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Back in 2012 at Brazil's São Paulo Motor Show, Nissan showed off an angular subcompact crossover concept, Extrem, that seemed to to portend the future of the Nissan Juke. Now, the Japanese automaker is teasing an as-yet-unnamed CUV concept
A few months ago, Nissan gave the Micra (which is not for US consumption) a substantial styling update that included new front and rear fascias, and stuffed more technology into the interior, such as USB ports and auxiliary inputs for audio and a new media touchscreen. Though it's still based on the same fourth-ge
Nissan has given its popular Micra a substantial refresh. Completely revised fascias front and rear join small sheetmetal tweaks for an all-new look, and Nissan says buyers can expect to find a host of new technology indoors. That includes audio USB and AUX-in slots as well as a new audio and touchscreen navigation system with a larger display. Designers have also graced the model – known in so
With press days for the Detroit Auto Show now behind us, our focus is shifting eastwards. Make that Far East, as the tuners have rolled in for the Tokyo Auto Salon, where Nissan performance tuning arm Nismo has taken on its third compact and given it an attitude adjustment.
new Nissan Global sub-compact - click above for high-res gallery
The Japanese Transport Ministry says that Nissan Motor Co. will recall over 144,000 of its 2002-2005 Elgrand minivans and more than 11,000 2002-2004 March minicars. The Elgrands seem to have a problem with brake parts that causes braking distances to be longer, while the March minicar is having problems with its electric switch system that might cause backup lights to operate improperly.


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YokimaSun writes "The war between hackers and Sony over the PlayStation 3 has now taken an even more sinister turn, with Sony going after not just shops but actual buyers of the PSBreak dongle, threatening them with fines of many thousands of Euros and forcing them to sign cease-and-desist letters. It seems Sony will use any means necessary to thwart both homebrew and piracy on the PS3."
Economists can certainly disappoint you. One said that the economy would
turn up by the last quarter. Well, I'm down to mine and it hasn't.
-- Robert Orben

domain: news


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New data from the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) show the global demand for industrial robots continuing apace, with 422,000 units shipped globally in 2018, amounting to a total value of US $1.6 billion in new orders. This level is slightly surprising given that the automotive and electronics manufacturing sectors remain the biggest users of industrial robots, and neither sector was particularly buoyant during 2018.
Geographically, there remain five major markets for industrial robots: China, Japan, the USA, the Republic of Korea, and Germany. These countries account for 74% of global robot installations.
China remains the world´s largest industrial robot market with a share of 36% of total installations. In 2018, about 154,000 units were installed. This is 1% less than the previous year but more than the number of robots installed in Europe and the Americas together. The total value of installations reached US $5.4 billion – 21% higher than in 2017.
However, new growth markets are emerging. Sales of industrial robots in India reached a new record, with 4771 new units installed in 2018 - an increase of 39 per cent over the previous year. India now ranks eleventh worldwide in terms of annual installations.
The automotive industry remains the largest customer industry by far in India, with a share of 44 per cent of total installations. But the strongest growth driver in 2018 was general manufacturing industry, increasing by 28 per cent.
However, the nation remains relatively lightly automated. For example, the robot density in India’s automotive industry is a low 99 robots per 10,000 employees, compared with Indonesia (440 per 10,000), China (732), and the frontrunner Korea (2589).
The World Robotics 2019 report is available now from the International Federation of Robotics (www.ifr.org).


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1 in 3 inspired to bake by Great British Bake Off
IT WAS until recently shunned as a pastime of a bygone era but now programmes like The Great British Bake Off have seen baking’s popularity soar, with a third of Britons claiming to create a cake or pastry dish from scratch every week.
The pursuit is most popular among young people, a report has found, with baking taking place most frequently in households where people are aged 25 to 34 – or in those with children aged five to nine.
Sales of kitchen gadgets, such as food processors, blenders, liquidisers and mixers, have also risen, according to the report by market research firm Mintel, while supermarkets have reported an increase in demand for products such as flour, cake decorating materials and baking utensils.
Jane Westgarth, of Mintel, said: “What may have begun as a response to a rising need to be thriftier with the food budget has become a kitchen craft, as people want to create the indulgent treats they see on programmes like The Great British Bake Off.”
One in five mixers or food processors in Britain were bought in the past year – testament of the great British baking revolution, analysts said. Tesco said it had seen sales of baking decoration products almost double during the summer last year, while The Great British Bake Off was being shown.
Sainsbury’s said it had experienced a 6 per cent increase in flour sales, while Asda saw demand for loaf tins almost triple and the sale of cake tins, kitchen scales and cake sprinkles double in recent months.
UK-wide, the volume of flour sold has risen by 5 per cent a year for the past four years, the Flour Advisory Bureau said.
Tesco home baking buyer Darren Atherton said: “There’s no doubt that The Great British Bake Off has inspired a whole new generation of younger bakers and we know that as sales of home baking ingredients rise when the show is on.”
Alex Waugh, director of the Flour Advisory Bureau, added: “The trend started even before The Great British Bake Off, but has definitely been helped by it and programmes like it. One of the good things about baking is that it is something parents can do with children.”
Isobel Robertson, national chairman of the Scottish Women’s Rural Institutes, said younger members had joined in a bid to pick up traditional skills after watching television.
She added: “People have been used to shop-bought baking for years because they think that making their own is too time-consuming and too difficult. However, now that people are watching these shows, they are realising how fun and satisfying it is to bake from scratch.”
Edinburgh-based chef Mark Greenaway, who appeared on TV show The Great British Menu, said baking had “skipped a generation”.
He added: “Bakers are just getting younger.”
• The National Trust last year revealed the classic sponge sandwich to be the nation’s favourite cake, selling more sponge cakes than any other in its tea shops nationwide.
INGREDIENTS: 175g/6oz self-raising flour; 1 rounded tsp baking powder; 3 large eggs; 175g/6oz soft butter; 175g/6oz caster sugar.
• Pre-heat oven to 180C or gas mark 4.
• Grease two eight-inch cake tins.
• Beat sugar and butter together. Beat eggs and whisk into sugar and butter until thick and creamy.
• Fold in the sieved flour and baking powder and bake mixture in oven for around 30 to 35 minutes.
• When the cakes are ready, they should spring back when pressed in the middle.
• Spread with jam and cream and serve.


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When Google announced Stadia, its much-hyped online gaming platform, the company had also told that an internal game studio would be developing Stadia-exclusive titles. As a part of this attempt, Google set up a few studios across the US and acquired companies like Typhoon Studios. Now, putting an end to all those expansion plans, Google has decided to shut down the internal game studio at Stadia. It means Google will no longer be developing exclusive video game titles for the Stadia platform. Instead, the Stadia platform will rely on third-party titles from hundreds of developers across the globe.
Phil Harrison, the Vice President and General Manager of the Google Stadia project, announced this update through an official blog post. He started the blog post saying that the Stadia platform will make things easier for developers and users in 2021 and that the company is now leveraging its options to work with partners. However, after Harrison talked about the sheer difficulty of creating best-in-class games from scratch, he said, “[they] have decided that [they] will not be investing further in bringing exclusive content from our internal development team SG&E, beyond any near-term planned games.” He also added that Jade Raymond would be leaving Google soon.
The VP also added that the SG&E team would be dissolved, and its members would find places in other projects at Google. Answering the potential questions gamers might have, Phil Harrison assured that Google would bring new titles from third-parties to the platform. Considering that Google can now invest in third-party titles, the money it would otherwise invest in the internal development of games, users can expect a higher number of titles coming to the Stadia platform. Of course, we cannot be sure about the numbers until the widespread availability of the online gaming service.
According to Jack Buser, who is the Director of Games at Stadia, the platform is ready to welcome more than 400 titles in the future. The list of the titles would include titles that are popular on another platform as well as the ones specifically made for Stadia. It was said that Harmonix and Supermassive were developing a few Stadia-exclusive titles, which we can expect in the future. The difference is that these titles will be from the original developers and won’t have the ‘By Google’ tab on them. In other words, the decision to close the SG&E team at Stadia wouldn’t affect users much.
From another point of view, this decision will increase the quantity and quality of the games people get to play on the Stadia platform. Now that the internal studio is shut down, several thousands of dollars can be reallocated to partner with third-party game developers. The titles from these developers will help Stadia compete with the other online gaming platforms in the market, including direct competitors.


