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For many U.S. companies, the task of recovering from the economic shock of the pandemic is requiring new strategies and a commitment to finding new customers to replace lost business. Today, one of the best ways to locate strong business opportunities is by looking beyond our borders. In fact, according to the DHL Global Connectedness Index 2020 (GCI), which offers one of the first comprehensive assessments of globalization during the pandemic, cross-border trade and capital flows are already starting to recover, while international data flows actually increased during the pandemic due to surging global e-commerce activity.
If your organization is not conducting cross-border trade, now is a good time to devise an international strategy, especially if yours is a small business engaged in e-commerce. If you are already trading, then you should consider expanding your footprint, since, as the Wall Street Journal has reported, “global trade is rebounding much more quickly this year than it did after the 2008 financial crisis, lifting parts of the world economy and defying predictions.”
With this in mind, here is a look at some key international markets that show promise for 2021:
Both the U.S. and the UK are pursuing trade agreements with Kenya, an indication of the African nation’s growing role as a global player and its importance in the region. For U.S. companies, a trade agreement removing certain tariffs on exports and imports would serve as a critical financial incentive to consider the country, which currently represents about $1.1 billion in two-way trade.
Regardless, Kenya is already a member of the East African Community (EAC) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), and the U.S. does currently have a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement with each of these regional organizations. In 2019, according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative, U.S. goods exports to Kenya were $401 million, up 9.9% from 2018.
Importantly, a significant effort is underway in the country – an across many African nations – to boost e-commerce and technology opportunities, and to help small businesses find a growing audience. In fact, online sales have increased significantly in the region in the past five years, and experts see a huge potential for growth in the years ahead.
In March, the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) was formally ratified, and it entered into force on July 1, 2020. The trade agreement, which replaced NAFTA, is already creating opportunities for small businesses engaged in trade with our closest neighbors. By implementing new Customs procedures, increasing Mexico and Canada’s de minimis, allowing e-signatures and self-certification of origin, the deal is streamlining trade, especially e-commerce, and promises important financial benefits for companies and consumers in the year ahead.
Trade with Canada in 2021 will be particularly important. That’s because the country’s GDP is an estimated $1.7 trillion, and Canadian leaders are taking aggressive steps to recover from the pandemic. Our second largest goods trading partner overall with $612 billion in total two-way trade, Canada is the largest U.S. export market. Top export categories in 2019 were vehicles, machinery, electrical machinery, mineral fuels and plastics. Top import categories were similarly mineral fuels, vehicles, machinery and plastics.
Importantly, like other parts of the world, Canada is experiencing rapid e-commerce growth, in part due to the pandemic, which signals increased opportunities for online retail sellers. Language, cultural and tax similarities give U.S. companies an advantage in doing business in Canada.
Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Nations
In 2015, the U.S joined 11 Pacific Rim nations in negotiations on the TPP, a landmark trade agreement that sought to improve market access and provide key trade facilitation benefits. In 2017, the U.S. withdrew from the pact. The remaining countries in the TPP have moved forward with a new arrangement, now implemented, which is known at the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). It includes many of the same trade facilitation provisions that were being considered by the TPP.
With new leadership in Washington, D.C., it is possible that the U.S. may consider participating in some version of the TPP in the future. President-elect Biden has not said whether he would re-join the TPP; however, he has indicated that the U.S. must be active in setting trade rules in concert with other nations.
The nations that make up the TPP are certainly important for U.S. companies in 2021, and the prospect of a potential agreement – though it likely would not occur before 2022 – suggest that focusing on these nations will be useful. In addition to the U.S., the original TPP countries are: Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.
In October, 50 U.S. senators called on the Trump administration to engage in bilateral trade agreement negotiations with Taiwan. Since Taiwan is claimed by Beijing as sovereign Chinese territory, the move is seen as an effort to offset China’s global trade influence.
Recently, it was reported that “Taiwan’s foreign minister voiced confidence … that the incoming government of U.S. President-elect Joe Biden would support a long sought-after bilateral trade agreement, following high level economic talks with the outgoing administration.” If a deal is finalized eventually, it will make Taiwan a more attractive market for many U.S. companies, but it may also complicate trade with China.
According the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Taiwan is already our 10th largest goods trading partner, with $85.5 billion in total two-way goods trade in 2019 – including over $31 billion exported from U.S. companies.
The largest country in South America, Brazil is also the second largest economy in the Western Hemisphere. For U.S. companies, the opportunities for trade are significant, especially in light of the country’s surging e-commerce activity. Despite several years of economic challenges in Brazil, online sales have increased significantly in the past several years. And, as is the case globally, the pandemic has pushed e-commerce into overdrive. Consider these statistics:
- Brazil is the 4th largest internet market globally, with 150 million internet users out of total population of more than 209 million.
- The country represents approximately 42% of all B2C e-commerce in South America.
- With 130 million active Facebook users, Brazil is in the top three for users of the platform.
Trade with Brazil is facilitated by an agreement signed with the U.S. in 2011 and updated in 2020: the Agreement on Trade and Economic Cooperation. The agreement streamlines Customs procedures and simplifies import/export processes – an important plus for U.S. e-commerce companies looking to export to Brazil.
What are your company’s top global markets in 2021? Let us know on Twitter @DHLUS.


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Amazon Bank, They’re Trying Out The Money Business
Amazon already basically owns the retail market, and now they’re trying to get into managing your money, too. Get all the details here.
By nowproducerdave on March 6, 2018
Amazon is quickly becoming the real-life “Buy n Large” from the Pixar animated movies, in that you can get anything and everything from their stores. They’re buying up other stores, including Audible, Zappos, Whole Foods, Ring, and a whole collection of others. According to what they’re working on now, their latest venture will include a sort of Amazon Bank. What else could Amazon possibly get involved with? Groceries, home goods, clothing, electronics, and now banking. What’s left?
To expand on the details of what they’re planning, it doesn’t appear that they want to start from scratch and start opening up some banking branches and buildings; they’re actually working with established banks already in-place, and planning to offer Amazon-branded accounts within those banks. Amazon already works with Chase on their Prime credit card, so it will probably be a similar situation with that. They’re shopping around with different bank “companies” to see who will offer what sort of benefits and terms. The idea is that Amazon can partner with (or buy) other stores, and offer their own Prime benefits attached to that store in the same way they’re doing with Whole Foods, which the feel would also guarantee more Prime members going into actual stores rather than just shopping online.
They say this is more marketed to the younger users of Amazon, since people who are already members of a bank probably wouldn’t go through the effort of switching banks and changing everything around just for this, and younger customers also would potentially mean higher loyalty, as well as more people signing up for Prime. Is switching to a branded and benefited Amazon bank account something you’d consider, or is the value of what they offer not worth the switch? Check out more details about what the plan seems to be, and why they’re not opening an actual, stand-alone bank here.

domain: news


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Artificial Intelligence, ‘Big Data’ and IoT shape the new logistics : During the last years, the logistics industry has experienced more changes than those registered during the entire previous century. The explanation lies in globalization, the strong growth of e-commerce, the constant emergence of new technologies and, more recently, in the Covid-19 pandemic, which has accelerated the digitization of companies.
Logistics has entered a decade of transformation, driven by new advances in data analysis, robotics, Artificial Intelligence ,Big Data, quantum computing or the Internet of Things. To adapt to all the changes that are expected, professionals must identify and embrace new trends.
Logistics operators work with millions of pieces of information about orders, shipment movements, shipment location and asset conditions. In this sense, it is important to make good use of the data obtained in order to optimize planning and predict future scenarios.
As far as Artificial Intelligence is concerned, it allows solving the biggest challenges in the sector at an operational level, such as route optimization, demand forecasting or automation. It also plays a fundamental role in the automation of robotic processes, even the most complex ones.
Impact Of IoT On Logistics
Lastly, the Internet of Things is having a growing impact on the world, helping to bridge any gaps in connectivity . The development of this technology and the new generation of ‘wireless’ technologies will contribute to total visibility of the supply chain.
Above all this, the blockchain stands out, the protocol behind cryptocurrencies and that has the potential to change the rules of the game in the supply chain, by providing more speed, transparency and security to transactions.
There are still some cultural and technical difficulties to overcome for its full development in the logistics sector, as is the case with the use of drones or autonomous vehicles, although in this case some of the problems have more to do with the lack of a proper regulatory framework .
Advanced Robotics And Automation Technologies
At the same time, monitoring solutions issue an alert if workers spend too much time in close proximity to a colleague. This is also very useful to be able to trace the contacts of a possible person infected with Covid-19.
For the same reason, robots are being designed that can automate tasks that normally require a lot of closeness between workers, such as unloading trucks.
Given that in recent months there have been difficulties in manufacturing protective equipment or respirators, the use of 3D printers has also been promoted in certain work centers.
For their part, in deliveries, the operators have opted for ‘contactless’ systems, to avoid physical contact between the delivery person and the client. This includes the use of autonomous robots, slogans and applications for digital signatures.
Although it has been the Covid-19 that has forced in many cases this great commitment to digitization, most operators have realized that customers appreciate the high levels of service they currently offer and the improvement that has produced in communications.
Resilience, Sustainability And Technology
The health crisis now occupies all the attention of logistics operators with regard to the organization of the supply chain, but there are trends that for years have continued to shape what the sector will be in the coming years, such as resilience, sustainability and technological maturity.
Efficiency has long been the priority of companies, which have devoted all their efforts to minimizing their costs. Most had been successful in this matter, but the trade war between China and the United States first, and the global pandemic later, have brought to light all their weaknesses.
Normally, when a problem occurs, a temporary work team is created to solve it as soon as possible. It works, but a lot of time can be wasted searching for the right people, resources, and information to provide an effective response.
When it comes to sustainability, it is clear that with the lockdown measures implemented in a large number of countries, pollution has been substantially reduced and traffic levels have plummeted. Consequently, air quality in cities has greatly improved.


