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Posted on April 1st, 2013
Bugaboo Americas has issued a nation-wide recall involving over 10,000 units of the Cameleon3 stroller model, due to a potential fall hazard caused by the carrying handle detaching while the removable seat is being carried. Bugaboo has received 16 reports of handles breaking, none of which have resulted in injury. Strollers included in the recall have serial numbers from 19010 11153 00001 to 19010 51248 00215. Serial numbers are printed on a horizontal bar of the stroller’s chassis beneath the seat. 9,200 of these were sold in the U.S. and 960 in Canada. In order to remedy the situation, Bugaboo is recommending consumers immediately remove the carry handle from the stroller’s bassinet or seat and contact Bugaboo for a free replacement handle. While awaiting the replacement handle, consumers can continue to use the seat or bassinet when attached to the chassis but should not attempt to use the seat or bassinet separate from the chassis.
Contact the company at:
Phone: 1 (800) 460-2922
From 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. PT Monday through Friday
E-mail email@example.com or online at www.bugaboo.com
If you or a loved one have been injured and experience complications due to a product malfunction similar to this, the attorneys at Strong, Garner, Bauer P.C. are here to help. Call our office at (417) 887-4300 or email us at firstname.lastname@example.org for your free consultation.
For more information, visit:
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Child Saftey Recalls, Fall hazard recalls, Stroller Malfunction
Posted on March 27th, 2013
Highway Patrol Sergeant Jason Pace has confirmed at least two dead in an accident that occurred on U.S. Hwy 60 in Republic, Mo this morning. The crash, shortly after 9 a.m., involved two tractor-trailers and two passenger vehicles. One truck rammed into the back of two cars, pushing them under a truck that was stopped in front of them at a red light. Witnesses say two cars appear to have been shoved underneath one of the semis. The Highway Patrol’s crash investigation team has been called to the scene and traffic is shut down going into Republic on 60, being diverted at Highway MM.
If you or a loved on have been injured in an auto accident, the personal injury lawyers at Strong, Garner, Bauer P.C. can help. Call our office at (417)887-4300 or email us at email@example.com, for your free consultation.
For more information, visit:
Posted on March 27th, 2013
3M has recalled around 10,000 of its Filtrete Air Purifiers yesterday, due to potential fire hazards caused by overheating. The air purifiers are white, made of plastic and plug into the wall. They measure about 19 inches tall by 8 inches wide with a 13 inch tall by 4.5 inch wide air filter. The two recalled models are Ultra Quiet, number FAP00-RS, and Maximum Allergen, number FAP00-L, which was sold only at Lowe’s stores. The products serial numbers begin with E, F, G, H, I or J and the model and serial numbers are located on the bottom of the product. Two incident reports have been filed so far: one involved the product overheating while the other actually caught fire. No injuries or damage was incurred in either case. If you have one of these products in your home, please unplug it immediately. Also, 3M is recommending consumers contact the corporate office at (800) 388-3458 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT Monday through Friday to receive a prepaid shipping box so that they may send the recalled product and recieve a replacement, free of charge. Among the retail locations currently selling these purifiers are:
Ultra Quiet at Ace Hardware, Bi-Mart, Do It Best, Fred Meyer, Handy Hardware Wholesale, Nuthouse, Orchard Supply, Orgill Bros., Petco, Rite Aid, Strosniders, Theisen Farm & Home, True Value Hardware stores nationwide, and online at Amazon.com and others. Maximum Allergen sold only at Lowe’s stores. The FAP00-RS model was sold from November 2008 through January 2013, and the FAP00-L model was sold from October 2012 through January 2013, both for about $60.
If you or a loved one have been injured due to a product malfunction similar to this, the persoanl injury lawyers at Strong, Garner, Bauer P.C. can help. Call our office at (417) 887-4300, or email us at firstname.lastname@example.org, for your free legal consultation.