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DIY giant Kingfisher’s flagship B&Q UK chain beat second-quarter sales expectations, helped by business improvements and the collapse of rivals.
Kingfisher posted a 0.9 per cent rise in group sales in the 10 weeks to July 11, when like-for-likes slipped 1.9 per cent.
The UK business notched up a 0.1 per cent total sales advance and same-store sales were down 0.6 per cent.
B&Q notched up a 1.5 per cent rise in total sales and like-for-likes edged ahead 0.7 per cent. Sales of kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms were strong, assisted by the demise of competititors during the recession.
Kingfisher group chief executive Ian Cheshire said the group “continued to perform well in a tough environment” and that progress was being made on his seven-point improvement plan.
Cheshire said: “B&Q in the UK was again stronger than anticipated as it continued to capitalise on the growing trend for home and garden DIY, low-cost room makeovers and competitor withdrawal in the bigger ticket categories.”
Singer Capital Markets analyst Matthew McEachran expected the roll-out of a new showroom fit-out, the launch of a new furniture range and expansion of the TradePoint business to sustain UK momentum.
For the 23 weeks to July 11, Kingfisher reported a 1.7 per cent rise in group sales and a 1.8 per cent comparable-store decline. In the UK the figures for that period were up 1.6 per cent and 0.2 per cent respectively.


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© 2023 MJH Life Sciences and Pharmaceutical Executive. All rights reserved.
Francis Pollaro is a senior editor for Pharmaceutical Executive and can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org.
What’s changing in post-pandemic HCP access? Veeva’s vice president of global business consulting unveils the latest data.
Q&A addresses patient care and leads to digital solutions like telehealth as a strong delivery vehicle and an opportunity for marketers.
Fran Pollaro talks with Amanda Powers-Han, chief marketing officer at Greater
Than One, a full-experience marketing agency dedicated to healthcare, about what’s trending in early 2023 for pharma media mixes.
As new channels enter healthcare conversation mix, engagement strategies are changing.
Fran Pollaro chats with with Indegene's Timothy Moore, Senior Vice President, Emerging Biotech and Key Accounts and Jack Mycka, Vice President, Enterprise Medical Solutions and Emerging Biotech.
Pratap Khedkar, CEO of ZS, a management consulting and technology firm focused on transforming global healthcare, shares his perspective on what 2023 holds for the sales and marketing vertical.


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Las Vegas -- Comcast and Time Warner Cable executives said they’re on track to enable support for retail devices compatible with CableLabs' tru2way interactive TV specification across their footprints by July 1.
The six biggest U.S. MSOs committed to the July 2009 deadline in pacts with major consumer-electronics companies signed last summer. The deal effectively resolved the cable industry’s disagreement with CE companies about how operators will provide access to two-way cable services.
(Click here for more MCN CES coverage.)
Ten of Time Warner Cable’s 22 divisions have now deployed tru2way, which represents about 50% of its digital base or 12 million homes passed, said Kevin Leddy, the operator’s executive vice president of technology policy and product management.
“We’re on track to get all of our divisions, both Motorola and SA, rolled out by July,” Leddy said. He spoke Saturday on the CES panel “Tru2way Here and Now,” moderated by CTAM president and CEO Char Beales.
Bob Faught, Comcast senior vice president of retail and alternate channel sales, said the company also is getting ready to have all its systems up and running by July 1. Comcast in October turned on tru2way support in Chicago and Denver systems, as part of working with Panasonic to sell tru2way-based HDTVs through limited retail outlets in those markets.
Also by July 1, the six MSOs pledged that 20% of all new cable set-tops would be tru2way-enabled, to ensure common reliance on the spec. “The idea was that this would be the cooperative path forward to interactive TV for everybody,” said Jud Cary, CableLabs vice president of video technology policy.
On this front Time Warner Cable has led its peers, having deployed 2.4 million tru2way-capable set-tops to date. Of those, 1.4 million set-tops run TWC’s Digital Navigator interactive program guide. Leddy added that Bright House Networks has rolled out 300,000 tru2way-based boxes.
Leddy said he was hopeful that tru2way technology would let CE manufacturers deliver more sophisticated cable-ready devices, such as those that incorporate Blu-ray Disc players. That’s because such advanced devices are too expensive for an operator like Time Warner Cable to justify buying in volume, he said.
The MSO is examining ways of getting Internet content to the TV, Leddy added, and said tru2way-based third-party devices may be better suited to doing that. “We’re looking at is, is there some way to get YouTube clips on our set-top? Or even have Netflix have access to our set-top boxes? That’s a device I would love to build for our customers, but that would of course be a rather expensive device.”
Time Warner Cable buys about 2 million set-tops every year. “Adding any incremental function to the boxes means we’re spending a lot more capital,” Leddy said. “Cable can provide a good, middle-of-the-road set-top to customers. But we can’t afford to build and lease [the equivalent of] a TiVo Series 3 [which provides broadband-delivered content and home-theater features].”
Continued Leddy, “At this point our set-tops are not necessarily capable of doing all the search and navigation functions that customers want… I see tru2way as a way to put applications into a more sophisticated device that consumers want.”
Stephen Goldstein, Samsung Electronics business development manager, said the CE maker was committed to tru2way and that he’d like to see more programmers exploit its capabilities.
“It’s a great platform for the cable programmers so we’d really like to see them out there writing applications and promoting the benefits of interactive cable,” he said.
Another one of cable’s goals with tru2way -- the consumer-facing name for OpenCable, which the industry still uses internally -- is to increase supplier diversity.
Of the 1.4 million tru2way boxes TWC has deployed, 300,000 are from Samsung, “which by the way are working extremely well,” Leddy said. “We’re able to bring Samsung set-tops into our mix a lot more easily with tru2way.”
Asked how many of Panasonic’s tru2way sets have been sold through retail partners in Chicago and Denver, Comcast’s Faught said he did not know the actual number. “It’s not thousands of units,” he said. “What we’ve focused on this launch is to make it as simple as possible for the consumer to get it installed.”
Victor Carlson, director of marketing for Panasonic’s display group, declined to say how many units have been purchased but said sales of the tru2way models have been in line with its other TVs. “What’s been important is gauging customer reaction,” he said. “Keep in mind it’s a new technology not just for our customers but also retailers.”
Until tru2way hits critical mass, cable operators are planning to enable support for the lighter-weight Enhanced TV Binary Information Format (EBIF), across millions of its existing digital set-tops. According to Leddy, the current plan of the largest operators is to have “somewhere in the neighborhood” of 10 million set-tops equipped with EBIF by end of 2009.
As for downloadable security -- once considered to be a lower-cost solution than CableCards for meeting the separable-security mandate of the FCC -- Leddy said the economics favor simply continuing on the CableCard path.
“The economics of downloadable security are challenging,” he said. “At this point the cost to a television set for a CableCard slot is a couple of bucks. To put the more complex technology into the television to do downloadable security will probably add more cost.”
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By Euro Weekly News Media • 16 October 2013 • 8:32
SAN FRANCISCO/LONDON (Reuters) – Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts rebuilt the British luxury brand after excessive exposure of its trademark chequered pattern alienated wealthy clientele. Her approach was to embrace digital innovation, build a strong online business, and tap Chinese and Latin American markets.
Now Apple Inc is hoping she can do the same at the world’s most valuable technology company.
In hiring Ahrendts to direct strategy, expansion and operation of Apple’s retail and online stores, Chief Executive Tim Cook has set her the task of bolstering iPad and iPhone sales, and returning some lustre to a brand that has not launched a major new device in almost four years.
One of her main challenges will be to boost Apple’s sales in China, its second-largest market. Here, analysts say, Ahrendts will be able to draw on her Burberry experience of introducing less expensive goods without damaging the value of the brand.
“The point of Apple retail is to sell Apple, not to sell Apple products,” said Benedict Evans, who covers mobile and digital media at Enders Analysis, a research consultancy.
“What they’ve got is somebody who can take 400 stores with really great premium positioning and turn that into 800 stores and do that in China, and do that in India and do that in Europe and in Russia and in South America and everywhere else which at the moment they don’t really have.”
Ahrendts is the first woman to join Apple’s executive team in nearly a decade and will take on an expanded role, overseeing its vast network of stores that employs about 42,400 people and online teams. Apple has not disclosed how much she will be paid.
The head of the 157-year-old Burberry Group Plc was Britain’s highest-paid CEO in the 2011-2012 financial year, taking home 15.6 million pounds thanks in part to a large number of shares awards. She took home 6.8 million pounds in the 2012/13 fiscal year.
Apple’s former retail chief Ron Johnson, who had a brief and disastrous stint as CEO of JC Penney after leaving Apple in 2011, made $29.8 million (18.6 million pounds) in 2010. He is credited with building Apple’s retail network from scratch in his decade-long stint.
At Burberry, Ahrendts began a website dedicated to the firm’s traditional trench coats and introduced webcast catwalks, using the new iPhone 5S to shoot the spring/summer 2014 show. Ahrendts also collaborated with Google Inc for a brand campaign named Burberry Kisses.
But jumping to Apple – whose $157 billion net sales are nearly 50 times those of Burberry – is a challenge of a different proportion for Ahrendts. The pressure is made all the more intense by Cook’s previous stumble hiring a retail head from the British market.
John Browett, CEO of British consumer electronics retailer Dixons, was Cook’s first major hire after he took over from Steve Jobs as CEO in 2011. But Browett left after just six months, and later said he had not fitted in with the business culture at Cupertino, California-based Apple.
Silicon Valley-based Gartner analyst Carolina Milanesi said not being steeped in the culture “and looking at the space and the brand from an outsider’s perspective might actually be a plus.
“We are in a little bit of a bubble here in as far as what we think the consumers want and what they think of the brand.”
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Crypto Briefs is your daily, bite-sized digest of cryptocurrency and blockchain-related news – investigating the stories flying under the radar of today’s crypto news.
- The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) settled charges against actor Steven Seagal (known for Beyond the Law, The Glimmer Man, etc.) for failing to disclose payments he received for promoting an investment in an initial coin offering (ICO) conducted by Bitcoiin2Gen (B2G). The SEC’s order finds that Seagal failed to disclose he was promised USD 250,000 in cash and USD 750,000 worth of B2G tokens in exchange for his promotions, the SEC said. Without admitting or denying the SEC’s findings, the actor agreed to pay USD 157,000 in disgorgement, which represents his actual promotional payments, plus prejudgment interest, and a USD 157,000 penalty. In addition, Seagal agreed not to promote any securities, digital or otherwise, for three years.
- A Ukrainian ex-Microsoft worker has been found guilty of stealing USD 10 million in cryptocurrencies from the American tech giant, reports Crypto Feed. The media outlet reports that the man was testing an online sales platform for Microsoft, and was able to access a number of cryptocurrency transactions, skimming off portions into his own cryptocurrency wallet. The company only realized that money was missing several months later.
- Mining hardware giant Bitmain has announced two new Antminers: the new Antminer S19 and S19 Pro, which will come in two variants and are equipped with a new generation custom-built chip from Bitmain. The press release states that the Antminer S19 is equipped with a hash rate of 95 TH/s, while its other variant has a hash rate of 90 TH/s, both variations have a power efficiency of 34.5+/-%5 J/TH. The Antminer S19 Pro features a hash rate of 110 TH/s, while its other variant has a hash rate of 105 TH/s, both variations have an impressive…


