths throughout the pandemic, one of the lowest death tolls in the world.
This week, Zeng Guang, former chief epidemiologist at the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, hinted that Beijing could be reconsidering its “zero COVID” policy. In a social media post, Zeng said the policy “will not remain forever” and that China’s long-term goal would involve co-existing with the virus.
“In the near future, at the right time, the roadmap for Chinese-style co-existence with the virus should be presented,” said Zeng, expressing hope that Beijing would adopt a reopening policy “that is flexible yet manageable, one that benefits from China’s whole-of-society system yet also learns from others’ successes”.
So far, Beijing has yet to signal any such change.
Wu Zunyou, chief epidemiologist with the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, last month told Chinese state media that the country would not adjust its policy for the time being.
Loeb of Trivium China said the economic effect of Beijing’s strategy has not been as severe as many had predicted.
“The sanctions on Russia, and what is likely to be Russia’s prolonged isolation from developed economies, are going to cause long-term pain, particularly in energy and other commodities,” he said. “But for China, if post-Omicron trends continue, the frequency of supply chain disruptions will only decrease.”


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Legislation passed by Congress last August in response to fears of lead-tainted toys imported from China went into effect last month. Consumer groups and safety advocates have praised it for its far-reaching protections. But libraries and book resellers such as Goodwill are worried about one small part of the law: a ban on distributing children’s books printed before 1985.
The libertarian legal writer Walter Olsen has been a critic of First Things and its projects, but he deserves enormous credit for his attempts to push this story, in a City Journal article this winter and on his blog, Overlawyered .
I confess that I thought he was crying wolf. But the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission just announced that the law does, in fact, prohibit the sale of even children’s items with rhinestones:
In written statements accompanying their July 16 decision, commissioners acknowledged that even though crystal and rhinestones exceed allowed lead limits they actually pose little health threat because the lead is bound to them on a molecular level and would be difficult to leach free even if swallowed.
But they said they could not grant an exemption because they are bound by the very specific language of the new product safety law.
The prohibited sales include, by the way, resaleso every used-clothing store and used-book shop in the nation is at risk of prosecution .
How did we get to this? The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act was passed in a panic, a response to the news that lead-tainted toys were coming out of China. The bill was a grab-bag of items that advocates had wanted, as every consumer-safety group in the country saw a chance to use the panic to advance their agenda. As Rahm Emanuel said, “Rule one: Never allow a crisis to go to waste.” And the result is an absurd, burdensome nightmare.
Can we learn a lesson here?


text: It seems like every day we hear about a new date for the BlackBerry Bold 9900 to launch in the United States. With any luck we will hear from RIM on launch dates this week. According to the leak posted by PhoneArena, T-Mobile USA will be launching the BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900 on August 31st. The leak shows a $50 mail-in rebate when you attach a $20 data plan or higher. So it looks like a new BlackBerry will be coming just in time for back to school at T-Mobile USA.


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The infamous Italian Fashion house is set to go fur-free in Spring/Summer 2018, following the footsteps of Armani who went fur-free in Autumn/Winter 2016.
The CEO Marco Bizzarri and the Creative Director for Gucci Alessandro Michele, have the same core values for the company and took the step to end the use of fur. This movement was made as the brand’s commitment to “sustainability”.
“Being socially responsible is one of Gucci’s core values, and we will continue to strive to do better for the environment and animals.” – Mr Bizzarri
This change means that the powerhouse will no longer use animals such as mink, coyote, raccoon, rabbits and any other animals that are caught or bred. Gucci will auction off any animal fur items they have remaining with the money going towards animal rights organisations.
Kitty Block, president of Humane Society International, celebrated the luxury brand’s move as a “compassionate decision”
“For this Italian powerhouse to end the use of fur because of the cruelty involved will have a huge ripple effect throughout the world of fashion”
Gucci will join and become part of the Fur Free Alliance, which has more than 40 organisations including Stella McCartney, which is owned by the Kering group.


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The president has delivered a shattering blow to the South African economy. Just as the economy was beginning to show definite signs of renewed optimism, South African consumers have been frightened into “pulling their heads back into their shells”. When consumers and businesses are scared, they typically stop spending and conserve cash to cope with whatever the new uncertainties may occur. This will reduce the sales of white goods and big ticket items like motor vehicles. It will result in major investment projects being curtailed or abandoned and it will result in consumers “trading down” to cheaper products.
Economists and analysts will undoubtedly modify their forecasts downwards to reflect the new somber mood. So the mood is bearish – but are we actually in a bear market? To answer that question, we need to look at the charts – because they will tell what the smart money is doing.
And the charts are pointing in the opposite direction to the mood. The charts are saying that the great bull market which began in 2009 is continuing – in fact, it is probably accelerating.
Consider our very own JSE Overall index…
This shows that we have been in a sideways market since September 2015 – about two-and-a-half years. But in the last six months, the overall index has started to move strongly back towards the upper resistance line on that chart – and the news of Gordhan’s firing and the downgrade have had no real impact on that steady upward trend.
There are probably three main reasons for that:
- The drought has ended with a bang. This year’s maize crop will be almost double last year’s. The impact of this is immediate – we will export about R6,5 billion worth of maize, bringing in valuable foreign currency. But what is not recognised is the impact of a good rainy season on the millions of subsistence farmers in this country who scratch their food out of a small plot of mealies and vegetables. They will be far, far better off than last year – and that will have a groundswell impact throughout the economy.
- Commodity prices are much stronger. The iron price has virtually doubled, chrome is up, gold and platinum are up and coal is up. This impacts the lives of thousands of workers in the mining industry – as well as on our balance of payments.
- The US economy and the world economy are looking much better – which creates demand for all our exports, from motor vehicles to wine and diamonds. The impact of a recovering world economy on South Africa cannot be over-emphasised. Our economy is still an export-led economy. Our recoveries always begin overseas.
So Mr. Zuma has undoubtedly done a very stupid thing, which shows clearly that he cares nothing for the economy or the millions of poor people who depend on it, but the South African economy is resilient and will capitalise on the factors mentioned above. In other words, we will probably go into a boom despite scoring a mammoth own-goal.
And that is reflected in the charts. Perhaps, as a private investor you should remember Warren Buffet’s words “Be greedy when others are fearful…” and prepare yourself to buy in when the negativity is at its peak.
The Confidential Report is presented as a webinar monthly by PDSnet and includes a single comprehensive report covering the month and providing an overview of factors impacting the JSE including, political developments, international markets, the local economy, commodites, currencies, individual JSE-listed stocks, and much more.