For more information, visit:
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Product Safety Recalls, Safety Recalls
Posted on March 19th, 2013
Rescue personnel were dispatched to a downtown Kansas City business, ABC Tire Recycling, where a man was said to have fallen into one of the tire shredders on the premises. Upon arrival, they found that the man had been pulled from the machine by coworkers and was in critical condition. The victim was performing maintenance on the shredder when it spontaneously powered up and pulled him in. He was taken to a local hospital and has been confirmed to have survived, despite both main arteries being severed. While no new reports have come in today, authorities say both legs had to be amputated upon arrival at the hospital.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the case and hope to determine whether or not the accident was caused by a product malfunction.
In cases where the product is at fault, the manufacturer can be held responsible for damages suffered by the affected party. If you or a loved one have been made to suffer due to a manufacturing error, the personal injury attorneys at Strong-Garner-Bauer P.C. may be able to help.
Call our office at (417) 887-4300 or email us at email@example.com for your free consultation.
For more information, visit:
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Posted on March 18th, 2013
Chrysler Group LLC is recalling 4,459 model-year 2013 Dodge Challenger cars to address a potential short circuit that could cause a wire harness to overheat and start a fire and took the rare step of telling owners to stop driving the affected cars immediately. About 2,500 of the cars are in owners’ hands, while the rest are still with dealers. Of the total with owners, about 2,100 were sold in the United States, about 350 in the Middle East and the rest in Canada, a company spokesman said. The recall affects only 2013 Challengers built with V-6 engines during an eight-week period ended Jan. 24, 2013, Chrysler said. Owners are advised to contact their local dealers for loaner vehicles to be paid for by the company. Chrysler will also transport the cars to dealerships to make the repairs, Chrysler spokesman Eric Mayne said. However, owners are asked not to park vehicles in or near structures, so as to lessen the risk of spreading in case of fire.
If you or a loved one have been affected by a vehicle fire caused by faulty wiring, the personal injury attorneys at Strong, Garner, Bauer P.C. are here to help. Call our office at (417) 887-4300 or email us at firstname.lastname@example.org for your free consultation.
For more information, visit:
Posted on March 15th, 2013
California company Taylor Farms Retail are recalling some baby spinach because it could be contaminated with E-coli. The spinach was sold in several states with five different labels. The labels include Central Market Organics, Full Circle Organic, Simple Truth Organic, Marketside Organic and Taylor Farms Organic.
If you or a loved one have experienced health issues related to ingesting one of these products, the attorneys at Strong, Garner, Bauer P.C. are here to help. Call our office at (417) 887-4300, or email email@example.com for your free consultation.
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Posted on March 15th, 2013
Jefferson City- Senator Bob Dixon is offering Senate Bill 64 to increase the standard of evidence needed in medical malpractice lawsuits. The bill would change the standard of evidence from a “preponderance of the evidence” to “clear and convincing.” That standard is one step below “beyond a reasonable doubt” the standard used in criminal trials. The Senate Committee on Judiciary, Criminal and Civil and Jurisprudence hearing began at 9 p.m. on Monday February 4. Strong-Garner-Bauer’s own Steve Garner, president-elect of the Missouri Association of Trail Attorneys spoke in opposition to the bill. “When we’re talking about non-economic losses, we’re talking about what makes people human,” Garner said. He went on to say that juries will interpret the higher standard to mean plaintiffs need to use document based evidence. Garner said non-economic damages such as pain and suffering are hard to prove with objection to evidence. Missouri Lawyers Weekly stated, Garner testified that the bill would make it harder for victims of negligence to recover for injuries to their quality of life. “They’re fighting a system that oftentimes is stacked against them,” Garner said. But some members of the committee said the burden didn’t seem to high. “Just because the standard is a little tighter doesn’t mean justice won’t be done,” said Sen. Rob Schaaf, R-St. Joseph and a medical doctor. “In fact, it might lead to more justice being done.” “It depends on whose ox is being gored,” Garner responded
To read the full story visit:
Posted on February 27th, 2013
Olaax Corp announced February 21 of this year that they are voluntarily recalling one of their products, MAXILOSS WEIGHT ADVANCED soft gels, due to the lack of label representation of the banned substances they contain. Sibutramine was a previously approved controlled substance for the treatment of obesity that was removed from the U.S. market in October 2010 for safety reasons, making these products unapproved new drugs. Sibutramine is known to substantially increase blood pressure and/or pulse rate in some patients and may present a significant risk to patients with a history of coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, arrhythmias, or stroke.