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The first few tenants of OXAGON have been announced. OXAGON will be home to global companies who share its vision for the economy and the environment, and five key initial tenants have been named.
Helios Green Fuels
A tripartite venture among Air Products, ACWA Power, and NEOM is building what they call the largest green hydrogen project in the world. Called the Helios Green Fuels, the project was said to cost at $5 billion, and is expected to start operations by 2026.
Website : https://www.heliosindustry.com
Gulf Modular International
Is establishing the “world’s largest and most advanced” modular building construction factory in the floating industrial city. The $1 billion factory is expected to cover 1.4 million square kilometers of OXAGON, and will be capable of producing up to 12,500 modular units per year.
Website : https://www.gulfmodular.com
Are setting up an assembly plant at the NEOM site, which is expected to build up to 10,000 hydrogen fuel cell-powered commercial vehicles per year.
Website : https://hyzonmotors.com
Are setting up the biggest photovoltaic (PV) modules and cell integrated factory in the region.
Website : https://desert-technologies.com
Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), part of the US computer technology giant, is to be hosted at the NEOM data center to provide a high-performing, resilient foundation for cloud services.
Website : https://www.oracle.com
Read the full story at Arab News


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Eighteen students at the University of Texas have occupied the office of the university's president, Bill Powers. The students are demanding that the university join the Worker Rights Coalition and put an end to sweatshop abuses in factories that produce garments displaying the University of Texas's logo. The students have also started a campaign to email and call Powers with their message.
The Worker Rights Coalition is an independent monitor of factories that produce apparel to be sold in the United States, particularly apparel with university logos. Their goal is to protect against sweatshop abuses and defend the labor rights of factory workers. Currently, there are more than 180 university members, including the University of Minnesota.
According to the letter students have presented to Powers, the University of Texas has "repeatedly informed students...that it refuses to consider affiliating with the only independent factory monitor in the world." Students claim that UT profiting from sweatshop labor violates the university's Core Purpose, which is "to transform lives for the benefit of society."
UMN students have traveled to Florida colleges to collaborate with students on various projects.
When UMN students plan for a vacation, having trip cancellation travel insurance is a worthwhile commodity to check out.
Minneapolis Used Cars
Give back to the Minnesota community with a boat donation at boat4causes.org.
If you have been involved in a car accident call a Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyer for a free consultation.


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84 Lumber Company, the nation’s largest privately held supplier of lumber and building materials to professional contractors, announced in a press release this week that it will add a minimum of ten stores in 2016, and will also continue to expand its manufacturing programs for custom doors, engineered wood products, custom millwork, and components.
Over the past two years the company has re-opened four stores; Winder, Ga. (Atlanta,) Macedonia, Ohio (Cleveland,) and most recently St. Augustine, Fla. (August) and Savanah, Ga, (September) as housing starts in those markets have continued to grow. St. Augustine and Savanah also feature new 84 Door Shops as well as Kitchen and Bath Design Studios.
The West Virginia State Journal reported that three stores in the state had been closed this week. The stores in Belle, Ripley and Mineral Wells closed on Tuesday. Eighteen employees from the three stores will be offered positions at other 84 Lumber locations.
“As we embark on this expansion and growth we will consolidate eight stores into existing stores strengthening our presence in those markets as well,” said 84 Lumber President and Owner Maggie Hardy Magerko in the press release. “By doing this we can better use our resources—money, people, inventory—to invest into these new strategically important markets.”
Other stores to close include Maysville, Hazard and Bardstown, Ky., and Somerset, Penn.
Hardy Magerko said expansion plans for 2016 target several high growth markets including, Long Island, N.Y., West Palm Beach, Fla., Denver, Colo., Stockton, Calif., Los Angeles, and Raleigh, N.C.
The company also plans to open an Engineered Wood Products center and door shop in Raleigh and a truss and panel plant in Indianapolis.


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More than 100 protesters rallied outside Uber's New York office on Monday.
They're protesting the company's fare cuts, which promise New York City riders a 15 percent total fare decrease.
"They're cutting our fare 15 percent, and the commission, they still cut the same commission," an Uber driver explained.
It's better ... unless you're an Uber driver.
"They're making us work more hours to make the same amount of money that we used to make," another Uber driver said.
Some drivers would like to see a fare increase or a reduction in the commission they pay Uber.
"If they want to make the customer happy, right, don't lower the fare, but lower the commission for the drivers. Keep us happy," one Uber driver suggested.
Now some drivers plan to go on strike and log out of their Uber apps in an effort to affect the service.