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It affected the UK's National Health Service , Russia's Ministry of Interior, Germany's rail system, automakers Nissan Motor and Renault, logistics giant FedEx Corp., and other company and hospital computer systems in countries from Eastern Europe to the U.S.
President Pranab Mukherjee's term comes to an end in July and there have been hectic meetings between Opposition parties for the past few weeks to decide on a consensus candidate against the NDA nominee. Mrs Gandhi has already met Nitish Kumar, CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah and the CPI's D. Raja among others.
While voyaging across the sea, your ship will be hit by a monsoon and you'll find yourself in a harbor town devastated from the recent storm. Fixing up a lighthouse sounds quite different than the usual farm scenario. As usual, the task of growing crops, livestock, and gathering materials is all part of building yet another unbelievable community with new friends, and family.
Meanwhile, at a slightly higher price of €99, you can grab the 4G version with a 64-bit quad-core MediaTek processor (1.1GHz). On the other hand, the 4G version will have a starting price of around Rs 6,999. It is rumoured that the C Plus will have a 5-inch display, with a bump in resolution at 1,280×720. The new Moto C and Moto C Plus - which run Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box - will be available beginning this spring, but we don't know the exact details just yet.
Some of the creatures you'll see more of include Omanyte, Kabuto, Aerodactyl, Onix, and Sudowoodo, as well as their evolved forms. Moreover, Buddy Pokemon will find sweets four times as fast for the duration of the celebration. Now that events are mostly the reason why Pokemon Go players go back to the game, the developer is maximizing a lot of its efforts into delivering new events regardless of the season.
Amazon's Alexa assistant is now only talking to you, but you will soon be able to have Alexa reach out and touch someone else. You can also start voice calls with owners of other Echo devices that do not have inbuilt cameras. Just when those competitors might have been catching up, Amazon just announced another great leap forward: the Echo Show . So, the Echo Show includes a 7-inch touch screen that can plug into select services.
In the U.S. FedEx was hit. The virus that hit the NHS in England and Scotland, known as Wanna Decryptor or WannaCry , has infected 200,000 machines in over 150 countries since Friday. Experts were urging organizations and companies to immediately update older Microsoft operating systems, such as Windows XP, with a patch released by Microsoft Corp.to limit vulnerability to a more powerful version of the malware - or to future versions that can't be stopped.
BMW has just shown off images of the new M240i M Performance Edition, a limited-edition model that features a host of BMW M Performance styling upgrades. Available from July, the M Performance Edition is yet to be priced for the UK. Carbon fiber outside mirror caps and the side sill attachments with foiled M Performance inscription round off the dynamic appearance of the BMW M240i M Performance Edition.
BTG plc is engaged in the business of healthcare, focusing on Interventional Medicine therapies for liver cancer, emphysema and vascular disorders, specialty pharmaceuticals for acute care uses, and a licensing business. Macquarie Research maintained St. James's Place plc (LON:STJ) rating on Thursday, April 28. On Monday, October 26 the stock rating was maintained by Barclays Capital with "Overweight".
Cyber criminals released a virus which encrypted NHS data and demanded a ransom payable in bitcoin - an internet currency - to have them decrypted, with the threat of deletion if the money was not handed over. A spokeswoman for NHS Grampian said: "Our IT teams have been working over the weekend in the affected GP surgeries". Chinese state media said 29,372 institutions had been affected along with hundreds of thousands of devices, and universities and universities and schools among the ...
Other things that the Echo Show can do is play YouTube videos, display the daily news along with the current weather forecast, and show the user's appointments for the day. Amazon says that they're "powerful, room-filling speakers with Dolby processing for crisp vocals and extended bass response". Which are now integrated into the Echo Show .
The attack has hit more than 200,000 victims across the world since Friday and is seen as an "escalating threat", said Rob Wainwright, the head of Europol , Europe's policing agency . FedEx: The company said it was "experiencing interference with some of our Windows-based systems caused by malware" and was trying to fix the problems as quickly as possible.
The survey tilted in favour of Modi Government even in the odd situations like law and order is not in right direction, the rise in price and employment challenges in the country. "59% believe Govt on track to deliver to promises made in pre-election manifesto", read the release issued by LocalCircles. 65 percent of the citizens believed that government managed the Parliament effectively and took the Opposition along to clear key economic bills.
Those Switch games would include "one unannounced" title along with Just Dance and "one or two more" coming later. "We intend to pursue our digital transformation and consolidate our new business model", Guillemot said. Finally, Ubisoft also confirmed, once again, that the latest South Park Game, subtitled " The Fractured But Whole ", will make its debut during this fiscal year as well.
On Monday, McMaster told reporters: "The president and the foreign minister reviewed a range of common threats to our two countries including threats to civil aviation". "It's not helpful that this was the Russians", said Sen. McMaster would not confirm that Bossert made the calls but suggested that if he did, he was acting "maybe from an overabundance of caution".
Telefónica: Spanish authorities confirmed the Spanish telecom company Telefónica was one of the targets, though the attack affected only some computers and did not compromise the security of clients' information. Wallace said the government used to contract for computer services across the entire NHS but that in 2007 that was stopped and left to the individual trusts.
Cyber-security is not often top of the headlines across the world, but there was an exception last week as massive ransomware attack infected thousands of machines across the world, affecting many big companies and, perhaps most notably, the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK.
McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, added " reports that this information was provided by a USA ally and shared without its knowledge sends a troubling signal to American's allies and partners around the world, and may impair their willingness to share intelligence with us in the future".
Experts were urging organizations and companies to update older Microsoft operating systems immediately to limit vulnerability to a more powerful version of the malware - or to future versions that can't be stopped. The company said it had released a security update back in March to protect Windows system computers against such attacks, but said many computers "remained unpatched globally".
May 16, 2017 -Today, SEGA® revealed the third gameplay style in Sonic Forces is a powerful gadget touting customizable character. According to IGN , players will be able to choose from seven different custom character species, each with its own unique ability.
It was launched on Kickstarter almost a month ago and has gained a whole heap of support, presumably by fashion forward men, or people who just want a laugh. One wrote: "My hubby would never wear a #romphim". "Everything was either too corporate, too fratty, too 'runway, ' or too basic". According to their Kickstarter page, the guys behind RompHim started working with a fashion design consultant in Chicago, and RompHim was born.
The former England worldwide who announced he will be leaving Chelsea in April scores in the 4-3 win. Chelsea said on their official website: "After securing the Premier league title, and with agreement from all relevant local agencies, we can confirm a victory parade will be held on Sunday, May 28, commencing at midday".
The OnePlus 5 is in the making, and from all that has leaked online of the upcoming handset, Samsung should have enough reasons to be anxious for its current flagship, the Galaxy S8. It has been hardly four years for the Chinese tech company, OnePlus to step into the smartphone manufacturing market and it started gaining recognition right after rolling out the first ever device created by the entity.
Japanese broadcaster NTV reported 600 companies in that country had been hit, and automaker Nissan and the Hitachi conglomerate said they were addressing the problem at their units that were affected. The NSA tools were stolen by hackers and dumped on the internet. A young cybersecurity researcher has been credited with helping to halt the ransomware's spread by accidentally activating a so-called "kill switch" in the malicious software.
Thus, Microsoft has also made a decision to protect even its older customers, thus, update the Windows Defender engine to protect your computer. "Which we will", she said. "We are working with customers to provide additional assistance as this situation evolves", the company said. Once a vulnerable PC becomes infected, the computer will attempt to spread to other machines over the local network as well as over the internet.
So let's dive in to see some more details on The Legend of Zelda title for smartphones and what more would it have to offer. Despite this claim, it seems that Fire Emblem Heroes is more profitable than Super Mario Run due to its dedicated fanbase, which may have the developer changing its mind when it comes to future games.
Russian Federation and Britain were among the worst hit countries. Mr Tehan declined to provide details on the three affected companies, but said the first Australian company reported as hit was not "a government organisation or a hospital or anything like that".
Director for Centre for Cyber Security Research at Deakin University, Professor Yang Xiang, said it was not ethical to pay ransom for data. The man, known as MalwareTech , has predicted that another attack is coming "quite likely on Monday".
In a blog post on Sunday, Microsoft Corp MSFT.O President Brad Smith confirmed what researchers already widely concluded: The attack made use of a hacking tool built by the U.S. The security firm Symantec also found links between Lazarus and WannaCry. But none reported that they had data encrypted or that they suffered significant disruptions.
Payment is demanded within three days or the price is doubled, and if none is received within seven days the locked files will be deleted, according to the screen message. A divert remained in place for trauma, stroke and urgent heart attack treatment, where diagnostic services are required, at the Lister Hospital, part of East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust (Midlands & East).
The number of affected networks and individuals is likely to go up, he said, because "many workers left their computer turned on last Friday and will probably find out that they are also affected by the malware on Monday morning". "I can not put my hand on my heart and say that means we are 100 per cent cyber secure", he said. The 5,500-strong Renault factory in Douai, northern France, one of the most important vehicle plants in the country, will not open on Monday due to the attack , ...
Monday's ruling prevents Uber from using Waymo's technology on a laser navigational tool called Lidar that robotic cars use to see what's around them. New cars come equipped with safety systems. Levandowski formed Ottmotto on January 15 and Otto Trucking on February 1. The demand that Uber hand over stolen documents will potentially giving Waymo further evidentiary discovery opportunities going forward.
Let us know what games you'll be picking up this week in the comments! Phantom Dust is set in the future where the surface of Earth is uninhabitable. Windows Central states that Phantom Dust's ability system revolves around deck building mechanics. Which games interest you from the Xbox 360 era though, especially given the selection on hand? There's also been some much changes to the single player components of the game.
It really is", said Jackson. "The consistency of playing quarterback in the National Football League at a high level is a challenge". "I don't know that, but I know we are going to do everything we can to get him there". The only question is how many, with a follow-up regarding what that means for how the season is going for the Browns. Griffin and McCown are both gone as they were released by the Browns at the end of the 2016 season.
Microsoft's President and Chief Legal Officer, Brad Smith, says this week's WannaCry attack "provides yet another example of why the stockpiling of vulnerabilities by governments is such a problem". One of the suggestions Smith makes is to treat vulnerabilities in the same way other weapons are handled. The attack therefore spread faster than previous, smaller-scale ransomware attacks.