MAXILOSS WEIGHT ADVANCED Dietary Supplement is marketed as a Natural Herb for
Weight Loss. MAXILOSS WEIGHT ADVANCED Dietary Supplement softgels are packaged
in a green or blue box containing 3 X 12 blister packs per box. The product was sold to distributors nationwide and known to be counterfeit versions are sold on various online sites. This product was
distributed nationwide in US from January 2011 to November 2012.
If you or someone you love have experienced complications associated with this product, the personal injury attorneys at Strong, Garner, Bauer P.C. can help you. Call our office at (417) 887-4300, or send us an email at firstname.lastname@example.org for your free consultation.
For more information, visit:
Posted on February 15th, 2013
A voluntary recall has been issued by Taylor Farms Retail Inc. for various products that could potentially be contaminated with E. coli. Two of the products shipped to Missouri specifically are the 5 oz. and 16 oz. Organic Baby Spinach trays, though other states are affected. The Taylor Farms website has not recieved any reports of illness at this time, but if you have experienced complications relating to these products, seek medical attention immediately.
Escherichia coli, or E. coli, is an extremely diverse group of bacteria found in most human and animals’ intestinal tracts. Only a few of these varieties are referred to as ‘Shiga toxin-producing E. coli’ or STEC, the pathotype most commonly heard about in the news. Anyone can be infected, though young children and the elderly are more likely to develop severe illness. Symptoms of a STEC infection range from mild stomach cramps to diarrhea and vomitting. More serious cases can lead to potentially life-threatening kidney failure known as Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS). Signs that a person may be developing HUS include fatigue, decreased urination, and loss of color inside cheeks and lower eyelids. Most people suffering with HUS recover within a few weeks, but some may suffer permanent damage or even death. If you or a loved one have come into contact with any of the above products and think you may be suffering from either a STEC infection or HUS, the personal injury attorneys at Strong-Garner-Bauer P.C. can help. Call our office at (417) 887-4300 or email us at email@example.com.
For more information, visit these websites:
missouri e coli lawyers, Missouri Food Poisoning Attorney, springfield e coli attorney, Springfield Food Borne Illness Lawyer, Springfield Food Poisoning Lawyers, springfield missouri e coli lawyer, springfield wrongful death attorney, Uncategorized
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Posted on February 7th, 2013
The crash took place at Route HH and County Rd 175 around 5:30 pm Wednesday evening when Brandon Stuckey of Belleville, Ill. crossed the center line in an eastbound Chevrolet Cavalier and struck a westbound GMC Sierra operated by Julie Cartwright, a 48-year-old Joplin resident. Both drivers were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident by Jasper County Coroner Rob Chapel and taken to Joplin Mortuary Services. These deaths are Missouri Troop D’s 8th and 9th fatalities of 2013. Fortunately, even this dark cloud has a silver lining, as Hayven Cartwright, a toddler riding with Mrs. Cartwright was safely secured and released to family members with no serious injuries. If you or someone you know have been injured or lost a loved one in an accident similar to this one, the personal injury attorneys at Strong-Garner-Bauer P.C. can help you. Please call our office at (417) 887-4300 or email us at firstname.lastname@example.org to receive a consultation.
To learn more about the accident, visit KY3.com:
Posted on December 3rd, 2012
We would like to congratulate our founding partner Tom Strong on his book, Strong Advocate being named one of the 50 best books of the year by the St. Louis Post Dispatch.
The book is fantastic and we encourage everyone to read it!!
Posted on November 16th, 2012
The Associated Press reported New Mexico based company Sunland Inc., the same company linked to recent salmonella outbreaks in peaunt and almond butters, still continued to distribute the products even after testing showed they were contaminated. On Wednesday the FDA said “that government inspectors found 28 different samples of salmonella in Sunland’s plant.” FDA inspectors found “unclean equipment and uncovered trailers of peanuts outside the facility that were exposed to rain and birds.” 41 salmonella illnesses are linked to Sunland’s products.