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Did you know that there have been 19 major recessions in US history? They’re natural and inevitable, but that doesn’t make them any less painful.
The average person may find it difficult to pay their bills and have to take on several jobs to make ends meet. Those who are laid off lose access to workplace perks such as health and dental insurance.
The question is, what are the causes of a recession? In truth, there are several sources to blame. When people lose confidence in the market, they’re less likely to spend money.
Oversupply and unexpected events such as the pandemic can also put a wrench in the well-oiled machine that is the economy. That’s only the tip of the iceberg. Keep reading to learn more.
What Is a Recession?
So, first things first. What is a recession? It’s defined as a sudden economic turndown that lasts for two quarters or more.
Between the 60s and mid-2000s, there were over 100 recessions. They’ve become less frequent as the years have gone on, and they don’t last for nearly as long as they used to.
That might be because a supply chain can help navigate a recession and pull small businesses through. You can read the full article here.
Loss of Confidence
When the general populous feels worried about the economy, they’re going to spend less money. This way, they have some cushion if worse comes to worst.
When people aren’t buying, companies aren’t going to waste their funds on advertising. Businesses will halt their hiring process because they’re not making enough sales to warrant keeping a fully staffed store.
Manufacturers will stop making as many products and slow down their hiring as well.
This downward spiral will continue until the central bank and government take measures to generate confidence in the state of the market.
A monetary policy is an action taken by the central bank that plays around with the money supply. Interest rates are also stimulated to help impact the economy.
Problems occur when the monetary policy is altered too much. If interest rates shoot up, people are going to be less likely to borrow money, which means they’re not going to spend as much.
If spending slows down to a certain point, you’ll begin noticing the common signs of a recession.
During an economic boom, when people don’t need recession help, and things are going well, companies will order extra stock to meet demand.
The problem is that there will come a time when demand peaks and then shoots down at a rapid pace. When this happens, companies are now sitting on a bunch of stock that they don’t have any use for.
To combat the decline, manufacturers will start producing less and downsizing their businesses. Over time, an economic recession will begin, and customers won’t make enough money to help businesses clear out their warehouses.
On January 10th, 2020, COVID-19 began. The impact that it had on the economy is still felt years later.
Companies had to close down for months. Many couldn’t afford to reopen their doors after the lockdown ended. This caused the unemployment rate to increase to an all-time high.
People began to fall behind on their rent and utility payments. Without government help, many would have been completely homeless.
Unexpected events such as COVID-19 and natural disasters are one of the most devastating and sudden recession causes. It’s almost impossible to prepare for them ahead of time.
A fiscal policy has to do with government spending and taxes. For example, if the government decides to cut spending, it can create a huge demand for goods and services, which can lead to a recession.
If the government raises taxes, people won’t have a lot of disposable income to play around with. Consumers aren’t going to race to the stores to buy laptops and cars if they owe the IRS.
As stated above, consumers will be hesitant to borrow money while interest rates are at an all-time high. It makes it difficult for the average person to take out a loan to put a downpayment on a home.
Aspiring entrepreneurs will wait to open their businesses until interest rates go back down.
Deflation occurs when demand for a product takes a massive drop. When demand halts, business owners slash their prices in half in an attempt to bring in buyers.
Consumers will wait to find out how far companies will drop their prices before they buy the product.
While buyers are waiting, the economy will slow down. The inactivity will lead to unemployment, which will lead to a recession.
When business owners aren’t sure which way the economy is going to swing, they’ll be hesitant to make any big investment decisions. Consumer activity is unpredictable during times of uncertainty, which makes every business decision a risk.
Many companies will hold off and wait to see what happens. Again, uncertainty also impacts businesses on a consumer level. Customers will avoid making big purchase decisions because they’re not confident in the economy.
Understanding the Common Causes of a Recession
There are so many causes of a recession. A single government policy or natural disaster can throw a wrench into the entire economy.
Sometimes an economic crash will follow a boom when the demand for a product plummets. People are also hesitant to spend money when they don’t have confidence in the economy.
For more information on the economy and recession, visit the News section of our blog.


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In November, Facebook warned businesses that more change was coming to its News Feed algorithm in January. This followed about a year of steady organic Page post reach decline for many of them.
The new changes demote posts Facebook deems too promotional. A lot of businesses feel a bit screwed by this as people often like their pages because they’re interested in seeing that kind of stuff.
Do you think SMBs are getting the short end of the stick with Facebook’s changes? Share your thoughts in the comments.
These are examples that Facebook used to illustrate the type of content it is referring to:
We spoke with Branndon Stewart, founder and CEO of online marketing firm OutboundEngine, about what the changes really mean for SMBs.
“It will become harder for SMBs to earn space in their customers’ news feeds, and they may have to pay to reach the same number of people that they used to be able to reach for free,” Stewart tells WebProNews. “But, it also means that when businesses do successfully land in the news feed, they’ll have less competition and a greater share of the audience’s attention. This change is important for the overall health of the Facebook ecosystem–a relevant and uncluttered news feed keeps users coming back. SMBs may not like the change, but the alternative is that users abandon Facebook and flock to the next social network, meaning yet another web property for business owners to manage.”
Using Facebook effectively in light of the News Feed changes
“The most important thing a business owner can do to be successful on Facebook is share great content that followers find valuable,” says Stewart. “That means a mix of original content, links to interesting third-party content, and meaningful offers from the business. Businesses shouldn’t be posting the same thing over and over, and they certainly shouldn’t be constantly selling at their audience.”
“Don’t forget that Facebook is a highly visual medium, so content should have a high level of professional polish–users expect to see beautiful photography and thoughtful design,” he adds. “Finally, SMBs shouldn’t overlook Facebook’s paid advertising platform. The costs are still reasonable (unlike Adwords), and the ability to target your message is unparalleled. The number of options available in the platform can be overwhelming, but business owners who take the time to understand it will find a big opportunity to get ahead of their competitors.”
As we learned from a new BrightLocal study, SMBs aren’t exactly shelling out a ton of money for their online marketing, and there are channels to consider beyond Facebook.
Is it still possible to reap significant marketing benefits from Facebook without paying?
“I view Facebook as table stakes for any business in 2015, like a website became in the late 90s,” says Stewart. “If a potential customer is researching a company or product, they’re highly likely to review the brand’s Facebook page, and if there’s nothing there, the brand sacrifices credibility. Even when customers want to limit brands’ presence in their news feeds, when they visit their Facebook business pages, they expect a robust experience full of engaging content. So while the upside of non-paid Facebook marketing may have peaked, the downside of not having well-maintained social profiles only continues to grow.”
This somewhat echoes comments Facebook made itself when discussing the News Feed changes.
“We know this change might raise questions about Pages and their role,” the company wrote in a blog post. “Pages still matter — a lot. They offer a free, easy-to-maintain online presence for people to discover and learn about a business. They work across desktop, mobile and tablets without requiring any extra configuration, and contain complete information about a business. They also offer tools to create videos, photos and events that bring a business’ story to life.”
“What many businesses may not realize is that Pages are an important destination for their current and potential customers,” Facebook said. “In October, for instance, nearly a billion people visited Facebook Pages. Of those visits, more than 750 million happened on mobile devices. Many businesses also use Pages as a customer service channel. Businesses should think about their Page as a cornerstone of their online identity, not simply as a publishing service. The businesses that are doing this well understand the discovery and communication that happens when people come to their Page.”
Is video on Facebook a must at this point? How can SMBs get the most out of Facebook videos?
Facebook has recently been touting its growth as a video provider. It says it’s increasingly seeing a shift towards visual content, especially with video, and that in just a year, the number of video posts per person has increased 75% globally and 94% in the U.S. Because of this, it says, the composition of News Feed is changing. The amount of video from people and brands in News Feed has increased 3.6x globally year-over-year. Since June, Facebook has averaged over a billion video views a day, and on average, over 50% of people who come to Facebook ever y day in the U.S. watch at least one video daily. 76% of people in the U.S. say they tend to discover the videos they do watch on Facebook.
Native Facebook video has actually become more popular than YouTube for posting videos to the social network as far as brands are concerned. According to a recent report from SocialBakers, brands on Facebook posted 20,000 more Facebook videos than YouTube videos last month.
“I think it’s too early to call Facebook video a ‘must,’ and I always caution businesses against blindly chasing after every single internet marketing trend because they often don’t have the resources to execute well,” says Stewart. “Think of videos you’ve had a meaningful engagement with on Facebook. Is your business capable of delivering something similar? Or are you going to try to shoehorn in whatever video you happen to have laying around, or, worse, spend resources shooting a new video that delivers no value to your audience?”
“Facebook users and Facebook itself have high expectations for content quality, and video is often the hardest/most expensive content to deliver,” he adds. “If you can’t commit the resources to doing it right, you’ll get better results with other forms of content.”
How can businesses effectively use Facebook’s new call-to-action feature?
Facebook recently gave businesses a new call-to-action feature, enabling them to include buttons on posts that let them encourage fans to take specific actions.
“One of the most basic concepts in online marketing is the funnel – what do you want a customer to do, and what steps to they need to take to get there?” says Stewart. “Facebook usually sits toward the top of the funnel, when potential customers are researching your business to decide if they like you, and those buttons are designed to get people to the next step.”
“If the calls to action make sense for your business (e.g. ‘Shop Now’ is a natural fit if you’re in ecommerce), then by all means give them a shot,” he says. “But put thought into what happens at the next stage of the funnel. For example, don’t send people who click ‘Shop Now’ to your home page, point them directly into your store instead. The same goes for the ‘Contact Us’ button – send them directly to a page with a prominent form so they have clear direction about what to do next. The golden rule is: when you ask a customer to take an action, make it seamless.”
Facebook may have made a lot of changes that haven’t been very kind to Pages, but recently it has also made some that could give businesses new opportunities. They may not directly make up for the lost organic reach, but there are new tools to work with, and Facebook is still a behemoth when it comes to referrals to websites.
Are you concerned about Facebook’s News Feed changes? Please discuss.
Images via Facebook, SocialBakers