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Normally, the Fitchburg Chamber of Commerce hosts expos, networking parties and community events to promote local business multiple times a month.
But during the COVID-19 pandemic, the chamber has to evolve how it serves the area.
Executive director Angela Kinderman told the Star it’s taken on the amplified role of information dissemination – if a business owner has an inquiry, they can give the chamber a call any time or check out its website. Staff have also made their cell phone numbers available to businesses.
Chamber staff also reach out to check in with local business owners, Kinderman said — resulting in over 400 phone calls being made over the last few months, but most going to voicemail.
In turn, Kinderman and her staff have worked to inform the Fitchburg community about which businesses have deals, which restaurants have carryout and delivery options which industries are still hiring in an uncertain job market – even looking into how recovery efforts might look as Wisconsin starts to open up again.
The Chamber has also prioritized communications that Fitchburg’s hospitality industry remains mostly intact, even though they’ve generally been hit hard. She said Country Inn & Suites, Hawthorn Suites, Staybridge Suites and Wyndham Garden remain open for business.
“There are still those necessary situations where customers need accommodations for business travel,” Kinderman said. “It’s important people know these hotels are open.”
She said the Chamber is also acting as a conduit to state and federal legislatures – if a business has a concern, staff have communicated that to government officials.
But Kinderman said businesses are some of the best innovators and adaptors, who will continue to evolve their models as the pandemic moves forward — a lot to a virtual platform.
She said the Chamber is already in talks with its board members about putting a recovery team together — “sooner rather than later,” Kinderman added.
The team will look at obstacles preventing businesses from opening their doors, and how it could bring more tourism into a city whose revenue relies on large events – how to make the public feel safe about that tourism.
Fitchburg is home to numerous events that pull in thousands of people, some of which have already been postponed or cancelled, such as Festa Italia and Kids Building Wisconsin.
More information and links to resources can be found via FACTv programming, on social media and on the Chamber website. Staff updates the links regularly, Kinderman said.
Links are categorized under three tabs, including “Employee & Employer Resources,” “Community Resources” and “Updates on Service Adjustments.”
The first tab includes financial resources for grants, loans and other forms of assistance. The second lists references for city, senior and food resources. The third details which restaurants, gyms and personal care businesses have either closed, changed their hours or adapted their service offerings.
If a business or member of the public has an inquiry, they can call 288-8284 or visit fitchburgchamber.com.


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Switching to alternative milk and eliminating seafood from one’s diet can lead to an iodine deficiency, potentially impacting long-term health, according to a recent study. Dr. John Harvey and a team of academics from Nottingham University Business School examined the shopping habits of over 10,000 Co-Op shoppers to determine the potential health consequences of replacing traditional milk with alternative options.
Using anonymized data, the researchers identified Co-op loyalty card users who regularly shopped at the store, enabling them to analyze their entire diet and identify those who had switched to dairy alternatives. Their findings have been published in the journal Scientific Reports.
The study involved calculating and analyzing the average weekly levels of iodine in grocery purchases to assess any reduction resulting from the transition to plant-based milk. The researchers also examined the impact of the dietary switch on other crucial nutritional components found in dairy milk, including calcium, vitamin B12, and saturated fat, some of which are fortified in plant-based alternatives. The primary sample for analysis consisted of 10,626 frequent customers who had purchased milk for at least four weeks before the transition and plant-based milk for at least four weeks after.
The researchers found that over 81% of the analyzed customers experienced a decrease in their average weekly iodine intake after switching to plant-based milk. Among them, approximately 14% experienced a decrease of less than 25%, while around 20% experienced a significant reduction of over 75%. An additional 45% experienced a decrease between 25% and 75%. Similar results were observed for calcium and vitamin B12.
On the other hand, more than 71% of consumers showed a positive reduction in their weekly intake of saturated fat, with about 23% reducing their intake by over 50%.
As Veganuary gains popularity and more people experiment with plant-based diets, the researchers behind the study emphasize the importance of monitoring iodine consumption during dietary transitions.
Dr. John Harvey cautions individuals considering replacing milk in their diet to pay attention to their iodine intake and ensure they are obtaining sufficient amounts from other sources. Many alternative milks are not fortified with iodine, so it is crucial to check the label. If preferred sources are not fortified, incorporating iodized salt into the diet is a potential solution.
Dr. Simon Welham, an assistant professor in nutritional science, expressed particular concern regarding iodine intakes among women of childbearing age. Inadequate iodine levels during pregnancy can result in permanent damage to the developing baby. He echoes Dr. Harvey’s advice to carefully review labels and ensure that iodine is present, particularly in plant-based milk alternatives.
1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it


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Time to Change mental health campaign calls account review
Time to Change, the mental health awareness campaign run by the charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, has kicked off a review of its creative and media planning agency requirements.
Time to Change campaign
Initially, Time to Change will appoint a communications planning agency to work on the initiative until April 2015. Once a planning agency is in place, it will hold a pitch to appoint a creative agency.
The search follows the award of £20 million of new funding for Time to Change from the Department of Health and Comic Relief in October last year. Between 2007 and 2011, the initiative was funded by Comic Relief and the Big Lottery Fund.
Due to the change in the way the campaign is funded, the review is being held through the Government Procurement Service and the appointed agencies will work alongside the Government’s media buying shop M4C.
Time to Change currently works with Dare on its creative work, which encourages people to talk about mental illness. Before its new funding agreement, the campaign’s media was handled by Hypernaked and the7stars.
A spokeswoman for the campaign said: "To keep a high-profile national campaign like this fresh and effective, it’s important to evaluate agencies over a period of time. Time to Change has successfully worked with their agencies over the last four years to provide campaigns reaching over 47 million people."
This article was first published on campaignlive.co.uk
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- First-ever roadshow covers Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne from 19-25 March
- Tourism Minister Harin Fernando leads delegation with key SLTPB officials and 30 firms
- SLTPB Chief Chalaka Gajabahu highlights strategic approach tailored to Australian travel and booking trends
|Tourism Minister Harin Fernando
|SLTPB Chairman Chalaka Gajabahu
By Charumini de Silva
Sri Lanka Tourism will embark on first-ever roadshow in Australia this month, focusing on three key cities to promote the island nation as an attractive travel destination.
The roadshow will be held from 19-25 March, targeting Brisbane (19), Sydney (21) and Melbourne (25) to promote Sri Lanka’s myriad of tourism offerings.
The delegation will be led by the Tourism Minister Harin Fernando, along with Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) Chairman Chalaka Gajabahu, SLTPB Director Dushan Wickramasuriya with over 30 local travel agencies, DMCs and hotels participating in the roadshow.
“This is our inaugural roadshow series in Australia. Our goal is to fully capitalise on this occasion and strengthen the bonds of friendship between the two nations,” Tourism Minister Harin Fernando told the Daily FT.
Australia is identified as an emerging key source market for Sri Lanka. In 2023, Australia secured the sixth biggest source market including 67,436 tourists (5%) of 1.48 million total arrivals. As of 27 February, a total of 12,441 visitors arrived in the country.
The multi-city roadshow will include B2B sessions facilitating discussions followed by an evening networking event which will also help to improve business partnerships. The focus also evolves on promoting a myriad of tourism experiences to encourage forward bookings by potential travellers.
“We want to highlight the positive message that Sri Lanka is open for leisure, business and MICE tourism. Australia stands as a lucrative market for Sri Lanka Tourism. Through collaborative efforts we want to lure a greater influx of Australian travellers,” Minister Fernando added.
SLTPB Chairman Gajabahu outlined the promotion is rolled out through a strategic approach tailored to the booking patterns of the market.
“Our strategy entails a customised rollout tailored to the travel and booking trends observed in our primary markets. Australians tend to travel most during the middle of the year and our efforts are centred on tapping into this market during our shoulder period,” he added.
Gajabahu also said the Australian roadshow will be a great opportunity to highlight the unique attractions and experiences Sri Lanka has to offer. “The objective is to maximise the impact to ensure gradual and structured expansion of reach,” he explained.