If you or a loved has become ill as a result of a Sunland product give the personal injury lawyers of Strong-Garner-Bauer P.C. a call at (417) 887-4300 or email us at email@example.com
Posted on October 29th, 2012
October 18, 2012
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Dream on Me Inc. of Piscataway New Jersey accounced a voluntary recall of Happy Swing II infant swings. The company cites the reason for the recall being the opening between the tray and seat or the grab bar and seat can allow a childs body to pass through and become entrapped at the neck. This poses a strangulation hazard to young children if the belt is not engaged. There have been no injuries reported.
The Happy Swing II is a fabric infant swing that comes in red and green with a tray and grab bar attachment. The model I style number included in the recall is “432″ which is printed on a label on the frame of the swing. This product was sold nationwide at Juvenile product stores as well as CSN stores. It was also online at Wayfair and Amazon.com. The swings were sold from October 2010 through September 2012 and they were manufactured in China.
Consumers should stop using the recalled swings immediately and cantact Dream on me for a replacement product.
Dream on Me contact information:
Call (877) 207-4317 or visit their website at www.dreamonme.com
To read more about the recall:http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml13/13014.html.
Posted on October 27th, 2012
Tragically, a semi truck that wrecked through a diner in Nevada, Missouri claimed a second life. Semi trucks are a part of our roads and most drivers are extremely professional. However, the tolls of constantly being on the road, making deliveries, and lacking sleep can have a dangerous and deadly result.
At Strong-Garner-Bauer, we specialize in representing victims and loved ones that have been injured as a result of other’s neglect. We have represented scores of semi truck wreck victims and we are intimately familiar with the regulations and industry practices.
Please call Strong Garner Bauer at 417-887-4300 for a free consultation.
Posted on October 24th, 2012
Posted on October 22nd, 2012
October 20, 2012
On Saturday, 3 miles north of Branson MO, a church van with eleven people struck a median and over turned. A married couple with their two year old son, plus 8 other teens and pre-teens were taken to Springfield hospitals with minor to moderate injuries. The driver of the van was wearing his seat belt, and the two year old was in a safety seat, but none of the other passengers were buckled in. As of Sunday morning all eleven had been released from the hospital.
To read more about this accident visit, http://www.ky3.com/news/ky3-eleven-people-hospitalized-after-van-crashes-near-branson-20121020,0,7485759.story
Posted on October 22nd, 2012
October 19, 2012
On Friday, near Nevada MO, the Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a semi truck plowing into the front of a local restaurant. Troopers say a car pulled out in front of the big rig on an exit ramp of highway 71. The truck tried to swerve and avoid the car, and smashed into the Quick Dine restaurant killing one man and injuring three others. Both the driver of the semi and the car were unhurt.
To read more about this accident visit, http://www.ky3.com/news/ky3-big-rig-crashes-into-nevada-restaurant-20121019,0,3803515.story
Posted on October 17th, 2012
Blind Express in Livonia, Michigan recalled around 139,000 custom made vertical blinds and 315,000 horizontal blinds. The custom vertical blinds have an adjustment cord which forms a loop that does not attach to the floor or the wall. In 2009 a 2 year old girl, was strangled in the loop of the vertical blind.
These custom blinds do not have inner cord stop devices to prevent the accessible inner cords from being pulled out. The various blinds were sold at speciality stores in Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana from January of 1995 until December of 2011.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, stated owners of the blinds should stop using them immediately and contact the Window Covering Safety Council for a free repair kit. For more information on this recall visit www.windowcoverings.org.
If you or a loved one has experienced injury from the Blind Express custom blinds contact the experienced lawyers at Strong-Garner-Bauer, our number is (417) 887-4300 or email us at firstname.lastname@example.org.
Posted on October 17th, 2012
Ford Motor Company has recalled its 2013 Escape Utility Vehicle, for the third time. Ford citing an improperly installed part that could trigger a fire in the engine compartment as the reason for the recall. This recall affects about 7,600 escapes, most of which were sold in the U.S. with a 1.6 liter Eco-Boost engine. The SUVs were manufactured between October 5, 2011 and August 31 2012.