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Throughout May, which is National Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month, Healthy Hairdresser has been shedding light on sunning and sunscreens. According to City of Hope, skin cancer rates continue to climb, with melanoma diagnoses rising nearly 2 percent annually since 2000.
Two years ago, FDA handed down regulations regarding sunscreens addressing consumer safety. To be permitted to claim that the product reduces the risk of all sun-induced skin damage, including skin cancer, early skin aging and sunburns, the sunscreen must be labeled “broad spectrum” and have an SPF value of 15 or higher. This summer, the sunscreens developed in response to those regulations are hitting the market. Still, ingredients vary widely. Which ingredients should you look for?
Skin cancer expert Vijay Trisal, M.D., an assistant professor in City of Hope’s Division of Surgical Oncology, recommends using a sunscreen that contains at least one of the following ingredients in order to achieve broad-spectrum protection and reduce damage from both UVA and UVB rays:
In addition to choosing effective ingredients, you must use enough of the product to fully protect your skin. Studies show that many of us use so little, or fail to reapply after swimming or sweating, that we’re realizing only 10 to 20 percent of the potential protection.
“The SPF factor rates how effective the sunscreen is in preventing sunburn caused by UVB rays,” Trisal explains. “If you’d normally burn in 10 minutes, SPF 15 multiplies that by a factor of 15, meaning you could go 150 minutes before burning. For the vast majority of people, SPF 15 is fine. People who have very fair skin, a family history of skin cancer or conditions like lupus that increase sensitivity to sunlight should consider SPF 30 or higher.”
But that’s for lotions. Sunscreen sprays are not as clear-cut. The FDA has asked for more data on sprays to make sure that an adequate of sunscreen covers the skin and that the spray is not harmful if inhaled during the spraying process.


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Cybercriminals are using a variety of coronavirus-themed scams to hook their victims. Their continued focus on the topic suggests that it has proved a lucrative form of cybercrime.
Some phishing emails promise users secret remedies or unreleased "cures" for the coronavirus. Other campaigns "abuse perceived legitimate sources of health information to manipulate users."
Researchers at Proofpoint have noted that the latest round of coronavirus-themed scams are using new malware, including AgentTesla Keylogger and
the NanoCore RAT, to steal their victim's personal and financial information. Coronavirus-themed emails are also linking users to fake Office 365, Adobe, and DocuSign sites designed to steal their credentials.
Cybercriminals have also increased the number and variety of industries that they are attacking with coronavirus scams. Attacks continue to focus on the shipping industry while expanding to include manufacturing. Cybercriminals have also created tailored attacks against construction, education, energy, health care, industry, retail, and transportation organizations. Sarah Coble "Cyber-criminals Lure Victims with Coronavirus Cure Conspiracy Theories" infosecurity-magazine.com (Feb. 13, 2020).


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Google, Sony create online 'Da Vinci' game
In a new twist on movie marketing, Columbia Pictures has paired up with Google to create a series of live online games and puzzles for fans to partake in, leading up to the release of "The Da Vinci Code" next month.
The games, which began Monday, lead to a final game on May 19, the film's release date, where one U.S. winner will receive first-class vacations to New York, Paris, London and Rome, as well as a package of electronics from Sony.
Other similar prize packages will go to one winner each from the United Kingdom and Australia.
"Fans have come to expect this kind of thing," said Dwight Caines, executive vice president of worldwide digital marketing for Columbia TriStar Marketing Group, noting that upon the Da Vinci Code's release as a novel, author Dan Brown had a similarly interactive Web site set up.
Caines said that the types of puzzles in the online game are similar to the puzzles that characters encounter in the film.
"It made sense to build a program around that," he said. Google was a natural partner because, Caines said, "Google is designed to solve daily problems for people."
Each day, users face a new puzzle. When the puzzle is solved, they're asked a question that they need to use Google search products to find the answer to.
The first 10,000 American participants to answer all of the questions correctly are invited to compete in the final challenge on May 19, the day of the film's release. The first person to complete the final challenge will win the prize package.
"The ideas in the Da Vinci Code fit well with what Google does," said Dylan Casey, brand and entertainment manager at Google. "It's a fun and interesting use of Google's products."
Casey said that Google programmers collaborated with Sony to create the puzzles.
"A lot of our employees are really excited about this," he said. "This is the first time we've done anything like this."
Caines said that the goal was to use the Web create a relationship with fans, and have them help generate further buzz for the film.
"When we first started using the Internet to promote, some ideas were ahead of their time," Caines said. "Now bandwidth has caught up to ideas."
He said that while viral promotion is a good tool, it's not a catchall for movie marketing.
"Every campaign tends to warrant a tailored approach," he said. "We have to build things of a scope appropriate to the movie we're marketing."
Emily Riley, advertising analyst for Jupiter Research, said that interactive games provide a solid marketing tool.
"I definitely think that games in general are a great way to get fans to interact with a product," she said. "It can create a big viral effect."
While a game like the Da Vinci Code one, which requires dedicated participation, will not rope in many casual fans, it will energize the core fan base, she said.
"When you start a dialog early on, you get people talking," Riley said. "People act as ambassadors for the movie."
According to Riley, there are two types of online game players: people who are online because they're bored and people who were doing other things when their eye is caught by a game.
"Promotional games can appeal to both, by offering leisurely games for people who are bored and quick alternatives for people who may be doing something else at the same time," she said.
Riley said that the Da Vinci Code game will have trouble picking up quick users because of the involved nature of the game.
However, "The goal is not to be played by 100 million people," she said. "The goal is to get core fans into it."
Riley said that in future online promotions, giving users the ability to create their own content will become a key component.
Copyright 2006 by United Press International


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Patent Troubles Pending
from the more-stupid-patents dept
Just last week we were talking about how Divine was planning to go after companies offering online shopping carts for violating their patents. It seems they may have some competition. A “company” (it seems more like an opportunist paired with a lawyer) that is claiming to own patents that seem to cover just about any sort of online transaction is suing small e-commerce players in groups of 10, trying to get them all to settle and license the patents for $5,000 a pop (probably less than they’d spend on lawyers to fight the patent). The theory is that the company is using these smaller companies (who don’t have the resources to fight) as a way to build up a war chest to take on bigger e-commerce companies. However, some of the smaller companies are banding together to fight back, and trying to drum up support from other small e-commerce sites who “might be next”. Once again, I wonder exactly how these patents have done anything to stimulate innovation?