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More support for Mistry after Indian Hotels episode? Tatas cautious
The battle for control of the Tata empire is likely to intensify in the coming weeks as the group braces to face the possibility of more support for ousted chairman Cyrus Mistry from the boards of key group companies, similar to the way independent directors of Indian Hotels endorsed him last week.Cyrus Mistry Exit Updated: Nov 07, 2016 12:53 IST
The battle for control of the Tata empire is likely to intensify in the coming weeks as the group braces to face the possibility of more support for ousted chairman Cyrus Mistry from the boards of key group companies, similar to the way independent directors of Indian Hotels endorsed him last week.
The Tatas are looking at all options to back their decision to replace Mistry at group companies and are not ruling out seeking shareholders’ support.
This new stance of Bombay House is a marked departure from that till last week when there was the willingness to wait and expect Mistry to voluntarily step down from the chairman’s post at group companies.
According to people familiar with the developments, the change may have been prompted by the unexpected endorsement of support for Mistry’s leadership by independent directors of Indian Hotels last week, reportedly proposed by Indian Hotels MD and CEO Rakesh Sarna, who had been appointed by Mistry.
The boards of at least two large group companies are meeting soon --- Tata Steel on November 11 and Tata Motors on November 14. A show of support for Mistry at these companies can dilute the stances of Tata Sons and principal shareholder Tata Trusts.
The Tata group is marshalling support for its decision to replace Mistry. According to informed sources in Bombay House, the headquarters of the Tata group, “the group has all along expected Mistry to step down from the chairman’s post at group companies. Now that the trend is beginning to look different, the group will take all steps required to bring the process to its logical conclusion, which could also include seeking shareholder support.”
A Tata Sons spokesperson did not comment on queries to verify whether such a stance by the Tatas is being explored. If it goes ahead, it could mark the beginning of an aggressive battle for control of the $103 billion Tata Group.
“It will be tough for any move to oust Mistry from the chairman post of Tata Motors. By law, while the board can vote to replace him as chairman, to remove him as director it will need shareholder approval. That can be a long-drawn cumbersome process,” says Sandeep Parekh, founder of Finsec Law Advisors and former executive director at Sebi.
Mistry’s support from independent directors came at a time when Indian Hotels, owner of marquee properties such as the Taj group of hotels, returned to profitability. Mistry’s move to improve efficiencies, sell non-core assets such as the Taj Boston in the US and to raise questions on a costly acquisition taken before he took charge, had irked sections within Tata Sons and was widely seen as one of the factors that led to his ouster.
While support at Indian Hotels came from independent directors – stalwarts such as HDFC chairman Deepak Parekh and Hindustan Unilever former chairman Keki Dadiseth vouched for his competence – there are unconfirmed reports of a similar backing from a non-executive section of the Tata Motors board also.
The $42 billion automobile company that also owns Jaguar and Land Rover, has many prominent professionals as independent directors, including industrialist Nusli Wadia, veteran technocrat Raghunath Mashelkar, former IDFC founder Nasser Munjee, Eicher group chairman emeritus Subodh Bhargava, former bureaucrat Vinesh Jairath and financial services professional Falguni Nayar.
Tata Motors has already officially admitted that the Nano - a brainchild of interim chairman Ratan Tata – is a loss making product and that the company is taking steps to “refocusing its strategy on growing and attractive segments of passenger vehicle market…”
The statement affirms Mistry’s charges made after his ouster that the Nano project is loss making and should be shut down. Mistry had also said that Tata Steel’s challenges include potential impairments of $10 billion, which has since been countered by the steelmaker that the financials are in line with prudent accounting standards.


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Google has bought Divide, a startup that secures smartphones to make them enterprise-friendly. It uses containers, a concept that should not sound unfamiliar around these parts thanks to the likes of Samsung KNOX. The approach separates a user's personal data from work-related files, effectively isolating them from one another on the same device. Google's purchase could imply a desire to tighten up Android's security out of the box and better attract the interest of enterprise customers.
Divide, formerly known as Enterproid, was backed by Google Ventures (along with other investors such as Comcast Ventures and Qualcomm Ventures), so it doesn't come as too much of surprise that the team was on the tech giant's radar. Still, certain businesses have held off on using Android due to security concerns, and this acquisition suggests that Google is not ready to cede the workplace to its competitors lying down. It could use Divide's experience to make Android more corporate-ready without needing outside vendors to come in and introduce their own bits.
Android may be a more open operating system than the likes of iOS, Windows Phone, or BlackBerry OS - but dear corporations, that's nothing a good container can't address, and Google's may soon be ready to give you one.
Update: This news lines up well with previous reports that in the next major version of Android, the "L" release, Google will make a strong push for corporate adoption. Other rumored security features include partial wipe, password storage on chips, and better data encryption.


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Meta is supposedly set to release a much-needed desktop version of its text-based social media platform Threads. Despite an initial surge in popularity upon release, the app failed to make a dent in Elon Musk’s X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
While not explicitly announced, according to Reuters, the highly-requested web version could arrive as early as next week. Instagram head, Adam Mosseri, revealed a week ago that the team has been using an early version internally, while also confirming last Friday that “Desktop web will happen long before foldable support. We’re close on web and not working on foldables.”
The current web iteration is a read-only format with no option to like, comment, or repost, and if you do try and click on those icons, it redirects you to download the app instead. Bummer.
Threads launched at a record high of over 100 million users within the first week, though popularity has since dwindled due to its lack of critical features. Daily active users dropped from 49.3 million to 10.2 million, according to a recent analytics report from Similarweb, marking a 79 per cent decrease in app usage after only a month.
A web app is significantly important to Meta as it could prove more enticing to brands, advertisers, company accounts, and journalists, and in turn provide a perfect opportunity to one-up X, which has its very own set of self-imposed struggles and challenges at the moment. Block button, anyone?
Speaking of app, overall usability on the Android and iOS Threads apps still remains somewhat limited. For one, there is no proper search function, and it remains limited to searching user accounts, though management has announced it is working on an improved search functionality that extends to posts, comments and replies, much like, well, Twitter.
For now, Meta has added the ability to set post notifications for user accounts and view posts in chronological order, dubbed ‘following feed,’ as well as adding custom alt text to photos and videos. Hey, it’s a start.


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1,000 signatures reached
To: Natasha Myring-Plumb, Head of HR
Coca Cola: Don't freeze our wages!
After months of negotiating, Coca-Cola in WA has put out an agreement that is a total fizzer! Coca Cola wants to FREEZE our pay for the first year, with a 0% pay rise, and then low pay rises of only 2%, 1.5% and 1.5% for some workers. This four year agreement locks in unfair conditions, that allow managers to pick and choose who earns more and who misses out, and they have refused to address ANY of our reasonable claims.
Please let Coca Cola know you support our fight to stop the wage freeze and for a FAIR offer that considers our claims!
Why is this important?
Coca Cola is one of the biggest and most profitable brands in the WORLD. They can afford a fair pay rise for hard working manufacturing workers like us! We have worked loyally for the company for years, we deserve a fair pay rise.


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Mermaid Core is here… With Google searches for ‘mermaid style’ rising 736% worldwide in the past year, expect colour palettes of blues, pinks and purples, as well as shimmer, iridescent tones and dewy make-up looks!
The movie starring Halle Bailey in the lead role is to be released later this month, being directed by Rob Marshall and also starring Melissa McCarthy, Jacob Tremblay, Jonah Hauer-King, and more. In response, the beauty and fashion world have been gearing up with fun launches to whet Mermaid fans’ appetites, and when it comes to the data, it’s clear to see why.
The Little Mermaid
A new finding by fashion site Nasty Gal reveals that Pinterest searches for ‘mermaidcore’ skyrocketed 614%, according to the analysis of Pinterest search data. Google searches for ‘mermaid style’ have also risen 736% worldwide in the past year as well as searches for ‘shell bikini’ and ‘purple bikini’, Ariel’s signature bikini styles, have risen 244% and 311% respectively, in the past month.
A spokesperson for Nasty Gal commented:
“The Little Mermaid has been an iconic part of popular culture, from Ariel’s instantly recognizable outfit to the catchy soundtrack. The premiere and recently releases new clips have caused a buzz online with fans eagerly awaiting the movie, which is set to be released later this month. As these findings show, the excitement has also transcended into the fashion space, with many fans wanting to emulate Ariel’s iconic style, indicating that purple tones, mermaid inspired swimwear, and bright patterns are set to make a big comeback this Summer.”
“The mermaid style encompasses iridescent and shimmery tones with typical colours of pinks, purples and blues. Beach and water symbols such as shells, coral, and waves are all popular symbols associated with ‘mermaidcore’.”
Get the look
The Body Shop Freestyle Multi-Tasking Crayon in Empower, £12