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CBD Oil gains popularity as aid to relieving pandemic-induced stress
Cannabidiol (CBD) oil has become increasingly popular in states that have legalized medical marijuana, especially throughout the 2020 health crisis caused by the spread of novel coronavirus.
The non-intoxicating marijuana extract is credited with successfully treating symptoms associated with a wide variety of medical problems including anxiety and inflammation.
It's no wonder that during a stressful global pandemic, many customers have turned to CBD Oil as a way of relieving stress.
Though the health crisis continues to dampen adult-use marijuana sales in most U.S. markets, some parts of the country experienced their strongest time of sales during March-April.
And, all adult-use cannabis markets got a boost from the stimulus checks that went out around April 15.
That said, sales on 4/20, which is traditionally the biggest sales day of the year, were soft relative to 2019.
CBD oil and related products are advertised as containing CBD from hemp, defined in federal law as cannabis plants that contain 0.3 percent or less of psychoactive compound THC.
CBD doesn’t produce a high, and consumers swear it helps with aches and pains, anxiety, and other ailments such as sleeplessness.
Click here for more information on the oil.
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The UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs have issued a series of technical notices concerning the regulation of chemicals in the event of the UK leaving the European Union with no agreement in place. Although a no-deal outcome in March 2019 is described as “unlikely”, the guidance has been produced as part of the government’s efforts to prepare for all eventualities, so that businesses and citizens can make informed plans and preparations.
The technical notices cover a number of topics: the Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation, the REACH Regulation, the Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR), the Plant Protection Products (PPP) Regulation, the export/import of hazardous chemicals, control of mercury, and control of persistent organic pollutants.
If there is no deal, the UK will ensure that UK legislation replaces EU legislation via the EU Withdrawal Act. REACH would be replaced by a UK regulatory framework to deliver the functions currently performed by ECHA. The aim would be to preserve the features of REACH and maximise continuity as much as possible, although in a no-deal Brexit the UK would not be part of the European Economic Area and companies would have to take steps to ensure market access.
For biocides and PPP, the UK would establish independent standalone regimes, again using the EU Withdrawal Act to ensure that at the time of Brexit the national regimes would be similar to the existing EU frameworks. All current active substance approvals and product authorisations would remain valid in the UK.
Further details of the plans can be read at the links above, and a framing notice has also been published that explains the UK government’s overarching approach to preparing the country for a no-deal Brexit. Meanwhile, ECHA has updated its web page on the effects of UK withdrawal from the EU.


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Britain’s retailers have warned prime minister Boris Johnson that his plan to bring back imperial measures will push up the price of goods — because they would need relabelling — just as consumers are battling the worst cost of living crisis for a generation.
The British Retail Consortium, which represents some of the biggest supermarkets and retail chains in the country, said that reintroducing measurements in pounds and ounces would be a “distraction” from the huge problems facing the country.
BEIS, the business department, will launch a consultation on Friday looking at whether retailers should be able to sell products in imperial measurements rather than metric.
The move is already being dubbed as a “benefit” of Britain leaving the EU and has been embraced by some pro-Brexit politicians.
However, critics have accused ministers of producing the policy in an attempt to distract the public from the “partygate” scandal and an economic crisis caused by the surging price of energy which has left Johnson’s ruling Conservative party trailing in the opinion polls.
Andrea Martinez-Inchausti, assistant director of food at the BRC, said that supermarkets were focused on delivering the best value for money for their customers at a time of “intense” inflationary pressures. The price of groceries has risen by about 6 per cent in the past year.
“Introducing new laws to change the way we measure food and drink would both distract from this vital task, and add cost and complexity if existing products are required to be relabelled,” she said. Martinez-Inchausti pointed out that shops were already allowed to indicate imperial measures alongside metric ones.
Britain formally brought in the metric system in 1965, with some exceptions such as milk and beer which are still sold in pints.
A group of fruit and vegetable traders called the “Metric Martyrs” came to prominence 20 years ago when they began a campaign for traders to sell products in imperial units.
But, while the EU originally ordered the UK to stop using imperial units alongside the metric system, it dropped that demand in 2007.
Joe Harrison, chief executive of the National Market Traders Federation, said it made little sense for stalls to shift back to imperial when most young people had grown up with metric measurements.
Harrison told the Daily Telegraph that the shift would be a “hassle”, adding: “For what purpose? Seems like it would just be hanging on to the past, nostalgia.”
Meanwhile, the Chartered Trading Standards Institute has expressed concern about the idea of reintroducing imperial measurements, warning that the move had the potential to “confuse” customers who have only ever been taught in metric.
John Herriman, chief executive of the CTSI, said the true impact of any proposed changes needed to be understood.
“We understand the desire to create a feelgood factor, especially during a time of many profound economic challenges,” he said.
“However, at a time when consumers and businesses are already feeling the pinch from higher prices and inflation, it is really important that any proposed measures don’t bamboozle the public on value for money and the prices of everyday items, or add unnecessary costs and confusion to business.”


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Microsoft has something to cheer about after the company saw strong year-over-year sales for the Xbox 360 game console, with the next-generation Xbox One also posting strong sales figures. The company sold 7.4 million Xbox 360 and Xbox One game consoles during the holiday shopping season, as Microsoft competes with the Sony PlayStation 4 in the game console market.
In addition, the Microsoft Surface line of tablets saw revenue double, reaching $893 million from the previous quarter, as the company continues to try and invade the mobile market. Overall device revenue increased a massive 68 percent, reaching $4.73 billion, outpacing investor estimates.
However, Microsoft is still dealing with Windows revenue shrinking, as consumers and business users still waffle about embracing Windows 8/8.1, which will be a continued battle. The company once dominated software sales offering its products on CDs and DVDs, but expanding to the cloud - and increasing hardware sales - has continued to be a slippery slope for the tech giant.
CVG has spoken with an EA source who is giving out quite the damning report, that "Nintendo was dead to us very quickly" after it had released its Wii U console.
The same source said that EA felt that the Wii U was becoming a console for kids IP, and that the studio wasn't willing to bring future core titles to the platform. The EA source stated: "Nintendo was dead to us very quickly. It became a kids IP platform and we don't really make games for kids. That was pretty true across the other labels too. Even the Mass Effect title on Wii U, which was a solid effort, could never do big business, and EA like Activision is only focused on games that can be big franchises".
Microsoft has confirmed PC users will need a special version of the Kinect, as the Xbox One edition won't ship with a USB adapter so it can be connected to a PC. Instead, Microsoft made sure to include a proprietary connector unable to connect into a PC, and there are no immediate plans to release an adapter.
"The Kinect for Xbox One Sensor will not have an adapter that allows it to plug into a computer," a Microsoft spokesperson told tech journalists. "... the new generation Kinect for Windows sensor will connect to computers using a standard USB3 port. The new generation Kinect for Windows sensor will be a fully tested, licensed, and supported Kinect experience on Windows."
The original Xbox 360 Kinect shipped with an adapter so the system could plug into a regular USB port or use power from a power outlet - and hackers were able to turn the adapter into a tool to test out the Kinect's power - as it was a cheaper 3D camera than other alternatives.
It's an interesting move from Microsoft, as the company wants Windows-based developers to use the Kinect for next-generation, third party programs.
You might pick up your Xbox One console and just use it, not thinking about the months and years Microsoft worked on its final design, but we're hearing that the company worked on 75 prototype designs before choosing the final design of its next-gen console.
Microsoft designer Carl Ledbetter revealed that the company went through 75 prototype designs before settling on the final design. There were over 100 prototypes of the Kinect, and around 200 for the controller itself. The development team reportedly spent considerable amounts of time striking a balance between the familiar Xbox design, and the desire for an always-on media hub, according to Ledbetter.
The launch of the Microsoft Xbox One and Sony PlayStation 4 game consoles helped drive U.S. video game hardware sales 28 percent in December 2013, according to research firm NPD Group.
"Increases in December hardware sales were caused by continued strong sales of the new Xbox One and PS4, driving console hardware sales up over 50% compared to December 2012,"said Liam Callahan, NPD Group analyst, in a statement.
Both the PC and console gaming markets are lucrative, and it's no surprise to hear Microsoft and Sony benefitted from console releases in late 2013. Although hardware sales saw a boost in December, video game software dropped 17 percent, but still collected $1.31 billion in sales during December.
The NPD Group has released its numbers for December, where we see Microsoft sold 908,000 of its Xbox One consoles for the month. This achievement should be noted, as it puts the Xbox One as the number one selling console in the US for December.
Xbox 360 units sold well in the month, too, with 643,000 units sold. This had the Xbox 360 take the #3 spot in the US for console sales, giving the PlayStation 4 the #2 spot. We know the PS4 is selling well, and that Nintendo had the highest selling console for 2013 with its portable 3DS.
There were more than 9.7 million Sony PlayStation 4 video games sold to support the impressive 4.2 million consoles sold before the end of December 2013. Sony officials "couldn't be more thrilled" with the early success of the PS4, and it will be a great battle to see the PS4 compete with Microsoft's Xbox One game console.
The global demand for the PS4 is outpacing the Xbox 360, as Microsoft finds success in the U.S. market, while overseas shoppers tend to jump onboard with Sony. Both Microsoft and Sony will battle to control the next-generation gaming market, though it looks like Sony has the initial international upper hand.
Video games were on full display during the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), where Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo showed off their latest product innovations. Sony's PlayStation Now streaming game service, which is scheduled for launch this summer, will be a cloud-based game streaming service for PS4 gamers.
We saw a tease of twelve Steam Machines at CES 2014, but according to Marc Whitten, the Xbox Chief Product Officer, he isn't worried about Steam Machines taking over gamers' living rooms.
During an interview with Engadget at CES, Whitten said he's "not sweating" over Valve's push into the living room, stating that "there's room for both." Whitten continued: "I personally don't know how to think about Steam Machines yet. I'm not knocking it or whatever. I continue to think that PC gaming - the sort of uber configuration and I can change everything and I can mod - that's an important thing and there's a lot of people that wanna do that."
Whitten did add that when a device is in the living room, gamers want to be instantly entertained. He said that gamers don't want to fiddle with settings or anything else, where he wrapped up with: "When you get into that living room environment, you don't want to spend any of your brain cells doing anything but being entertained. I don't want to work on it; I don't want to feel like I have to know how it works. I would like to be blowing things up now, or watching a thing now. That's the fundamental thing that you want to do."
The Sony PlayStation 4 game console has reportedly racked up more than 4.2 million units sold worldwide since launch time in mid-to-late November to most major markets. Early last month, Sony said it sold 2.1 million units worldwide, with the company clearly having a successful 2013 Christmas shopping season.
"The momentum of the PS4 system keeps getting stronger, and we couldn't be more thrilled gamers worldwide are enjoying the incredibly immersive gaming experiences along with deep social capabilities and entertainment provided by our network," said Andrew House, Sony Computer Entertainment President and CEO, in a statement. "After a remarkable launch, we look forward to bringing even more exciting content and continuing to explore the power of the PS4 system by adding new features and services, including PlayStation Now, in 2014."
Meanwhile, the Xbox One reportedly sold 3 million units to close out 2013, as Microsoft is reportedly proud of the console's early success. Xbox One should outsell the PS4 in the United States, while the Japanese company is able to cater better to international gamers. More gamers want to use a single device in the living room, so the ability to support streaming content, social media, and more robust software is common.
Microsoft Studios' boss, Phil Spencer, spoke with OXM, stating that the company spun the idea around the office of an all-digital "purely disc-less console" right up to the middle of last year - months before the Xbox One was released to the public.
He explained: "Obviously, after the announcement and E3, there was some feedback about what people wanted to change. There was a real discussion about whether we should have an optical disc drive in Xbox One or if we could get away with a purely disc-less console, but when you start looking at bandwidth and game size, it does create issues. So we decided - which I think was the right decision - to go with the Blu-ray drive and give the people an easy way to install a lot of content. From some of those original thoughts, you saw a lot of us really focusing on the digital ecosystem you see on other devices - thinking of and building around that."
I think it would've been an interesting move, but for gamers with slow Internet connections (like myself) it would've caused even more pain.


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Xiaomi Mi A3 and Mi A3 Lite are now expected to launch soon. Xiaomi Global Spokesperson Donovan Sung has teased the imminent arrival of the Android One phones, asking fans what feature they were looking forward to the most in the next generation of the Mi A series. Separately, a fresh leak has tipped off the processors on both the phones. Codenames of both the phones have also been leaked (or rather, reiterated), and the Mi A3 Lite is rumoured to be called cosmos_sprout, while the Mi A3 phone is internally reported to be called bamboo_sprout.
Sung took to Twitter to tease the arrival of the next-generation Mi A series phones. His tweet reads, “One year ago, we launched our next generation Android One smartphones Mi A2 and Mi A2 Lite. What's everyone looking forward to the most in the next generation of the Mi A series?” This tweet hints that the Mi A3 and Mi A3 Lite are indeed incoming, however an official launch timeline still remains a mystery.
Tipster Ishan Agarwal and MySmartPrice separately report that the Mi A3 and Mi A3 Lite are in the works, and will launch globally soon. The Xiaomi Mi A3 is expected to be powered by the Snapdragon 730 SoC, while the Xiaomi Mi A3 Lite is expected to be powered by the Snapdragon 675 SoC. As mentioned, the two phones are codenamed bamboo_sprout and cosmos_sprout respectively - something that had been leaked way back in March. The tipster notes that the phones will be part of the Android One program.
A recent US FCC listing tipped that the Mi CC9e may be launched globally as the Mi A3. However, the Mi CC9e is powered by the Snapdragon 665 SoC, while this latest leak suggests that the Mi A3 may be powered by the Snapdragon 730 SoC. Xiaomi is known to tweak few specifications between the global and Chinese variant, so this may just be one of the little differences between the Mi CC9e and Mi A3.
There was a separate report that suggested that the Mi A3 will sport the same design as the Mi CC9 series. For now, there's only speculation and rumours to go by, and any real details will only emerge closer to launch. The Xiaomi Mi A2 was launched in India in August last year, and its successor could come around the same time this year.
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According to a report, Western Digital is exploring a possible merger with Japanese chipmaker Kioxia. The plan appears to be to subvert their rival, Samsung Electronics.
A report by research firm Trend Force says South Korean tech giant Samsung dominates a third of the NAND market.
While Kioxia has a market share of 19% and Western Digital 15%. The combination of the two companies could generate strong demand for memory chips driven by 5G expansion as well as increased work from home due to the pandemic.
The report revealed that the transaction value was more than US$20 billion.
“The deal would be a defensive but prudent move by Western to strengthen its competitive position in the chip market by rapidly consolidating the chip market,” said Morningstar analyst William Kerwin.
Kerwin himself predicted that there would be only three major players in the industry, with most of them being commodities.
Kioxia Merger with Western Digital in Mid-September
According to sources, a merger agreement is likely to be reached in mid-September. Western Digital CEO David Goeckler was appointed to run the combined company.
Reports about the talks between the two companies were disclosed by The Wall Street on Wednesday (25/8/2021). Meanwhile, both Kioxia and Western Digital said they did not comment on speculation about the merger.
However, it seems that the merger of the two companies is likely to be disputed by anti-trust authorities in a number of countries including the United States and China. Previously, a number of companies had to fail to enter into an agreement because of fears of monopoly and trade conflicts between the two countries.
For example, Qualcomm Inc. canceled a deal to buy NXP Semiconductor for US$44 billion. This comes after the company failed to get approval from China in 2018.
Read now: All About Investment Banking


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City of St. Catharines to reveal new electric vehicle charger
The City of St. Catharines is revealing another place for drivers of electric vehicles to get a charge.
This afternoon at 1 p.m., the new electric vehicle charger at City Hall will be unveiled in the James Street parking lot.
The new charging station is part of a partnership between the city and Alectra Utilities.
Tim Denis Roundtable (Pot Legalization Day, Roseanne Character ODs in Premier Episode of The Connors, Keira Knightley Banned Daughter from Watching Disney Films)
Tim Denis Roundtable (Pot Legalization Day, Ending Solitary Confinement, Paul Bernardo Parole Hearing, 2 Huge Lotteries in the U.S, One Year Anniversary Death of Gord Downie)


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SABMiller, which has a public listing in London but is particularly strong in emerging markets, took a $573 million hit related to investments in Angola and South Sudan, and $160m in AB InBev merger costs.
The group, whose brands include Castle lager, said that revenues slid 10 per cent to $19.8bn as the firm suffered a “material negative impact” from adverse currency movements linked to the stronger US dollar in the 12 months to the end of March.
More positively, beverage sales by volume lifted 2 per cent. On a constant currency basis, SABMiller’s revenues rose 5 per cent, benefiting from a stronger trading backdrop in Africa and Latin America.
In Latin America, the group sold 5 per cent more drinks by volume, bringing the region’s contribution closer to a quarter of total revenues.
Despite the setback in profits and revenues, SAB chief executive Alan Clark said: “These are good results. We grew (underlying earnings) across all regions and our group (profit) margin improved through the year, on an underlying basis.
“This performance reflects our focus on driving superior growth by strengthening our core brands, expanding the beer category to reach more consumers on more occasions and placing an emphasis on premiumisation in all regions.”
The group said lager sales volumes increased 1 per cent in the year while soft drink sales were up 6 per cent. SAB said that total volume growth was tempered by weakness in China and the United States.
Meanwhile, Miller Brands UK, the UK and Ireland subsidiary of SABMiller, revealed that its three main upmarket brands – Peroni, Pilsner Urquell and Kozel – all saw double-digit volume growth during the financial year.
SAB said its takeover by AB InBev to become the world’s biggest brewer, with 30 per cent of the market, was on course to close in the second half of this year, but not before its final dividend of 93.75 cents becomes payable to shareholders on 12 August.
It comes as SAB is offloading several assets – including Peroni, Grolsch and Meantime – to meet regulatory demands ahead of the bumper £71bn marriage with AB InBev.


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Electric car-maker Tesla posted the first
quarterly profit in its ten-year history Wednesday as strong sales of
its luxury Model S sedan drove it to record revenue.
The company, which makes its cars in a huge former Toyota factory in Silicon Valley, said it earned 11.25 million dollars in income compared to a 90 million dollar loss in the year ago quarter. Revenue came in at 562 million dollars, compared with just 30.17 million dollars for the first quarter of 2012.
The company said that it is receiving orders of over 20,000 cars per year and that it now expects to ship 21,000 cars this year.
"We exceeded our own target for deliveries," Chief Executive Officer Musk and Chief Financial Officer Deepak Ahuja said in the statement. "2013 is off to a strong start."
Tesla was founded by CEO Elon Musk, who also heads the pioneering SpaceX company which is the first private enterprise to send a rocket to the International Space Station.
Tesla's success is in marked contrast to competitors like Fisker Automotive which recently filed for bankruptcy. Sales of its Model S have also exceeded those of another highly touted electric vehicle, General Motors' Volt.
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In this era of corona epidemic and lockdown, while most of the companies have slowed down, Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries, one of the richest people in Asia, is constantly flagging success. Many companies have invested heavily in their Jio platforms. TPG Capital, another US company after Facebook, KKR, Silver Lake, and General Atlantic, is in talks to invest in Jio platforms. Sources said that soon TPG Capital will make a big investment in Jio platforms. Meanwhile, in a communication sent to the share markets, the company has told how many shares Mukesh Ambani and his family got in the recently closed Rs 53,124 crore rights issue of Reliance Industries.
TPG Capital has invested in several global tech companies (TPG Capital) has invested in several global tech companies. It has invested in technology disruptors companies Uber, Airbnb, and SurveyMonkey.
Jio Platforms raised 97,885. 65 crores
Jio Platforms sold a 21 percent stake of the company 97,885. 65 crore rupees (about 13 billion dollars). Within 7 weeks of the deal with Facebook, other companies have invested extensively in Jio platforms. After this, Jio Platforms has emerged as the most powerful company. Recently the Abu Dhabi company has invested in it.
According to TPG sources, TPG Capital can invest 1 to 1.5 billion dollars in Jio platforms, according to TPG sources. Discussions on this deal have been going on for the last few weeks. It is expected that a formal announcement regarding this could be made within the next few days. TPG has greatly expanded its business in India. It has invested over $ 2 billion in financial services, retail, healthcare, and pharma. During the last 5-6 weeks, TPG has intensified negotiations for investment in Jio platforms. An official involved in Negotiations says that the deal will be finalized soon.
Jio has 388 million subscribers with
338 million subscribers. Telecom business matters the most to Reliance Industries. Apart from this, Jio platforms is now coming into the retail business as well. The retail business is going to grow rapidly.
Reliance Industries is developing digital eco-system
Reliance Industries is developing a digital eco-system, which is attracting investors more towards it. Reliance watchers believe that after selling a 20 percent stake in the company, Ambani wants to sell its 9 percent stake. After this, the company will be valued at $ 100 billion.
There are also plans to launch an IPO for Jio with this campaign to raise funds for the subsidiary company of 5.52 lakh shares received in the rights issue. Mukesh Ambani got 5.52 lakh shares of the company in the recently closed Rs 53,124 crore rights issue of Reliance Industries. This can make Jio the world’s largest 4G networked company.
Debt-free may be the company
Mukesh Ambani had set a target to March 2021 is to create a debt-free Reliance Industries. Given the rapid Jio platforms where investment is taking place and Ambani has got shares in the rights issue, the company can achieve the target of debt-free. Mukesh Ambani now has 80.52 lakh shares of Reliance Industries. He had 7.5 million shares before the rights issue. Mukesh Ambani’s wife Neeta Ambani and children Isha, Akash and Anant have also received 5.52-5.52 lakh shares in the rights issue.
Reliance Industries has made deals with several companies for Jio platforms. Investment spree can be seen in foreign companies.


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Stocks to Watch: RIL, Lakshmi Vilas Bank, Mindtree, Dr Reddy's, Sun Pharma, Ceat2 min read . Updated: 28 Sep 2020, 07:55 AM IST
- Reliance Retail Ventures Limited, the retail business of Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries Ltd, has received ₹7,500 crore from tech investor Silver Lake
NEW DELHI : Here’s a list of top ten stocks that may be in news on Monday:
Reliance Industries: Reliance Retail Ventures Limited, the retail business of Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), has received ₹7,500 crore from tech investor Silver Lake, the company said in a stock exchange filing on Saturday.
Lakshmi Vilas Bank: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Sunday approved the formation of a three-member committee of directors to temporarily run the struggling Lakshmi Vilas Bank Ltd after shareholders voted out seven directors, including managing director and chief executive S. Sundar.
Mindtree: The company’s co-founder Krishnakumar Natarajan and his family have sold over 4.66 lakh shares of the company, reducing their combined shareholding to 2.01%. The transactions were carried out by Krishnakumar N, wife Akila Krishnakumar and son Siddarth in multiple tranches between September 15-23, Mindtree said in a regulatory filing on Saturday.
Vodafone Idea: The telecom operator will upgrade its existing 3G customers across all markets to 4G network in a phased manner to provide faster data speeds and services.
State Bank of India: The board of directors of the bank will consider a proposal for raising of Basel III compliant AT 1 bonds to the extent of ₹5,000 crores, according to a regulatory filing.
Dr Reddy's Laboratories: The Hyderabad-based company has launched Dimethyl Fumarate delayed-release capsules, used to treat multiple sclerosis (MS), in the US market. The company's product is a therapeutic equivalent generic version of Biogen's Tecfidera delayed-release capsules, the pharma company said in a statement.
Sun Pharma: The Mumbai-based pharma company is looking to expand its specialty business across different regions like Greater China and Japan after having established presence in the US market, the company said in its Annual Report for 2019-20.
JSW Energy: JSW Solar, a wholly-owned subsidiary of JSW Energy Ltd, has bagged 810 MW blended wind energy projects under an auction conducted by state-owned SECI. The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) had conducted an auction for setting up 2,500 MW ISTS (inter-state transmission system) projects under tariff based competitive bidding. The tender was floated in June.
Ceat: The tyre maker plans to raise up to ₹500 crore via non-convertible debentures (NCDs). The board of directors of the company has approved the raising of funds up to ₹250 crore through issuance of secured, listed, rated, taxable and redeemable NCDs on private placement basis, in one or more tranches. Further, the board also authorized the finance and banking committee of the company to approve another fund raising of up to ₹250 crore.
Coffee Day Enterprises: Debt-ridden Coffee Day Enterprises Ltd on Thursday said it continues to explore and evaluate various opportunities amid reports that it is in talks with Tata Consumer Products Ltd (TCPL) to sell its vending machine business.


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Broadway-Timberville Autumn Festival and Car Show
September 14, 2019 @ 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
The 55th Annual Broadway-Timberville Autumn Festival & Antique Car Show will be held September 14th, 2019 from 9am-3pm, rain or shine. Over 150 food, craft, artisan and retail vendors will line Main Street in Broadway and the showcase in Heritage Park, along with more than 100 classic cars for the Antique Car Show!
• Artisans and crafters – many with fall décor items for sale
• Sidewalk Sales and other specials from Main Street Businesses
• Antique Car Show at WW Motors
• Fun and educational kids activities, including the Reading Wagon (horse-drawn carriage ride with a book!)
• Kids activities in the Village Library
• Local Non-Profit Organizations and businesses participating
• Local artists and art supply sale at The Village Arts Center
• Local food, bake sales and other delicious meals or food to-go
• Broadway Farmer’s Market vendors
• Kids Activities
The Broadway Autumn Festival was created to highlight what our local businesses have to offer, and to bring in shoppers from out of the area. It has long been the first Fall Festival in the area – kicking off a great season for other festivals in Bridgewater, Elkton, New Market and Dayton.
The Autumn Festival has always been very community-focused with profits going directly back to the community through scholarships to local Broadway High School seniors.
“Providing scholarships to local students has been a top priority for our Council and the newly combined festival will allow us to continue the strong tradition of helping students further their education and also give us future opportunities to expand the scholarship program. We look forward to kicking off the festival season with a premier event that will continue to create opportunities for our local businesses, vendors and BHS students”, says Sharon Krantz, Chairman of the Broadway-Timberville Business Council.
This is a continued combination of the previous Autumn Days and Fall Festivals held on separate dates in September and October. There is now only one fall festival in Broadway each year, the second Saturday in September.


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There have been rumors over the past few weeks that the government intends to bar Chinese manufacturers from the low-cost smartphone market. This is purportedly done to support indigenous businesses since Chinese firms now control the majority of the Indian smartphone market.
Working on 5G Smartphone
Since Chinese smartphone manufacturers hold around 80% of the market share in the budget segment, experts are skeptical that this will be advantageous and think domestic companies might not be able to fill the hole created by the Chinese smartphone producers.
According to Reliance Jio, 5G services will start operating in India this Diwali, beginning in major cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai. Mukesh Ambani also said during the 45th annual general meeting of Reliance Industries that the company’s telecom division, Reliance Jio, is collaborating with Google to create cost-effective 5G handsets.
Beneficial for Reliance Jio
Reliance Jio may profit from this as domestic companies might not be able to match demand if Chinese companies are prohibited from the affordable smartphone market. Reliance has a solid track record of producing inexpensive cell phones. The company’s Lyf brand, which held the fifth spot in the Indian smartphone market in Q1 2017, had a market share of almost 7%.
According to a Counterpoint analysis, the company’s inexpensive JioPhone grew to be one of the most well-liked entry-level smartphones in the nation during 2018 and held over 35% of the feature phone market share in Q1.
Experts think that a ban in India may be advantageous for Jio. Chinese players will play cautiously in the sub-12,000 area unless there is a certainty. Jio has an advantage, but making 5G available for less than $12,000 is equally difficult, according to Tarun Pathak, research director at Counterpoint Research.
The price of the next Jio and Google gadget is currently unknown. However, we anticipate the business will introduce products priced around $12,000 In the future days, we should learn more about the new smartphone.
Read: India’s Gautam Adani climbs the ladder to become the World’s 3rd Richest Man


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Verizon Formally Introduces Internet Of Things Strategy To Partners, End Customers
Verizon plans to leverage its channel partner ecosystem, a new Internet of Things (IoT) platform, and a big data analytics engine to accelerate IoT adoption, the carrier said during an IoT strategy event at its San Francisco Innovation Center this week.
Thanks in part to channel partners and its existing IoT solutions including smart cities, connected cars and wearables, Verizon is generating one of the largest amounts of revenue from IoT of any company in the U.S., the carrier said. Verizon has been tight-lipped about its own IoT strategy, but execs said that the carrier wants to lower the barrier of entry to IoT for more partners and customers.
Verizon unveiled its ThingSpace platform, a Web-based, self-service interface that lets developers create IoT applications and partners market their services, at its event this week.
[Related: AT&T To Partners: We Need Your Help With IoT]
"This platform has been designed to give developers an easy on-ramp into IoT. It provides [developers] with a single pane of glass to design, test, deploy, manage and market the solutions they are bringing to IoT at a much faster pace than they've had in the past," said Mike Lanman, senior vice president of Enterprise Products at Verizon, who leads the carrier's IoT team.
Available now, the ThingSpace platform includes a set of APIs that are the most demanded set of APIs in the carrier's history, Lanman said.
"We've stripped away a lot of the complexity in the entrance of IoT and we've done that through the launch of ThingSpace," he said.
Verizon also said it is extending its internal data analytics engine for customers and partners to use. This engine is now part of the ThingSpace platform and will allow for data, as well as devices, to be managed, Lanman said.
"Once we lit up IoT solutions for customers, many of them struggled with how they were going to manage the amount of data they were getting from the solutions we helped them deploy. Some of them just couldn’t handle it," he explained.
Verizon's data analytics engine handles 1.5 trillion transactions a month. Partners and end customers can use the tool on the ThingSpace platform to help find the relevant, contextual information they are looking for within their own deployments or within their customer's deployments, Lanman said.
Lanman also said that theThingSpace platform is globally enabled. Companies developing solutions will be able to use the platform and connect across 92 countries. Companies deploying IoT solutions have always faced challenges when trying to get their solutions to work internationally because they've had to negotiate across boundaries and countries, he said.
2016 will see the addition of more countries. "Basically, we'll have the globe blanketed by the end of ," Lanman said.
As part of its IoT strategy, Verizon also readied its 4G LTE network to handle IoT endpoints by creating a core IoT network within its LTE architecture, which will be launched in Q1 2016. Additionally, the carrier revealed the availability of its new chipset, which reduces the cost of developing a device for IoT. The chipset halves the cost of connecting to the LTE network, and Verizon will slash the cost again in 2016 with new modules slated to be introduced, Lanman said.
"Think of it as a way to make the WAN network and our LTE network more accessible to IoT developers," he said.
Verizon's two Innovation Centers, in San Francisco and Waltham, Mass., have allowed the carrier to take a "partner-friendly" approach to IoT, Lanman said. The carrier has helped partners develop more than 400 IoT solutions at the centers.
"Today, we have over 1,000 partners that we are actively selling through our distribution channels. [We provide the ThingSpace] platform, compress the cost to connect, provide the network that has the ability to connect billions of devices and an analytics engine to help move through that data, and then partner to bring their IoT solutions to market. That's how you bring it all together," Lanman said.
PUBLISHED OCT. 30, 2015


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The United States and Brazil lodged separate protests with Thailand over its ban on two farm chemicals earlier this month, documents reviewed by Reuters show, saying the 'restrictive' and 'serious' move could hurt key agricultural exports.
Bangkok's pesticide ban could hit US and Brazilian exports of wheat and soy that are worth more than $1 billion a year, according to United Nations data, potentially setting up a diplomatic showdown with Thailand, a leading importer of the commodities from both countries.
The knock-on effect on Thailand's food chain could also add tens of billions of dollars to costs while slashing millions of jobs, according to one Thai industry estimate.
Thailand added weedkiller paraquat and insecticide chlorpyrifos to its list of most hazardous substances on 1 June, citing a need to protect human health.
The move triggered another health regulation banning imported food products containing residues of prohibited chemicals.
The import ban has been drafted pending comments from interested parties up to 18 July and will become law once published in Thailand's Royal Gazette. There is no apparent legal mechanism to derail the ban without first amending Thai health law.
The United States and Brazil challenged Thailand's move in separate letters in late May after Thailand informed the World Trade Organisation (WTO) of the pending import ban.
Both the United States and Brazil suggested the Southeast Asian country lacked new scientific evidence, as required by the WTO Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS), to justify a measure that could restrict international trade.
'More Trade-Restrictive Than Necessary'
"We have general concerns regarding the notified actions which appear to be more trade-restrictive than necessary," Russ Nicely, Agricultural Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, wrote in a letter reviewed by Reuters.
Thailand imports nearly all of its soybeans from the United States and Brazil. In 2019, Thailand was the world's eighth and fourth largest importer of US and Brazilian soybeans, worth $525 million and $602 million, respectively, according to the United Nations Comtrade database.
Thailand, also the 10th largest market for US wheat, uses millions of tonnes of both crops each year to produce a range of products from cooking oil, noodles, to animal feed.
The US and Brazilian embassies in Thailand did not immediately comment.
Ban 'Disregards Risk Analyses'
Mananya Thaiset, a Thai deputy agriculture minister who championed Bangkok's ban, has said the rationale is to protect human health at all costs. Mananya's office declined to comment to Reuters for this story.
Paraquat, which has been linked to Parkinson's Disease in various research, is banned in the European Union and China, while Brazil itself is also prohibiting its use later this year. Several studies have also linked chlorpyrifos, banned in Europe and US state California, to impaired brain development in children.
But Brazil and the United States both urged Thailand to continue allowing imports of goods under Maximum Residue Limits (MRL) according to Codex, the international standards used for acceptable residue levels in traded food commodities.
Many countries that ban paraquat or chlorpyrifos domestically still allow imported foods under MRL standards.
"The Thai authority's approach disregards risk analyses in the setting of regulatory measures that may have serious impact on trade," said Brazil's agriculture ministry, in a letter reviewed by Reuters defending the use of insecticide chlorpyrifos.
The latest tensions on farm chemicals come in the wake of a spat last year when the United States protested Thailand's plan to ban glyphosate, used in Bayer AG's contentious weedkiller Roundup, the subject of many US lawsuits claiming it causes cancer.
Thailand later backed down on glyphosate, but proceeded to ban the other two pesticides.
'We Can't Continue'
Thailand would be one of few major markets for agricultural goods to impose zero tolerance on imports of commodities containing residues.
About 10 million Thai farming households are already facing up to the impact of the ban, especially on paraquat.
"Other chemicals are expensive and do far more damage to main crops than paraquat, while killing weed with less efficiency," said Sarawut Rungmekarat, an agronomist at Kasetsart University in Bangkok.
Thai agribusinesses also argue the import ban would create ripple effects that disrupts the domestic food chain, from animal feed to livestock, fishery, food industries.
The import ban would cost Thai companies 1.7 trillion baht ($55 billion) and 12 million jobs, said the country's Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking, which urged Thailand's prime minister to introduce a grace period until end-2021.
Thailand's animal feed industry relies almost entirely on importing 5 million tonnes of soybean and 1 million tonnes of wheat per year.
"If you cut our supplies today, we simply can't continue," Pornsil Patchrintanakul, president of the Thai Feed Mill Association, told Reuters.
"If we fall, everyone falls with us."


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Introducing the Latest from Google: Pixel Watch with Overnight Blood Oxygen Tracking
Compared to its competitors, Google’s Pixel Watch is a relatively new entrant in the market, which means it has some catching up to do in terms of features. However, Google is not one to fall behind, and they have recently announced an exciting update for the Pixel Watch that introduces blood oxygen tracking. Now, while you sleep, your watch will diligently monitor your nighttime oxygen saturation levels and promptly notify you of any changes. This addition brings the Pixel Watch in line with offerings from other popular brands such as Samsung Galaxy Watch, Apple Watch, and Google-owned Fitbit trackers, which all feature blood oxygen tracking capabilities.
During the initial launch of the Pixel Watch, Google integrated some features from Fitbit, although not without a few hiccups. In our review at BuyTechBlog, we observed occasional delays ranging from hours to days in the availability of recent health data, including information on walks and sleep duration. Whether this issue will persist with the introduction of the latest blood oxygen tracking feature remains uncertain.
The inclusion of blood oxygen tracking is part of a comprehensive series of updates for both the Pixel Watch and Pixel Phone. On the health front, the Pixel Watch now offers heart rate monitoring, promptly alerting you in case of any irregularities. Additionally, Google has expanded the availability of Google Assistant in more languages and locations, introduced three new Spotify tiles, and provided the option to purchase Brushed Silver or Matte Black Metal Link Bands, each priced at $200. The Pixel Phones have also received new features, including enhanced emergency sharing, emoji wallpapers, and the ability to export recordings to Google Docs.
Most of these updates are already available, with the exception of the new Metal Link Band colors, which will be rolling out in the coming days. Furthermore, if rumors are to be believed, Google is expected to launch the Pixel Watch 2 this fall, bringing even more exciting features to the table.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Pixel Watch updates
Q: What is the latest update for Google’s Pixel Watch?
A: The latest update for Google’s Pixel Watch includes overnight blood oxygen tracking, heart rate monitoring, expanded language support for Google Assistant, new Spotify tiles, and the option to purchase Metal Link Bands in Brushed Silver or Matte Black.
Q: Can the Pixel Watch track blood oxygen levels while I sleep?
A: Yes, with the new update, the Pixel Watch can monitor your nighttime blood oxygen saturation levels and notify you of any changes while you sleep.
Q: Does the Pixel Watch offer heart rate monitoring?
A: Yes, the Pixel Watch now includes heart rate monitoring, and it will send alerts if your heart rate becomes abnormal.
Q: Are there any issues with delayed health data availability on the Pixel Watch?
A: During the initial launch, there were occasional delays in the availability of recent health data such as walks and sleep time. It is unclear if this issue persists with the introduction of the blood oxygen tracking feature.
Q: What are some other new features for Google Pixel Phones?
A: Other new features for Google Pixel Phones include improved emergency sharing, emoji wallpapers, and the ability to export recordings to Google Docs.
Q: When will the new Metal Link Band colors be available?
A: The new Metal Link Band colors, Brushed Silver and Matte Black, will be rolled out in the next few days.
Q: Is there a new version of the Pixel Watch expected in the future?
A: According to rumors, the Google Pixel Watch 2 is expected to launch in the fall, potentially bringing even more new features to the wearable device.


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The lemon soda seller is using a unique style to sell the drink.
When "Kacha Badam" song surfaced on social media, it became an instant hit. And it made Bhuban Badyakar, a humble peanut seller in West Bengal, a celebrity. Then, a catchy jingle used by a guava seller to sell the fruits went wildly viral on the internet.
Now, the style and jingle of a lemon soda seller are delighting the internet. The jingle he uses - “Baaki nimbu baad vich paunga (I'll use rest of the lemons later)” - is making waves on social media.
The people gathered around the man are seen enjoying his unique way to sell the lemonade.
The lemonade seller describes the ingredients too while telling about the benefits of having the drink in summers.
The video has been shared by different users on various social media platforms. On Instagram, it has been posted by 13_gouravsagar05. It has been viewed 9.21 lakh times and the number is rapidly increasing.
Users have flooded the comment section. “Wow I love your confidence sir,” said an Instagram user.
“This is the son of 'Kacha Badam' singer,” added another.
Some users had shared the video of the same man a few months ago. It has been gaining traction again due to several such jingles emerging in recent weeks after Badyakar's song.
The "Kacha Badam" song became a viral hit after one of his customers shot a video of him while selling peanuts and shared it on social media.
After the song went viral worldwide, people started asking whether the singer was getting paid for the views of his song. Mr Badyakar then reportedly received Rs 3 lakh as remuneration from the music label that first remixed his original song.
Click for more trending news


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Englewood Cliffs, N.J. — LG Electronics kicked off its new global integrated marketing campaign for “Full HD 1080p” flat-panel TVs, which will carry the “Don’t Just Watch It, Live It” tag line.
The company’s first fully integrated marketing campaign commences today in the United States and will extend through the Christmas selling season. The effort will also roll out to more than 70 countries over the next month, the company said.
LG Electronics will invest about $25 million in the United States and substantially more globally to highlight its 1080p LCD and plasma HDTVs.
“Last year’s campaign was considerably smaller from a dollars position and it was more of a branding campaign,” Allan Jason, LGE USA consumer electronics marketing VP, told TWICE. “Our spending this year is more than double the previous year, and there will be a number of components including online, retail and merchandising, which we will be developing further as the year goes on.”
Key elements of the campaign include a series of broadcast, print, outdoor and online advertisements in three creative concepts all featuring an LG Red Couch, which “serves as a symbol of the consumers’ all-encompassing high-definition viewing experience,” according to a statement announcing the effort.
The campaign also incorporates LG’s corporate sponsorship of the Cannes Film Festival and targeted public relations activities centered on LG’s 1080p flat-panel lines.
“The Red Couch campaign is a key initiative that addresses the growing high-definition market and the expansion of our HDTV product line,” stated Jason. “LG is a global leader in flat-panel HDTV technologies, and no company is better positioned to deliver the Full HD 1080p high-definition viewing experience.”
The global campaign, developed by Young & Rubicam’s BrandBuzz, was produced in high-definition and will make its network premiere in the U.S. today.
The U.S. broadcast spots will reach “all of the major networks,” and will include many of the leading cable networks including ESPN, CNN, TBS, TNT, The History Channel, National Geographic and others, said Jason.
LG has also selected many leading programs including CBS’s “Survivor,” “CSI,” and “Cold Case;” ESPN’s coverage of the NBA playoffs and the U.S. Golf Open at Winged Foot; NBC’s coverage of the The French Open; and FOX’s coverage of Major League Baseball, for example.
The ads will focus on two sports, leading off with golf and later adding a bobsledding spot in the fourth quarter. In both spots, consumers sitting on a Red Couch are placed in the middle of the action, capturing the realistic viewing experience of LG 1080p HDTVs, LG said.
Jason said bobsledding was selected for the second ad because “we liked the concept of the fast motion of the sled, which reminds me of a rollercoaster, and we thought it was the most visually compelling.”
The ad will feature a family sitting on a red couch as it is launched down a bobsled course.
LG said the spots were filmed on location in South Africa by director Paul Butterworth.
The television commercials will run globally throughout the summer and fall on primetime network and cable television, complemented by print ads in major consumer publications.
LG also will be launching a Red Couch online component where visitors can experience exclusive content and learn more about 1080p HDTV and LG’s Red Couch campaign.
“The Web is becoming increasingly important,” Jason told TWICE. “We will be developing a viral campaign, posting semi-exclusive content, placing information in a number of different places, all with the intent of engaging the consumer, and ultimately driving them back to our micro site.”
The micro site, which will launch in the next 10 days, features a room where visitors can view a host of rotating content, in addition to the LG ad spots, and an educational area featuring a “product configurator” that will help guide a consumer to the appropriate TV for their living conditions.
The viral campaign will be added to LG’s “traditional online media campaign,” which will also involve variations on the TV ads, Jason said.
LG is also finishing up details of an in-store promotional component to the campaign, Jason said. Some of the TV commercials will feature regional and national retailer tags.
On June 10, LG will launch a freestanding newspaper insert that highlights the ad campaign theme and features a host of LG 1080p LCD and plasma products. That will drop to about 10 million households across the country, Jason said.
LG will also run related ads in a wide range of national consumer sports enthusiast, lifestyle and shelter magazines, he added.
For 2007, LG is launching a dozen new Full HD models in the United States. The expanded 1080p lineup includes nine LCD HDTVs in screen sizes ranging from 37 inches to 52 inches, and three plasma models in 50-, 60- and 71-inch sizes.
“This is the first year that we have full distribution and cooperation with our retail partners to make this a good business decision for us, the industry and our retail partners,” Jason said. “Our intent is to drive consumers into retail to purchase LG TVs and the consumer has a whole range of options of where they can buy an LG TV this year.”


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A new drinks bar in Drake Circus suddenly closed - less than a week after it opened.
Bubble CiTea, located on the ground floor of the city centre shopping mall, opened last weekend - but signs at the bar later said the venue is closed.
The drinks bar serves 'bubble tea', an up-and-coming cold drink that's particularly popular in China and other Asian countries.
The stall opened on Saturday, October 19 in Drake Circus, for a 'soft launch,' ahead of its main launch on Sunday, October 20, and has been serving the popular drink throughout the week.
But on Friday, eagle-eyed shoppers spotted the empty stall and a sign saying the venue had closed.
One man told Plymouth Live he wanted to take his children to the new drinks stall, but was disappointed to see it had closed.
A sign on the display window at the stall reads: "Due to unforeseen circumstance [sic] we are currently closed. Sorry for any inconvenience."
Fortunately the stall is back open today, Saturday.
A spokesperson said: "Our store was closed over the last couple of days due to teething problems with our new store design. It is open from today!"