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The Apple Watch 7 could finally get a new look after six generations of consistent design, potentially sporting a flexible wraparound display.
That’s based on a new Apple patent, discovered by MacRumors that proposes an Apple Watch design contoured to fit the wearer’s wrist. Not only would this be a radical departure from the boxy aesthetic of current Apple Watch models, but it would also offer a design that stands out from other smartwatches like the impressive Samsung Galaxy Watch 3.
While we’ve seen several Apple Watch patents before, including one for an Apple Watch with a circular dial, the above concepts seem archaic compared to this new one. The patent filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) shows an integrated display that folds and moves with the smartwatch strap.
Like many of the best smartwatches, the Apple Watch lets you swap out straps for a multitude of watch straps. To maintain that level of customization, the wearable in the patent allows users to switch things up with digitally customizable bands.
But because the display isn’t limited to just the traditional watch face area, it opens up the smartwatch for all sorts of new features, if this is the direction Apple chooses to go.
Another advantage of the flexible screen is the fact that Apple can reduce the bezel or remove it entirely. According to the patent, the bevel could be “below 4-5mm or even less than 1mm, less than 0.5mm or removed.”
We’ve already seen flexible displays on TVs and smartphones, like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 and Oppo’s new roll-up phone. The technology exists, it’s just a matter of backing it up in a way that keeps the Apple Watch durable and within a competitive price range. Apple certainly won’t rush to launch a flexible Apple Watch, making the same mistake Samsung made with its first attempt at the Galaxy Fold.
It’s also not the only device with a flexible screen that Apple has conceptualized. The tech giant is reportedly going crazy over the supposedly foldable iPhone Flip that could take the shape of a shell, similar to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip.
Just like you shouldn’t be holding your breath for a foldable iPhone, a foldable Apple Watch is likely not coming anytime soon. It definitely won’t materialize with the Apple Watch 7, although it would give Apple’s flagship a major advantage over the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Watch 4.


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NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- A drinking game and website that aggregated consumer-generated photos of "bros" getting "iced" has garnered media attention and, likely, has also moved cases for Smirnoff Ice, a sugary malt beverage. But the site, BrosIcingBros.com, is down, and it looks like Smirnoff had a hand in its demise.
Smirnoff Says It Took 'Measures' to Stop Icing Site
"Icing" is a viral drinking game that has had college students and the occasional New Yorker chugging bottles of Smirnoff Ice on one knee. Since the phenomenon started weeks ago, players have been buying up bottles to punk -- or "ice" -- their friends or protect themselves from getting iced by carrying a bottle with them at all times. But the potential poster child for viral marketing appears to have nothing to do with the marketer at all. And since late yesterday, the game's hub is now only a blank page with the message "We had a good run Bros."
Smirnoff's response to Ad Age about the site's closure suggests that this is indeed not another viral, though ethically blurry, stunt.
"[Smirnoff Ice parent] Diageo has taken measures to stop this misuse of its Smirnoff Ice brand and marks, and to make it clear that 'icing' does not comply with our marketing code, and was not created or promoted by Diageo, Smirnoff Ice, or anyone associated with Diageo," the company said in a statement.
Diageo has been subject to speculation about the drinking game and corresponding viral program; some suggested they were trumped up by marketing to boost the beverage's less-than-spectacular sales. That notion seemed to make sense considering Smirnoff is has a proven viral-marketing track record in the Smirnoff "Tea Partay" viral video that took off a few years ago. However, CNN reported that the person behind the Bros site is a 22-year-old recent college grad using the name "Joe." He did not respond to requests for comment via e-mail.
A spokeswoman declined to expand upon whether Diageo's "measures" included legal action or threat, but one trademark and copyright lawyer thinks Smirnoff would have a case.
"I would say there is a case because of disparagement of the product and using the name in association with this game," said Annette Heller, a 30-year St. Louis trademark and copyright lawyer. "They [BrosIcingBros.com] are using the trademark in a way that disparages the product and exposing Smirnoff to liability." The Bros site included the name of the product, which is a trademark, as well as pictures of the product that include the brand's logo. Ms. Heller, however, said parody does not count as infringement.
Other icing sites like Iced You and You Got Iced, the latter from Jay Belin, a booker for the New York club Mercury Lounge, are still up, and their owners say they have not yet been contacted by Smirnoff.


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Prince William and Kate Middleton have left Prince Harry and Meghan Markle far behind and dominated the Christmas celebrations.
The Prince and Princess of Wales took to their Instagram and Twitter handles, unveiling the official photo of their Christmas card ahead of Meghan and Harry.
Kate and William posted the photo and wrote: “Sharing a new family photo for this year’s Christmas card!” After a Christmas tree.
In the stunning photo, the couple are pictured with their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, on a sunny day.
By sharing their official Christmas card, Kate and William took the lead over Meghan and Harry, who are apparently busy promoting their Netflix show.
Last year, the California-based royal couple shared their Christmas card two days before the festivities.
The holiday card included the long-awaited first photo of the couple’s daughter, Lilibet Diana. Also pictured is Lily’s older brother Archie.


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Leading basmati rice firm LT Foods is planning to invest $20 million for branding and expansion in Europe. The company is extensively working on expanding its geographical footprint and product portfolio.
LT Foods is eyeing a six times increase in sales from the branded segment over the next four years. The company plans to increase its sales from the current 5,000 tonnes to 30,000 tonnes.
LT Foods which sells basmati rice under Daawat brand, has been focusing on Europe as the next growth region and has recently opened a new plant in Rotterdam, Netherlands to cater to both Europe and UK.
The company is aiming to gain 5 per cent market share in the branded segment with distribution expansion and continuous brand investments.
The company feels that this will help to take the growth to the next level and achieve the aspired targets. It will also introduce new packaging across all its Daawat rice variants for a fresh shelf presence by March 2018 in the region.


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Salesforce launched its Einstein Analytics app portfolio on Thursday, leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to boost the analytics capabilities available to users on its CRM platform. According to a press release, it will help find new insights and recommend “actions to accelerate sales, improve customer service and optimize marketing campaigns.”
Customers already have access to some analytics tools in Salesforce, but Einstein Analytics is supposed to weave AI into those tools so that they provide more effective results. Analytics are more “important than ever before,” the release said, and the new offering could help users improve their approach, without having to write the algorithms themselves.
“With Einstein Analytics, every CRM user can now see not only what happened in their business, but why it happened and what to do about it, without requiring a team of data science experts,” Ketan Karkhanis, general manager of Salesforce Analytics, said in the release.
SEE: The Complete Machine Learning Bundle (TechRepublic Academy)
Some of the apps in the portfolio are specific to roles in areas like sales, customer service, and marketing, the release said. These apps measure a set of key performance indicator (KPIs) that are specific to that role, in order to help the user do their job more effectively. For example, apps specific to marketing professionals will offer certain actions to take to improve a campaign, based on the data presented, the release said.
Salesforce also launched Einstein Discovery, which provides “actionable AI” to users. Einstein Discovery checks the validity of trends in data, explains how it identified the trend, and walks users through next steps they can take to act on it, the release said. After looking at sales data, for example, Discovery can identify what factors most impact the closing of a deal, and how that varies by location and more, the release noted.
As reported by ZDNet’s Larry Dignan, business users can also build their own models in Discovery in order to glean insights from their data.
In order to help its users get started working with analytics, the release said, Salesforce has also released 12 online learning courses to build out user knowledge of Einstein Analytics. Additional apps in the Salesforce AppExchange provide professionals with a way to boost the power of Einstein Analytics as well, the release said.
Einstein Discovery is available now, starting at $75 per user, per month. Custom Einstein Analytics Apps, also available now, cost $150 per user, per month to start. More pricing information is available here.
The 3 big takeaways for TechRepublic readers
- Salesforce’s new Einstein Analytics app portfolio wants to add additional AI power to the platform’s analytics tools, making it easier for businesses to get real insights.
- Some Einstein Analytics apps geared toward sales, customer service, and marketing are built around the KPIs for those segments.
- Salesforce also launched an “Actionable AI” tool called Einstein Discovery, which allows users to build their own models for data analytics, among other features.