The company has stated that fewer than .4% of the Escape models recalled, have the issue of the cup plug on the engine cylinder head coming loose, causing a loss of engine coolant, which leads to overheating. The ethylene glycol in the coolant may combust, causing the fire.
Ford discovered the issue when an Escape caught fire at a car dealership in Nashville Tennessee, the cup plug was discovered dislodged.
Replacement parts are available at Ford dealerships.
If you or a loved one have been injured due to the recall above please call the experienced lawyers at Strong-Garner-Bauer, or email us at email@example.com.
Posted on October 9th, 2012
More cases of fungal meningitis tied to contaminated steroid shots are being confirmed. The Centers for Disease Control are reporting the outbreak has spread to 9 states, 105 patients with 8 people killed. It is reported that 13,000 people received the injections and are at risk for infection. Thousands of people exposed may have to wait weeks because the incubation period of the disease is up to a month.
Those infected by the shots have come forward with symptoms that include fever, new or worsening headaches, nausea, and other new symptoms consistent with a stroke.
Read more: http://www.ky3.com/news/nationworld/sns-rt-us-usa-health-meningitisbre8970tq-20121008,0,4378164.story#undefined
If you or a loved one have received a steroid shot recently and believe it is one of the shots in question please give Strong-Garner-Bauer, P.C. a call at (417) 887-4300 or email us at firstname.lastname@example.org.
Posted on October 8th, 2012
Strong-Garner-Bauer’s own Grant Rahmeyer was featured on a recent news story reguarding generic and name brand prescription drugs not being held to the same standards.
Should generic drug makers be held to the same standard as name brand drug makers? According to the Supreme Court the answer is no. That decision–made more than a year ago–is trickling down to lawsuits all over the country.
“Right now about 75-80% of all drugs are generic drugs,”said lawyer Grant Rahmeyer. Generic drugs have become popular over the years. It is partially due to
the Hatch-Waxman Act at the federal level back in the 1980′s.
“Prescription drug costs were just skyrocketing out of control. They did
everything they could to push more generic drugs out into the market. It’s been
extremely successful,” said Rahmeyer.
Many lawsuits are now being dismissed across the country dealing
with generic drug makers.
“Generic drugs are getting easier approval by proving that they are identical. If they are identical why don’t we hold them to the identical legal standard that the name brand equivalents have to go through?” asked Rahmeyer.
The Supreme Court ruling says makers of generic drugs cannot be sued for not
warning people of any dangerous side effects. The generic drug makers are
protected as long as their labels follow the brand-name counterpart.
Posted on October 8th, 2012
As of October 02, 2012.
Government officials trying to contain this salmonella outbreak say it doesn’t look good and more cases are expected to be reported. 30 people have been reported sick, most of them children, across 19 states due to the peanut butter in question. All products are linked to the Sunland Peanut Corporation in New Mexico. This all started with a recall of Trader Joe’s Valencia Salted Creamy Peanut Butter. Now more than 100 products made on the same machines as the peanut butter have also been recalled.
No one has reported getting sick from the cookies and snacks made from the peanut butter, but the products are still being pulled by Giant Foods, Stop and Shop, and Newman’s Own Organic.
The effected products also include some nut butters and nut products sold at Whole Foods, Target, Safeway, Fresh and Easy, Harry and David, Sprouts, Heinen’s, Stop and Shop Supermarket Company, Giant Food of Landover MD, and several other stores. Some of these retailers used Sunland ingredients in items they prepared and packaged themselves.
The Food and Drug Administration has a complete updated list of recalled products available online at :http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/CORENetwork/ucm320413.htm#recalled
Symptoms of salmonella infection include diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps.
If you or a loved one have eaten the above products and are experiencing the symptoms above please contact the experienced salmonella attorneys of Strong-Garner-Bauer, P.C. at (417) 887-4300 or email us at email@example.com.
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Posted on September 14th, 2012
Congratulations to Tom Strong for being honored as Best Lawyers’ 2013 Springfield, MO Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs “Lawyer of the Year”.