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TE Thary and Chea Tongleang are a lucky couple. The owners of the Good Luck Furniture Shop have recently opened a second shop, Good Luck Electrics, in addition to their hotel, also called Good Luck.
“We have lived in Poipet a long time, and we wanted to set up a business for our son and daughter,” Te Thary, 50, says of the couple’s latest business venture.
“Before that, we had a shop selling furniture and everything for the home, and we built this shop to sell electrical equipment.”
Judging by the brand-new electrical goods, including flat-screen TVs, washing machines, kitchen equipment, air-conditioning units and microwaves, business would appear to be good.
About three years ago, the couple took out a loan from ACLEDA Bank for US$100,000.
“When we repaid that loan, we expanded the site and got another loan for $100,000,” Chea Tongleang, 50, says.
“We borrowed that money to expand the site, to buy more equipment to sell and to run our guesthouse and restaurant.”
Although Te Thary says business is growing steadily, she is still looking for further investment to expand their businesses. “Business will grow very well if we have more capital to buy more products, so we can expand and sell more,” she says.
Although the couple buy some equipment from Thailand, their market is in and around Poipet.
“Everything’s good,” Te Thary says.
The couple established the Good Luck Hotel four years ago.
“We decided to set up the hotel because downstairs we had our shop and upstairs we had a room for people to rent,” Te Thary says.
Although some foreign tourists stay at the hotel, most of their custom is from Khmers staying a night en route to Bangkok.
“The foreigners stay here before they go to Siem Reap,” Chea Tong-leang says.
The continuing success of this industrious couple is dependent on a peaceful resolution of the current border dispute.
“If the situation between Thailand and Cambodia is good, there are a lot of travellers coming through and our business is good,” Te Thary says.
“But if they have a conflict again, then nobody will travel and business will not be so good.
“If Thailand and Cambodia do not have more conflict in the future, more people will be interested in visiting Poipet.”
INTERPRETER: RANN REUY


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USA.- Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) is among the third-party certification programs — and currently the only seafood-specific certification program — that Walmart has approved for monitoring supplier social compliance.
The world’s largest retailer is transitioning to a third-party audit approach for monitoring the social compliance of its suppliers’ facilities, replacing the requirement for its own Responsible Sourcing audits. Instead, Walmart’s suppliers will be required to submit a valid audit report from an approved third-party certification program, and BAP is among the certification programs with a social component that meets the retailer’s expectations for worker dignity and safety.
“We appreciate the trust and confidence that Walmart has with the worker protection elements required of BAP-certified facilities, and we will continue to work diligently with our certification bodies and trained auditors to measure up to the expectations of Walmart and ourselves,” said Wally Stevens, executive director of the Global Aquaculture Alliance, which administers the BAP program.
In a June 30 notice to its suppliers, Walmart announced that it is simplifying its Responsible Sourcing program to focus its resources on areas that make the greatest difference for workers in its supply chain, reemphasizing its commitment to preventing forced and child labor and unsafe working conditions. For more than a year, BAP has been working with Walmart to ensure that the standards’ social component meets Walmart’s expectations.
“Social accountability is a fundamental pillar of responsible aquaculture, and GAA is proud to be uniquely recognized within the seafood certification arena for developing such credible and comprehensive standards,” said GAA President George Chamberlain.
GAA is committed to promoting social responsibility through its BAP program. Seafood processing plants, farms, hatcheries and feed mills certified against the BAP standards — of which there are almost 1,800 worldwide — must ensure a safe, healthy working environment. The BAP standards also address wages and other terms of employment as well as the use of forced and child labor.
Additionally, GAA is about to launch training modules on social accountability through its online learning platform. The organization worked with labor-rights authority Birgitte Kough-Poulsen, a member of GAA’s Standards Oversight Committee (SOC), to develop the training modules.
BAP is the world’s most comprehensive third-party aquaculture certification program, with standards encompassing environmental responsibility, social responsibility, food safety, animal health and welfare and traceability. It’s also the only certification program to cover the entire aquaculture production chain — processing plants, farms, hatcheries and feed mills. The BAP program is based on independent third-party accredited certification body audits evaluating compliance with the BAP standards, and the SOC continually updates and strengthens the BAP standards.
A division of the Global Aquaculture Alliance, Best Aquaculture Practices is an international certification program based on achievable, science-based and continuously improved performance standards for the entire aquaculture supply chain — farms, hatcheries, processing plants and feed mills — that assure healthful foods produced through environmentally and socially responsible means. BAP certification is based on independent audits that evaluate compliance with the BAP standards developed by the Global Aquaculture Alliance.


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With the Surface RT tablet being launched by Microsoft not too long ago and the Surface Pro expected in January, a new rumor has surfaced claiming that Microsoft is planning on releasing three more Surface tablets next year. These thee new tablets seem to be the “next generation” evolution of the current offerings.
According to the report, the first tablet will be an 8.6 inch Surface RT 2, powered by a Qualcomm chipset (rather than the Nvidia Tegra 3). There will also be a new Surface Pro tablet that will upgrade to a 11.6 inch display powered by an AMD Temash chip. The report also claims that there will be a new Surface Book product that will have a 14.6 inch display powered by an Intel Haswel chip. Microsoft has officially announced the pricing for the Surface Pro recently, which has yet to be released but is expected in January of 2013. The Surface Pro will come in two flavors, a 64GB model for $899 and a 128GB model for $999, and the ability to run desktop applications (x86 and x64). All we know is that these tablets are expected in 2013, according to the rumor. As with all rumors, take it with a grain of salt. More on this as it develops.


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Reckitt Benckiser Sales Miss Estimates on Korean FalloutBy
Impact from humidifier sanitizer recall shaves 1% off growth
Shares fall 4.7% in London, the biggest drop since August
Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc said the fallout from deaths and illnesses linked to toxic humidifier sanitizers it once sold in South Korea damped sales as it works to restore its battered reputation in the Asian country.
Second-quarter revenue rose 4 percent, excluding acquisitions, disposals and currency shifts, the Slough, England-based company said Friday, below the 4.8 percent gain analysts anticipated. A decline in South Korea lowered quarterly sales by 1 percentage point, and the company now sees full-year revenue growth coming in at the lower end of its 4 percent to 5 percent forecast. The shares fell the most in almost a year.
‘‘South Korea is likely to continue to cast a dark uncertain shadow,” Exane BNP Paribas analysts said in a note to investors.
The problem built up slowly, as South Korea began scrutinizing chemical substances used in the home back in 2011 after an outbreak of a fatal lung disease caused by the products. The disinfectants, designed to clean humidifiers, were then recalled. The scandal came to a head this year as retailer Lotte Mart, which operates about 100 supermarkets in South Korea, halted orders of some Reckitt Benckiser products and investors protested Chief Executive Officer Rakesh Kapoor’s pay package.
Regaining customers will take “months and months and months,” Kapoor said on a call with reporters, “not because we’re not trying hard enough, but because there is a large number of stakeholders involved.” He said in a later interview in London that the company is selling “practically nothing” in South Korea.
Reckitt Benckiser shares dropped 4.7 percent to 7,089 pence at 11:54 a.m. in London, the biggest drop since Aug. 24.
Reckitt Benckiser executives have publicly apologized for not responding more quickly to complaints about the disinfectants. The company and other manufacturers are under criminal investigation, charged with false labeling, it said.
Reckitt Benckiser erred by downplaying the problem at first, treating it like a “minor car accident,” said Song Ki-ho, a lawyer at Soorun Asia Law Office and a member of Lawyers for a Democratic Society, which is pursuing a civil lawsuit against Reckitt Benckiser in Korea. “Consumers are not just angry at the products, but also at the inappropriate way they handled the case and this became the cause of losing faith.”
Reckitt Benckiser took a 300-million pound ($395 million) charge for costs associated with its business there, which represents about 1.5 percent of total revenue. It’s also faced consumer boycotts of its products there.
“Given the high profile and complex nature of this issue in South Korea, there also remains the possibility of wider legal or governmental developments which may give rise to further financial liability,” the company said. The issue won’t affect its acquisition capabilities, Kapoor said.
Reckitt Benckiser said it will compensate victims, most of whom used sanitizers sold under its Oxy brand. It has also set aside about 6 million pounds in a humanitarian fund for affected individuals. The disinfectants were recalled by the South Korean government in November 2011, and the company stopped selling them that same year.
The British consumer-product maker bought Oxy Co. in 2001, and began marketing the Korean company’s products under the Oxy Reckitt Benckiser name. The company sells more than 120 household items and some medical products in South Korea, including Vanish detergents, Strepsils lozenges and Gaviscon antacid.
“The fallout from the South Korea humidifier sanitizer sales hit division sales hard,” Liberum analyst Robert Waldschmidt said.
Last month, South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy blamed part of the fall in discount store sales to consumers’ boycott of Oxy brand products. Discount-store sales fell 6.3 percent in May compared with a year earlier, the ministry said.
The South Korean affair overshadowed an otherwise good performance in emerging markets for Reckitt Benckiser, with sales rising by more than 10 percent excluding the country. The company also raised its profitability forecast for the year after widening margins by 180 basis points to 23.7 percent in the first half.
— With assistance by John Ainger, and Hooyeon Kim
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Allianz rewards shareholders with higher dividend and share buy-back as profit soars
The German insurance giant Allianz announced on Friday that it achieved a record operating profit and shareholders’ core net income in 2023, thanks to a strong performance in its life-health segment and solid results in all other business segments. The company also raised its dividend payout ratio and launched a new share buy-back program of up to 1 billion euros.
Allianz said its net profit in the fourth quarter of 2023 nearly doubled to 2.15 billion euros from 1.1 billion euros in the same period of 2022. Its operating profit in the quarter increased by 17% to 3.77 billion euros, driven by a 29% rise in operating profit in its life-health business, which benefited from higher investment margins and favorable currency effects. The company’s property-casualty business also improved its combined ratio to 94.9% from 94.3%, reflecting lower claims from natural catastrophes and better underwriting results.
The company’s total business volume for the quarter grew by 7.8% to 39.6 billion euros, with internal growth of 9.8% mainly due to higher prices. The company’s asset management business saw net inflows of 13.4 billion euros in the quarter, despite a challenging market environment.
For the full year of 2023, Allianz reported a 5.5% increase in total business volume to 161.7 billion euros, a 6.7% increase in operating profit to 14.7 billion euros, and a 30.3% increase in shareholders’ core net income to 9.1 billion euros. The company said it achieved its financial targets for 2023 and delivered a strong return on equity of 15.1%.
Allianz also announced a new dividend policy, increasing its regular dividend payout ratio to 60% from 50%. The company said it would propose a dividend of 13.80 euros per share for 2023, up from 11.40 euros per share for 2022. In addition, the company said it would launch a new share buy-back program of up to 1 billion euros, subject to regulatory approval.
Allianz’s chief executive officer Oliver Bäte said the company’s results demonstrated the trust that its customers place in Allianz, and the resilience and potential of its business model and its people. He said the company would continue to focus on increasing its productivity and customer growth in 2024, and set a target for operating profit of 14.8 billion euros, plus or minus 1 billion euros.
Source : The Wall Street Journal


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At first glance, the new Mini Clubman looks like an estate version of Mini's all-conquering hatchback. Oddly though, the firm describes it as the latest chapter in the “regeneration” of the Mini family, as if it's a revamp of a rundown 1960s housing estate.
Walk around the back though, and you'll see there is some truth to this idea as the Clubman is fitted with eccentric barn-style swinging doors instead of the traditional hinged tailgate. This harks back to 1969 and the first Mini Clubman, which was an attempt by British Leyland to boost its flagging profits.
It had a larger chassis and unconventional rear doors and demanded a higher list price for what was seen as an upmarket Mini. Nearly 50 years later, the Mini brand is owned BMW has put the Clubman on a dose of steroids, making it the biggest Mini yet by German giant BMW, which is trying to pull a similar trick. It has put the Clubman on a minor dose of steroids, making it the biggest Mini yet. But it's more than just a stretched Mini Hatch. Instead, it's based on the BMW 2-Series Active Tourer. It's essentially a BMW in a Mini body, a charge that irritates the firm and angers Mini purists in equal measure.
Let's not be beastly to the Germans, though. The new Mini has come a long way and been embraced by the British public. The BMW base of the Clubman means it's wider, longer and more spacious. BMW was also sensible enough to ditch the “suicide doors” of the 2007 model, which forced rear passengers to open doors into the face of oncoming traffic and were derided. Instead, the new Clubman has four proper doors and a high roofline, making it a better bet if you think a Mini Hatch won't accommodate any family additions.
Mini Cooper D Clubman
Engine capacity: 2.0-litre turbo diesel
Power Output (PS@rpm): 150@4,000
Top Speed (mph): 132 Fuel economy (mpg): 68.9
CO2 emissions (g/km): 109
But don't let the barn-style doors trick you; the Clubman is more spacious than a standard Mini with up to 1,250 litres of internal load space, but not as spacious as a VW Golf.
It does come with some neat tricks, including interior LED lights that seem to change from red to blue to green with the car's mood. The doors are also lined with illuminated stripes and the finish is sharp throughout. There's even a Batman-style wing mirror that beams a Mini logo on the ground when you hit the unlock button on the key fob. Who said the Germans don't appreciate English eccentricities?
BMW has put the Clubman on a dose of steroids, making it the biggest Mini yet.Reuse content


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POLITICSUSDA Clarifies That Farmers Can Import Hemp Seeds From Other Countries
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) clarified on Friday that hemp seeds can be imported into the U.S., and that the Justice Department no longer has a role in that process.
While USDA is still developing regulations for hemp cultivation under the 2018 Farm Bill, which federally legalized the crop and its derivatives, farmers can still obtain seeds in the meantime.
The agriculture legislation “removed hemp and hemp seeds from DEA authority for products containing THC levels not greater than 0.3 percent” and “DEA no longer has authority to require hemp seed permits for import purposes.”
“U.S. producers and hemp seed exporters have requested assistance from USDA to provide an avenue for hemp seed exports to the United States,” the department wrote in a bulletin. “The U.S. Department of Agriculture regulates the importation of all seeds for planting to ensure safe agricultural trade. Under this authority, USDA is providing an alternative way for the safe importation of hemp seeds into the United States.”
Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) is among those who’ve requested assistance related to hemp importations. Earlier this month, he told Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue that the DEA was blocking Montana farmers from importing hemp seeds.
Perdue said during the hearing that the matter was “news to me” and explained that farmers can import and cultivate hemp under the research-focused provisions in the prior 2014 version of the legislation while the USDA worked to enact new regulations.


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President Donald Trump routinely threatens to tear up trade ties with Mexico. So Mexico is building backup plans this year, according to CNN.
It’s doubling down on free trade and turning toward allies in Latin America, who are also changing their own tune on trade.
This year, for the first time, 94% of goods moved tax-free across borders in the Pacific Alliance, a trading bloc that includes Mexico, Colombia, Chile and Peru. Formed in 2011, it accounts for half of all trade in the region and covers about 200 million people.
“We are trading as a group of countries in agreement on free trade,” Mexico’s foreign minister, Luis Videgaray,said Wednesday evening in New York. Videgaray spoke alongside the presidents of Colombia and Chile, as well as a Peru’s trade minister.
Videgaray can’t say the same about Trump being in agreement on trade. Round 3 of NAFTA negotiations between the U.S., Canada and Mexico, begin Saturday September 23rd and major issues remain unresolved.
Some see the alliance as a key part of Mexico’s backup plan if Trump withdraws from NAFTA.
“The Pacific Alliance is a new frontier that’s going to move forward with or without the United States,” says Sergio Guzman, an analyst at Control Risks, a global consulting firm. “Countries are seeing the U.S., not just rhetorically but because of NAFTA, as less and less of a dependent partner.”
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“It’s really a global crisis, obesity. We’re seeing that it used to be a problem more in the developed world, but the emerging markets are showing that obesity is absolutely a problem for them as well. Globally, now there are around two billion people that are overweight or obese,” Discovery Vitality wellness manager Candice Smith told CNBC Africa.
“The recent data that came out of South Africa in August this year, showed that 25 per cent of men and 40 per cent of women are in fact overweight and obese, and this has risen, which is the concerning bit.”
South Africa is now the third fattest nation on earth. According to a new report by Merrill Lynch, if the country is to tackle obesity over the coming decade, it will form part of an important new investment theme for fund managers and shape thinking by policy makers around the world.
Despite the promotion of healthy living and availability of gym clubs, South Africans are still struggling to fight off the bulge.
“Just purely giving people information, we’ve particularly found, is not always sufficient to get behaviour change. To get someone to actually change their behaviour is a fairly complex problem. The environment as well plays a massive role,” Smith explained.
Foods high in sugar, sodium and saturated fats have become increasingly cheaper than fruit and vegetables. Fast food outlets have also been positioned in certain locations to make it more convenient for consumer access.
“There’s a lot stacked against us, and it’s difficult to change these complex behaviours. We have a double burden of disease in South Africa, where we have malnutrition but we also have overconsumption and obesity,” said Smith.
“People that were traditionally eating more natural, wholegrain and vegetable diets are moving into the urban areas and starting to eat these foods that are high in fat, in sugar, in sodium, and over consuming them.”
Incentive and rewards are however a means of trying to break bad eating habits, and improve the general wellbeing of South Africans.
“Incentives, we found, [are] very effective. We’re working with some brilliant people around these incentives and what actually works,” added Smith.
“A very good example of that is [we] have a healthy food benefit with Pick n Pay and Woolworths, where we give members 10 or 25 per cent cash back on their healthy food purchases. So incentives do play [an important] role.”


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Apple has announced that it's using more recycled materials in its products than ever before. It's also freely licensing patents for one of its recycling robots to help other firms.
Windows 11 22H2 build 22621.160 (RTM) gets File Explorer Tab navigation
tabbed file explorer
Windows 11 in the Dev Channel fixes Windows Security app issues, and more
windows 11 insider preview
Apple has unveiled a raft of initiatives to celebrate Earth Day on April 22. The firm also released its yearly environmental report which outlines the environmental achievements in 2018.
Apple has announced that it will make a donation to Conservation International every time someone submits an iPhone through the GiveBack programme. It also launched a disassembly robot called Daisy.


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Facebook and Apple’s fight over access to people’s data heats up
Facebook and Apple have been embroiled in a fight over access to people’s data for some time now and the stakes just got higher with the release of Apple’s latest iOS.
The iPhone operating system, iOS 14.5 came into effect on April 26 and it means that users of Apple products will now have to actively give permission for Facebook, and other companies which sell mobile advertising, to use their data.
Every iPhone and iPad has a unique device identifier (a string of letters and numbers that’s different on every Apple device) called the IDFA (identifier for advertisers) and it’s what has been used to collect data information to both target ads and estimate their effectiveness.
IOS 14.5 is introducing a lot of new features, but the one that’s being most closely watched is called ATT, or App Tracking Transparency.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has said the move is about giving users control over intrusive data collection, Facebook says that Apple is acting out of self-interest.
What is ATT?
After Apple users install iOS 14.5, a pop-up will be created when they open any app which wants to access their devices IDFA. It will ask if they wish to be tracked and give them the opportunity to opt in.
Most surveys are suggesting the percentage of people who will refuse permission is as high as 80%, something Facebook also acknowledges according to the BBC.
What will be affected by the update?
According to Apple, some examples of tracking that app makers would be required to get permission from the user before doing include:
- Displaying targeted advertisements in apps based on user data collected from apps and websites owned by other companies.
- Sharing device location data or email lists with a data broker.
- Sharing a list of emails, advertising IDs, or other IDs with a third-party advertising network that uses the information to re-target those users in other developers’ apps or to find similar users.
Why does Apple care?
Apple is big on being a “privacy” company and they have little interest in their customer data as they make the bulk of their money from selling devices, in-app purchases, and via charging developers to put their products in the Apple App Store.
Their newly introduced ad space now also allows app-makers to advertise on the App Store search tab, rather than just in the search results.
Back in 2010, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs acknowledged that some people didn’t care about how much data they shared, but he said they should always be informed of how it was being used.
“Privacy means people know what they’re signing up for, in plain English and repeatedly… ask them, ask them every time,” he said.
And at a dinner hosted by the Electronic Privacy Information Center in 2015, Apple chief Tim Cook gave a speech in which he said: “People should not have to “make trade-offs between privacy and security.”
Apple was one of the first to build in protection to its software. In 2017 it introduced a feature in its Safari browser called ITP that used machine learning to block ad trackers, and last year it introduced a block on all third-party tracking cookies.
Craig Federighi, the company’s senior vice president of software engineering said apps that don’t comply with the new requirements, which Apple calls App Tracking Transparency (ATT), can be removed from the App Store, which is the only way to install software on an iPhone.
Apple is also requiring all developers to submit new information about their data practices, including around advertising if they wish to place their app in the Apple Store.
With the iPhone accounting for more than 25% of smartphones around the world according to StatCounter, the loss of access to the App Store would be significant. Apple’s market share is higher in countries like the United States and iPhone users are often wealthier and seen as more valuable customers.
What is Facebook’s Objection?
Facebook has repeatedly, and publicly, voiced its opposition to the update, saying that it will lead to an increase in ad costs by reducing targeting capacity.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said: “The reality is that I’m confident that we’re gonna be able to manage through that situation well and we’ll be in a good position. I think it’s possible that we may even be in a stronger position if Apple’s changes encourage more businesses to conduct commerce on our platforms.”
However, he’s warned that small businesses and developers will be more impacted by the changes and will have a harder time navigating them.
Facebook also announced that – to help people make a more informed decision – it was also showing a screen of its own, along with Apple’s.
In the announcement, Facebook said: “It will provide more information about how we use personalized ads, which support small businesses and keep apps free. If you accept the prompts for Facebook and Instagram, the ads you see on those apps won’t change.
“If you decline, you will still see ads, but they will be less relevant to you. Agreeing to these prompts doesn’t result in Facebook collecting new types of data. It just means that we can continue to give people better experiences. We feel that people deserve the additional context, and Apple has said that providing education is allowed.”
Facebook has appeared to accept the changes and promised “new advertiser experiences and measurement protocols”. It admitted that the ways digital advertisers collect and use information needed to evolve to one that will rely on less data.
However, it also claims privacy and a personalised advertising experience are “not at odds” so the chances are the debate will continue.
Apple has also faced opposition in China, where ByteDance and Tencent have vowed to implement workarounds in order to continue tracking user activity.
What does it mean for you?
If you’re not an Apple device user the chances are you won’t even be aware of this public fight between the two companies.
However, if your business produces apps and looks at data tracking via both Apple and Android devices, you’re going to have to consider what you’re doing with that information, and why. This update from Apple links to the requirements.
There is also growing concern among governments, regulators, and privacy advocates, about how big and complex the ecosystem which surrounds the internet and connects together websites, apps and social media platforms.
According to the BBC, here are just some of the points to consider:
- The average app includes six third-party trackers that are there solely to collect and share your online data, according to a report commissioned by Apple;
- Some apps request access to more data than is required to provide their service. TikTok is being sued by England’s former children’s commissioner for collecting large amounts of children’s data;
- The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office is investigating real-time bidding – the daily automatic placement of billions of targeted online adverts on web pages and apps;
- Any one data broker is estimated to have data on up to 700 million consumers, according to research consultants Cracked Labs.
What happens next?
This may include contextual ads, such as fashion-related ads appearing only on websites about fashion rather than randomly following people across the web.
Ad placements on podcasts or with influencers would be another non-intrusive way of advertising, he suggested.
Our recent blog on the demise of third-party cookies looked at a number of different ways in which advertisers can gather accurate and transparent data from their customers and potential clients.
At Veracity we’ve been champions of transparent marketing data since our foundation. With click fraud detection and mitigation across search and social, Veracity feeds other parts of the Martech stack with better quality data, to enable improved analytics, decision-making and results.


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The application is set to help connect residents, tourists, businesses and state management agencies.
Visitors can now use their smartphone or computer to receive instant information about tourist attractions, accommodation, the best places to go shopping and popular restaurants in Da Lat through the portal dalatcity.org.
The launch of the app is part of a range of activities under the project to turn Da Lat into a smart tourism city and part of a series of wider events to welcome the 125th anniversary of the establishment and development of Da Lat city.
Currently, visitors can connect to the Internet at a number of places in Da La through the smart LED lighting system which has been installed by a Korean business in Da Lat’s night market, the Hoa Binh area, Ong Dao bridge, and Lam Vien Square.
Free wi-fi network in the centre of Da Lat is able to meet the demand of 20,000 users and the network will continue to expand to other areas in the near future


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International Rabbit Day 2022
International Rabbit Day is on September 24 this year. Today we think of how rabbits have been a source of joy in our lives, be it as pets or friends of the meadow. Today has been set aside as a day we can consider ways to make their lives more comfortable by creating happy, healthy environments for them to live.
Nirmala Sitharaman to launch e-learning platform Bharat Vidya
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman will launch the Bharat Vidya, which is an online learning platform for Oriental and South Asian Studies. The Bharat Vidya is designed and developed by the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (BORI).
M Venkaiah Naidu released a book on PM Modi’s selected speeches
Former Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu released a collection of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s selected speeches at Akashvani Bhawan in New Delhi. The book titled “Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas Sabka Vishwas”.
About the Book
- The book has 86 speeches of Prime Minister Modi from May 2019 to May 2020 covering various subjects. It is divided into ten thematic areas.
- The sections include – Aatmanirbhar Bharat: Economy, People-First Governance, Fight Against Covid-19, Emerging India: Foreign Affairs, Jai Kisan, Tech India-New India, Green India-Resilient India-Clean India, Fit India-Efficient India, Eternal India-Modern India: Cultural Heritage, and Mann ki Baat.
- The e-book version was also released during the ceremony.
- The book will be available in Hindi and English languages and can be availed at the sales outlets of the Publications Division all across the country and the Book Gallery at Soochna Bhawan, CGO Complex, New Delhi.
UNSC reforms: Intergovernmental Negotiation constrained by lack of transparency: G4 nations
The G4 grouping comprising India, Japan, Germany and Brazil expressed their concern over the lack of any “meaningful” forward movement on long-pending reform of the UN Security Council (UNSC) and demanded “urgency” on the issue (Read more).
Lok Manthan programme inaugurated by VP Jagdeep Dhankhar
Vice President of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar will inaugurate the third edition of the Lok Manthan program at the Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati. The event will be facilitated by the Chief Minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sharma.
This year’s theme for the Lok Manthan is Lokparampara (Lok Traditions) which will emphasize that the Lok Traditions have kept our culture and heritage alive and intact, and has strengthened our feelings toward National Selfhood.
TerraPay partnered with NPCI to enable cross-border transactions via UP
TerraPay, a Dutch payments infrastructure company has joined forces with India’s NPCI International Payments (NIPL) to facilitate cross-border transactions for Indian consumers and merchants. Indian consumers and merchants who have an active Unified Payments Interface Id (UPI Id) will be able to transfer money abroad. This service will utilize TerraPay’s infrastructure and the UPI network.
- The UPI-enabled QR code-based service will allow Indian customers with active UPI IDs to make transactions through 350 million bank accounts across the globe.
- The firms seek to expand the use of UPI payments and QR for international transactions by merchants.
- The customer-initiative UPI payments and QR transactions require two-factor authentication.
- The two-factor authentication is capable of minimizing disputes and issues related to grievance redressal.
- TerraPay also expects to create interoperability among different financial instruments it drives as well as offer digital payments.
- UPI is real-time payments (RTP) system developed by the National Payments Corporation of India.
Adani & family top IIFL Wealth Hurun India Rich List
Gautam Adani and their family have topped with an estimated wealth of Rs. 10,94,400 crore. His daily wealth creation was estimated at Rs. 1,612 crores which showed 116 per cent growth as compared with the 2021 list.
Mukesh Ambani and their family have been named as the 2nd richest in India with an estimated wealth of Rs. 7,94,700 crore and a growth of 11 per cent compared with the 2021 list. His daily wealth creation velocity is Rs. 210 crores.
ICC announced “Oval and Lord’s” to host the World Test Championship finals
The International Cricket Council has announced that the World Test Championship 2023 Final will be hosted by The Oval in June 2023 while 2025 final will be played at Lord’s.
- The top two teams from the World Test Championship standings will make it to the finals with Australia and South Africa currently leading.
- Australia and South Africa will also clash against each other in a three-match series in the current cycle in December-January, which could have a big bearing on the final points table.
- Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan round up the top five in the rankings.
- While the venues have been announced, the dates for both the 2023 and 2025 ICC World Test Championship Finals have not been confirmed yet.
REC Ltd becomes the 12th company to get‘ Maharatna’ company status
Power sector-focussed non-banking finance company (NBFC) REC Ltd. has been accorded the status of a ‘Maharatna’ Central Public Sector Enterprise, thus providing it with greater operational and financial autonomy. The granting of ‘Maharatna’ status will impart enhanced powers to the company’s board while taking financial decisions. REC Ltd. is the 12th company to be given the Maharatna Status.
Indian author & poet Meena Kandasamy won the German PEN award
Indian author and poet Meena Kandasamy has been announced as this year’s recipient of the Hermann Kesten Prize by the PEN Centre in Germany’s Darmstadt. The Hermann Kesten Prize honours personalities who, in the spirit of the charter of the PEN association, stand up for the rights of persecuted authors and journalists.
Palm oil Alliance was formed by 5 South Asian Countries
Edible oil trade associations from five palm oil importing countries in South Asia – India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal, announced the setting up of the Asian Palm Oil Alliance (APOA). The idea is to gain collecting bargaining power and make imports sustainable.
Nation Observes Antyodaya Divas 2022
Antyodaya Diwas is celebrated annually on 25th September in India. It marks the birth anniversary of Indian leader Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya and is celebrated in his honour to remember his life and legacy. He was one of the most prominent personalities in the history of Indian politics. This year, the Antyodaya Diwas marks the 105th birth anniversary of Upadhyaya. He was the co-founder of Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS) and a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) thinker.


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This year Belvest intends to sell 2 million 200 thousand pairs of leather footwear through the wholesale link and retail network. Such plans were announced by the financial director of the company Larisa Suslova. She added that in 2011 Belvest planned to open 70 more brand stores in Belarus and Russia. The business plan of the enterprise in 2011 provides for an increase in the utilization of existing production facilities, technical re-equipment and reconstruction of production facilities, renewal of the range by 60%.
In 2011-2015, Belvest plans to invest more than 20 million rubles, which will be used to expand and modernize the main production, develop auxiliary and service production, and develop its own TPN in Belarus and abroad.
The Belarusian-Russian joint venture Belvest is the leader in Belarus in the production of shoes. Since 1988, the company has produced over 30 million pairs of leather shoes. In 2010, Belvest sold 1,5 million pairs and opened 40 stores.


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Retailers, and online shops in particular, face growing costs from online fraud, according to a new report. They are therefore being advised to set up better systems to identify and prevent fraudulent...
Facebook posts record profits but braces for Federal Trade Commission fine that could total $5bn
Astronomers have focused on M-dwarfs as the likeliest star systems to find life-supporting planets
Asteroid impact simulation comes ahead of a live test planned for 2022
US Congress quizzes Google on location tracking database of hundreds of millions of smartphone users
Google's tracking database contains consumer information dating back to 2009


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We'll be back @ 2 p.m. PT to cover the earnings call. Stay tuned.
Hey all. Time for all things Facebook. Big numbers, and Wall Street isn't happy. The conference call starts in about 15 minutes.
Stock's getting creamed. Now down around 18% after hours...
@Paul Crandall. I agree. This is a time for Mark to show the Street he can lead.
Meeting expectations (that you, the company, guide is one thing. Now they need to be specific about what's coming...)
Leave it to Facebook to provide lots of nice charts.
Hard to separate out the bad buzz around Facebook, but the report was hardly a disaster. Solid, even. Maybe that's a
small consolation to anyone who bought at 38 back in May.
That's true -- it *was* a respectable quarter. But stock prices are forward
looking. What comes out on the call will be critical.
To Zuck or not to Zuck, that is the question. Given all the handwringing about Facebook just now, one would think that he has EXTRA incentive to make a cameo this time around.
Facebook is turning into a short sellers dream.
3 minutes to post time and the stock's down 17% in after-hours trading.
Some of the nerves might be related to second quarter costs and expenses nearly tripling to $1.9 billion. But most of that is due to share-based compensation expenses.
@ Paul Crandall - yes, big possibilities. But all still to come.
Citi's Mark Mahaney just issued a report calling the numbers "a modest beat."
Zuckerberg kicks off the festivities.
Zuck says that "hopefully," listeners will come away from today's call with a clear idea where Facebook's heading. I bet.
Meanwhile, check out the slides. Facebook continues to grow its user base and average revenue per user (ARPU). However, outside the U.S., where most of the user growth is happening, the ARPU is far less than in North America (see the charts below).
Back to Zuck, expect to see frequency of improvement to different
Zuck: Goal is to to build a successful social platform that allows developers to better
integrate with Facebook.
Zuck does the vision thing, imagining a day when you buy a new car, then log in to Facebook and get new music, etc.
based on social preferences. Meh.
Zuck is talking up all the open graph apps out there. says people are sharing nearly $1 billion pieces of info every day using Open Graph
Says that largest open graph users / partners tend to become advertisers
Social ads - says best ads are messaging from a friend
content from people you care about - that's what marketers want.
He's talking about mobile users and social ads. He says social ads give clear path to mobile.
By end of June , sponsored stories in News feed was over $1 million a day and half of that was from mobile.
Here's a news nugget: Zuckerberg says that Facebook is looking to increase the percentage of ads that are social over the next three years.
Here is Sheryl Sandberg, COO, talking about the unique ad capabilities.
Sheryl Sandberg taking over for Zuck. Someone from tech support ought to fix her mic. She sounds like she's with Captain Nemo 20,000 leagues under the sea.
She says marketers know that a recommendation from a friend is the most powerful way to sell a product.
Over past quarter, made progress in monetization -- rolling out new products and making it easier for advertisers to advertise with us.
She's talking about sponsored stories. Example: Wal-mart can pay to have someone's post spread among friends.
FB users spend a large percentage of time on news feed, and that lets marketers reach people easily


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On October 9th and 10th, fragments from the special parliamentary session were retransmitted on national TV, in which economic measures became known.
HAVANA TIMES – Last week, measures to keep the economy afloat in the second semester of the year, directed at increasing exports and reducing imports, were announced by economy minister Alejandro Gil, during the special session of the National Assembly.
Broadcast on TV on October 9th and 10th, his appearance before parliament members, as well as other State and Government representatives, included several proposals to tackle the country’s growing economic decline in the face of US sanctions.
With a complicated national landscape as a result of financial restrictions and fuel shortages (attributed to the Trump administration’s pursuit of oil tankers transporting fuel to the archipelago), Cuban authorities have been forced to adjust their economic plan to the new situation.
IPS Cuba summarizes the measures identified during the parliamentary sessions, which were held so as to implement the new government structure that was approved in the Constitution, which came into force in April:
– Prioritize exports, foreign investment, housing construction, food production, tourism, transport and renewable energy sources.
– Uphold energy-saving measures, especially relating to fuel, and reduce expenditure by substituting exports with national production and production chains.
– Move forward with the investment plan, prioritizing those that add value to exports and replace imports.
– Encourage national companies to sell goods and services to companies based in the Mariel Special Development Zone, which will enable them to hold onto 50% of the hard currency that comes in with sales so it can be used to restock and sales can continue to grow.
– Apply measures that create greater autonomy for state-led companies.
– Encourage the replacement of imports by selling national companies’ goods and services to the Ministry of Tourism and business group TACUBA, for starters. This will also mean that 50% of sales stay within the country.
– Ensure that producers have access to national supplies, as goods are imported a lot of the time, when they are available in Cuba.
– Broaden the closed funding schemes for micro-investments that could allow exports to grow in the short-term.
– Facilitate funds for exports, such as those destined to the finance company in the FINATUR tourism sector, so that national products are sent for export and the tourist industry.
– Implement mechanisms which encourage exports, backing those who can hold onto foreign currency cash and use them to back their operations.
– Drive local development projects, especially those with local resources and directed at the economic and productive sector.
– Control inflation after pay rises were announced for public-sector jobs, sustaining supplies, controlling prices and budget expense adjustments.
[Editor’s questions: Is there anything new in these measures? Is it a mere wish list or something obtainable? How will the energy saving measures recently applied affect the desire to expand national production activities and sales?]