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As we all know, the current relationship between the US and Huawei is shaky at best. Because of this, the latter’s access to Google’s Mobile Services (GMS) has also been uncertain for the longest time.
Last week, Huawei CEO Richard Yu ended his two-hour presentation and the launch of the Mate 30 series talking about Huawei Mobile Services (HMS). In the one minute he spoke on the issue, Yu confirmed that the Mate 30 series cannot ship out with the Google Mobile Services (GMS) core installed on the phone.
That means Google-centric apps such as the all-important Play store, Gmail, or Google Maps won’t be present on the devices when they officially ship out to stores later next month. In the absence of GMS, both the Mate 30 and Mate 30 Pro will ship out with HMS at the core of the phone’s Android OS.
On a somewhat more positive note, Yu claims that there are over 45000 apps integrated with the HMS core. The company plans to incentivise growth of its HMS ecosystem with US$1 billion (~RM4.18 billion), which will be split into development, user growth and marketing funds.
As to when the Mate 30 series phones and all future Huawei devices will be able to officially bring back GMS, Huawei simply said that that future is still uncertain, so long as the current political climate between the US and China holds up.
Obviously, there are workarounds to the Huawei should be able to load Google apps directly into the Mate 30 Pro, and according to sources privy to the matter, Huawei is able to sideload Google apps into the phone. Apparently, Huawei would be able to perform the deed in just a few minutes, but it is yet unclear if doing so could have adverse effects on the device.
That, and bring down the wrath of either the US or Google.
Originally article written by Ian Chee.
(Source: Huawei / YouTube)


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Ayrshire MSP Sharon Dowey has called out the SNP for ‘putting businesses at risk’ following the update that the mask mandate is due to be extended into April, but it isn’t a feeling that is entirely shared by businesses.
Mask wearing was due to be converted from law to guidance last Monday, but this has now been delayed until April.
Sharon Dowey is calling on the Scottish Government to urgently review its position, as the MSP believes this will have a negative effect on businesses.
Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP Sharon Dowey said: “We all want to make sure that we protect one another from COVID-19, but we need to think about the best way to do this. We know that vaccines are our best weapon against this virus, and considering their effectiveness, it’s time that the SNP drop the overly-restrictive mask mandate.
“With Nicola Sturgeon telling us just a few weeks ago that masks would no longer be legally required by next Monday, this news will create confusion for both businesses and consumers.
“This start-stop strategy has been at the heart of the SNP’s COVID-19 response, and it’s clear that Nicola Sturgeon has learnt nothing from her mistakes in using this strategy earlier in the pandemic.
“With Ayrshire businesses trying to get back on their feet after the pandemic, they’re now suffering yet another blow from this SNP government. We should be working hard to make consumers as confident as possible to enter local businesses, and yet all of this stopping and starting over face coverings is achieving exactly the opposite.”
Upon extending the face mask rules, the First Minister said: “The virus continues to present a medium threat.
“We consider it prudent to keep this for a further short period. It will provide some additional protection for the most vulnerable.”
Nicola Sturgeon said it will be reviewed in two weeks and she expects it to become guidance in early April.
The Cumnock Chronicle approached a number of business in the area about the extension of the face mask rules.
None of the businesses approached said the extended rules would severely affect their business.
The general consensus from these businesses was that they were happy to comply with rules for the time being, if that’s what’s needed to keep people safe amid rising case numbers.


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Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Thursday's session are Jakks Pacific Inc. (JAKK), EBay Inc. (EBAY) and Select Comfort Corp. (SCSS).
Toy maker Jakks Pacific, which faces some woes as it struggles to compete in the toy aisle, said it will enact a restructuring plan in the third quarter in a bid to slash expenses and return to profitability in 2014. The company, which suspended its quarterly dividend and reported second-quarter results that badly missed Wall Street's expectations, said the cuts would result in a "substantial reduction of leased space, employees and other overhead expenses." Shares tumbled 22% to $8.98 after hours.
EBay's second-quarter earnings shrank 7.5% as the online retailer was hampered by higher costs while the year-ago period benefited from a one-time gain, though revenue continued to benefit from growth in its two main businesses. Shares sank 5.9% after hours, to $54.85, after the company posted third-quarter estimates below expectations.
Select Comfort's second-quarter earnings fell 42% as the mattress seller recorded weaker margins and higher operating expenses. Shares fell 7.6% to $24.55 after hours as results missed Wall Street estimates.
Intel Corp.'s (INTC) second-quarter profit fell 29% as the chip maker continued to be hurt by sinking demand for personal computers. The company lowered its full-year revenue outlook, now seeing its sales roughly flat from the previous year. Shares were down 3.5% to $23.31 after hours.
International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) posted a fifth-straight quarterly decline in revenue, underscoring the challenge Chief Executive Virginia Rometty faces getting the technology giant's sales growing again. However, shares rose 2.6% to $199.60 after hours as earnings beat expectations and the company lifted its full-year view.
Two drug companies, AcelRx Pharmaceuticals Inc. (ACRX) and TG Therapeutics Inc. (TGTX), disclosed plans to sell shares of their common stock to raise funds for the ongoing development of their treatments. Both declined to say how many shares they plan to sell in the public offering. AcelRx has about 37.3 million shares outstanding, while TG Therapeutics has 26.3 million outstanding, according to FactSet Research. AcelRX's shares were off 2.3% to $11.65, while TG's shares slid 4.2% to $6.58 after hours.
Plexus Corp.'s (PLXS) fiscal third-quarter profit edged down 1.4% as the manufacturing-components vendor reported an overall decline in sales. Still, shares jumped 6.2% to $32.25 as earnings beat the company's expectations and Plexus raised its full-year earnings outlook.
SanDisk Corp.'s (SNDK) second-quarter earnings soared sharply higher as the flash-memory maker posted a jump in sales and margins that helped results easily soar past Wall Street's expectations. Shares were up 6.7% to $63.40 after hours.
Transition Therapeutics Inc. (TTHI) said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted fast track status for its treatment of neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer's disease, ELND005. Shares soared 33% to $3.99 after hours.
Xilinx Inc.'s (XLNX) fiscal first-quarter earnings rose 21% as the manufacturer cut costs and improved its profit margins, masking slightly lower sales. Shares were up 3.7% to $45.15 after hours as results beat Wall Street expectations and the company gave a rosy view of the second quarter.
Allstate Corp. (ALL) has agreed to sell its Lincoln Benefit Life Company to Resolution Life Holdings Inc. for $600 million, as the insurance company looks to sharpen its focus on its namesake agency channel.
American Express Co.'s (AXP) second-quarter profit rose 4.9%, beating Wall Street expectations, while spending by its credit-card customers increased 7%.
Berry Plastics Group Inc. (BERY) said an offering of 15 million shares from stockholders priced at $21.63 apiece, in line with its Wednesday closing price.
Crown Holdings Inc.'s (CCK) second-quarter profit edged down 0.7% as the food-packaging company's higher interest expenses cut into sales gains, though its core per-share earnings improved.
Kinder Morgan Inc. (KMI) swung to a second-quarter profit as earnings surged at its Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP (KMP) affiliate and El Paso Pipeline Partners LP's (EPB) bottom line increased by 35%.
Noble Corp.'s (NE) second-quarter earnings increased 11% as the offshore oil driller's revenue continued to strengthen and as it logged a smaller tax provision.
Moody's Investors Service raised its outlook on Prologis Inc. (PLD) to positive from stable, citing the warehouse real-estate investment trust's improved operational metrics.
Quest Diagnostics Inc. (DGX) has named Mark Guinan, the chief financial officer at hospital-bed supplier Hill-Rom Holdings Inc. (HRC), to serve in that role at the diagnostic-testing provider.
Sallie Mae (SLM) second-quarter profit jumped 86% as the education-loan company recorded a $257 million gain tied to the sale of residual interest in three federally guaranteed student loan trusts.
Steel Dynamics Inc.'s (STLD) second-quarter earnings dropped 35% as the steel maker reported choppy shipment trends and weaker prices for the company's steel operations.
The Federal Trade Commission has requested more information on funeral home and cemetery owner Service Corp. International's (SCI) proposed acquisition of smaller peer Stewart Enterprises Inc. (STEI), the companies said.
Universal Forest Products Inc.'s (UFPI) second-quarter profit fell 9.9% as the wood-products and construction materials company's year ago period was boosted by a real-estate sale, masking a jump in revenue.
Valmont Industries Inc.'s (VMI) second-quarter profit grew 49% as the manufacturer reported higher sales across all business segments, led by a sharp increase in demand for irrigation equipment and parts.
WhiteWave Foods Co. (WWAV) said an offering of 29.9 million of its shares by Dean Foods Co. (DF) priced at a 2.1% discount to its Wednesday closing price. The organic-food company said the offering, which priced at $17.75, was expected to leave Dean Foods with a roughly 2.6% stake in WhiteWave, or 4.5 million Class A shares.
Write to Nathalie Tadena at email@example.com
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The commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Stephen Hahn, is warning against self-medicating with any form of chloroquine phosphate unless prescribed by a doctor.
While the anti-malaria drug chloroquine has been touted by President Trump as a potential treatment for coronavirus, an Arizona man died this week after taking a form of the substance used in aquariums.
“The chloroquine phosphate used for treating aquarium fish is not the same as the FDA-approved chloroquine being studied as a possible treatment for #COVID19,” Hahn said in a series of tweets Wednesday. “We want to warn consumers that this product [is] sold to treat parasites in aquarium fish and may have adverse effects, including serious illness or death, when taken by people.”
Hahn said that there is currently “no FDA-approved treatment” for Covid-19, and he said that chloroquine should only be taken if prescribed by a health care provider and obtained from legitimate sources.
“Some people and companies are trying to profit from the pandemic by selling unproven/illegally marketed products claiming to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent #COVID19,” Hahn said, adding that “these have NOT been evaluated by FDA for safety and effectiveness & might be dangerous to you and your family.”
There is limited evidence, partly from studies on human cells, that chloroquine – or its closely-related analogue, hydroxychloroquine – could have antiviral effects.
Doctors in China, France, the US and other countries have used the drug experimentally in Covid-19 patients, but there is not yet sufficient clinical evidence that it's effective in humans.