Only a single lawyer in each practice area and designated metropolitan area is honored as the “Lawyer of the Year,” making this accolade particularly significant.
Lawyers being honored as “Lawyer of the Year” are selected based on particularly impressive voting averages received during the exhaustive peer-review assessments we conduct with thousands of leading lawyers each year. Receiving this designation reflects the high level of respect a lawyer has earned among other leading lawyers in the same communities and the same practice areas for their abilities, their professionalism, and their integrity.
The Strong-Garner-Bauer law firm is extremely proud of Tom for this achievement. The only bad news is that Steve Garner has won this award the last two years but was unseated by his mentor – Tom Strong. All of us at the firm are honored to work with the best!
Posted on August 31st, 2012
Strong-Garner-Bauer, P.C. was again named to the prestigious 2013 list of the best law firms in Springfield, Missouri released by the US News & World Report Best Lawyers. Strong-Garner-Bauer, P.C. received a 1st tier ranking for plaintiffs personal injury litigation.
At the offices of Springfield personal injury lawyers Strong-Garner-Bauer, P.C., we are committed to providing efficient and effective legal services. We can advise you of your legal options, and if you choose to pursue a personal injury claim, we will fight on your behalf. Call our offices at 417-887-4300 or visit our website at Stronglaw.com.
Posted on August 15th, 2012
Comedian Matt Fisher recently called out Progressive Insurance on their seemingly unethical practices when faced with a substantial claim regarding his sister’s death.
Katie Fisher was tragically killed in a car accident in June 2010. Katie’s estate immediately settled the claim with the at-fault driver, but Progressive refused to pay the estate any underinsured coverage without a judgment of liability against the driver. This forced Fisher’s family to reluctantly file suit against the driver. This is when the unexpected event occurred. Not only did Progressive refuse to pay the underinsured coverage but they actually defended the driver who killed Katie. Liability was eventually found on behalf of the driver and Progressive has been ordered to pay an unknown amount.
As outrageous as it sounds, this is often common practice for insurance companies who are in the business solely to protect their bottom line. Insurance companies have one objective and that is to limit their loss exposure. If that means defending the killer of one of their insureds, Progressive has shown they are not afraid of that fire storm. Matt Fisher’s post has caused many people to question Progressive’s actions to which Progressive provided a robotic twitter response of “This is a tragic case, and our sympathies go out to Mr. Fisher and his family for the pain they’ve had to endure. We fully investigated this claim and relevant background, and feel we properly handled the claim within our contractual obligations. Again, this is a tragic situation, and we’re sorry for everything Mr. Fisher and his family have gone through.”
This situation is precisely why one should always higher a lawyer before discussing any facts or settlements with an insurance company. This instance with Fisher’s estate is common place in personal injury litigation and requires a highly skilled lawyer to be on your side.
To read the entire article in its entirety click on the link below.
If you or a loved has been injured and are in need of assistance taking on an insurance company acting in bad faith, please contact the experienced Springfield, MO personal injury law firm of Strong-Garner-Bauer, P.C. at 417-887-4300.
Springfield Auto Accident Attorney, Springfield Auto Accident Lawyer, springfield bad faith insurance attorneys, Springfield bad faith insurance lawyers, springfield insurance attorneys, springfield insurance lawyers, Uncategorized
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A new report out of Taiwan today indicates that Intel will outsource some 14nm chip production to TSMC. The back-story is that Intel has run out of capacity in-house and isn't interested in investing in additional 14nm equipment as it concentrates on its advance to 10nm. Thus entry level chipsets and processors are most likely to be outsourced, says DigiTimes.
Last week some outlets reported that Intel CPUs were getting harder to find, and prices were increasing, due to the constrained supply. The price rises were observed to be most severe in the lower-end chips, with K-class parts less impacted, said Extreme Tech last Thursday. It was noted that Intel ran out of H310 chipsets after launching them on a 14nm process earlier this year (previous chipsets were built on 22nm). This put pressure on in-house 14nm, as CPU mass production is yet to move away to a new 10nm process.
The Taiwanese industry sources told DigiTimes that "Intel has seen its overall 14nm chip supply fall short of demand by as much as 50 per cent". Consequently outsourcing has become the appropriate business decision. Intel already gets TSMC to manufacture SoFIA-series handset SoC chips, FPGA products, and the iPhone modem, so this move isn't without precedent.
With TSMC's help, motherboard makers are expecting the tight supply of Intel's 14nm chipsets to ease by the end of 2018. DigiTimes concurs with the Extreme Tech sources in that the delay in advancing to 10nm has put a strain on Intel's 14nm output. The latest update we have from Intel suggests that commercial production of 10nm parts at Intel will begin in Q4 next year. Incidentally, due to these delays (Intel was supposed to start mass production of 10nm Cannon Lake processors in 2016), the 14nm process has become the longest lived in the chip-giant's history.
Intel claims that its 10nm process offers a "considerable performance lead" over rival efforts.

domain: news


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Apple’s In-Car Siri Integration Hits a Roadblock
Ten months after announcing Siri Eyes Free for cars, only a handful of automakers have solid plans for integrating Apple's first true automotive feature.
From Hand-Cranked Maps to the Cloud: Charting the History of In-Car Navigation
For those lacking an internal compass in the early days of automobiles, getting from point A to point B proved a bit tricky. Here's how the navigation system has evolved over the last 100 years.
Car Tech Isn’t Failing. Owners and Infotainment Interfaces Are
As car electronics have become increasingly sophisticated, the biggest failure has little to do with vehicle systems and more to do with owners.
Weblink Aims to Bridge the Nagging Smartphone-Car Disconnect
While Ford and GM are opening their dashboards to developers to accelerate the creation of automotive apps, Abalta Technologies has introduced a solution for making app integration easier and faster with the launch of its Weblink platform.
At SXSW, Making the Most of a Meager Showing of Auto Tech
SXSW Interactive is one of the world’s biggest tech events, but the automotive focus that's taken over shows like CES and Mobile World Congress hasn't infiltrated Austin.
Ford Goes Open Source to Speed App Development
In the ecosystem gamble of "open" or "closed," Ford is putting all its chips on open. At this week's Mobile World Congress, Ford announced it's releasing the proprietary source code for its Sync AppLink platform to Genivi, an automotive-centric open source alliance.
How Automakers Are Fighting ‘Alarm Fatigue’
To reduce "alarm fatigue," Continental's Driver Focus watches drivers' faces to determine if they're looking away from the road before sounding a warning and lighting up a 360-degree strip of LEDs that encompass the passenger compartment.
FCC Ruling Could Set Connected Cars and Wi-Fi on Collision Course
The U.S. government, automakers and safety institutions have poured hundreds of millions of dollars into getting cars talking to each other through an ad hoc Wi-Fi network. It's a large piece of a puzzle that could nearly eliminate car crashes, but an initiative from the FCC could put it in jeopardy.
Study: 66 Percent of Your Fill-Up Goes Into Oil Company Coffers
That new car you just bought? You'll spend almost as much – if not more – filling it up as you paid at the dealer. And the majority of it will go directly into oil company's pockets.
What It’s Like to Ride in a Self-Driving Car
Want to know what it’s like to ride in a self-driving car? In a word: boring. But maybe not as dull as a monotonous commute or soul-sucking drive on the interstate, but that’s the point.


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Pace Posts Significant Profit Increase
[Satellite Today – 1-29-08] Pace Micro Technology, the U.K. based set-top box vendor, has seen a substantial increase in its profits for the seven months that closed at the end of December, the company announced Jan. 29. The company is switching the timing of its reports and for 2007 it is reporting seven month results.
For this seven-month period, the operator had profits before tax of 15.4 million British pounds ($30.5 million). In the seven-month period that closed at the end of September, the company had overall revenues of 249.9 million pounds ($495.3 million).
Pace is a particularly strong performer in the satellite arena, working with DirecTV, BSkyB, Sky Italia and Foxtel among others. The company’s strong recent performance also can be traced to finally cracking the U.S. market, as revenues from operators in North America now accounts for more than 50 percent of the company’s revenues.


