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MILAN — A report about Moncler on Italian TV show “Report” on Sunday caused the fashion brand to take legal action against the program as the company’s shares fell 4.7 percent to close at 10.54 euros, or $13.20 at current exchange.
This story first appeared in the November 4, 2014 issue of WWD. Subscribe Today.
Stemming from “Report” investigations in Hungary into the malpractice of plucking goose feathers by harming and badly impairing the animals, the show pointed its finger at Moncler, charging the company with the purchase of feathers for its down coats from Hungary and without abiding with European regulations. In addition to impacting the company’s shares, the program spurred a social media outcry against the brand.
Moncler denied the claims, saying it would take legal action against the show and issuing a statement Monday that said “all the down used by the company is sourced from strictly certified suppliers that adhere to the principles established by the European Down and Feather Association and that they are obliged contractually to guarantee their respect for the treatment of animals, as set out in Moncler’s Ethical Code,” which the company said was available on the brand’s Web site. The firm said all of its down suppliers are located in France, Italy and North America. “Therefore there is absolutely no link between Moncler and the distressing images transmitted that relate to farmers, suppliers and companies that are operating illegally or unacceptably; these were linked in a deliberately misleading way by the program to Moncler,” the brand added.
“Report” also chastised Moncler and Prada for outsourcing the production of some of their goods outside Italy, to the detriment of local small and medium-size manufacturers. The show’s reporters are seen traveling as far as Trans-Dniestr, a Soviet breakaway territory near Moldova and Ukraine, where underpaid workers are allegedly working for the brands, according to “Report.” While Prada declined to comment, Moncler confirmed that, “as stated but ignored by ‘Report,’ it produces in Italy and in Europe. The company produces goods in Italy in limited quantities and in Europe in locations capable of producing in greater volumes and with a high level of technical know-how that guarantees the quality required by Moncler’s customers.”
The company claims to have “always” produced in Eastern Europe, therefore underscoring “that it has never transferred its production away from Italy in the way described by the program. In Italy, Moncler has continued to work closely and efficiently with the very best suppliers.”
The show also criticized the industry’s mark-ups. “The cost of the product, as is normal in the luxury sector, is multiplied by a factor of 2.5 from the manufacturer to the retailer to cover indirect, management and distribution costs,” said Moncler. “In each country, the final selling price is then established depending on the mark-up applied in that specific market. It is therefore clear that the sums referred to in the program [i.e. 40/50 euros, or $50/$62, for a jacket whose retail price is around 1,000 euros, or $1,252], that take into account only a small part of the overall cost of the product, are utterly unreliable and misleading.”
Despite its aggressive crusade against the industry, one brand emerged unscathed by the show: Brunello Cucinelli, praised by “Report” for the namesake entrepreneur’s efforts and investments to preserve production in Italy.


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Update, February 8, 2018: The Good Life will take a second run at crowdfunding with a Kickstarter campaign set to begin in March.
Despite missing their first crowdfunding target by a healthy margin, the team behind The Good Life are not to be dissuaded. The game's director, Swery65, has confirmed that a Kickstarter campaign for the game will launch on March 26.
These are the best games on PC.
The Good Life is a murder-mystery set in the English countryside, in a mysterious village where all of the inhabitants turn into animals over night. It's the next project from Swery, the creator of Deadly Premonition and D4: Darks Dreams Don't Die.
Swery tweeted last night to confirm that, despite a failed campaign on crowdfunding site Fig last year, a second campaign would take place in the Spring. The team view the failed campaign as a "temporary setback," and say they haven't stopped working on the game since the first campaign failed.
Hello everyone. I have a good news for you guys.— HidetakaSwerySuehiro (@Swery65) February 8, 2018
We decided that we will relaunch of crowdfunding campaign of "The Good Life" on 26th March 2018 (PST).
See you AGAIN soon, and I love you all!!
SWERY#TheGoodLife #SweryNewGame pic.twitter.com/ANwfz7KNID
Swery puts some of the failure of the Fig campaign to the fact that this was the team's first-ever kickstarter, and says they "learned a great deal." He lists six changes that the team are working on "to ensure success," including changes to reward content, the provision of gameplay footage, and an enhanced graphical style.
That tweet also contains messages from art director Noburo Hotta and creative director Yukio Futatsugi, re-iterating the message that the game has been refined over the past three months.
Original story, October 12, 2017: Swery’s always been a bit of an underdog making underdog games. His early titles were lost amid the PlayStation 2’s immense library, and even the cult favorite Deadly Premonition coasted on charm despite its lacking gameplay and technical issues. Now the Good Life is one more strange story for the Swery catalog - it won’t meet its Fig funding goal, but Swery promises it will still happen.
The Good Life will be hitting Kickstarter by the end of the year. The Fig campaign still has a few hours to go, but it seems unlikely that it’ll miraculously raise over a million dollars by the end of the day. In fact, it’s been clear for some time that the campaign wouldn’t make it, as it spent most of its duration at less than 20% funding. By the time the campaign’s chances of success had clearly hit zero, Swery began asking fans to make pledges - which, given the campaign’s state, they would not be charged for - to help show potential publishers the level of interest in the game.
Swery has managed to line up some partners, including Panzer Dragoon creator Yukio Futatsugi’s company Grounding, and others to be announced soon. The publishing help will see them hit Kickstarter with a lower funding goal, and Swery’s looking to correct the other issues he’s seen with the campaign. Those include poor communication after early leaks, bad explanations of the multiple versions, and an option for physical copies.
However it turns out, it’s already been a bit of a mess, but that’s something Swery is no stranger to. His last game, D4, was a weird and wild little thing which only saw two episodes of its planned story released before withering away on poor sales. Fans upset that they never saw a full conclusion haven’t been kind in light of Swery’s efforts to make the Good Life happen.
THAT WAS MY FAULT.— HidetakaSwerySuehiro (@Swery65) October 12, 2017
SO I am sorry 10000 times.
But I was sick, and I have to left ex-company.
Life is sometimes difficult.
Life is sometimes tough than you think. https://t.co/zK9JVcRsEY
Guy, It's over to talk about D4.— HidetakaSwerySuehiro (@Swery65) October 12, 2017
I have to Block you if you will continue this conbersation with me.
Is he serious ???????— HidetakaSwerySuehiro (@Swery65) October 12, 2017
I can't believe that.
Unless I can finish D4, are there no right to make a new work?
He is the same as saying to me "You Fxxk die!!!". https://t.co/qhn6pURCLF
So everything’s terrible, basically. Hopefully Swery can bring his latest project to a fully-formed conclusion.

domain: news


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Key West may not experience the characteristically chilly weather that signals the beginning of fall across the country, but there is one event we can rely on annually to herald the beginning of pumpkin spice season: the Monroe Association for ReMARCable Citizens ReMARCable Pumpkin Patch. Now in its 12th year, the patch will be open and chock full of gourds of all shapes and sizes until Oct. 31 (or until all the pumpkins are sold).
Prices range from 50 cents for the smallest squash to $25 for the jumbo jack-o’- lanterns, so grab your kabochas and your knuckleheads and get to carving. The ReMARCable Pumpkin Patch is open daily from 9 a.m. until 6:45 p.m. at 1401 Seminary St.
In addition, mark Oct. 24 on your calendars for the Sixth Annual Smallest Parade in the Universe, a delightful little indoor parade of small floats that benefits the Monroe Association for ReMARCable citizens in Key West. This year’s parade will be streaming live worldwide on www.fantasyfest.com beginning at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24. This very small parade will take the place of the annual Fantasy Fest Parade and the theme is “Roaring 2020s and Future Fictions.”
Participating artists create a “float” no more than 18 inches tall, wide and long to compete for a $1,000 first prize, $500 second prize and $250 third prize — and complimentary entry to the 2021 Official Fantasy Fest Parade. At the end of the parade, a web auction will sell the floats and proceeds will benefit the MARC House.
The Smallest Parade is looking for artists and craftsmen of all abilities and ages to create small tabletop size floats that will roll down a make-believe parade route complete with a “police escort.” The event takes place indoors at the Studios of Key West on Eaton Street in Key West, but will stream live across the universe. Prospective parade float fabricators can download an application at www.tskw.org, request an application from MARC Event Coordinator Becki Balcer at email@example.com (please put “Parade” in the subject line), or pick up a hard copy application from the MARC plant store at 1401 Seminary St. The application deadline is Oct. 17 and finished floats are due Oct. 22.
If you are more of an art consumer than a maker, the exhibition “MARC in the Time of Covid” will be on display at the Studios of Key West through Oct. 29. Over the past several months, MARC clients have had to take extra safety precautions and self-isolate to protect their health. During that difficult time, many have found creating art to be a perfect outlet. This collection of paintings by MARC clients shows the highs, lows and in-betweens felt by this community during a most unusual time.
“MARC in the Time COVID” is on display at the Studios of Key West in the Sanger Gallery, but the art can be viewed and purchased online at www.tskw.org. A portion of the art sales go directly to the MARC House. The Studios of Key West is open to the public at 533 Eaton St., Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. Prospective visitors also can tour the gallery by appointment from 10 a.m. to noon by emailing firstname.lastname@example.org or calling 305-296-0458.
The Monroe Association for ReMARCable Citizens is a nonprofit agency that provides life services for Monroe County’s adult developmentally and intellectually disabled residents. It is a vital part of the Key West community and a beloved organization spreading kindness and generosity in its path. You can learn more about the organization at www.marchouse.org.¦