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With strict new emissions regulations, more car brands are building electric cars to diversify their lineup and take part in the electric car race. The European Union has essentially tasked automakers with reducing CO2 emissions by 40%. Audi It is no exception, and since the release of the e-Tron, the luxury brand has produced many other electric models. For 2022, Audi currently has seven electric models.
Some of the new electric cars from Audi include the 2022 Q5 TFSI e, 2022 e-Tron Sportback and 2022 e-Tron S. They plan to increase the number in the future, and plans are already in place. Other brands from the Volkswagen Group, such as Porsche, are working to bring their lineup even more to life. The Volkswagen Group has also committed to investing $34 billion in building plug-in hybrid and electric variants for their cars. From new releases to plans, here’s everything you need to know about the Audi EV lineup.
10 Audi plans to go fully electric by 2026
Yes, you read correctly. Audi plans to move to an all-electric brand. According to the management, Audi will focus mainly on electric vehicles after 2026. It will also gradually fade away with petrol, diesel and hybrid models. With this new development, Audi will likely compete directly with Tesla soon.
Audi isn’t the only brand that intends to go all-electric. Ford Motor Company has announced that it will offer primarily electric cars in Europe by 2030. Other car brands such as Volvo and Jaguar have also made similar statements.
9 electric platforms
Audi currently has four different electric platforms for its electric cars. These systems include the MLB evo, J1 Performance Platform, Modular Electric Drive Toolkit (MEB), and Premium Platform Electric (PPE). The MLB evo platform has a 95 kWh battery, dual electric motors, and a 300 kW power outlet. Porsche has developed the J1 performance platform for the Taycan, and Audi will have access to the podium.
The high-performance platform features an 800V battery structure, two permanently excited synchronous motors, and a fast charging capacity of 350kW. The Audi modular electric drivetrain (MEB) platform will be used for small and medium-sized cars. In contrast, Premium Platform Electric (PPE) will be used for medium and large luxury vehicles.
8 Electric vehicle sales to grow nearly 60% in 2021
2021 was a very difficult year for manufacturers suffering from chip shortages and then the COVID-19 pandemic. Most car manufacturers have seen their sales numbers drop, but that’s not the case for Audi.
Despite the hurdles the previous year, Audi had a 57.5% increase in sales of its all-electric cars. The luxury manufacturer sold 81,894 electric cars in 2021, which is more than its 2020 sales. Audi achieved the feat with eight electric cars on sale, and the automaker plans to add 12 more electric vehicles to its lineup by 2025.
7 Audi charging hubs
On December 23, 2021, Audi opened its first charging center at the Nuremberg Exhibition Center in Germany. The charging center has a lounge and, according to the brand, they plan to offer a premium experience.
With a buffer of about 2.45 megawatt-hours, the Audi charging center in the Nuremberg exhibition center can charge 80 EVs per day without exhausting energy storage. There are currently six charging locations in the center, and customers can book them via the myAudi app.
6 2022 Audi e-tron GT
The e-Tron GT is Audi’s high-performance electric sedan with the same underpinnings as the Porsche Taycan. With a starting price of $103,445, the 2022 e-Tron GT is more expensive than both the Porsche Taycan and Tesla Model S.
The e-Tron GT uses an 85.0 kWh lithium-ion battery, while the RS version is equipped with a 93.4 kWh battery with 637 hp. The cabin of the sedan is usually upscale with a host of luxury features available. The e-Tron GT has a fuel economy of 74 MPH.
5 Audi AI: Concept Trail
The Audi AI: Trail is probably one of the most interesting electric car concepts. Audi presented the concept at the 2019 IAA and has since released the car to auto critics for review.
The first thing that can be noticed about this concept is its panoramic view. Audi included different levels of autonomous driving, but the driver still had to drive if the terrain was bumpy. As for power, it has an EV output of 320 kW and torque of 737.6 lb-ft. Instead of headlights, the vehicle’s track is illuminated by five drones.
4 Dakar Rally Audi electric car
Audi participated in the Dakar Rally for the first time in 2022, and the manufacturer decided to use the EV. However, this is not the first time that Audi has competed with an electric car in motorsport.
The manufacturer won the 2012 24 Hours of Le Mans with an electric R18 e-Tron Quattro. For the 2022 Dakar Rally, Audi used a hybrid car with a 52 kWh battery – the RS Q e-Tron. The electric car’s on-the-go battery is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged 14-liter engine. In turn, the engine is driven by a generator unit attached to it.
3 Audi Artemis Project
Project Artemis aims to develop a luxury sedan to rival the Mercedes-Benz EQS. During development, the sedan will be known as the Landjet, but will be marketed as the A9 E-Tron. The Landjet is built on Premium Platform Electric (PPE) and debuted at the 2021 Munich Motor Show.
The new sedan from Audi has a 120 kWh battery with an output of 530 kW and 960 Nm of torque. Porsche was part of the production deal, but they just pulled out. As compensation for the broken deal, Porsche will have to pay $113 million to Volkswagen.
2 2023 Audi Q4 E-Tron
To expand its electric vehicle lineup, Audi has made electric versions of its gasoline-powered models. The 2022 Q4 E-Tron is the electric version of the Audi Q5. With a 77.0 kWh battery pack, the Q4 E-Tron delivers 201-295 horsepower depending on trim level.
The cabin of the EV is positively filled with technology and luxury features. There is a 10.3-inch digital display, a 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen, and a head-up display with augmented reality technology.
1 2022 Audi E-Tron S.
Unlike the regular E-Tron, the 2022 E-Tron S has three electric motors. These engines are capable of producing a total of 496 horsepower, 718 pound-feet of torque, and an acceleration rate of 0-60 mph in 4.3 seconds.
The E-Tron S houses an 86.5 kWh lithium-ion battery with a range of 208 miles per charge. Though, that’s down from 241 miles per charge of the 2022 Q4 E-Tron. With its unique features, the E-Tron S still falls short compared to the Tesla Model X. The 2022 Tesla Model X has 670 horsepower and can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds.