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The company makes most of its money from retail partners, but saw a big jump in foodservice revenueRead more...
Nextdoor makes all of its revenue from different types of advertising products
Facebook has, for a pretty long time now, had its sights set on being more of a local social network, on top of being the place where people go to post political memes and conspiracy theories. That has come in the form of features for selling goods to people in their neighborhoods, and even a Yelp-like dedicated app for finding nearby restaurants and events, which also feature user reviews.
The company even recently unveiled a new features called Neighborhoods, which includes a profile that’s separate from the user's main Facebook profile, and which allows them to meet people in their local community. The idea, as many have observed, is clearly a way of trying to steal some of the thunder of hyperlocal social network Nextdoor.
Despite this competition, though, Nextdoor is still thriving and growing, especially as the pandemic has forced so many people to stay local.
The company, which describes itself as the place "where communities come together to greet newcomers, exchange recommendations, and read the latest local news. Where neighbors support local businesses and get updates from public agencies. Where neighbors borrow tools and sell couches," had 33 million Weekly Active Users in Q3 of this year, a 20% year-over-year increase.
The company also reported revenue of $52.7 million, a 66% increase, all of which came from advertising.
"To date, we have primarily attracted new neighbors through word-of-mouth, earned media, and through mailed invitations, and kept our content accessible only to Verified Neighbors. While we believe this approach was critical to develop our trusted platform, it also constrained our user growth relative to the total market opportunity. More recently, we have begun investing in new features to inspire neighbors to increase engagement, such as the ability to follow multiple neighborhoods, join interest groups, and make moments more engaging and shareable with enhanced video capabilities," the company wrote in a filing the SEC.
"We took a similarly deliberate approach to our monetization efforts. We serve customers who consist of large brands and small and mid-sized businesses seeking to provide hyperlocal, engaging advertising content to our large and engaged base of neighbors."
The company deploys a number of different types of advertising products, including Neighborhood Sponsorships, which was it's first product, launched in 2017; they were initially used by real estate agents to create automated ad placements to post to the Nextdoor Newsfeed.
"Small businesses leverage Neighborhood Sponsorships to drive awareness, build a positive reputation, and keep their business top of mind. With these sponsorships they create and distribute automated ad placements that regularly post to the newsfeed in targeted ZIP codes," Nextdoor explained in its filing.
Other ad products include Local Deals, which allows businesses and users to design discounts and promotions for specific neighborhoods, as well as Sponsored Posts, which can be placed in a number of different places on the Nextdoor app, including the Newsfeed and the In-App Digest, which is a summary of the updates from the user's Nextdoor neighborhood. These ads can also be customized with neighborhood name and store location.
Sponsored Posts can also be placed in the Finds section of the app, which is a local marketplace where neighbors buy, sell, or give away items.
"Large brands can leverage Sponsored Posts in Finds to drive action such as shop now. Our local marketplace is where neighbors with high intent to buy will go. Ads are given a top spot in this contextually relevant space with the opportunity to customize by neighborhood," wrote Nextdoor.
In 2020, the company saw $123.3 million in revenue, a 49% increase from $82.6 million in 2019.
Nextdoor went public via a SPAC merger in November, which valued the company at $4.3 billion. Prior to that, it had raised $717.9 million in venture funding.
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The big announcement from this year’s IATA Annual General Meeting—a commitment by IATA member airlines to reach Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050—was perfectly timed. The same week, technology giant Google revealed that its route search results would offer details on the carbon footprint for each form of transport, including aviation.
The Google announcement has profound repercussions for flight search and retail. Google has weighted the results based on personal space used in the cabin. Individuals searching for premium seating, either Premium Economy, Business or First, will find a higher carbon footprint rating for those tickets, Google reveals, in the details of how carbon footprint is calculated for flights. Other considerations include aircraft type, favouring flights flown on more efficient aircraft and the route itself.
Google’s calculations are based on a 2019 algorithmic model by the European Environmental Agency (EEA), which Google deems to be “the most up-to-date.”
It is too soon to say how Google including these new details in its Flight Search results will impact consumer decision making, but it will raise awareness. The differentiation by cabin-class may influence more eco-conscious luxury consumers to re-think their tickets. Though airlines can undoubtedly address this challenge by raising awareness of their sustainability initiatives, we will want to watch how different airlines adapt. Adding another layer of complication, Google will also show train routes, where available, as an alternative to flights.
Even as airlines work to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, they have guessed correctly that the concern over aviation sustainability would not dampen during this time. The Net Zero by 2050 commitment will not be easy to achieve.
- Airlines will need to mitigate8 gigatons of carbon.
- IATA foresees that 65% of this will be decreased through sustainable aviation fuels.
- New propulsion technology, such as hydrogen, would resolve another 13%.
- Efficiency improvements will contribute a further 3% carbon reduction.
- The remainder could be dealt with through carbon capture and storage (11%) and offsets (8%).
There are significant hurdles to overcome, including an adequate supply of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), government support, and infrastructural investment. Indeed, there were some objections to the specific requirements by Chinese member airlines, but the resolution passed, and IATA has put forward a plan to achieve this target.
The resolution demands that all industry stakeholders address the environmental impact of their policies, products, and activities with concrete actions and clear timelines, including:
- Fuel-producing companies bringing large scale, cost-competitive sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) to the market.
- Governments and air navigation service providers (ANSPs) eliminating inefficiencies in air traffic management and airspace infrastructure.
- Aircraft and engine manufacturers producing radically more efficient airframe and propulsion technologies; and
- Airport operators providing the needed infrastructure to supply SAF, at cost, and in a cost-effective manner.
“The world’s airlines have taken a momentous decision to ensure that flying is sustainable,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. “The post-COVID-19 re-connect will be on a clear path towards net zero. That will ensure the freedom of future generations to sustainably explore, learn, trade, build markets, appreciate cultures and connect with people the world over. With the collective efforts of the entire value chain and supportive government policies, aviation will achieve net zero emissions by 2050.”
Survey Says People Want to Fly
People are eager to return to the skies as soon as possible. IATA’s updated consumer survey, conducted on behalf of the association by research firm Rockland Dutton, show that 73% of consumers believe that travel restrictions have negatively impacted their quality of life.
Even with concerns over the Delta variant and frustrations with the travel process during COVID, 22% of those surveyed said they would not delay in getting back on a plane as soon as the pandemic is over, and 39% said that they would only wait a month or two before flying again.
Many (47%) believe their countries should reopen borders with most countries (except where cases are high).
The majority (87%) believe there must be a balance between managing COVID-19 risk and re-starting the economy.
In terms of risk mitigation, 86% said that requiring passengers to be vaccinated would boost their confidence in air travel either somewhat or significantly. Additionally, 80% said that people who have been vaccinated should be able to travel by air. However, 65% said it would be morally wrong to restrict travel only to vaccinated people.
Quarantine policy is still affecting demand, with 84% of those surveyed saying they would not travel if there is a chance they might be quarantined at their destination.
Most interestingly, 85% of those surveyed either somewhat or strongly agreed with the sentiment that COVID-19 will not disappear, so we need to manage risks while living and travelling normally.
Current government policies for air travel restrictions and border reopening have a negative impact. The varying costs of tests required is a significant concern and barrier to travel for 75% of those surveyed, and the inconvenience of it is a barrier for 77%. 80% of those surveyed felt that governments should bear the cost of COVID-19 testing, and 62% thought they should not have to be tested if they have proof of vaccination.
Of course, health comes first. Health officials are more qualified to guide governments in making these decisions than any business. Still, there is something to the issue of high testing costs and the paperwork required to prove vaccination and testing status.
“There is a message here for governments,” said Walsh. “People are willing to be tested to travel. But they don’t like the cost or the inconvenience. Both can be addressed by governments. The reliability of rapid antigen tests is recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO). Broader acceptance of antigen testing by governments would reduce inconvenience and cost—costs that the WHO’s International Health Regulations stipulate should be borne by governments. It is also clear that while people accept testing and other measures such as mask-wearing as necessary, they want to return to more normal ways of travel when it is safe to do so.”
IATA Travel Pass Advances, but Governments Don’t
To ease the jumble of paperwork and offer a more reliable method of health data tracking, IATA also announced that six more airlines had agreed to implement the IATA Travel Pass in a phased rollout across their networks. Etihad Airways, Jazeera Airways, Jetstar, Qantas, Qatar Airways and Royal Jordanian will join Emirates Airline in implementing this app.
“After months of testing, IATA Travel Pass is now entering the operational phase. The app has proven itself to be an effective tool to manage the complex mess of travel health credentials that governments require. And it’s a great vote of confidence that some of the world’s best known airline brands will be making it available to their customers over the coming months,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
There is still great concern over the significant variations of requirements from government to government and concerns that a lack of universal policy will lead to heavy airport congestion as air travel resumes to pre-COVID levels.
A look at the top 50 travel markets, which account for 92% of global traffic, reveals the disconnect. As IATA details:
- Of the 50 states, 38 have some form of COVID-19 restriction on who can enter. Only seven had no entry restrictions or quarantine requirements upon arrival. A further five have no additional restriction on who can enter but maintain quarantine measures for some after arrival.
There is no consistency among the 38 states which retain entry restrictions:
- Twenty states exempt or foresee exemptions from restrictions in various forms for vaccinated travellers, but
- Only six are confirmed to exempt minors (who are unable to be vaccinated in most markets) when they travel with vaccinated adults. And there is no consistency on the age definition of minors.
- Nine states do not recognize the full WHO list of vaccines
- There are at least five different definitions for the point after inoculation at which vaccines are considered to be effective
- There is no agreement on the duration of the validity period for a traveller to be considered vaccinated
- Only four states (Germany, France, Switzerland, and Austria) recognize immunity resulting from previous COVID-19 infection as equivalent to vaccination
- There is no consistency on what is needed to prove prior infection
There are complex conditions imposed by the 46 states requiring pre-departure testing
- Twenty-four only accept PCR testing
- Sixteen recognize antigen tests (of which three require PCR in certain circumstances)
- Eighteen states exempt vaccinated travellers from testing
- Twenty states provide exemptions from testing requirements for recovered COVID-19 travellers, but under differing conditions and with equally little consistency on how to prove prior infection
- Thirty-three states exempt minors from testing, but with no consistency on the age and, in some cases, differing rules if the minor is accompanied by a vaccinated adult
- Testing time-window varies broadly, including specifications by test type
“The situation is a mess. It’s stalling recovery. Complete harmonization is unlikely. But some simple best practices that travellers can comprehend should be achievable,” said Walsh.
Digital health passes, like the IATA Travel Pass, will be an essential tool to avoid travel chaos on reopening.
“Europe has made a good start. The EU Digital COVID Certificate (EU DCC) is an efficient and reliable standard to record test and vaccination status. If governments are looking for a standard to follow, this is our recommendation. And if governments are looking for a ready-made solution to manage travel health credentials using e-gates, IATA Travel Pass is a solution. Irrespective of government use, an automated solution is essential for airlines. They will need to manage documentation verification using automated check-ins. If not, airport wait times and congestion will skyrocket as travel volumes increase. After extensive testing, it’s great to see IATA Travel Pass entering regular operations,” said Walsh.

domain: news


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The Chinese search giant Baidu’s has constructed a new operating system for linking digital assistants and the Internet of Things. The new DuerOS will have to prove it can run with the big dogs before it deserves more than a passing glance.
During the Civil War, the Confederacy fielded the first submarine used to successfully sink another vessel with an explosive ‘torpedo.’ It turns out that the same success that put the H.L. Hunley in history books may have killed its entire crew.
The new 2017 Buick Envision brings luxury and a smooth ride to the crowded class of compact SUVs. The Envision is a comfortable town and country cruiser, with a price tag just under $50,000 when fully equipped.
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If you see a man wearing a long, dark wig, a red skirt, a long-sleeved blouse and a huge sun hat, call Hurst police. He robbed a phone store.
Police say the man in women’s clothing stole about $11,000 worth of phones and a small amount of cash Monday morning from the AT&T Store at 1332 Precinct Line Road.
The holdup occurred shortly after 9 a.m. and the man was armed with a handgun.
No injuries were reported.
The man, who also wore sunglasses, walked into the store and pointed the handgun at an employee, then stole the phones and the cash.
He fled and jumped into a white Buick sedan parked in a nearby parking lot. He then drove away.
Police described the suspect as a white man with large build, possibly in his 30s or 40s.
Detectives on Tuesday were trying to obtain photographs from the store’s surveillance camera.
Anyone with information should call police at 817-788-7146.


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It seems like Motorola still has a bunch of new smartphones to launch. Four new Motorola devices have paid a visit to FCC earlier today.
And with these four upcoming handsets, the company’s portfolio will be expanded even further. Anyway, moving ahead, the FCC listing doesn’t reveal much details surrounding these upcoming Motorola devices.
The only thing we know is that all these four yet-be-unveiled handsets will carry a 3,000mAh battery.
It will be interesting to see where these handsets fit in the company’s smartphone lineup. We already have the C series, most affordable options from the company, then the E series and G series to cater mid-range segment.
The Z series, on the other hand, caters to the needs of upper mid-range and flagship smartphone buyers.


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Fair to offer exhibit that teaches parents of teens about warning signs
MUNCIE, Ind. – “Hidden in Plain Sight," an interactive display designed to help parents of teens recognize unfamiliar hazards that are often in plain sight, will be on display at the 2019 Delaware County Fair, 4-10 p.m. Tuesday July 16.
The special traveling exhibit is brought to the Delaware County community by the Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County and the Delaware County Prevention Council. The exhibit is free and open to adults only.
By walking through a model of a child's bedroom, parents learn to identify objects that could provide critical insights about risky behavior, according to a release. Amidst the clutter of clothing scattered on the floor, school supplies on a desk and personal care products on a vanity are more than 100 items that can actually be signals that a young person could be involved in risky, harmful or even illegal activity. Participants will have an opportunity to interact with the items on display.


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Winter pressure for households as SSE lifts gas bills by 9.4 pc
Scottish & Southern Energy (SSE) will raise household gas prices by 9.4 per cent on December 1, the company has announced.
The hike, which will hit some 3.6million customers, is expected to push up the typical gas bill by £67 a year.
The energy giant said the move came as a response to a surge in wholesale gas prices.
Apologetic: The company said it was sorry the hike will take effect during winter
Alistair Phillips-Davies, energy supply director at SEE, said on Friday he was sorry the increase would take place during the winter period but added that wholesale costs had jumped by 25 per cent since SSE last made price changes in March earlier this year.
'The last few months have been marked by rising wholesale gas prices and, having absorbed losses in our gas supply business for some time, we can not delay an increase in retail prices any longer,' he said.
The company said the price increase will not affect customers in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
The group's gas supply business, Southern Electric Gas, reported a loss of £58.7million in the year to the end of March.
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It’s September 16 today, and for you, it may just be another Monday. But, it’s so much more than that. Year after year, we Filipinos poke fun at ourselves with memes because we celebrate Christmas Day early on. As soon as September hits, my newsfeed was all Jose Mari Chan, and yours probably was too.
Well, we legitimately have a cause to celebrate because today marks 100 days to what they say is the most wonderful time of the year – Christmas Day! SM Supermalls across the country marked the day with a countdown launch, officially ushering all of its 73 malls into the festive holiday season.
Christmas Day Countdown Launch in Bacolod
At SM City Bacolod, a short but festive program was held to make mallgoers feel the Christmas season early on. The De La Salle Chorale held a mini-Christmas concert of the most loved seasonal songs, including the retail giant’s newest Christmas jingle, “SM Mallidays.”
Santa also made an early sighting, even going around the mall to the delight of shoppers, while the band Mojo Nova entertained mallgoers.
There’s Nothing Like Christmas in the Philippines
Filipinos are known to celebrate Christmas with gusto, stretching the festivities to as far as four months. The countdown starts as soon as the ‘ber’ months hit – the months September, October, November, and December – and continues even beyond December 25 all the way to after New Year. Your mom starts opening once-stored “Christmas” boxes, holiday songs start playing, retail stores start bringing out their seasonal decor too as early as this month.
This is probably because we reminisce our most precious moments (for me it’s a memory of my cousins and I treasure hunting for our Christmas spending money) during this time of the year.
SM, the 61-year-old company whose malls have been around for more than 30 years, has always been a big part of Filipino’s family traditions, Christmas included. From the music to the festive mall decorations to finding gifts and holiday necessities, the activities and events, they all form part of Christmas memories in the Philippines.
What Can We Look Forward To When Visiting SM City Bacolod?
With the marking of the days to December 25, Bacoleños can look forward to new Christmas experiences in the form of exciting treats, entertainment, and visual delights. Christmas Day may still be a few months away, but 100 days early, SM is already feeling like the place to be for good food, fun times and everything else.


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Frankly, this was not a good year for TVs at IFA 2019. Typically, Europe’s massive tech show is ground zero for the unveiling of the year’s hottest new televisions, but this year, neither LG, Sony, nor Samsung had anything new to announce. In fact, only one major TV manufacturer came to the show with a television we’ve not seen before, and you can’t even buy it in the U.S.
That doesn’t mean there weren’t some stunning TVs to gawk at, though, and this show represented the first time some of these TVs could be viewed by the public. With that in mind, here are the five best TVs we saw at IFA 2019, with the list including the gorgeous Philips OLED+ 984, Sharp’s 120-inch 8K monster, and the 55-inch Q900 8K TV that headlined Samsung’s event.
We begin with the one television that actually made its debut at IFA 2019, Philips’ stunning OLED+ 984. While there were other new OLEDs from the European electronics giant, this particular model stands out thanks to its integrated soundbar designed by legendary audio outfit, Bowers & Wilkins. The best part? The central tweeter hovers above the bar. Stunning.
The OLED screen itself is made by LG, which is par for the course, but the TV is driven by Philips’ P5 processing engine, which looked outstanding. But here’s the kicker: Philips doesn’t sell its TVs in North America (the Philips brand you see here in the U.S. is actually licensed branding for a company called Funai), so Americans will just have to gawk from across the pond.
Walk into Sharp’s booth at IFA 2019 and you’ll be greeted by a 120-inch 8K monstrosity capturing the attention of all who pass it (we even heard a gasp or two). To see 8K at this scale is to believe in the expanded resolution. Even from mere inches away, distinguishing the television’s minuscule pixels from one another is nearly impossible, and from a distance, it’s as clear as can be.
What’s even more interesting than the sheer size of the screen is that this particular television has been fitted with a 5G antenna. Sharp was rather coy about what it’s to be used for, though ahead of the reveal it noted that it could be useful for downloading artwork in a higher resolution. In reality, it’s probably there to deliver the internet speed required to stream 8K content.
Samsung’s biggest IFA 2019 announcement is its smallest 8K TV: A 55-inch model. Funnily enough, the actual television isn’t new. It’s been on sale in both Europe and North America for a while now. Instead, the Korean behemoth has hurled it over to Berlin to announce that it will be casting it further into the wild with a worldwide release, spanning 50 countries.
To be truthful, Sammy took the safe route with the 55-inch Q900. It doesn’t tout an iconic design like the
While one of the most expensive TVs on the floor at IFA 2019, LG’s 88-inch 8K TV actually isn’t the most eye-catching. People look, but there’s no staring in amazement, and certainly no gasping — at least, from what we heard at the booth. That is until the various representatives dropped the astonishing $42,000 price tag, then the gasps started filling the air.
In all fairness, the 88-inch LG Signature Z9 is the largest OLED on the market, so it’d be rash to think it wouldn’t command a mind-boggling price. What’s strange, though, is that those who pre-ordered a unit (yes, this is television was also announced ahead of IFA 2019) would have only had to part with $34,000, but those who missed out have to fork out $8,000 more.
If the Philips OLED+ 984 wasn’t our favorite television on show at IFA 2019, it would be the 75-inch TCL Mini LED 8K TV. Being a budget manufacturer, the firm is presumably looking to bring 8K to the conscious consumer. As such, we aren’t looking at a revolutionary bit of kit from a design standpoint; it’s all rather basic. But it’s the technology that’s the drawing factor.
Just like Samsung, TCL is taking advantage of Quantum Dots to produce more accurate color. There are also 900 local dimming zones for delivering fantastic contrast,
Need to catch up on the latest and greatest from IFA 2019? In a nutshell, Amazon took the wraps off an OLED Fire TV (it wasn’t actually on display at IFA 2019, so it didn’t make the cut for this article), LG showed off the LG G8X ThinQ Dual Screen, and Samsung announced the revamped Galaxy Fold, dubbed Galaxy Fold 2.0. You can find all the biggest announcements here.
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- Sharp’s promised Roku OLED TV is now available and deeply discounted
- Vizio’s new Quantum 4K QLED TVs hit 75 inches for $699
- Hisense kicks off its U8K mini-LED TV availability with deep discounts
- What is PHOLED? Your eyes (and your utility bill) are going to love it


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- Wayland Group, an Ontario-based cannabis company, said it had 26 departures in December across multiple departments. The company revealed the exits in its monthly progress report released on January 7.
- The departures come after a difficult year for Wayland Group and other cannabis companies, which have faced a downturn in the sector in recent months.
- Click here for more BI Prime stories, and subscribe to our weekly cannabis newsletter, Cultivated.
A Canadian cannabis company just revealed that it's losing workers as it pursues a restructuring in the troubled industry.
Wayland Group said it lost 26 workers in December in areas including operations, quality assurance, engineering, human resources, finance, and IT departments. It's not clear if the departures were voluntary, and the company didn't respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.
The announcement comes after a difficult year for the company, which grows and processes cannabis. The company has seen a steep decline in its stock prices over the past few months and said in December it was seeking protection from creditors to pursue a restructuring. The company received court approval for financing to help in the process.
In its January report, the company said it was "primarily focused on existing business relationships and strengthening the operations team."
Business Insider previously reported that other cannabis companies, from startups to public companies, had cut over 1,000 jobs in the industry as of 2019. The Marijuana Index, a composite of cannabis and cannabis-related stocks in the US and Canada, has lost more than 50% of its value since January 2018.
Jeremy Berke contributed reporting.
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Milan-- Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV said Tuesday it would reduce the emissions of its vehicles and make changes so it can adapt more quickly to new testing standards the European Union is expected to introduce in response to the Volkswagen AG emissions scandal.
The Italian-American car maker is updating the way it measures emissions from diesel engines so its vehicles perform the same under real driving conditions as in laboratory testing. Fiat Chrysler, which reiterated that its engines meet European regulatory requirements, said it supports the EU's efforts to adopt new testing procedures in line with real driving conditions because it would bring clarity to the industry and consumers.
It is common, and legal, for cars to emit more carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide under real driving conditions than while being tested in a laboratory, something which European regulators have long known and are seeking to address with the new regulations. The European Commission is also attempting to add a provision that would allow it to fine auto makers as much as EUR30,000 ($327,440) per vehicle if they are found to have cheated on emissions tests.
Fiat Chrysler's comments come on the eve of a vote by the European parliament that will decide whether to reject a plan to start measuring auto emissions in road tests rather than in the laboratory. In December, the commission's environment committee said the proposed changes leave too much leeway for manufacturers to surpass existing caps on some types of emissions.
With many European cities struggling to keep pollution under control, there is public support for more rigorous testing, but meeting the new standards will be costly for the car industry, which often already invests upward of $1 billion to develop a new model.
"The cost of meeting more demanding emission norms and possible recalls or fines could limit some car makers' free cash flow and, in turn, credit quality improvements over the next few years," Standard & Poor's said in a statement Tuesday.
Fiat Chrysler's decision to act proactively on its diesel emissions comes as jittery investors try to gauge whether the problems that engulfed Volkswagen could spread throughout the industry. Last month, France's Renault SA had to reassure investors after its shares lost a fifth of their value on news its facilities had been raided by authorities carrying out an emissions investigation.
Last week, the European Commission proposed overhauling the way the EU authorizes the sale of new cars in a bid to get better control of emissions testing. Currently, individual national authorities approve the sale of new cars, which can then be sold across the EU. Under the proposed changes, the commission and national regulators could test cars already approved. Those found not meeting minimum requirements could be banned from sale or recalled without the agreement of the authority that initially approved them.
While it waits for a single EU rule, Fiat Chrysler is voluntarily updating the way it measures emissions from its diesel vehicles--those with the so-called Euro 6 engine. New vehicles sold from April onward will be equipped with the new means for measuring and current owners of Fiat Chrysler vehicles with Euro 6 engines can have their car updated.
Fiat Chrysler, which recalled more than 11 million vehicles in the U.S. last year, more than any other car maker, pointed out that the moves announced Tuesday weren't part of a recall campaign. The company also said it would speed up the implementation in its vehicles of Active Selective Catalytic Reduction technology, which converts some noxious emissions from diesel engines into water and nitrogen.
Gabriele Steinhauser contributed to this article.
Write to Eric Sylvers at firstname.lastname@example.org and Giovanni Legorano at email@example.com


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The other day, Apple made a surprising announcement at its iPhone event. Typically the company reserves its new iPad announcements for much later in the year, but for some reason, the company decided to launch a new 10.2-inch entry-level iPad at its event. One of the changes they made is the introduction of the Smart Connector.
Apple’s products are already pretty expensive, although the more you upgrade the storage, the more expensive it gets. Take for example the iPad Pro with 1TB of storage which was priced at $1749, and note that we say “was” because it seems that Apple has decided to drop the prices on its iPad Pro models.
According to Apple, one of the company’s most popular iPads is the 9.7-inch model. It’s actually not that surprising when you consider that Apple had previously launched an updated 9.7-inch model that was considerably cheaper and acted as an entry-level device for those looking to dip their toes in the iPad waters.
There is no doubt that Apple wants users to use its iMessage messaging platform. It is a pretty decent default messaging platform that iOS users can use with each other, and with every iOS update, Apple introduces new features to it. However, one feature that seems to be lacking is message scheduling.
With our devices being mostly touchscreen, having a good and responsive display is crucial in the overall user experience. Now, the iPad Pro has a fantastic display but unfortunately, it seems that some users are encountering issues in which they are either experiencing a delayed response when touching the iPad, or a missed response entirely, meaning that their touch wasn’t even registered.
When it comes to mobile photography, that is an area that Apple’s iPads aren’t necessarily known for. Sure, they take a decent photo or two, but it pales in comparison to what the iPhone can do. However, according to a report from The Elec, they are suggesting that the 2020 iPad Pros could change that.
If you’re thinking about buying a new iPad, iPhone, Apple Watch, or MacBook, you might want to hold off for the next month or so. This is because according to a recent sighting at the Eurasian Economic Commission, it seems that Apple has filed for a bunch of new products, suggesting that product refreshes could be coming soon.
When it comes to camera development, Apple typically reserves it for its iPhones. However, sometimes certain features do trickle down to the iPad, although admittedly no one really uses their iPads for photography. But if you do, then you might be interested in the latest rumor that suggests some serious upgrades are coming.
Need to cancel a recurring subscription for your iTunes account? Unfortunately, it’s not always the most obvious, but our guide will walk you through the steps you need to take to cancel your subscriptions.
Apple is reportedly going to launch a new budget iPad this year, budget in the sense that it would be slightly more affordable than the premium options in its tablet lineup. This new 10.2 inch iPad is expected to be released by the third quarter of this year. It should replace the existing 9.7 inch iPad in the company’s tablet lineup.
According to the rumors, Apple could have a couple of new iPads in the works. Apple typically refreshes their iPads on an annual basis, and this time, we have heard that Apple could be planning on launching two new models in the form of a new 10.2-inch model option and also a refresh to its 10.5-inch iPad.
WhatsApp has evolved over the years from being an app exclusive to smartphones, to being made available on the desktop. However, if there is one platform that WhatsApp has yet to truly support, it would be tablets. This is largely due to WhatsApp requiring the user to have a phone number, something that tablets do not typically have.
Apple is rolling out a new update for older iPhones and iPads to fix a GPS bug. The update is meant for customers using an iOS device that was launched in 2012 or earlier. Those users should check for an update on their device since Apple is now rolling out a new software update for them.
There’s some good news today for Spotify users on iPad. There’s a new update rolling out today for the Spotify app for iPad. The music streaming service has finally added multitasking support to the iPad version of its iOS app. This means that it gets support for features like Slide Over and Split View, a feature that Apple initially released back in 2015.


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Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL)‘s stock had its “buy” rating reiterated by equities research analysts at Canaccord Genuity in a research note issued on Friday.
A number of other research analysts have also weighed in on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $185.00 price target on shares of Apple in a research note on Friday. UBS Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $180.00 price target on shares of Apple in a research note on Monday, January 14th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $228.00 price target on shares of Apple in a research note on Friday, January 11th. HSBC lowered shares of Apple from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and cut their price objective for the stock from $200.00 to $160.00 in a research report on Wednesday, January 9th. Finally, Daiwa Capital Markets set a $200.00 price objective on shares of Apple and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 4th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, twenty-four have given a hold rating and twenty-two have issued a buy rating to the stock. Apple currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $195.74.
Apple stock opened at $156.82 on Friday. Apple has a fifty-two week low of $142.00 and a fifty-two week high of $233.47. The company has a market cap of $770.79 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.17, a PEG ratio of 1.49 and a beta of 1.23. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87, a quick ratio of 1.09 and a current ratio of 1.12.
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 1st. The iPhone maker reported $2.91 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the Zacks’ consensus estimate of $2.78 by $0.13. Apple had a net margin of 22.41% and a return on equity of 48.68%. The firm had revenue of $62.90 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $61.55 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.07 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 19.6% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts expect that Apple will post 12.1 EPS for the current fiscal year.
In other news, insider Chris Kondo sold 3,408 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $190.00, for a total value of $647,520.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 8,940 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,698,600. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.05% of the company’s stock.
Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in AAPL. First Hawaiian Bank lifted its holdings in shares of Apple by 33.5% in the second quarter. First Hawaiian Bank now owns 10,012 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock worth $1,854,000 after acquiring an additional 2,510 shares during the last quarter. Peavine Capital LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Apple by 428.7% in the second quarter. Peavine Capital LLC now owns 6,968 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock worth $1,290,000 after acquiring an additional 5,650 shares during the last quarter. Wechter Feldman Wealth Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Apple by 29.1% in the second quarter. Wechter Feldman Wealth Management Inc. now owns 2,918 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock worth $540,000 after acquiring an additional 657 shares during the last quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Apple by 3.6% in the second quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 96,213 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock worth $17,810,000 after acquiring an additional 3,336 shares during the last quarter. Finally, United Capital Management of KS Inc. bought a new position in shares of Apple in the third quarter worth about $3,860,000. 57.04% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
Apple Inc designs, manufactures, and markets mobile communication and media devices, and personal computers. It also sells various related software, services, accessories, and third-party digital content and applications. The company offers iPhone, a line of smartphones; iPad, a line of multi-purpose tablets; and Mac, a line of desktop and portable personal computers, as well as iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS operating systems.
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You can take on the multinationals any time if your pricing is right. Ask the folks at Xenitis Infotech, which has recently launched Amar PC. It's selling like hot cakes in West Bengal and has aspirations of becoming a national brand. And this in an environment where Indian brands have practically disappeared.
'Indian brands want to work at the same margins as MNC brands and make a quick buck,' says an observer. 'That's why they lose out.' The strategy at Xenitis is very different. 'Our products are priced between Rs 15,000 and Rs 30,000 which is almost half that of any multinational brand,' says director Santanu Ghosh.
Ghosh didn't start out intending to be the Nirma of the PC market. 'After my ISC, I wanted to go abroad for my graduation,' he says. 'I got through to Portland State University for a BSc in computer science. It was a great experience studying there and gave me a completely different perspective. But I never intended staying back. I have always wanted to do something on my own and in my own country.'
After passing out, Ghosh worked for various computer companies. 'Tathagata Datta, who was my childhood friend and neighbour, had started working for IBM in India,' continues Ghosh. 'Both of us were involved in marketing computers, which led to a kind of professional bond between us as well.'
At that time, computers were priced high and you had to put in a lot of effort to sell them. Both Tathagata and I felt we were wasting our time working for other people. We had enough experience and expertise to get started on our own. It was around 1999 that we finally took the plunge.
'With a small team of dedicated youngsters and a tiny office at Gariahat, we launched Xenitis Infotech. We didn't have the money to manufacture our own machines, so we acted as marketing agents for leading brands like IBM, Compaq and HP.'We realised that there was a huge price gap between assembled and branded PCs.
Outside the metros, there was no service backup. So it took a lot of time to get repairs done. We identified these areas and started thinking of our own brand. Once we had decided to go in on our own, we got down to selecting a brand name. A Bengali name would be suitable, we thought. We finally zeroed in on Amar PC.
'It was just the beginning. We had to have sales and service points at all the major towns to make the system work. We appointed five distributors and as many as 100 resellers. Then we sat down to chalk out our marketing strategy.
'Our first advertisement was released on January 21, 2004 and there was quite a sensation. We started selling from day one. Even the brand name was a hit. Initially, we sold around 400-500 computers per month, which was a moderately good beginning. In the space of the next few months, our sales figure crossed 2,000. We are hoping to cross the 3,000 mark soon. We are going to spread to Sikkim, Bihar, the Northeast, Jharkhand and Orissa.
'Consumers often ask how we have managed to keep our prices down. Initially, some had even suspected the quality of our computers. But it has been proved over the past nine months that our machines are second to none. The right price supplemented by an extensive sales and service network is our USP.
'Our goal has been very simple: to bring PCs within the reach of the average consumer. I think we have been fairly successful in doing that though a large section of the market still remains untapped.
The business environment in the state has changed a lot and so has the average consumer. The common man now knows a lot more about computers than he used to even a few years back. You can't fool him. So, labels will no longer be enough to jack up your prices and nor will you be able to get away with it.
'We have a series of new projects lined up. Very soon we are going to be the first Indian company to manufacture computer cases, speakers and DVDs in collaboration with a Chinese company. Our colour computer cabinets will hit the market by the end of this year.'
Evidently, Amar PC and Ghosh are out to win the world.


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According to the National Bank of Ukraine, as of October 1, 2020, the number of payment cards reached 73.4 million. Compared to January 2020, this value increased by 7.4%.
A significant part of new cards (5.7%) is used for non-cash payments and to receive funds. This figure is primarily due to the coronavirus epidemic and the introduction of quarantine. Citizens have begun to use safer payment methods.
At the same time, almost 40% of all cards from which payment transactions were made were contactless. Compared to January 2020, this number has increased by 50%.
Experts note that the increased demand for non-cash payments is developing this payment system, which will further have a positive impact on the service of many companies. Even now, half of payment transactions in retail chains are already contactless, and in 2019 only a third of citizens expected so.


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This bizarre "Shower Orange" subreddit has thousands hooked on the world's juiciest trend
Discovered Sunday night by Buzzfeed reporter-slash non shower orange-eater (to our knowledge, anyway) Brad Esposito, r/ShowerOrange is a group dedicated to Redditors who know that eating an orange in the shower avoids a whole lot of juicy mess. Users post photos of themselves sucking down glorious citrus in the shower without fear of sticky hands or stained clothing, and comment on their experiences doing so.
It’s really effing weird, but it’s also kind of genius — and undoubtedly super delicious — when you really think about it. false
The subreddit currently boasts over 8,400 members, and there are strict rules in place. Posting photos with a grapefruit, for example, is a huge no-no, while “oranges, Clementines, tangerines, Blood Oranges are all acceptable.” Moderators also ban photos containing genitalia, and insist that posters treat their fellow orange enthusiasts with kindness and respect.
The whole thing began over a year ago, inspired by a popular comment in an Ask Reddit thread about unconventional activities everyone should try. One user, PHOTON_BANDIT, explained that a camp counselor once told him or her to try the orange thing…and they’ve been doing it every single morning since.
“Tearing apart a cold fresh orange with your bare hands, just letting the juices run over your body. Not worrying if your [sic] going to get sticky, or anything,” the commenter explained. “Just ripping it in half, and tearing into it with your teeth like a savage cannibal who hasnt eaten in a week! Yes PHOTON_BANDIT, this is the most carnal, ferocious, liberating thing a man can do.”
Members of r/ShowerOrange have enjoyed similar experiences. One claimed that the day he or she tried shower orange was the “first day of the rest of my life,” while another complained that they could “no longer enjoy eating oranges if its not in a hot shower.”
Mens Health got in on the shower orange trend, and now insist that “the sheer olfactory transport of a shower orange may be enough to momentarily paralyze you,” and that it’s “the most completely healthy mind-body-soul activity a person can indulge.”
…Which basically means that we’re headed to the grocery store right now to buy some oranges and try this ish out for ourselves. We’ll be late on the trend, sure, but if our hearts, souls, noses, and tastebuds are happy tomorrow morning, who cares? Shower orange sounds more than worth it.


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While the European region still has ups and downs on its return from the six years long slump in demand, there is one “athlete” that doesn’t falter – Great Britain.
The industry’s main trade body, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders announced that new car registration in April rose more than 8% year-on year, to 176,820 units, the 26th consecutive month of gains for the country, thanks to low interest rates and rising salaries.
Still, the rise slowed in comparison to March, where numbers hit a decade high – but the UK car sales are highly seasonal, as last month’s 18% rise to 464,824 cars was lifted by the twice a year change in registration plates.
“After the bumper plate-change month of March, the UK car market returned to more modest but still positive growth in April … as GDP continues to pick up, inflation falls and wage levels improve,” said Mike Hawes, the SMMT’s CEO.
Total car sales for the first four months reached 864,942 units, being 12.5% higher than for the same period of 2013, although last year was the best since 2007. SMMT decided to revise its full year forecast, up from 2.3 million units to 2.4 million, which would account for a total rise over 2013 numbers of 6%.


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Sony belatedly to join 'netbook' market in August
(AP) -- Sony Corp. said Tuesday it will launch a tiny new laptop starting in August, the company's belated entry into the growing but cutthroat "netbook" PC market.
The new addition to its Vaio line of computers will cost about 60,000 yen ($630) when it goes on sale in Japan next month, with launches in the U.S. and Europe to follow shortly after. It will be about the size of a hardback book and run on lower grade hardware than other Sony models.
Netbooks - small, cheap laptops with stripped-down components - have been a lone bright spot in the PC market, expanding even as consumers cut back on more expensive purchases. But the tiny computers have low profit margins and can put well-known brands in direct competition with budget manufacturers.
"The netbook market is expanding, and Sony is following this trend," said company spokesman Shinichi Tobe.
Sony, with its well-known Vaio line, is one of the last major PC makers to enter the market. Apple Inc. is another holdout, with CEO Steve Jobs saying the company doesn't know how to build such a computer "that's not a piece of junk."
Sony already sells a similar product, a petite Vaio laptop it bills as a "Lifestyle PC," but that computer has slightly higher specifications and software, and the company was careful to avoid the netbook label.
The new line of Sony netbooks will be about 10 inches (25 centimeters) wide, 7 inches (18 centimeters) long and 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) thick. Their screens will have a resolution of 1366 by 768 pixels, higher than is commonly found in other netbooks.
The computers will come in white, black or pink, with matching mouse and case.
©2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Kim Jong-un Bans Leather Coats After Skinny Jeans & K-Pop
It wasn’t enough for Kim Jong-un to ban North Korean citizens from indulging in K-Pop, haircuts and skinny jeans. The dictator has expanded his crackdowns, forbidding leather coats in a bid to stop his subjects from stealing his personal style — for real.
As laid out in a thorough report by the American government-funded Radio Free Asia, North Korean sources have said that Kim’s regime is keeping ordinary citizens from wearing leather coats to imitate his own looks.
Why coats and not just jackets? Because Kim himself has been fond of a double-breasted leather trench since 2019.
Further leather-clad appearances from Kim and his sister, Kim Yo-Jong, solidified the layering piece’s popularity amidst North Korean men and women, despite the imposing prices.
Reportedly, North Koreans will have to cough up ₩170,000 won (about $34), and ₩80k (about $16) for real and fake leather coats, respectively; Radio Free Asia uses figures from South Korean paper Korea Joongang Daily that estimate a North Korean citizen’s average monthly income to be ₩4,000 ($0.66).
Though leather coats are very much a splurge for the country’s impoverished subjects, the garment has been en vogue within North Korea since the early 2000s.
Kim’s latest dictum has spurred a spate of disrobings from Pyongsong police, who strip citizens of their hard-won leathers in the street.
In response to people complaining about the loss of their expensive outerwear, North Korean police said that “wearing clothes designed to look like the Highest Dignity’s is an ‘impure trend to challenge the authority of the Highest Dignity,'” according to a Radio Free Asia source.
The police then “instructed the public not to wear leather coats, because it is part of the party’s directive to decide who can wear them.”
Basically, as social media users have been saying, Kim is keeping people from stealing “his drip.”
That being said, although Kim’s fashion bans are amusing from a distance (no sympathy for the skinny jean), we do not have to “give it to” the dictator just because a few of his new laws are sort of funny.
This proclamation is mostly about dividing the haves and have-nots. It’s all about keeping North Korean citizens subservient and restricting them from enjoying any of the luxuries afforded to those in power.
It’s hardly new terrain, though: each of Kim’s utterances is in service of restricting his citizens’ freedoms, even the seemingly funny ones.
GATEZERO Water Bottle
Highsnobiety x SIGG
Engineered Garments x HOK
Leather iPhone Case


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Are you looking for new markets in Africa?
There’s enormous growth potential for African e-commerce – by 2025, online purchases could account for 10% of retail sales in the continent’s largest economies, according to research from McKinsey.
This is no surprise when you consider how much people use the internet worldwide. The Mobile Money 2017 report by GSMA found that the number of people accessing the internet on mobile devices has doubled over the past 5 years to 3.6 billion, and will rise to 4.7 billion by 2020. That’s equivalent to 60% of the global population.
When you add these trends to the lack of effective bricks-and-mortar stores in Africa, mobile-friendly e-commerce becomes a key opportunity for retailers looking to expand and reach new customers.
And that’s where e-wallets come in – a way for you to reach 1 billion people in Africa who have mobile phones but don’t have bank accounts or credit cards.


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A new trial, termed as the “Cedar x Ubin+” experiment, conducted by Singapore and the US has highlighted the promise of blockchain-based technology in facilitating faster and more cost-effective cross-border payments, particularly those involving multiple currencies.
This development is significant for the finance sector, as current cross-border payments are often slow and costly, relying on a correspondent banking system that is susceptible to counterparty risk, poor liquidity management, and complex reconciliation.
About the Experiment
The Cedar x Ubin+ experiment was conducted to evaluate the connectivity potential of distributed ledger technology (DLT) on diverse ledgers for liquid and illiquid currencies. The experiment employed simulated wholesale central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) to reduce the risks associated with settlement and speed up the settlement process.
Wholesale CBDCs are mainly designed for interbank and institutional transactions, and can be used as an alternative or an addition to traditional central bank money for payment settlements. However, retail transactions are not able to take advantage of this form of digital currency.
MAS into Bloackchain
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has been actively exploring the potential uses of blockchain technology to facilitate cross-border payments. This has included launching a blockchain project for interbank payments in 2016 and conducting a successful trial with the Bank of Canada in 2019 to test cross-border payments using central bank digital currencies.
Although there have been significant improvements in global payments, certain currencies continue to encounter constraints such as exorbitant expenses, sluggish settlement times, inadequate market options, and transparency concerns.
The recent trial with the US is just one part of MAS’s larger initiative to encourage interconnectivity among wholesale CBDCs across different countries.
Significance of the Trail
This trial demonstrated that it is possible to execute secure transactions across various ledgers without the need for a centralized clearing entity or a shared central network.
Instant settlement of payment tests ensured that all involved parties received their transactions simultaneously, effectively addressing persistent issues such as counterparty risks that have long been a major factor in high costs.
In general, each simulated payment scenario was resolved from start to finish in under 30 seconds. This gives an advantage to the customary two-day span needed to settle transactions involving illiquid currencies.


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You may spend the holidays roasting chestnuts by an open fire. Or cruising on a one horse open sleigh. But chances are, you’ll also spend December shopping.
At the 45th Precinct’s community meeting Thursday, December 4, Captain Roumeliotis issued bustling Bronxites a judicious reminder. Be careful.
“It’s easy to get caught up in shopping,” Roumeliotis said. “It’s easy to let your guard down. Just don’t.”
Preoccupied shoppers fall prey to pickpockets and con artists every winter, but some experts worry that this year’s financial crisis could amplify the holiday effect – less money to spend, more incentive to steal. According to Roumeliotis, the 45th and other Bronx precincts will increase foot patrols ahead of the holidays. Shopping hubs like Bay Plaza, Westchester Square and Crosby Avenue will benefit.
As of October, shoplifting was already on the rise, according to the National Retail Federation. Women are targeted more than men.
“When the stores are packed, keep your purse close,” said Roumeliotis. “Otherwise, someone will reach in.”
Holiday thieves aim for unattended shopping carts and parked cars.
“A lot of us throw stuff in the car between stores,” the police captain said. “But someone could be watching you. There are people who do this for a living.”
On December 4, Roumeliotis mentioned a Queens man nabbed for car thefts in Coop City. Pre-arrest, the crook averaged nearly 20 break-ins each night.
“If you have a GPS unit in your car, hide the device and wipe its windshield suction mark away,” Roumeliotis said.
Shoppers tend to carry more cash during the holidays.
Beyond shoplifting and pick pocketing, the holidays further fraud and identity theft.
Stolen credit cards slip past harried cashiers. Seasonal workers make off with wares. Consumers turn careless. After all – everyone has a vacation to plan, a year-end report to file or a present to purchase.
Then there’s the crowd factor. A Nassau County Wal-Mart temp was trampled to death on Black Friday.
Shop during daylight hours if possible, cops say. If you need to go at night, bring a friend. Dress casually; avoid wearing expensive jewelry. Try not to pack cash. When you do, use your front pockets.
Don’t overload yourself with bags. Beware of strangers. Order packages to arrive when you’re home. And finally, stay vigilant.
The 45th Precinct will also increase vehicular patrols for the holiday season, a police representative said.


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Sky-Futures, the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) inspection company which has a new office in Aberdeens’s Mugiemoss Road is shortlisted in three categories at the inaugural ‘The Brave and the Bold’ GrowthAccelerator Awards 2014 – the highest number of nominations out of 14,000 businesses.
In securing the nominations in the categories of ‘Market Mover’, ‘Innovator’ and ‘Globetrotter’, Sky-Futures has been recognised for its combination of operational growth, rapid product and services acceleration and dedication to innovation in the field of UAV inspections primarily in the Oil and Gas sector. The awards are determined by the combination of fast growth and, crucially, brave and bold decision making.
“We are delighted and humbled to be nominated for three GrowthAccelerator Awards out of so many inspirational competing businesses. Sky-Futures has gone from three founders with a great idea to a rapidly growing team of 17 thanks to a huge amount of hard work, critical decision-making and an undeterred focus on innovation. We truly believe that by leading innovation and technology in our sector that we are creating our global reputation as the highest quality UAV inspections company. Not only do we have a terrifically skilled and passionate team, but a highly sustainable and growing enterprise”, said James Harrison, Commercial Director.
GrowthAccelerator exclusively targets high growth businesses that want to achieve fast sustainable growth and have the potential and determination to get there. It is a fantastic scheme that Sky-Futures has been a part of since December 2012. The leadership team has benefited hugely from the wisdom and guidance provided by the people at GrowthAccelerator to whose dedication, belief and support for our business has been invaluable.


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RetailME brings exclusive coverage from the World Retail Congress (WRC) taking place in Rome from September 8-10, where Oscar Farinetti, founder of the Italian F&B concept Eataly, addressed the two crucial areas in retail today – sustainability and talent – during the keynote session.
According to him, people play a crucial role in retail and so does sustainability. “We are not a chain,” he declares. “I respect the chains, all my friends of Starbucks and McDonalds, but I don’t like it. Our stores are like brothers, different people, different personalities, different rules, but the same values, such as no food colouring and no chemicals.”
He stressed on the importance of working with and for the people saying that ‘project, product, price, placement, promotion’ nothing is possible without the people. In addition, Farinetti also explained the Eataly’s policy of restoring old buildings with an emotional value instead of building new ones.
“It leaves more space to celebrate Italian biodiversity around the world with high-quality products, allowing more people to eat better and respecting the host countries by employing local manpower and using indigenous ingredients and products,” he adds.
Further he also announced Eataly’s expansion plans with new openings scheduled in Moscow, Dubai, Chicago and New York, along with new stores in Italy.


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- Also Known As
- Mysterious Fighting Game
Sorry, no Arika EX screenshots yet.
Street Fighter EX developer Arika has announced a new fighting game for the PlayStation 4, which started life as an April Fools’ Day gag. The title – which doesn’t yet have a name, but is being billed Arika EX for the time being – is scheduled to release on the PlayStation 4 in 2018, with a playable beta due at some point later this...


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- October 17, 2018 / 2 min readThis deal is DailyNinja's second acquisition in Hyderabad after the acquisition of 4amShop in August 2018.
The hyperlocal subscription-based delivery startup DailyNinja has acquired WakeupBasket, a Hyderabad-based firm, for an undisclosed amount in a cash and equity deal.
This deal is DailyNinja's second acquisition in Hyderabad after the acquisition of 4amShop in August 2018.
Post this acquisition, all of WakeupBasket employees will join DailyNinja platform. While the Founders of WakeupBasket, Satendra Pratap and Sai Varaprasad, will lead Hyderabad team of DailyNinja.
Anurag Gupta, Co-founder of DailyNinja, said, "Satendra and Sai are a dynamic duo with hands-on experience in scaling a similar model in Hyderabad. We thought they would be a great fit for our core team when we first met them and decided to go ahead with this acquisition."
DailyNinja was founded by Sagar Yarnalkar and Anurag Gupta in 2015. It runs a grocery and milk delivery service. The delivery startup is operating both a marketplace and an inventory-led model, and is earning revenue from subscriptions.
"We are growing at 20% MoM. This has been made possible by the launch in three new cities Chennai, Mumbai and Pune where we are seeing the excellent response. We are looking to reach 20,000 daily transactions from Hyderabad in the next six months, as we currently stand at 5000 transactions a day," Anurag added.
Search for top Restaurant Suppliers in your city


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HomeTech NewsKarnataka Plans Automobile Tech Incubator For Startups: It Minister Priyank Kharge
Karnataka Plans Automobile Tech Incubator For Startups: It Minister Priyank Kharge
June 18, 2023
A lot of people don’t know that most of the cameras have microphones, which makes it easy for hackers to switch them on again. There are spy balloons, secret police stations and dissidents on the run. New details about Beijing’s spy balloons and hack of a Chinese made security camera show how similar devices that line our streets could be exploited. Hikvision says its devices were not programmed with this flaw and that it released a firmware update to address it almost immediately after it was made aware of it. The test isn’t representative of devices that are operating today.
The buzz around the Metaverse seems to be less important in the world of artificial intelligence. Is it because large language models have made a huge splash and the Metaverse is taking a back seat in these tech discussions? Digital twins can help the implementation of the Metaverse. According to ANI, the Union Minister for Communications, Electronics and Information Technology gave a demonstration of complex, precision Semiconductor technology that global Semiconductor systems maker Micron Technology is bringing to India.
The industry has evolved a lot from its humble beginnings. The tools available for telemarketers to reach their customers have changed as technology has advanced. telemarketers communicate with their audiences using ringless voicemail and dialer technology. Businesses can maximize their reach by providing a more personalized customer experience. We need to take our campaigns to the next level by embracing the power of these technologies. Maximizing the power of dialer technology and ringless voicemail, telemarketers can now reach customers more efficiently and effectively than ever before.
IBM, the world’s pre-eminent computer company, was kicked out of India in the late 1970s. Technology was a theme in India US ties since Independence. At the best of times, technology cooperation showcased the Indian elite’s ambitions at the highest level; in bad times, it became a bone of political contention. The company based in London has created robots that can autonomously navigate and Scan a fulfilment centre to create a replica using built in cameras and sensors. Rai initially worked with Intel in the United States from 1994 to 2005 and then transitioned to Bengaluru in September 2005, assuming the role of senior director of chipset engineering and intellectual property development. As the largest engineering center for Intel outside of the United States, the company plans to provide further updates regarding the leadership succession plan for Intel India.
The US on its part, began to actively restrict technology cooperation with India as America’s post-war scientific internationalism was replaced by the non-proliferation theology. The company said it will use the funding to ramp up expansion to “key markets” that include the US, along with central and Northern Europe. It also received follow-on investment from Maersk Growth, the investment arm of the global logistics and container shipping company Maersk, which is also a customer of Dexory. Autonomous warehouse robot company Dexory has secured $19m (£14.95m) in funding to fuel international expansion as it looks to capitalise on the boom in ecommerce coupled with logistics inefficiencies exacerbated by global supply chain shocks. It should be noted that Pappas was the short-video platform’s most senior executive in the United States and was interim chief before the hiring of the current chief, Shou Zi Chew. As per a report in The New York Times from 2020, Pappas took over TikTok at the “toughest time”.
The current tech talent shortage requires alternative solutions to be considered. He explained that there is an ongoing demand for skilled technical talent, especially at the more entry level positions for professionals with developer skills. Testing and certifications are being used more and more to verify skills of potential candidates. When asked if the state of tech talent is better or worse this year over previous years, Seepersad dodged the question.
Chandrasekhar said that the partnership between India and the US will shape the future of tech. Digital twins are made up of data from numerous sources and consolidated so users can see a full view of whatever object or process they are monitoring. Departmental data, machinery records, and sensory data can be used to create a digital twin. It is possible for companies to predict machine failures in the supply chain with the full breadth of data. Predictive maintenance was made possible by digital twin technology.
There Are Publications
Power Dialers is an important tool for improving lead management and maximizing return on investment. The right talent is required to remain or become Tech News a strong technological organization. A mix of solutions is needed to recruit, verify, retain and grow that talent.
The WEF’s ‘Top ten emerging technologies report 2023’ assessed how each technology will impact people, the planet, prosperity, industry and equity and was produced in collaboration with Frontiers, a publisher of peer reviewed, open access, scientific journals. THe two technologies allow telemarketers to quickly track customer responses and analyze data to improve their campaigns. With real time data on engagement rates, marketers can quickly identify which strategies work best. Businesses can segment leads according to various criteria, like geography, thanks to improved lead management capabilities. They can make sure their messages are delivered to the right people at the right time. With these features, marketers can better tailor their messages to fit the needs of each customer while saving time from conversations that don’t lead anywhere.
After Meeting Pm Modi, Amazon Ceo Andrew Jassy Said They Were Very Interested In Helping Create More Jobs
Deng Xiaoping’s communist China would become more open to academic and technological collaboration with the US than India.
It Company Announces Hiring 6,000 People
Additionally, the report says that Apple engaged in discussions with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) regarding the specific details of the Apple Card. However, sources reveal that the regulator has requested Apple to adhere to the standard procedure for co-branded credit cards, without providing any special considerations for the company. Biden and Prime Minister Modi also hailed the signing of an MoU on semiconductor supply chain and innovation partnership as a significant step in the coordination of semiconductor incentive programmes between the two nations.


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Recent trade friction between the two Asian powerhouses has morphed into a dispute with political implications that go far beyond the region. » Read More
By: Grace Shao
China appears to be stepping up to mediate between Japan and South Korea as their trade battle intensifies — a move that could prompt the U.S. to get more involved in the region, one expert says. » Read More
By: Sam Meredith
The annual summit brings together the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States. » Read More
Toyota has become one of the world's largest automakers by churning out cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles. Over the years, it has also grown a reputation for being affordable, reliable, safe and for being kind of boring. A scion of the Toyoda family, Akio Toyoda, now has the reins at the company and is calling for "no more boring cars." The Japanese giant is doubling down on speed, adventure, and cutting edge technology, in a bid to survive and succeed.
Robert Tipp of PGIM Fixed Income says, unlike Japan and Europe, the U.S. is trying to avoid negative rates, but may also have to go down that path in an "extreme scenario."
The problem with tanking equities lies elsewhere, writes Michael Ivanovitch, because traders see no end to America's unfolding trade disputes with Europe and China.
CNBC's Tania Bryer meets celebrity chef Nobu, who gives her a masterclass in making and eating sushi.
Patrick Bennett of CIBC says the Japanese yen is likely to perform well because of risk aversion and "decent economic results" out of Japan.
Nobu had been nervous about partnerships after losing money in restaurants in Peru and Alaska, but his first venture with De Niro in New York opened in Tribeca in 1994 and had much success. The pair went on to found Nobu Hospitality together.
CNBC's Kelly Evans talks about the Plaza Accord, the 1985 agreement among the G-5 nations to manipulate exchange rates by depreciating the U.S. dollar relative to the Japanese yen and the German Deutsche mark, with Jim Dorn, vice president for monetary studies at the Cato Institute, and Kamal Sharma, director of G-10 FX strategy at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.
Problems of Washington's incoherent fiscal and trade policies should not be dumped on the Federal Reserve.
Japan's consumer spending was strong in Q2, but Kazuo Momma of Mizuho Research Institute says that may be due to "unsustainable factors." He also says the Bank of Japan hasn't made much progress on inflation and doesn't have much space in terms of more accommodative monetary policy.
Kathy Matsui of Goldman Sachs Japan discusses capital expenditure and central bank policy in Japan.
Have you ever caught yourself trying to scroll up on a paperback book? For most, it might result in a moment of self-loathing. For Dhvanil Sheth, it marked the birth of a $2 million company.
SoftBank has shaken up the tech investment landscape in Silicon Valley and beyond.
Jeff Powell of Polaris Greystone Financial says there could be a lot of "unintended consequences" if the U.S. lowers its currency. That may be in the form of "material impact" on other trading partners such as Japan and Germany, he says.
Corrine Png of AIA Investment Management says the trade dispute between Tokyo and Seoul will be "really detrimental" especially to the South Korean market where corporate earnings are "already very weak."
David Adelman of Reed Smith says it's not clear what the end game of the U.S.-China trade war is.
The FJ Cruiser is a retro, off-road machine that debuted in the U.S. in 2003 as a salute to the classic Toyota FJ Land Cruisers. Sales began to plummet after the great recession, and Toyota pulled the vehicle out of the U.S. entirely after the 2014 model year. So why is it so popular now?


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The expiration dates on over-the-counter and prescription medications seem pretty black and white, but there’s some question about whether drugs last even longer.
Expiration dates typically range from 12 to 60 months after production. But manufacturers aren’t required to determine how long they’ll remain potent after that, enabling them to set their own expiration dates and possibly shortchange consumers.
Testing reported in JAMA Internal Medicine showed that eight medications with 15 different active ingredients were still potent decades beyond their expiration dates.
The U.S. government’s own Shelf Life Extension Program extends the dates on some drugs in federal stockpiles to save the military from the cost of replacing them. Its own study found that 90 percent of more than 100 drugs were perfectly good even 15 years after expiration.
But what about the meds in your home? A lot depends on how carefully you store them — you probably don’t do as good a job as the U.S. Army. That’s why the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends never taking drugs beyond their expiration date — it’s just too risky. In particular, nitroglycerin, insulin and liquid antibiotics shouldn’t be used after their expiration dates.
To safeguard all medications, protect them from heat, light and humidity by keeping them in a cool, dry, dark place. A steamy bathroom isn’t a good environment.
Know, too, that some drugs can lose their potency more quickly than others, including aspirin. If you take aspirin for heart health, be sure to replace it as needed.
Read the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s position on the hazards of taking expired drugs, as well as safe ways to dispose of them.
Copyright © 2023 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


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HTC One M8 launch in NYC: Live Event Stream!
There’s a lot riding on HTC’s new flagship phone, with the company’s profits and sales continuing to fall. While the HTC One was well regarded and won critical praise for its all-metal design, it got overshadowed by the marketing blitz of Samsung’s Galaxy S4. HTC has a lot of work ahead to make sure the same thing doesn’t happen again this year with its new device and the Galaxy S5.
A lot of details have already leaked about HTC’s new phone. It’s believed to sport a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 or 805 processor, and a larger, 5-inch screen. The device also could come with a full 3GB of RAM to make it even faster.
The camera also should get an update, including possibly twin camera lenses. And HTC may also update its Sense UI skin that layers on top of Android with motion gesture controls and a cleaner interface with flatter icons.
HTC One (M8) live stream begins at:
Live Event Stream :
HTC IS HAVING PROBLEMS PLEASE TRY THE LINK BELOW!


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Apple Inc. bashed GPNE Corp.’s $94 million damages demand as “extreme” and “unreasonable” Tuesday during closing arguments in GPNE’s trial accusing Apple of selling millions of iPhones and iPads that infringe two data-communications patents, telling a California federal jury that Apple should pay nothing.
Nexium buyers pursuing a pay-for-delay case against AstraZeneca PLC and two generic-drug makers told a Boston federal jury on Tuesday that the pharmaceutical companies were trying to game the patent system to overcharge consumers by billions of dollars for the heartburn treatment.
Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC and Bank of America Corp. were slapped with a lawsuit by the U.S. Virgin Islands Public Finance Authority on Monday alleging they wrongly said a $219 million bond offering was tax-exempt, although an Internal Revenue Service investigation proved otherwise.
The European Commission announced €94 million ($119.6 million) in settlements against J.P. Morgan, UBS, and Credit Suisse on Tuesday in connection with cartels that fixed the price of the Swiss franc-denominated Libor and certain Swiss franc interest-rate derivatives near the peak of the financial crisis.
After scrapping a $55 billion merger attempt with British rival Shire PLC in the wake of a U.S. government crackdown on inversion deals, U.S. drugmaker AbbVie Inc. late Monday unveiled plans for a $5 billion stock buyback and 17 percent dividend increase to boost shareholder value.
The New York Federal Reserve Bank identified risks at the JPMorgan Chase unit responsible for the London Whale trading debacle, but did not share these findings with one of the bank’s other regulators, nor did it go through with planned examinations of the unit, the regulator’s internal watchdog said Tuesday.


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HUMBOLDT PARK — A barbecue joint is opening this week in Humboldt Park across from Bernhard Moos Elementary School.
Offset BBQ at 1720 N. California Ave. served its first customers 4 p.m. Thursday. The restaurant is only open for takeout and delivery due to coronavirus restrictions.
In announcing the opening on Instagram this week, owners Carlo Carani and Doug Pompa said it comes after “many months of hard work and help from friends, family and our new community.”
“It’s been a long road to get to this point and a hard year to pursue our lifelong dream of opening a restaurant of our own,” the owners wrote. “It’s undeniable that 2020 has been uniquely challenging for the restaurant industry and we hope our opening can serve as a sign for better days ahead.
“We’re ready to bring you our fresh take on barbecue — and when the time comes, we’ll have a table inside waiting for you.”
Carani and Pompa each have more than two decades of experience in the restaurant industry. The two worked at various 4 Star Restaurant Group restaurants, including Smoke Daddy in Wicker Park, before striking out on their own.
Pompa said Offset is their unique take on “unpretentious” barbecue.
“We love barbecue as in the dirty barbecue shack on the side of the road. That’s good eating. This is different,” Pompa said. “This is a culmination of things we like and things we’ve experienced.
Offset’s BBQ’s menu features a range of dishes, from St. Louis-style ribs and barbecue chicken sandwiches to barbecue bibimbap and a dish called Abuelita’s Rice Bowl with your choice of smoked meat.
The owners named the restaurant after the offset smoker, which has a firebox off the cooking chamber. They use that style of smoker to smoke everything from pork to poblano peppers and sweet potatoes.
“We’re giving a different way to enjoy BBQ without it just being pork that’s been cooked and shredded and sauced to death,” Pompa said. “We have respect and love for the craft of barbecue and found some different ways to utilize … the smoker.”
Pompa said while some barbecue restaurants have gone the way of white-cloth dining, that’s not what Offset is about. They’re going for “approachable, comfortable, fun — and just good,” he said.
The barbecue spot took over the old El Nuevo Borinquen, a Puerto Rican restaurant. The owners spent the last year redesigning the restaurant and plan to serve people inside when it’s safe to do so.
The opening is nearly a year in the making. The owners intended to open in April but then the pandemic hit, a tough blow but one they muscled their way through.
“We tried to stay positive throughout,” Carani said. “It gave us time to really do a lot of the stuff ourselves here.”
So far, Offset BBQ is a hit among neighbors. The owners said on opening day there was a line out the door and they ran out of food an hour and a half early.
They hope it’s a sign of things to come.
“If people like smoked food and would like to try it in an approachable, different way, this is their place,” Carani said.
Offset BBQ is now open 4-9 p.m. Monday-Sunday starting Thursday. To place an order, go to the restaurant’s website.
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GM has a problem: on the one hand, they’ve been very outspoken about their goals for pushing new EV models out and stated, repeatedly, how committed they are to an all-electric future. On the other hand, however, their actions have been deplorable at coming through with model announcements and releases that push them toward hitting these goals. I’m not here to take cheap shots at any company; I simply can’t help but notice that as the clock is ticking and as the calendar changes to a new year, the deadlines GM has set for itself are drawing closer, with little to show.
All of this is pretty plain to see in general, since GM’s various lineups are on display, but the problem has become even more pointed with the recent LA Auto Show. This is because GM was barely there, and their EV presence was effectively nil – especially since two of their four brands weren’t even on display. There are plenty of reasons for this, and I know that COVID and the chip shortage have likely made things a lot more difficult for GM than they had expected, but none of those things explain where GM is at in hitting its goals. It makes one wonder: was it all talk, or is GM still planning on trying to meet their deadline?
2017: GM Paints Itself Into a Corner
You might be wondering why I’m specifically targeting GM when the entire auto industry is pushing toward numerous EV goals. It seems like most manufacturers at this point have stated they plan on the majority of their lineup or all-new vehicles being electric by some year. While that’s true, I’ve chosen GM because they’re a perfect case study in what’s going on, but you could easily extend what I’m going to get into here to a lot of other manufacturers (and I’ll likely take a look at what others are doing in the coming months).
Really, it comes down to the fact that GM has given a clear goal with some specific deadlines for what they want to accomplish. It all goes back to 2017 (such a simpler time in so many ways) when GM painted themselves into the proverbial corner by committing to “at least 20 new all-electric vehicles that will launch by 2023.” This isn’t from an internal memo or something that was said in passing as a potential target – this is from a press release that GM issued, and it really set the stage for what they have been working toward since then.
When GM said this in 2017, it was a huge statement – they were committing themselves to developing and launching 20 new EV models within the following six years. In fairness, this promise included all of GM’s brands, so these 20 models were expected across the lineups of Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac, and Buick, and it also would include consumer models and potential commercial vehicles. I’m not looking for 20 new EV models just from Chevy or anything, but it was a significant goal that they set for themselves, with just six years to make it happen. That might’ve seemed like a lot of time in 2017, but as we start 2022, the clock is definitely ticking.
What’s Gone Right and What’s Gone Wrong
There’s no denying that GM has been hard at work on meeting this goal, especially when it comes to designing some high-profile models. They’ve also done a good job of getting into the essential aspects of trying to hit this goal, most notably in the development of their new Ultium battery platform. The biggest hurdle for EV development is designing a battery and motor system that works. If a company tries to start from scratch with each model, then it will take a geological age for them to introduce a full EV lineup.
With the Ultium platform, GM has worked out the perfect way to speed up development on EV models across their brands. Since they will all share this platform, it’s easy for designers working on a Chevy truck to learn from what the folks who built a GMC SUV figured out, or for notes to pass from Cadillac to Buick, etc. It makes a lot of sense, and I have no doubt that this platform is the key to GM coming anywhere near hitting the goal it has set for itself.
There’s also been a lot of excitement for the EV models that GM has announced. The return of the GMC Hummer as an all-electric model is huge, and everything I’ve seen about it looks fantastic. Similarly, the buzz on the Cadillac Lyriq has been incredible. Looking further down the road, the Cadillac Celestiq looks like it will take things even further and really showcase everything GM will have to offer. Plus, initial success and excitement around the Chevy Bolt EV and Bolt EUV have both been terrific, that is, of course, until they weren’t.
Perhaps the single most disastrous thing for GM’s EV push, at least at the moment, is the way they handled the battery fires with the Bolt EV. They had an opportunity to get ahead of it and issue a proper recall on the Bolt EV batteries back in 2020, but instead, they tried to fix it through software patches and updates. This just kicked the proverbial can down the road, and now, at the end of 2021, they’ve issued a full recall on all Bolt batteries, including the latest models and the Bolt EUV, with production halted briefly. It’s a complete disaster that highlights GM’s inability to solve the problem the right way the first time, and it showcases where they’re at.
Where GM Is at Today
All of this brings us to the end of 2021. In 2017, GM said they would “launch” at least 20 new vehicles by 2023 – to me, that means actually releasing them. Since then, they’ve released a new generation for the Chevy Bolt EV and a Bolt EUV based on the same platform. That’s two from Chevy – there’s a Silverado EV in the works that will likely be available in 2023, so that’s three.
GM has announced two Cadillac models in the works, and the Lyriq should be available next year as a 2023 model; the Celestiq won’t make the 2023 deadline. The GMC Hummer Pickup will hopefully be available next year (though the SUV model is likely a 2024 option), which brings the tally from GM up to five if we give them credit for the updated Bolt EV and the Bolt EUV. Of course, the current chip shortage and other issues could mess some of these up, but I’m giving GM the benefit of the doubt here. Seeing all of this, I can’t help but wonder…
Can GM Meet Its Goals?
Even if we’re incredibly generous and say that a full reveal of a vehicle is good enough to count for the “launch” that GM promised, we’re up to seven models, at best, with the inclusion of the Cadillac Celestiq and the GMC Hummer SUV. Even if we give them until the end of 2023 to hit their goal, can GM manage to “launch” 13 more EV models in the next two years? There are rumors of a Buick model on the horizon, so that’s one, but that still leaves 12 more to go. I’m certainly curious to see how GM might pull it off, though I suspect they may just fall a bit short.


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KIGALI, 25 November 2022: Mr. Claude Bizimana, Chief Executive Officer of NAEB, Dr. Martin Koper, the Deputy Head of Mission of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Rwanda and Rwanda’s key horticulture partners flagged off the first reefer container shipment of Rwandan sustainably produced avocados this afternoon.
The pilot shipment is the result of a collaborative effort between the Rwandan government and partners, which include IDH, Flying Swans, and avocado exporters, as part of the "Investing in Horticulture Development in Rwanda" project (HortInvest), which is funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Rwanda to further develop Rwanda's horticulture sector.
This historic horticulture shipment from Kigali to Dubai contained 23 Metric Tons of avocados from eight Rwandan avocado export companies. Transitioning from airfreight export to sea route is expected to be one of the solutions to constantly rising transport logistics costs, which is one of the major concerns for horticulture exporters, limiting access to global markets.
Claude Bizimana, who officiated at the ceremony, stated that this shipment is part of efforts to diversify export logistics routes in order to increase Rwandan benefits from international markets.
"The shipment is in line with Rwanda's Agriculture Transformation Strategic Plan. It is part of a larger project aimed at increasing the competitiveness of Rwanda's horticulture products through the use of sea freight transport, allowing the sector to remain relevant in the international market by supplying larger volumes of high-quality product."
This shipment, if successful, will be a window of opportunity for Rwanda to expand its markets to EU countries, as sea freight logistics is a solution for cheaper and sufficient competitive transport.
The Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands underscored: “This is the beginning of revolutionary journey in the history of horticulture export in Rwanda. As such, this fits within the Netherlands policy to promote Sustainable Trade and Investment with Rwanda.It marks the beginning of a long term journey, which will require a joint effort from both public and private sector”.
IDH's Director of Inclusive Business Development, Kebba Colley, added“This is a milestone moment. If this pilot is successful in reducing carbon footprints and shipping costs to international markets, think about how many more global buyers Rwanda's horticulture sector now has access to. Opening new markets benefits and fundamentally changes the way the sector does business with international markets.”
Faustin Mbundu, chairman of MFK Group, spoke on behalf of Rwandan horticulture exporters, applauding the government's efforts to diversify solutions that could assist industry players in overcoming long-standing challenges that were impeding export business.
"We pledge to assist our country whenever necessary to increase agribusiness revenue."
Aside from the fact that airfreight is becoming increasingly expensive, supply chains are fragile and untrustworthy. Furthermore, airfreight has a much higher environmental carbon footprint than sea freight. The market is evolving toward more sustainable and cost-effective transportation chains. Sea freight is a critical component in making this opportunity a reality.


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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has expanded its investigation of Jeep Liberty SUVs for problems with their airbags. According to NHTSA, the problem could affect as many as 386,873 SUVs from model years 2002 and 2003.
The Detroit Free Press writes that NHTSA is starting an engineering analysis of the faulty airbag electronics, which have caused 87 Jeep Liberty airbags to go off by surprise. The driver and/or front passenger airbags may deploy when the vehicle is started and while being driven, without the Jeep Liberty being in a crash. As many as 50 drivers have reported minor injuries such as cuts, bruises and burns as a result of the airbags inadvertently deploying. According to The New York Times, NHTSA began investigating the problem last September, but the agency is now delving deeper into the problem because Chrysler has been unable to find the source or duplicate the problem.
The airbag malfunctions could be caused by a problem with the electrical system, according to the automaker. “Chrysler says an electronic circuit that controls air bag deployment fails, possibility caused by a transient voltage spike,” notes The Detroit News.
If you’ve experienced a similar problem with your Jeep Liberty, including the airbag warning light illuminating, be sure to file a complaint with NHTSA, so the agency can get a clearer idea of the possible problem. Though a recall hasn’t been issued, you can monitor NHTSA’s website or call NHTSA’s auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).
Shopping for a Jeep Liberty or another new car? Check out the U.S. News rankings of this year's best cars. Then, look for a great deal on a new car by checking out this month’s best car deals. You can also skip negotiating with a dealer by using our Best Price Program. Also, be sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook.


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There is a new category of computer coming out this year that revolves around tablets that are bigger than you might be comfortable with. We saw the first example of this with the Lenovo IdeaCentre Horizon launched yesterday in the form of a 27-in AIO with a 2 hour battery life. ASUS was demonstrating another one they are calling the Transformer AIO that actually goes a step further by combining standard Core processor technology in the base and Tegra 3 technology in the display.
The AIO is an 18.4-in 1080p system with standard Intel Core i5 and Core i7 platforms running the full version of Windows 8. However, the user can push a button on the side of the system to switch on the fly between Windows 8 and an Android system powered by NVIDIA's Tegra 3. Even better, you can remove the display from the Transformer AIO (hence the name) and use it as a rather large tablet with 4-5 hours of battery life AND you can stream the Windows 8 system to it via wireless display technology.
It is a really slick system – check out the video below!
PC Perspective's CES 2013 coverage is sponsored by AMD.
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