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Trade Tensions And Pandemic Prompted Rethink Of Global Supply Chains
The US-China trade tensions that started in early 2018 and the outbreak of the global COVID-19 pandemic since January 2020 have disrupted global manufacturing activities and prompted global investors to rethink their supply chain resilience and diversify trade.
In a nutshell, studies show that more businesses are either keeping their main production base in China while extending operations into a new country with ASEAN being the most favourable of locations due to geographical reasons (China Plus One strategy). Nearshoring is another option as labour costs in China creep higher.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, higher labour costs in China and new tariffs on China imports entering the US have led some companies to relocate their manufacturing assemblies outside China or back to their home country (also known as reshoring).
A Gartner Inc. survey of 260 global supply chain leaders in February-March 2020 found that 33% had moved sourcing and manufacturing activities out of China or plan to do so by 2023 (also known as nearshoring).
Some corporates decided to extend their operations into a new country with ASEAN economies being the most favourable locations, while concurrently maintaining production bases in China (also known as China Plus One). Other options include China, for China strategies to tap into China’s domestic market.
Studies showed that the pandemic has accelerated the “China Plus One” strategy and nearshoring with fewer opting for reshoring due partly to the effects of the multilateral trade agreement signed in recent years. The US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) are the two most impactful trade pacts signed recently (see report for details).
The new proposed economic model by China in May 2020 or Dual Circulation Strategy (DCS) also signals the continued importance of China as one of the largest global trade partners (see report for details).
The DCS is a new two-pronged economic model that will boost the country’s domestic demand (internal circulation) and intensify cooperation with global markets (international circulation). It is also preparing China for changing global trade patterns amid lingering trade tensions with the US and the pandemic.
Malaysia’s Trade Gains Amid Supply-Chain Diversions And Pandemic
The US-China trade tensions led to sluggish direct demand for imports from each other. However, it has created opportunities for other Asian countries particularly semiconductor-oriented centres (e.g. South Korea and Taiwan) and relatively low-cost labour-intensive manufacturing countries (e.g. Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia).
This reaffirms the prognosis of, global trade diversion to avoid tariffs from both the US and China and global supply chain diversification to mitigate supply chain disruptions even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Vietnam was the clearest beneficiary in the ASEAN space as Vietnam’s import demand from the US and China surged nearly 80% between 2016 and 2020. Meanwhile, Malaysia still managed to outperform some of its regional peers and rank 8th on China’s import list and 10th on the US imports list.
Based on US imports data, imports from Malaysia gained USD7.6 billion between 2016 and 2020.
Based on China’s import data, China’s imports from Malaysia grew by USD25.7 billion in the same period. Using Malaysia’s export data, exports to China rose by RM60 billion (or 9.3% compounded annual growth) between 2016-2020, while the US grew by RM28.6 billion (or 8.1%) and Singapore expanded by RM27.7 billion (or 5.6%). Top export products were electrical & electronics (E&E), mineral fuels, as well as machinery & transport equipment.
Exports of optical & scientific and rubber products also saw increasing demand from both the US and China following the pandemic. Nevertheless, both US-China trade tensions and the COVID-19 pandemic did not hinder Malaysia’s exports to its top three countries (China, Singapore, and the US), whereby export shipments to these countries have consistently increased across the three specific periods (pre and during the US-China trade tension, and COVID-19 pandemic).
Malaysia’s Approved Investments Signal FDI Interest
The approved foreign manufacturing investments between 2016-2020 showed improved interest from overseas investors (particularly China and the US) in either expanding or setting up their production plants in Malaysia to cater to global and regional demand amid lingering trade tensions and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Foreign manufacturing investments approved by MIDA have risen markedly by 130% to RM112.5 billion in 2018-19 (during US-China trade tension) and RM56.6 billion in 2020 (during the pandemic), compared to RM49.0 billion in 2016-17 (pre-trade tension).
The increase was mainly due to new capital injections since 2018. During the period of heightened trade tensions (2018-19), foreign investments were primarily channelled into electrical & electronics, refined petroleum, basic & fabricated metal, paper, printing & publishing, chemicals, non-metallic mineral, machinery & equipment, as well as rubber manufacturing sub-sectors.
During the pandemic year (2020), basic metal and machinery & equipment industries continued to garner higher foreign investments than those during the trade war period. The other three manufacturing sub-sectors, namely chemicals, paper, printing & publishing, as well as wood & furniture also attracted higher foreign interest.
Attracting Quality Investments To Uplift Malaysia’s Growth Potential
Challenges remain to strengthen Malaysia’s investments and trade linkages to attract high-quality investments. Investment approvals have been encouraging though actualised investments and type of investments matter to secure higher potential growth. Malaysia’s investment growth has slowed in recent years partly due to declining cross-border investments and increasing competition to attract FDIs.
Business sentiment and investment decisions have also been affected by uncertainty in the global and domestic landscape. This poses a risk to Malaysia’s future potential growth as underinvestment in capital and technology can lead to slower development of key sectors of growth, labour productivity, and income levels.
According to UNCTAD, Malaysia is seen to be gaining trade competitiveness in only one sector apparel, out of 14 sectors during COVID-19. Meanwhile, Vietnam’s competitiveness improved across four sectors (apparel, communication equipment, office machinery, and textiles).
Thailand also reported higher competitiveness in two sectors (communication equipment and office machinery) during the pandemic. Despite the pandemic effects, China recorded the highest increase in competitiveness across many sectors including some of the most negatively affected sectors due to the pandemic such as transport equipment and road vehicles.
Going forward, recovery of global macro conditions will be the prime driver of actualised investments over the next 2-3 years. Other potential catalysts include the technology upcycle with the rollout of 5G network and accelerated digital transformation.
Malaysia has (on February 19) launched its Digital Economy Blueprint 2021-2030 that targets to roll out 5G deployment by end-2021 and aims to attract RM70 billion investments in digitalisation to lift the digital economy to 22.6% of GDP.
Malaysia is also part of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) that is targeted to be in force by 1Q22 after it has been ratified by at least six ASEAN countries and three non-ASEAN signatory countries. This trade pact will establish the largest regional supply chain in the world with the growing role of intra-regional economic activity.


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New copyright rules in the member states of the European Union will mean that Google will have to pay publishers for any snippets it uses from their publications, while Facebook will have to change its algorithms to filter out protected content.
Great company Nokia. And I don't recall Finland or Sweden ever being accused of cyber-attacks on Australian networks or databases.
did this ever get sorted?
Meanwhile in Hong Kong, the PLA Raiders gather on the border. Huawei's masters continue to lie to their own people[…]
Aldi always have great deals, and ALDImobile is no different. The only other real challengers are Boost Mobile, also on[…]
Yay!I've been a very happy customer with aldimobile since 2014 - no other sim-only PAYG no-lock-in plans match them in[…]


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[NAMM] Two Notes Torpedo PI-101 Video Demo
New Two Notes Torpedo PI-101 video on AudioFanzine
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- [NAMM] Steven Slate Drums 4.0 Steven Slate is showing the next generation of his virtual drum instrument at the 2011 NAMM Show Booth 6921.
- [NAMM] Monome ARC Monome’s Brian Crabtree and Kelli Cain have announced a new product for 2011, called the ARC.


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The logo of Amazon Web Services (AWS) is seen during the 4th annual America Digital Latin American Congress of Business and Technology in Santiago, Chile, September 5, 2018.
Ivan Alvarado | Reuters
Amazon has faced increasing antitrust pressure this year in both the U.S. and European Union and, on Monday, Oppenheimer warned that the tech giant may have to spin off its lucrative cloud business.
Oppenheimer’s note comes as Amazon protests the Pentagon choosing Microsoft for the military’s ‘JEDI’ contract, which could span a decade of cloud services and be worth as much as $10 billion. The contract marked a major win for Microsoft’s cloud business but Amazon said that “the JEDI evaluation process contained clear deficiencies, errors, and unmistakable bias,” in a a move which is unlikely to take regulatory heat off Amazon.


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Streaming has sort of taken on a life of its own in the 21st century. It began with streaming services like Netflix, offering folks the ability to watch their favorite films and television shows from the comfort of their own home. However, from there, the practice developed rather immensely. Nowadays, streaming is much more associated with Twitch personalities, who broadcast themselves playing various video games.
Twitch stars are often called the celebrities of the future, as it seems that Gen Z are much more interested in the latest Ninja stream, than in the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe film. But, the prevalence of these streamers has also caused a major debate as to whether or not they bring more gamers into the industry.
The Gaming Industry
Embed from Getty ImagesFirst of all, we have to start by mentioning that the gaming industry has experienced incredible growth in the 21st century. Not only are mainstream games making a lot more money than ever, but even indie games can hit it big in 2023. Notable examples include Hades, Cuphead, Binding of Isaac, etc.
Not only that, but the iGaming industry, a significant subgroup of gaming, is also incredibly popular. For those who don’t know, iGaming is sort of a catch-all term for online gambling. And with so many online casino options in 2023, it is no surprise that the industry is thriving. So, the question is, does it matter whether Twitch streamers encourage or discourage people from playing games?
The video game industry is doing just fine. Games are selling better than ever. There really seems to be no cause for concern as to whether or not fans of Twitch streamers will buy the game they are watching being played.
Do Twitch Streamers Help Game Sales?
Regardless, all evidence suggests that Twitch streamers do, in fact, have a positive impact on game sales. For an example, look no further than 2019’s release of Apex Legends. Electronic Arts did not put much effort into marketing the game. One day, they simply released the multiplayer battle arena game on Twitch, and within 24 hours, it had already garnered around 2.5 million players. In large part, this was related to Twitch streamers embracing and promoting the game, as well as streaming it live for their audience.
And Apex Legends is not the only example. Dozens of Triple A and indie games have made it big entirely thanks to Twitch. The formula for success is not all that hard to comprehend. Twitch stars see a game they like. They play it on stream. Their fans like the game as well. The fans buy the game and play it.
Based on the data gathered, it would seem that Twitch stars have, indeed, had an incredibly positive impact on the gaming world. The gaming industry has significantly grown in the 21st century, especially in the 2010s. Gaming is now more popular than ever before. And what is most interesting is that the main influence on people to buy games comes not from the top-most viewed streamers, but from the streamers with a smaller audience.
Stay tuned to Last Word on Gaming for all the latest gaming news and reviews.


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CBD product use has been on the rise for quite some time now and the market continues to expand. But how much has the market actually expanded?
Green Element, an artisanal CBD company, has published new research that reveals just how much the CBD market has expanded.
“We can now say that three out of four of Americans are using CBD products,” said Doug McHart, CEO of Green Element. “That’s great news for our industry but it’s better news for those CBD consumers who are alleviating pain, reducing anxiety and improving their quality of life.
Another area of interest in the study is the demographic of CBD product customers. Perhaps surprisingly, affluent professionals in their thirties and forties are the consumers who use CBD products the most.
McHart goes on to say, “This new data draws a comprehensive and striking image of those consumers: They’re educated, upper income, professional families. They’re smart and they’re choosing to take charge of their family’s health.”
Additionally, the study notes that:
- 97% of Americans believe CBD products provide health benefits
- 40% of Americans take CBD for anxiety and/or stress
- 34.4% of CBD consumers make more than $150,000/year
- More than 80% of Americans aged 25-45 use CBD products
While CBD products used to be an occasional occurrence with your employees, now the statistics say otherwise.
At Nationwide Drug Testing Service, our staff is not only understanding and considerate, but knowledgeable as well. From the moment you contact us, you work with a professional, well-trained Representative who stays with you throughout the entire process.
Nationwide Drug Testing Services is one of the largest accredited drug testing networks in the U.S. We offer testing in every state Nationwide, for affordable, Same-Day-Appointment Drug Testing and Fast, Accurate results.


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ASML Holding, one of the largest makers of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, said its first quarter profit fell 5% as customers cut back on spending, according to an Associated Press report.
The Associated Press report said the Dutch equipment supplier to chip makers such as Intel and Samsung Electronics said net profit fell to â‚¬145.1 million (US$228.9 million) from â‚¬152.7 million the same period a year ago. Sales fell 3.1% to â‚¬919.2 million (US$1.45 billion).
The company forecast that full-year sales would be about 10% lower than 2007 levels. CEO Eric Meurice said sales would be 'weaker for the next two quarters "&brkbar; given our current view of the duration of the correction in semiconductor capital expenditures.'
That was evident in the company's order backlog, which fell to â‚¬1.17 billion from â‚¬1.70 billion at the end of the year.
ASML, based in Veldhoven, Netherlands, sells lithography systems, machines that cost more than â‚¬15 million ($24 million) each. They are used to trace the circuitry of chips.
The current order backlog equates to about 65 machines, of which 26 were ordered during the first quarter, ASML said.


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Ed Miliband responds to critics of Labour energy price freeze plans
Leader of the Labour Party Ed Miliband has responded to critics of the party's proposals that it would freeze energy prices if he won the 2015 election.
Whilst the idea has been met warmly by consumer groups, it's had a number of high-profile critics, including Liberal Democrat and current energy secretary, Ed Davey. Mr Davey said that if the price freeze, which would last 20 months, was implemented, it could risk "the lights going out." Others have argued that energy suppliers would simply increase their prices beforehand to negate the effects of the freeze.
Mr Miliband, however, has revealed that action would be taken against suppliers that defied it.
He told the BBC that he'd written to all energy suppliers, and that he would "make sure this is a genuine freeze that works for consumers."
"If we have to take action to make sure that happens, we absolutely will," he added.
Labour has stated that a price freeze would save the average UK household around £120 annually, and businesses £1,800.
Ian Peters, a senior British Gas executive, speaking at a meeting on Tuesday, however, stated that the intervention could "threaten energy security in the UK."
"If we have no ability to control what we did with the retail prices, and that (wholesale price volatility) was to happen again, it would mean we are selling products at significant amounts of a loss and that would threaten energy security in the UK," Mr Peters stated.
British Gas is one of a number of suppliers participating in the government's Green Deal initiative. It allows customers to get funding for energy efficiency home improvements - such as the installation of a new gas boiler.
Latest gas and electricity news brought to you by UK Power - the energy price comparison site.
Click here to run an energy price comparison, and see if you could be paying less for your gas and electricity.


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Free Text to Speech
Xiaomi is all set to bring its first laptop to India, with reports stating that its latest RedmiBook series of laptops will be launched in India tomorrow. The reports are based off a teaser video posted by Redmi India on Twitter, which seemingly shows the edges of a laptop. This is further corroborated by Xiaomi India MD Manu Kumar Jain's tweet talking about a meeting with Intel India MD, Prakash Mallya, where Jain stated that the two spoke about laptops, among other things. Xiaomi's community of fans and users in India have long written about wanting to see the Mi Notebook and RedmiBook series of laptops in India, and by the looks of it, at least the latter will be launched in India tomorrow, February 11, at 12 noon.
RedmiBook 13 en route?
Based on reports, general expectations state that the recently unveiled RedmiBook 13 will be launched in India tomorrow. The RedmiBook 13 was launched in December 2019 in China, and features 89 percent screen to body ratio. It features a 13.3-inch, full HD display, with 250nits peak brightness of the display panel. In terms of processing power, the RedmiBook 13 runs on 10th generation Intel Core processors, with multiple SKUs using Core i5 and Core i7 configurations. It is likely that Xiaomi introduces its RedmiBook laptops in India with only a Core i5 configuration to begin with. The processors are further aided by a custom cooling mechanism involving dual heat pipes and custom fan design.
Other features of the RedmiBook 13 include 8GB RAM, an impressive 512GB SSD, and a mid-range Nvidia GeForce MX250 graphics card with 2GB of graphics memory, which should be good enough to tackle casual games in mid settings, or lightweight photo and video editing. The RedmiBook 13 also features Harman-branded speakers with DTS Audio flaunted on it, and its connectivity chops include Bluetooth 5.0, NFC and dual-band Wi-Fi. While all of this is impressive, it is a bit disappointing to note that the RedmiBook 13 does not feature a single USB-C port — a standard that is becoming increasingly ubiquitous in recent times. The laptop's 40W-hr battery claims to deliver 11 hours of video playback and 8.5 hours of web browsing, which is acceptable as well.
Pricing and India competitors
With its Core i5 configuration, the Xiaomi RedmiBook 13 is priced at CNY 4,499 in China, which roughly translates to Rs 46,000 in India. While the actual pricing of the laptop is likely to vary slightly, the RedmiBook 13 should be priced within Rs 50,000 in the country.
At this price, the RedmiBook 13 will face competition from the likes of the Lenovo IdeaPad S540 and the Asus VivoBook 14 in India. Both the mentioned laptops have been fairly acclaimed, and come with comparable features as well as thin bezels, a compact footprint and good overall configurations. However, Xiaomi will hope to have the upper hand by advertising its use of 10th generation Intel processors, as well as bundled Microsoft Windows 10 operating system and time-based packs of Microsoft's Office applications, in order to make its mark in the laptops industry of India.


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JP Morgan, it seems, likes to tease. After tantalizing gadgetheads earlier this week with predictions of an imminent Nano version of the iPhone, with scaled-down features and a $300 price tag, a rival team of analysts at the investment bank now says not to hold your breath. According to their report, which is skeptical of the patent applications their colleague based his prediction on:
We caution that the potential for a low-end, subsidized phone from Apple seems unlikely in the near term...Perhaps Apple will choose to eventually replace its iPod family with phones over time, but it could be premature to assume this will happen in volume any time soon.
Analysts Question Nano-iPhone Claim [PC Advisor]


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Labour is committing $50 million to support integrated farm planning.
It must be reviewed, he says. "In spite of the Government spending half a million dollars on a red meat strategy in 2011 and now having committed over $350 million dollars of taxpayer and farmer money in PGP projects, dry stock numbers are declining resulting in a huge impact on rural New Zealand.
"The release of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment's report is further evidence of the dangers of the large scale conversion of dry stock to dairy farming in some regions.
"Primary Industries Minister, Nathan Guy refuses to acknowledge the current state of the red meat sector and the urgent need for direction and leadership.
"A further blow to rural communities is meat companies now exporting meat carcases for processing. Coupled with this is the recent loss announced by Silver Farms, off a $2 billion dollar turnover, which completes a picture of terminal decline for too many in the red meat sector.
"The Government must address the failures across the whole red meat sector and redirect the dollars that are currently being spent in projects that have delivered little real benefit or confidence to the struggling red meat sector.
"The minister should consider supporting the farmer-led initiative that wants a new, viable and long-term structure for the future of red meat farmers in New Zealand," says O'Connor.


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Japan is loaded with kei cars, and though we like to mock them for it, there are plenty of advantages to this system, chiefly among which is efficiency.
But since that’s a solution taken to extreme, the rest of the world can’t really work happily by only being powered by a turbocharged 660 cc engine.
That’s why their car makers are sending all sorts of miniature toys overseas. Mitsubishi is currently taking it one step further with the Mirage.
The Mirage is a very small vehicle and it is managing decent sales in Europe and all other countries but the US seems like a stretch.
Without any stereotypes and such, it’s a known fact that car sales for compacts aren’t the most relevant.
As the world wakes up to smaller cars, lighter weight and smaller engines Mitsubishi are hoping to jump the gun with their Mirage.
Bringing it to the US is ambitious. Doing so with a three cylinder 1.2 liter engine sounds nearly crazy. Some sanity does prevail.
In order to keep with current trends, Mitsubishi are promising that they will have an electric version of the Mirage ready quite soon.
Mitsubishi’s new Mirage will go on sale early next year in the States and its electric version will be ready a few months later in the fall of 2013.
There are plenty of plus point going for the Mitsubishi Mirage but its appearance isn’t such a thing. It simply looks like it escaped from a cartoon show.
That’s a description which is hard to take seriously and unless it’ll be as cheap as turning on the TV in the morning.


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(AGENDAWATCHDOG) – President Muhammadu Buhari’s nationwide broadcast on Monday, April 27, 2020, contained some new #COVID-19 measures, which are listed below.
1. Extension of lockdown in FCT, Lagos and Ogun States to Monday, 4th May, 2020, from when a phased and gradual easing of lockdown measures will commence.
2. Overnight curfew from 8pm to 6am; all movements, except for essential services, to be prohibited during this period.
3. Ban on non-essential inter-state passenger travel until further notice
4. Partial and controlled interstate movement of goods and services will be allowed for the movement of goods and services from producers to consumers
5. Strict enforcement of the mandatory use of face masks or coverings in public in addition to maintaining physical distancing and personal hygiene. State Governments, corporate organisations and philanthropists are encouraged to support the production of cloth masks for citizens;
6. Total lockdown of Kano State for a period of two weeks effective immediately.


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New Delhi: India is drawing up a plan for easing logistics infrastructure for 15 sectors including cement, ste’el and fertilisers, that will detail the most efficient way of transporting these commodities.
The plan is in line with the National Logistics Policy to be launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday.
The idea is to carry out focussed interventions to ensure faster outcomes, officials said.
“There will be a lot of soft interventions enabled by the policy. Focus will be on monitoring outcomes of efforts and increasing coordination between the ministries responsible for improving logistics movement in the country,” a government official, aware of the contours of the proposed policy, told ET.
Arindam Guha, leader & partner, government and public services, Deloitte India, said a combination of additional infrastructure investments through the National Infrastructure Pipeline and prioritisation of projects through the Gati Shakti initiative would give thrust to the logistics efficiency.
The logistics policy will seek to ensure that more weight is thrown behind the existing PM Gati Shakti master plan, which is in early stages of being implemented. The plan also includes raising the share of railways in overall freight movement to 40% from around 28% now to bring down costs and increase efficiency.
In the current logistics modal mix, roads have around 60% share in freight movement, while the remaining share belongs to the water route. Efficient economies’ modal mix is 25-30% roads, 50-55% railway and 20-25% water, the commerce and industry ministry said in a draft policy in 2020.
“As the Dedicated Freight Corridor comes up, along with the thrust given by the logistics policy, we expect the share of railways to increase to 40% from around 28-29% now,” said another official.
A large emphasis will be on multi-modal logistic parks that will be centred on seamless movement of goods and people across modes of transport.
The national and state master plans would help identify optimal multimodal transport mix to decongest roads by promoting railways, inland waterways and coastal shipping.
“The NLP is expected to facilitate a change in the modal mix to focus more on railways (target share of over 50%) and waterways (over 20%),” the official said.
The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has also begun discussions to assess the cost of logistics in the country.
The government has so far been relying on global studies which peg the cost at around 13-14% of the GDP. The policy seeks to bring down this cost to 8%. Transportation costs are aimed to be reduced to 4% by 2030 from 6% now and those related to warehousing to 2.5% from 3.5% now, according to officials.
ETRise MSME Day 2022 Mega Conclave with Industry Leaders. Watch Now.


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Posted by mike on 2008/4/13 6:17:54 (3248) reads
A lot of people's fears have come true - Camp Jeep 2008 will not happen. Instead, the folks at Jeep (and their marketing arm) are focusing their efforts on Camp Jeep 2009.
While we've been hearing rumors of this lately, we now know that emails like this have gone out to past participants:
We're getting the word out to all previous Camp Jeep(R) attendees that the
Jeep(R) brand has selected summer of 2009 for the 15th Camp Jeep.
Camp Jeep #14 in 2007 was the biggest, most successful event to date. The Jeep(R) brand and its hundreds of event partners are gearing up to make Camp Jeep #15 the best event to date. As always, you can expect top-notch music, entertainment, four-wheeling, vehicle displays, and interaction with Jeep(R) designers, engineers and more.
We will keep you informed as we have further information.
The final confirmation comes from the Jeep site itself - on the main Camp Jeep page, there is a big banner that reads: Camp Jeep #15 Summer of '09'.
The comments are owned by the poster.
We aren't responsible for their content.
You must login or register to post a comment.
Posted: 2008/4/19 18:18 Updated: 2008/4/19 18:18
Just can't stay away
Re: It is Official: No Camp Jeep in 2008
What a crock of poo....i contacted jeep back in late January to inquire where Camp Jeep 08 would be held and was told in VA again same as last year and same dates....so i jumped on a couple of rooms for me and friends and now to read this is a total let down...put in vacation time and everything...bummer....


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Earlier this week, UK Entertainment giant HMV entered administration. Since then, the long standing Music, DVD and Gaming specialists appear to have hit even worse times as angry consumers begin to demand answers.
It became evident late last year that HMV had hit some pretty rough times. This was put down to the fact that retail stores of it's kind are undeniably struggling due to the growing rise in online shopping and digital downloads. This came as quite a shock, considering the show that the retailer put on for the Wii U's UK launch in late November.
Consumers are continuing to question their faith in the brand as staff refuse to accept the use of gift cards in stores. With the remarkable story that came to light today as an angry grandfather walked out with a selection of games, after being refused the right to use his giftcard.
The HMV online store also appears to have ceased trading, as an administrator's note reads. Stating that no purchases may be made online until further notice.
Worries amongst staff are also starting to rise, as HMV's 4,350 UK employees doubt the safety of their jobs.
It's quite clear that the UK high street Video Games market is very much struggling. With the new found ability to download games online and even purchased box copies through that medium, the use of a high street store has become quite unnecessary.
HMV have clearly stated that this isn't the end, as they wait to be pulled out of Administration, just as GAME were a little while back. Whilst this process continues to unfold, we would like to wish the best of luck to all of those involved with this huge issue.


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When Carr took the hot seat at Cadbury last year he appeared resolved to toughen things up at the company. He seems to have succeeded.
It is a mettle that will be tested to its limit in the coming months. Kraft's proposal has now been firmly rejected and the US company's softly-softly overtures are likely to turn more aggressive in the coming weeks. The chances of these two remaining friends look increasingly unlikely.
Cadbury and its shareholders have made their feelings clear. Kraft's offer undervalues its rival and more value will have to be put on the table. And the UK company's decision to point to Kraft's "low-growth conglomerate" credentials suggest Carr and his chief executive, Todd Stitzer, will play hard-ball.
Kraft will be forced to go back to the drawing board and put forward a higher offer e_SEnD 850p looks like the minimum shareholders will demand.
Any increase will have to come predominantly in cash rather than shares, which makes it increasingly likely that Kraft will have to go looking for money. The Middle East or Warren Buffett, a Kraft shareholder, look like obvious ports of call.
Kraft's bid for Cadbury is likely to mark just the first flirtation in American Inc's growing infatuation with British plc.
Evidence of America's sweet designs on European, and particularly UK, companies will grow over the coming months.
As developing countries lead the world out of the recession, some US companies are finding they are painfully light when it comes to their exposure to emerging markets.
That was all very well when US consumers were enjoying the boom years and spending their dollars freely, but times have changed.
Despite Barack Obama's efforts to coax the American public into parting with their hard-earned greenbacks, consumer spending remains pitifully light.
Before the economic downturn, US companies could afford to keep their focus within their own borders, placing their faith in the cash-cow on their doorsteps. That approach now appears ill-considered.
Much of Cadbury's attraction to Kraft is the Daily Milk maker's footprint in emerging markets such as India and Latin America, areas where its US rival remains underexposed. That is a pattern that is likely to be repeated.
Kraft will not be the first US company to come shopping in Europe. For those keen to keep British companies in British hands, the bad news is that the UK is likely to be one of the best hunting grounds.
With family ownership still prevalent in continental Europe and countries such as France beating the protectionist drum, Britain's free-market approach and the predominance of public companies makes the UK the best place to shop.
That will lead to takeovers and job-cuts, a politically unpalatable by-product of an active mergers and acquisitions market. Despite the furore, Gordon Brown should stick to his anti-protectionist guns.
The wrong number
What's the difference between the mortgage market and the mobile phone market? It would seem rather a lot where the Office of Fair Trading is concerned.
I understand the OFT is not planning to look into Orange's planned tie-up with T-Mobile in the UK.
The consumer champion plans to wait until the deal closes until looking at the matter, but even then is likely to leave any investigation to the European Commission.
If the EC were likely to take a long, hard look at the tie-up, that might not necessarily be a problem, but all the signs suggest that will not happen because Europe is already littered with example of mobile phone monopolies.
Neither are you going to hear complaints from rival UK operators such as Vodafone or O2. They will welcome less competition as it should allow them to get more aggressive on prices.
Last year, when Lloyds rode to the Government's rescue by saving HBOS from oblivion, much was made e_SEnD and has been made since e_SEnD about the newly merged bank's share of the mortgage and savings markets.
Concerns were raised that Lloyds Banking Group's 30pc share of the mortgage market would put it in too strong a position for consumers' good.
Competition authorities were rightly told to avert their eyes in that case, but there is no equal imperative in the mobile phone market.
Should Orange and T-Mobile be allowed their British marriage, they will take a 37pc share of the mobile market.
That is plainly unacceptable. The companies and the investment bankers will profit, but the consumer will be the one left carrying the can.
If the OFT cannot or will not look at the tie-up, we need the a change to the system.
Keep the bubbly on ice
So, that's it then, it's time to break open the bubbly.
The recession is over. The housing boom is under way again. The mergers market is back in full swing. It's all plain sailing from here.
Except it doesn't quite work like that.
There is little doubt that the economic situation is improving and that the green shoots appear to be more visible than they have been since the crisis hit, but anyone who thinks their job is now safe and that they can finally stop wearing a tie to work should think again.
History, and insolvency practitioners, tell us that the next six months could be among the most difficult yet where it comes to everyday consumers and small businesses. It is in the wake of a recession that small companies most often run into cash-flow problems as bad debts and cash-flow problems come home to roost.
As the banks get to grips with their loan books, it will also be the time when lenders begin making the tough decision about turning off companies' life-support machines.
The M&A market has come back to life, but much of what is going on is opportunistic or market dependent. That means little for the man on the street.
Meanwhile, the housing recovery is being driven by a shortage of supply, likely to be hit when the Government starts to raise interest rates again.
Rates at historic lows are undoubtedly helping homeowners stay put, but those who aren't using the opportunity to put money away for when rates head north will be in for a nasty shock.
Unemployment figures out next week are likely to show joblessness ticking up, which will, in turn, keep consumer spending subdued. The effects will continue to hit small and large business up and down the country.
Better to keep the bubbly on ice for now.


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Dollar Rally Fades as Home Sales Disappoint and Other Top Forex News
New York (Feb 21) The dollar rally faded today but remained in positive territory against most of the other major currencies after U.S. home sales data missed expectations, fuelling concerns over the strength of the country’s economic recovery.
U.S. existing home sales declined 5.1% to 4.62 million units last month, compared to expectations for a 4.3% drop to 4.68 million units according to National Association of Realtors data.
Existing home sales were also revised down to 0.8% a rise of 487 million units from an initially estimated 1% increase.
During todays U.S. session the dollar came off a high of 102.84 against the Japanese yen, after the release of this mornings housing data.
The greenback rallied against the yen overnight, after the Bank of Japan said its stimulus program could continue for longer than the two years initially anticipated.
USD/JPY ended the session up 0.29% to 102.57.
Meanwhile, the single currency ended the week little changed against the euro, with no data releases to support it. EUR/USD ended the session up 0.17% at 1.3743.
The pound also held steady against the dollar despite data showing that U.K. retail sales fell by 1.5% in January, more than the expected 1% decline. Retail sales in December were also revised down to a 2.5% increase from a previously estimated 2.6% gain.
A separate report showed that public sector borrowing in the U.K. fell by £6.4 billion in January, confounding expectations for a £9 billion decline. Public sector net borrowing for December was revised down to a £9 billion increase from a previously estimated £10.4 billion jump.
GBP/USD ended the session down 0.06% at 1.6641.
Elsewhere, the greenback strengthened against the Australian and New Zealand dollars, with AUD/USD declining 0.43% to 0.8967 and NZD/USD shedding 0.32% to 0.8278.
And the Canadian dollar came under pressure after official data showed that core consumer price inflation, which excludes the eight most volatile items, rose 0.2% in January, more than the expected 0.1% uptick, after a 0.4% fall the previous month.
Consumer price inflation gained 0.3% last month, exceeding expectations for a 0.1% rise, after a 0.2% slip in December.
While a separate report showed that retail sales in Canada dropped 1.8% in December, compared to expectations for a 0.5% fall. In November, retail sales were revised to a 0.5% rise, from a previously estimated 0.6% increase.


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Shop on, shop off. The e-commerce apparel brand, Everlane, known for selling simple basics and its “Radical Transparency” mission, is going offline. Originally selling its products exclusively online, recently Everlane opened up its first brick-and-mortar store, in San Francisco. It follows a recent trend from the last couple of years, where e-retailers such as Athleta, Birchbox, and Warby Parker have all launched physical locations.
Rent the Runway is another e-commerce platform that started online and has successfully transitioned to offline shops. Hopping on the trend of real-time shopping, they’re working to accommodate those who can’t physically make it to their stores, but want a better view of what they’re purchasing. Last month, they started using Snapchat to give customers a livestream look at its special occasion dresses and outfits, helping them find the right fit. With the customer’s dress size and height, a RTR team member of similar measurements is recruited to model the outfit, and a video or photo is sent to the customer via Snapchat’s direct messaging feature.
These brands illustrate of the shifting world of e-commerce, changing the way we think of shopping by melding the worlds of online and offline together in one fashion-forward statement. “Mobile technology has changed consumer behavior where convenience is no longer a differentiator but an expectation,” says Michael Berelian of Mindshare NA’s Shop+ team. “Being online is no longer enough. Brands and retailers must speak to consumers where they are spending time. From Facebook to Snapchat, brands are finding innovative ways to speak to their consumers. That said, being there isn’t the solution. You must be there with a relevant message and at the relevant time.”
Another brand that’s giving its spin on stylish wear? Corona Light. In collaboration with another e-commerce outlet, Gilt Groupe, plus the artistic eyes of popular fashion bloggers, the beer brand is curating beer-drinking outfits that are meant to embody the “whimsical and fun” identity of the brand. This begs the question: what does one specifically wear when drinking beer?
Shopping is being revolutionized in many different ways, be it through adaptive pricing, virtual dressing rooms, and social-media-driven/ beer-inspired outfits. Trends in the way we purchase continue to change, sometimes faster than you trying on a new pair of pants.


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Black Friday 2015 PS4: Deals, Best Prices, Doorbusters and Where to Buy
As Black Friday draws ever nearer, some conscious shoppers are scouting out the best prices on certain products to stay a step ahead of the pack. Before busting down retailers' doors on Friday (or, in some cases, Thursday), some shoppers are keeping a close watch on price points for a particularly hot-ticket item: Sony's PlayStation 4.
"Thanksgiving is a time for family, a lot of turkey, a ton of football, hours of gaming and amazing Black Friday offers," wrote John Koller, PlayStation's brand marketing vice president, in a company blog post on Monday. "Thanksgiving is only days away, and we know that many of you are thinking of buying a PS4 for yourself or someone special this holiday season. If you were watching football yesterday, you probably saw our commercial featuring the games that demonstrate how PlayStation is the best place to play this holiday. It also featured the Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection PS4 bundle."
Here's where to find the best deals, prices and doorbusters on the PS4.
The deals: This year, a few retailers are offering the PS4 bundle at $299, which is $50 off Sony's going rate of $349.99 for the 500GB console. Shoppers looking to grab the game center at a discount should head to Best Buy, GameStop, Toys "R" Us or Wal-Mart.
Costco will also sell the PS4 at a $50 reduction on Black Friday, though the wholesale store isn't offering consumers a bundled option. Per Koller's blog post, the retail locations that offer the bundled option for game shoppers will extend the discount through Cyber Monday.
And for those shoppers looking to avoid massive crowds during one of the biggest shopping days of the year, Overstock will be offering a number of discounts based on which game consumers choose to bundle with the console.


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In January, Volvo sold just 3,472 vehicles in the United States. Last month the company reported U.S. sales of 7,900 vehicles, more than double the January total. Year over year, sales in September rose 40%.
While still a small fraction of the roughly 1.5 million vehicles sold in the United States last month, the growth rate is impressive. But Volvo, which has been owned by China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding since 2010, sales remain 2.7% below its year-to-date total for last year. U.S. sales for the first nine months of 2017 total 56,963, down 1.1% year over year.
Volvo’s best-selling U.S. model last month was the all-new XC90, a luxury sport utility vehicle (SUV) with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price beginning at $45,750. Volvo reported sales of 2,993 XC90s in September, 21.4% higher year over year. The only other model that sold more than 1,000 units was the new midsize XC60 SUV, which pushed out 1,807 units, up 56.2% year over year.
Global sales of Volvo cars rose 11.2% year over year in September to 53,674, including a gain of nearly 30% in its adopted home market of China, where the company sold 11,544 units. In the first nine months of 2017, global sales totaled 413,472, up 9% year over year, and sales in China rose nearly 30% year over year to 82,341 units.
The company’s third largest market is its native Sweden, where it sold 5,745 units in September and a total of 54,105 for the year to date. China, U.S. and Sweden sales account for about 47% of Volvo’s sales for the first three quarters of 2017.
More interesting than the numbers are Volvo’s other initiatives. The company was the first to announce that by 2019 every car it sells will include some degree of electrification. Volvo has also committed to investing $1.1 billion in its South Carolina to build the electrified versions of the XC90 beginning in 2021.
Volvo recently introduced its compact 2018 XC40 SUV that is expected to reach U.S. dealers in May at a base price of around $33,200. The company has also launched a “Care by Volvo” subscription service under which customer/subscribers pay the company a flat monthly fee that includes everything related to the car except the cost of fuel. While the company has high hopes for the program, it does not expect to make any money on it in the near term.
Does this sound like another carmaker that also sells fewer than 10,000 vehicles a month but still manages to attract a lot of public attention? Like Tesla, Volvo punches way above its weight in automobile circles. Volvo’s strength is based on its brand and its history of making good, safe cars. With financial support from Geely and a long-term plan that could be a money-loser for a few years, Volvo now has to execute. Stay tuned.


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SHANGHAI (Reuters) -- A few malls and residentialcomplexes in Shanghai have started asking visitors to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination, with one shopping centre's temporarydecision to bar entry sparking a backlash on social media.
A video showing a local resident arguing with securityguards about the legitimacy of barring unvaccinated people atthe entrance of the Pacific Life Plaza in Shanghai has beenshared tens of hundreds of times on China's Twitter-like Weibo.
Several vendors told Reuters that the mall was blockingunvaccinated customers at the entrance, though people couldstill sneak in from the exit. The mall operator could not beimmediately reached for comment."
This is too much, as this is like compulsory vaccination indisguise," one netizen wrote on the popular microblog.
China was hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic last year buthas since largely contained its spread, though there are stilloccasional flare-ups.
Inoculation is voluntary in China, withofficials explicitly told not to enforce compulsory jabs.Shanghai last reported a community infection on Feb. 4.
"Isn't vaccination voluntary, on a recommendation basis, andsomething that is only encouraged? Where did the plaza get theright to bar people from entry?" another netizen said on Weibo.
A Reuters reporter visited the mall late on Monday and sawthe mall is no longer barring people based on their vaccinationstatus.Vendors at another shopping centre in Shanghai said theSheshan Baolehui mall is asking visitors to show vaccinationcredentials, but not blocking unvaccinated people.
China aims to vaccinate 40% of its 1.4 billion people by theend of June. But its success in containing the spread of thevirus and vaccine shortage in some areas could still slow theeffort.Meanwhile, visitors at high-rise residential complex XiandaiXingzhoucheng in northeastern Shanghai are required to showproof of vaccination on their mobile phones, according to anotice seen by Reuters.
Those not vaccinated will need to be registered, the noticesaid."(Residents) who have been vaccinated would not need toregister, enjoying a bit of convenience," said a staff member atthe local residential committee for the Xingtai neighbourhood, where the Xiandai Xingzhoucheng complex is located.
The pace of vaccination in China has accelerated to around20 million doses administered each day on average in the pastweek, compared with a few million in April.
As of June 6, China had administered 777.88 million doses ofCOVID-19 vaccines.By the end of 2021, China is expected to vaccinate at least70% of "target groups", Zeng Yixin, deputy director of China'sNational Health Commission, told the official Xinhua newsagency, without giving details.
The National Health Commission and Shanghai government didnot immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment.


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Much revered ad agency has won Dick Smith’s creative gig. The electronics giant, who last week announced comparable sales jump of 7% y-o-y, is looking to continue its stream of success and create a fresh differentiation strategy, its Head of Marketing & Buying, Annette Karantoni, revealed.
Dick Smith Hire M&C Saatchi Mad Men
The retailer also admitted the agency’s strong global reputation played a part in the choosing M&C, whose client list already includes Optus, David Jones and the Woolworths group.
“M&C Saatchi obviously have strong credentials in branded retail work. But what really set them apart was a strong creative idea inspired by a differentiating strategy,” Ms Karantoni said.
“The agency has a demonstrated ability to deliver large and complex advertising programs for clients like us. This, coupled with the strength and stability of their team made them an ideal fit for Dick Smith.”
The Sydney based agency said it was excited about the prospect of working with the Woolworth owned retailer.
“Dick Smith is an iconic Australian brand, synonymous with innovation and quality and the agency is excited to have the opportunity to propel the brand forward,” M&C Saatchi managing director David Whittle said.


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You are here
Daily Debrief: What Happened Today
Stories you might have missed
"WE will continue to support our workers and firms through this crisis. But we are not able to sustain the same level of support indefinitely," said Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat, who is also Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies.
THE charge relates to instigating a Hin Leong employee to forge a document purportedly issued by UT Singapore Services which was allegedly used to secure more than US$56 million in trade financing from a financial institution.
SINGAPORE has won the rights to host the 110th Lions Clubs International Convention in 2028, with the event expected to attract around 20,000 foreign delegates and generate over S$58 million in tourism receipts.
THE National Wages Council (NWC) says it will reconvene later this month to review its wage guidelines issued in March and will aim to release its updated guidelines in September.
THIS comes as the long-drawn Covid-19 pandemic has inflicted damage to all sectors in varying degrees, with some countries in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region still grappling with the resurgence of the virus, said IHS Markit analysts.
- ST Engineering H1 profit slips 4.4% as aerospace, electronics hit by pandemic
- Sasseur Reit cuts Q2 DPU by 6% after posting lower year-on-year sales
- Isetan sinks into the red with S$317,000 net loss in H1
- Golden Agri-Resources H1 loss widens to US$156.9m
- Dasin Retail Trust DPU falls 43.4% to 1.92 S cents for H1
- Q&M Dental first-half revenue slumps 14%, Aoxin Q&M's loss widens
- Cosco Shipping H1 earnings tumble 69% to S$1.4m
- Hong Leong Asia H1 net profit down 5.7% to S$19.4m after drag by associates
- Hyphens Q2 profit up 32% on robust sales of skin health products, supplements
The STI today
THE Straits Times Index ended the week down 14.65 points or 0.58 per cent at 2,581.32 points, as investors remained cautious amid the virus-stricken economy.


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McDonald's India partner Vikram Bakshi on Thursday hit out at the fast food major, saying it follows 'different standards' for India compared to other countries and continuously ignored the food quality concerns raised by him in the past four years. His remarks came hours after McDonald's suggested that CPRL's new logistic vendor may pose risk to McDonald's food quality and safety standards.
Bakshi said: "It appears that McDonald's have global standards for food safety and supplies, and they have a very different set of standards for countries like ours which is a clear double standard."
Fight between McDonald's and its India partner Vikram Bakshi has been going on for a few years. However, the latest round of exchanges started earlier this week after CPRL's logistics partner Radhakrishna Foodland stopped the supply that led to the shutdown of all McDonald's outlets in East India.
Vikram Bakshi blamed McDonald's for the 'abrupt supply disruptions' and partnered with a new logistics vendor ColdEX. Bakshi's move did not go well with McDonald's. The fast food giant alleged it had not approved the new vendor. McDonald's said: "Using unapproved vendors for the supply chain is creating serious compliance risks to McDonalds standards for food quality and safety."
To which Bakshi responded, saying that issues concerning public health have been blatantly ignored by McDonald's with no responses, visits or actions on food safety. "It is indeed ironic that the conscience of McDonald's has suddenly awakened to quality and food safety in India, when for the past four years, CPRL has been bringing to their attention, including their CEO, Steve Easterbrook, issues of the same, without extracting a single response or visit from them," Bakshi said in a statement.
Earlier this week, Radhakrishna Foodland had discontinued its supply services alleging reduction in volume and non-payment of certain dues, among others. Termination of supplies affected about 100 restaurants in East and North India. Bakshi said this was a pre-planned step in collusion with McDonald's and their wholly owned subsidiary in India MIPL. Later, NCLT-appointed CPRL administrator asked Radhakrishna Foodland to resume the supply services as the termination was in contravention of the NCLT judgement that ordered for smooth functioning of the CPRL restaurants without any hindrance.
The fight between McDonald's and Bakshi began in 2013 after fast food giant removed Bakshi as the Managing Director of CPRL. The National Company Law Tribunal later reinstated him and also refrained McDonald's from interfering in the functioning of CPRL besides appointing an administrator to oversee the smooth functioning of CPRL. The battle which gained momentum after Bakhshi's ouster turned ugly when McDonald's India terminated the franchise agreement of 169 outlets this year in August. Both the parties are now fighting out their case in various legal forums including NCLT, NCLAT and Delhi high court. Meanwhile, Bakshi continues to operate the outlets.
(With inputs from PTI)
Copyright©2021 Living Media India Limited. For reprint rights: Syndications Today


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DC Tech News 16/06/23
Welcome to this week's DC tech news! We’ll run down some of the most exciting news that dropped this week.
Confirmation: Nvidia confirmed release date for Geforce RTX 4060
image credit: Twitter (@NVIDIAGeForce)
It’s official: in a tweet from Nividia, they have confirmed that their GeForce RTX 4060 will now be available to order from June 29th, bringing the release forward from the originally planned release month of July.
This confirms the rumours by reputable leaker MEGAsizeGPU of the new release date.
According to Nvidia’s official website, the GeForce RTX 4060's 3072 CUDA core count is a little lower than the 4352 of the 4060 Ti, but it also has a more TDP (thermal design power) 115W compared to the 160W of the RTX 4060 Ti, meaning its power efficiency and performance per watt will likely be impressive. The early release may be to mitigate the somewhat lukewarm reception of the RTX 4060 Ti, as many gamers have opted to skip it because of its price tag, and it shows in the reported weak sales.
The RTX 4060 will have competition in the likes of AMD’s Radeon RX 7600, and even its own last generation cards as they get cheaper towards their end-of-life.
Intel switches packaging to slimmer alternative
Image credit: Intel
More and more, companies are opting to change their usual packaging to something a little more ergonomic. For their Core i9-13900K and Core i9-13900KS, some of the best CPUs currently available on the market. Intel has notified their customers of their new retail packaging. This packaging change is mainly due to decrease the volumetric storage of the processors, and ultimately will lower Intel’s international shipping costs.
Intel has downgraded the Core-i9-13900K and Core i9-13900KS packaging from a “Tier 2” box to a “Tier 4”, meaning it will replace the current packaging with a standard folding carton.
All these changes are superficial; the technology hasn’t been affected by the recent changes to the packaging. However, historically Intel have often simplified their packaging in the wake of the release of a new upgrade. This could mean that the rumours regarding the Raptor Lake Refresh could indeed be true. So we’ve got our ears to the ground just in case Intel decides to surprise us.
Gigabyte releases RTX 4090 with new smart power connector placement
Image credit: Gigabyte
Gigabyte has shadow dropped a revised version of its RTX 4090 Windforce graphics card, but it hasn’t changed its innards: it’s repositioned the 12VHPWR power connector common to Nvidia’s high end RTX 40 cards.
So why the change? It was first spotted by Twitter user Haruka5719, and it makes so much sense: it’s certainly more aesthetically pleasing, as the cables can be discreetly routed out behind the motherboard tray, which leaves a much cleaner looking build.
Additionally, this minor change can also minimise bending of cables and connectors, especially if the previously outward facing connector is pressed up against a case side panel or window. This is a great for people worried about their expensive GPUS accidentally catching fire or melting into a plastic and metal mess. It’s important to note that a portion of the heatsink was removed to accommodate the new positioning of the connector, which will result in slightly high temperatures but fortunately, the 4090 is very efficient with its temperature management.
Would you be interested in this new change? Do you reckon it could make your build even prettier?
GPU sales hit a new low
Image credit: Unsplash
It seems the pandemic is still affecting us in ways we might not have anticipated.
The scalping and scarcity of graphics cards during lockdown is a distant memory. GPUS have seen a dip of almost 13% since the last quarter, and fallen by 40% compared to the same time last year. Analyst for JPR C. Robert Dow says of the situation:
“Oversupply in the market for graphics cards caused by pandemic-era supply chain inconsistencies and orders… The second half of 2023 promises to be brighter. AMD reported that channel sales grew sequentially for the Radeon 6000 and Radeon 7000 series GPUs. Intel, once again, committed to their next-generation Battlemage family of GPUs, bringing more competition into the gaming add-in board market, and Nvidia released its first 60-series add-in board in the Ada Lovelace family. The 60-series line of AIBs are traditionally Nvidia’s most popular with gamers."
This could indicate that consumers are opting to hold onto their technology longer or buying second hard, mentioned in the JPR’s report that GPUs inside PCs has actually increased by 8% compared to last quarter.
Perhaps your technology could use a spruce up? We can help with our DC Renew service.
Software and gaming news
US Federal Trade Commission files temporary restraining order against Microsoft Activision Acquisition
Image credit: Unsplash
In new developments concerning the Microsoft acquisition of Activision, the US Federal Trade Commission has been granted a temporary restraining order against it, meaning the deal is officially on hold until the courts can rule on the latter’s request for a preliminary injunction against the closure of the deal.
This temporary restraining order was filed by the FTC on June the 12th, perhaps to detain Microsoft closing the deal despite the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) blocking it earlier this year. The deal has since been approved throughout the European Union and China as Microsoft have appealed the UK ruling. Microsoft’s apparent attempt to close the deal:
“despite pending administrative litigation and the CMA order.” And the FTC are concerned that Microsoft may “consummate the proposed acquisition at any time.”
The case continues to develop.
Summer Game Fest is over: what were your highlights?
What a week it's been for gaming! Among some amazing announcements right from day one such as Mortal Kombat 1 and Nicolas Cage in Dead by Daylight (we were shocked too!), we've had our eyes glued to our screens with every single exciting update. Some of our highlights include:
- Sonic Superstars
- Sandland from the mind of legendary Dragonball creator Akira Toriyama
- Alan Wake 2
- Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man who Erased his Name
- Call of Duty Season 4
- Metal Gear Solid 3 Remake
- Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth
Not to mention:
Starfield direct blows expectations out of the water
Image credit: Starfield official images
In a blow-out 45 minute presentation, Bethesda showed us brand new footage of the highly anticipated Starfield, including combat, a brand new city and even ship building to an impressive level of creative freedom. We saw a tease at this kind of creativity in Nintendo’s Tears of the Kingdom released last month, among the many… interesting shaped contraptions people were making (no we won’t be linking them here). Are we expecting Skyrim in space? Partially. But a Skyrim for this new generation of gaming, with seemingly updated combat as you blast space bugs instead of dragons. We’re excited to see that the freedom of Skyrim seems to have transported over to Starfield, and it looks fantastic. You can watch the presentation in full here:
And that about covers this week's tech news! What are you most looking forward to? If you want any advice about upcoming releases and wanting to add them to a build you're thinking of or need to add an upgrade to your existing hardware, don't forget to get in touch or browse our custom gaming PC range!


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55Tuan Restart IPO Plan: Rumor has it that China’s group buying service 55Tuan reinitiated its IPO plan to get listed on NASDAQ raising between US$ 100 million and US$ 200 million with UBS as its underwriter. The company scheduled to go public in 2011 in the first place but postponed it largely due to credibility crisis plaguing market and investors’ concerns over US-listed Chinese companies‘ accounting problem.
Lashou, another Chinese daily deal site put off its IPO roadshow in last year as well with no exact timetable to restart it.
TMall Changs its Name: Tmall, the B2C online shopping mall by Taobao announced today to change its Chinese name from Taobao Mall (淘宝商城) to 天猫, which means “sky cat” in Chinese. Many Chinese people commented on the news saying laughing their ass off. Zhang Yong, president of the service said that cat represents fashion, trends, quality and sexy. Also according to him, the kinda floating in the air cat brought in more than RMB 100 billion (US$ 15.8 billion) in 2011 with more than 10 million of daily UV.
More Than 505M Internet Users in China: According to the statistics compiled by CNNIC , as of November 2011 China has more than 505 million Internet users with a penetration of about 37.7%, up 3.4% from the year earlier, while mobile Internet users surpassed 340 million.
360buy Spending 46.7M Buying Commercial Property: According to local report, 360buy bought a commercial property (building area between 186896.2 and 209402.4 square meters) for RMB 295 million (US$ 46.7 million) in Beijing Economic Technological development area, in Daxin District of Beijing.


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The new Toyota Tacoma was unveiled today at the Chicago Auto Show and sports plenty of noteworthy additions and improvements.
The 2020 Toyota Tacoma gets Android Auto, for example. It gets a new infotainment system and new features for the TRD Pro version. But perhaps the coolest new feature of the redesigned Tacoma and specifically the TRD Pro model is the availability of a new color: Army Green.
History of Toyota Army Green
It’s actually quite limited. See, we were curious about what Toyota Army Green was all about thinking that it must be a great color for a rugged mid-size truck like the Tacoma TRD Pro. So we decided to look into the past to learn more about it.
Turns out, Army Green as only been offered a few times on a Toyota product from what we can tell, and it wasn’t offered for long.
The first model to offer it as so far as we can tell was the 1960 Toyota Land Cruiser and as we can see in the image above, it looks really, really good. We can’t be sure if this is an exact match with what the 2020 Toyota Tacoma’s Army Green, but we can only hope.
The next Toyota Army Green we found was available for only year on a special edition of the… Toyota FJ Cruiser.
Army Green on the Toyota FJ Cruiser Trail Teams Special Edition
Army Green was released in 2011 on a limited edition of the FJ Cruiser called the Trail Teams Special Edition. The unique FJ was offered from 2008 to 2014 and each year (except 2009) a new color was introduced specifically for the model.
The 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser Trail Teams Special Edition was painted in Iceberg, the 2010 got Sandstorm, the 2011 was of course Army Green, the 2012 was Radiant Red, the 2013 was Cement Gray and the final model in 2014 was Heritage Blue.
And so there you have it, this is the new Toyota Army Green. We really would have liked to have found an image of the Tacoma in this deep, dark green color, but we’ll just have to wait. If any of you guys have more pictures of the TRD Pro’s new shade, don’t hesitate to send them our way.


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Increased regulation and the emergence of specialised risk managers are among factors driving the governance, risk and compliance market, company says.
Showing results 1 to 20 of 587
Modern web development based on HTML5 and CSS etc struggles with confusing standards. Now the W3C and browser companies such as Google, Microsoft and Mozilla have dumped their docs in a combined wiki at WebPlatform.org so developers can sort it out.
Spike in cyberattacks not spurring similar rise in cyberinsurance adoption worldwide due to issues of cost, trust and limited regulation, which reflect a still immature market especially in Asian region, observers note.
Technology remains nascent and will need to "prove itself" to financial institutions its effectiveness as an authentication tool over more mature methods such as biometrics, say observers.
Dubbed ACAD/Medre.A, malware targets AutoCAD software, steals and sends files to e-mail accounts located in China, says security vendor ESET, which is working with Chinese firms to prevent further harvesting of data.
Security and privacy concerns over patient data legitimate, but industry needs to adopt balanced view by defining importance of information and avoid being overly "paranoid", execs state.
Businesses need to decide if they want to devote resources to secure own infrastructure when cloud providers can offer more robust environment since their core business requires it.
Web sites, using names of government organizations or charity groups, conned money from businesses or individuals through blackmail, identity thefts and ransoms.
Cloud-based distributed denial of service protection a lucrative business opportunity, especially in Asia where awareness of DDoS attacks and risks is growing, industry exec says.
Students ought to be taught cybersecurity knowhow as soon as tech is introduced to them, and such courses should be holistic to include ethical and societal impacts, observers say.
Hackers using improved attack techniques with distributed denial-of-service, while new technologies spurred its propagation and damage level, industry watchers point out.
States need to plan and conduct online monitoring activities to stay informed and ready against cyberattacks, but issues such as national sovereignty pose challenges, say security watchers.
Cross-border treaties to collaborate and protect against online threats growing in importance, but potential allies need trust and right incentives to ensure such agreements are effective, security observers note.
update Social networking site reveals some of the reported 6.4 million passwords stolen matched its users; is taking measures to protect users and make passwords more difficult to hack.
Companies such as Cisco and Singapore Internet Exchange share their journeys in switching to new protocol but the effort and costs committed represents major reason why others avoid making the move.
Tough economic climate and low capital base mean small and midsize businesses not focusing on security, but being ill-prepared might hamper their survival efforts, market players warn.
Attempt to carve out Internet safe haven might bring additional security, as well as cost, challenges for operators and participating companies, security observers note.
Trojan "most sophisticated cyber weapon" in market currently, but Verizon exec reckons its large file size and non-network-propagating nature means malware won't pose much of a threat globally.
Reporting of vulnerabilities and exploits essential to establish procedure consistency in security products as well as protect customers against cyberattacks, but companies that do so must practice discretion in data they divulge.
General from People's Liberation Army asks for joint efforts among international community to create rules for cyberspace to tackle online threats, according to report.
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- 5 So you have an app idea and want to make a bajillion bucks


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The British Ceramic Household and Ornamental Manufacturing industry has struggled in recent years and is expected to continue to do so into the future. Revenue for 2015-16 is expected to contract by 2.4% to reach £426.7 million. Were it not for a series of high-profile events that took place in the United Kingdom that counterbalanced revenue trends, the industry compound annual growth rate might itself have contracted. Instead, thanks to an uncharacteristic surge in demand from the royal wedding, Diamond Jubilee and 2012 Olympic Games, the industry is set to register compound annual growth of 1.1% for the five years through 2015-16.
The industry manufactures ceramic household and ornamental goods. This includes ceramic kitchenware and tableware, figurines, statuettes, pottery and other ornamental household articles. The manufacture of imitation jewellery and ceramic toys is not included in the industry.
The report covers the scope, size, disposition and growth of the industry including the key sensitivities and success factors. Also included are five year industry forecast, growth rates and an analysis of the industry key players and their market shares.


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I was at the airport a couple of weeks ago when a flight attendant said, “We need to tell you something.
This is a very, very familiar design.”
The attendant was referring to a recent report from the New York Times which found that the butterfly design that was used to greet passengers on United Airlines flights in 2011 and 2012 was almost identical to one used on several of its flights to Japan and Hong Kong.
But the Times article said that it had been used for years in China and had no known origins in the United States.
So I decided to find out.
The answer, as I found out, was that this design is actually a product of a Japanese company called DASH.
DASH is an umbrella brand for a number of companies, like the aerospace and pharmaceutical companies it is associated with.
And DASH also sells butterfly designs to the airline industry.
The designs that are most often seen in the butterfly logo are by DASH and its subsidiaries, such as the Aeronautic Systems Division of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and the Japan Aerospace Engineering Institute (JAEI).
A company representative told me that these designs were made by the Japanese aerospace and aerospace engineering institute for the aviation industry, and that they are “highly respected” in the aviation field.
But he said that the designs were not used in any aircraft, but rather “for personal use and advertising.”
The representative also told me the design is still being used on the planes that DASH operates.
“We have received requests from a few customers that have requested them for use in their aircraft,” the representative said.
So why are these designs so familiar to us?
They are based on the famous Japanese butterfly logo, but they also incorporate elements from a number a of other Japanese companies, including some that are no longer in business.
These include a number from Japan’s aviation and aerospace industry, the Air Force’s aviation branch, the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Laboratory, and the Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, a giant of Japanese manufacturing.
The company representative also said that DASA, the Tokyo-based Japanese Aerospace Engineering institute, had made the designs for many decades.
“It is our opinion that this is one of the most widely used designs in the history of aviation,” the company representative said, adding that the company does not produce butterfly logos for other companies.
He added that DASSA, which is based in Tokyo, had produced several designs in its own factory for decades.
In other words, it has produced these designs for the Japanese industry, which has been around for a very long time.
DASP, the company that sells DASH butterfly designs, told me it does not know why the butterfly designs are so familiar, but it does know that it was created by DASASA.
DASSP has not yet responded to a request for comment.
The DASH logo is the symbol of the aerospace industry and is often used by the aerospace, defense, and aerospace research industries.
The butterfly design was created to be the logo of the Japanese space agency, the Japan Space Research Institute.
I called DASI and asked them why the Japanese air force wanted a logo for their spacecraft.
The agency said that its design was not suitable for commercial use, because it did not have a logo, and so DASF decided to make the design for a different purpose.
DFS, DASH’s parent company, said it would not make a butterfly logo.
But it did make a logo.
And it’s called the DASH “flying butterfly” logo, which appears on more than 3,000 aircraft.
In fact, it’s been used in every commercial airline logo in the world since 1982, according to DFS’s website.
The Japanese air forces have used the flying butterfly logo for nearly 20 years.
In 2005, DASIS became the world’s first company to sell a commercial butterfly logo as a consumer product, the DASY logo, according a spokesperson for the company.
Dassies logo for its butterfly design has been widely used in Japan for nearly a decade.
“The design of the flying design was chosen to give the plane the best appearance while still preserving the characteristics of the original design,” the spokesperson said.
But in 2013, the logo was taken off the market.
But I was curious about why.
“In the past, we have had butterflies in the logo for DASH, DASSY, and DASHy,” DASSIES marketing director, Toshihiko Nakahara, told Quartz.
Nakaharas company is DASH-designing agency DASH Digital, which was started in 2008 and was spun off from DASH as DASH Design Agency in 2010.
In 2015, DESS, Dasses subsidiary, acquired DASH design agency DASS Design, which Nakahas agency was spun out of in 2017.
And in 2018, Dassias parent company DASSI sold its design agency to DASHY, which merged with DASS in


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Riot Games has a number of games on the way. It’s working on a first-person shooter, a fighting game, a card game and an action/RPG, all based within the League of Legends universe. But some fans believe an MMORPG could be on the way as well.
According to Dexerto, series co-founder Marc Merrill noted he would love to see Riot produce a LoL-modeled game in that particular genre. But it’s not a simple process.
First, he assured fans that the action/RPG, currently under the name Project L, will not have MMO elements, instead focusing on hack-and-slash tactics. In an interview with Travis Gafford, he noted, “We would not do that kind of thing [make an MMORPG] out of house, that kind of thing, in order to do with justice, requires the best teams in the world, and that probably doesn’t even exist with a third-party developer.”
Not to mention that building an MMO is an incredibly intricate process. There’s the cost to consider, which would easily be over $100 million. And it would obviously take “a lot of time” to bring to market.
“We think it’s cool for players to say ‘Riot, please go make an X,’ because why not… I would love to make an MMO, but just to manage expectations, if we were to do something like that, it wouldn’t be any time soon,” he explained.
He noted that MMORPG’s are “incredibly hard to make,” and, indeed, it can be a slippery slope. “It’s like shipping a freaking rocket, it’s so much work, it’s so hard to do, and we would really try to do it justice, and that’s not easy.”
Riot Games, and its publishing arm at Riot Forge, have a number of games coming in the meantime that will keep you occupied. Not to mention League of Legends itself, which continues to be a raging success.


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quote: Independently moving eyes are sexy!
quote: I'm curious what "obvious features" iPhones still lack?
quote: The company is aiming for 10 percent of its 3G subscriptions to be iPhones by three years from now.
quote: currently has around 1 million total subscribers. The company hopes that the iPhone will help drive over 1 million new subscribers per month
quote: in an increasingly prosperous and tech-hungry nation of over 1 billion, the country's largest E-Tailer has only been able to sell 5 iPhones.
quote: Since May China has begun reallowing Wi-Fi, but new Wi-Fi-ready models still aren't available yet in China.
quote: An Epic Fail: Only 5 iPhones...


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Earlier this year, Apple fixed one of the most breathtaking iPhone vulnerabilities ever: a memory corruption bug in the iOS kernel that gave attackers remote access to the entire device – via Wi-Fi, without the need for any user interaction. Oh, and exploitation was wormy – meaning that radio proximity exploits could re-spread from one nearby device to another, without the need for user interaction.
This Wi-Fi package of death exploits was designed by Ian Beer, a researcher at Project Zero, Google’s research arm for vulnerability. In a 30,000-word message published Tuesday afternoon, Beer described the vulnerability and evidence of concept exploitation that he had developed on his own for six months. Almost immediately, fellow researchers took note of it.
Beware of dodgy Wi-Fi packages
“It’s a fantastic job,” Chris Evans, a semi-retired security researcher and executive and founder of Project Zero, said in an interview. ‘It’s really pretty serious. The fact that you do not really have to communicate with your phone to get it settled on you is really scary. This attack is just that you walk along, the phone is in your pocket and over Wi-Fi someone just worms in with some dodgy Wi-Fi packets. ‘
Bear’s attack worked by using a buffer overflow error in a driver for AWDL, an Apple networking network protocol that makes things like Airdrop work. Because managers live in the core – one of the most privileged parts of any operating system – the
AWDL error had the potential for serious hacks. And because AWDL analyzes Wi-Fi packages, exploits can be transmitted over the air without any indication that something is wrong.
“Imagine the sense of power that an attacker with such ability must feel,” Beer wrote. “As we all pour more and more of our soul into these devices, an attacker can get a treasure trove of information about an unsuspecting target.”
Beer has developed several benefits. The most advanced install an implant with full access to the user’s personal data, including emails, photos, messages and passwords, and cryptographic keys stored in the keychain. The attack uses a laptop, a Raspberry Pi and some WiFi adapters. It takes about two minutes to install the prototype implant, but Beer said that with more work, a better written use could deliver it in a matter of seconds. Exploit only works on devices that are within the attacker’s Wi-Fi range.
Below is a video of the exploitation in action. The victim’s iPhone 11 Pro is in a room separated from the attacker by a closed door.
Beer said that Apple has fixed the vulnerability ahead of the launch of the COVID-19 contact detection interfaces that were released in iOS 13.5 in May. The researcher said he had no evidence that the vulnerability had ever been exploited in the wild, although he noted that at least one exploit vendor was aware of the critical error in May, seven months before its release today. Apple figures show that the vast majority of iPhones and iPads are updated regularly.
The beauty and impressiveness of the hack is that it relies on a single bug to wirelessly access secrets locked up in what is probably the world’s most rugged and secure consumer device. If a single person can do it within six months, just think what a better burglary team is capable of.


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New Hartford Police Arrest Woman for Switching Price Tags on Items
The New Hartford Police Department has arrested a woman following a report of larceny at the Walmart on Commercial Drive.
According to police a woman was reportedly switching price tags on merchandise in order to purchase the items at a reduced rate.
Police allege 36-year-old Jennifer Martin of Utica intentionally scanned the wrong bar codes while using the self check out system.
After Martin completed the fraudulent transaction, she was confronted by a store employee and later arrested by New Hartford Police. She is facing a misdemeanor charge for Petit Larcey and one Felony count of Falsifying Business Records.


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The spotlight is on Meadow Foods with TV feature
It is a big week for our client, Meadow Foods, this week, as they will be featured in popular BBC television series, Inside the Factory.
The team at Meadow Foods were visited by the BBC film crew in January this year, at their Chester site, and their team is delighted to be able to showcase the production process for AMF within their state-of-the-art facilities.
AMF is a very concentrated form of butter that, when used in the production of pastries, produces delicate layers of delicious pastry.
The episode will take a look at the production of croissants and brioche products, with co-presenter, Cherry Healey, visiting one of Meadow’s farmers in North Wales, before taking a look at the production process in Chester.
To support Meadow Foods in its promotion of this fantastic televised featured, the team at Entyce Creative created digital communications to be sent out to clients and contacts. With only very short notice that the programme was being aired, Entyce worked quickly to ensure that the messages could be sent with as much notice as possible. Speaking of our work, Jessica Duckworth, Marketing Manager at Meadow Foods has said:
“Within less than a day’s turn around, the team at Entyce helped us to produce the communication we needed to notify both our customers and employees. The work Entyce created was exactly what we needed to drive excitement around the occasion.”
Tune into BBC Two on Tuesday 13th August at 8pm to see Meadow Foods in action, we know we’ll be watching!


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Xbox One backwards compatibility, Andy's emotion over a Final Fantasy 7 remake and our favourite game show returns. All that and more on the UK's best technology podcast.
While the world panics, the wheels of capitalism still must turn. The owners of the URL say they've had offers over the years. But clearly not enough.
The company announces the world's first wireless mobile-charging monitor at a time when PC monitor sales are on the decline.
Staying up late with your tablet or phone can rob you of a good night's sleep. Fight back with these tips.
The company's announcement follows a report from research firm TrendForce revealing that Huawei is now China's top smartphone brand.
The rebate comes into play before the expected unveiling of the Galaxy Note 5 in September.
Microsoft's console came out on top during E3 week, but the PS4 was the top-selling overall system in June.
Technically Incorrect: In four new ads, Apple tries to convince us that its watch is a vital part of human life.
Researchers find that your brain must work overtime to see how other people are feeling when you're running on less sleep -- and not because you have trouble keeping your eyes open.
Oregon State University researchers come up with a new breed of red marine algae that tastes like those sweet strips of delicious pig flesh.