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Binh Duong Well-Positioned to be Major Logistics Center
The southern province of Binh Duong is expected to be a major logistics center in the region on the back of its location near seaports and infrastructure, the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported, citing participants at a local seminar held on June 30.
The province is currently home to 21 bonded warehouses, two inland container depots and 31 customs agents which provide logistics services for exporters and importers, many of them meet international standards.
Nghe An Works to Attract Foreign Investments
The central coastal province of Nghe An has paid heed to renovating and enhancing promotional activities to draw investment from such key partners as Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand, according to VNA.
Along with keeping close inspection on low-speed projects and addressing difficulties for investors, the province has also joined hands with relevant ministries and agencies like the Korean Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (Kotra), the Japan External Trade Organization (Jetro) and the Foreign Investment Agency (FIA) to promote foreign investment in the locality.
Ha Giang Eyes Trade Representative Office in Japan
Vice Chairman of the Ha Giang provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Minh Tien has called on Japan’s Vietnam Economic Research Institute (VERI) to assist the locality in opening a representative office in the country in order to promote trade between the two sides.
At a working session with a VERI delegation on June 30, Tien suggested the Japanese institute help Ha Giang train skilled workers who can meet requirements set by the Japanese market, according to VNA.
Marquardt to Build Auto Parts Factory in Da Nang
Germany’s Marquardt Group plans to invest $35 million to $50 million to build an auto parts manufacturing factory in Da Nang city, VNA cited Vice President Asia at Marquardt Group Peter Schaumann as saying.
Construction of the plant will be carried out over two to three years and employ some 600 workers, 200 of them being engineers and high-end technicians.
Vietnam Strives to be one of World’s Biggest Exporters
Vietnam strives to be one of the world’s biggest exporters on the back of signed free trade agreements, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc told Director of Harvard Centre for International Development Ricardo Hausmann during a reception in Hanoi on June 30, according to VNA.
Professor Hausmann said Vietnam is among a few developing countries which recorded a rapid and impressive export growth, and suggested diversifying exports and increasing products’ added value if the country wants sustainable growth.
Australia’s Cattle Export Suspension Impacts Vietnamese Firms
Australia has suspended the export of cattle to Vietnam as a Vietnamese company violated the Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System (ESCAS), affecting local livestock farming as well as the prestige of Vietnam in general, VNA reported.
Tong Xuan Chinh, Deputy Director of the Department of Livestock Production under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said Australia’s suspension of cattle shipments to Vietnam since June 13 is unprecedented, but it was foreseeable.
Japanese Agricultural Model Eyes Promoting Links with Vietnam
Kawakami village in Japan’s Nagano prefecture, a leading hi-tech agricultural model, wishes to boost cooperation with Vietnam in agriculture, Head of the village Fujihara Tadahiko told Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Nguyen Quoc Cuong.
In a working session with Ambassador Cuong on his working visit to Kawakami on June 27-28, Tadahiko stressed that the local authorities hope to receive more Vietnamese agricultural trainees and students, who are interested in working at and gaining more intensive knowledge of agriculture.
The Vietnamese government will not trade the environment for foreign investment, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Dang Huy Dong affirmed at a press meeting in Hanoi on June 30 where Taiwan’s Formosa was blamed for causing mass fish deaths in the central coast.
The statement was made as Vietnamese authorities have come under pressure to show that foreign investors are not welcomed without controls.
The Vietnam Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), which measures the country’s manufacturing performance, posted 52.6 in June, in line with the reading of 52.7 from May, signaling a further solid improvement in the health of the sector, Nikkei has said in a report.
The rate of expansion in manufacturing output in Vietnam quickened for the fourth successive month and was the sharpest since July last year, thanks to higher new orders.
South Korea’s Samsung C&T Corp said on June 30 that it has received an $805-million order to build a production facility in Vietnam for Samsung Display Co Ltd, according to Reuters.
Reuters quoted a person familiar with the matter as saying that Samsung Display, a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, planned to invest $3 billion in Vietnam by 2020 to boost its display module production capacity in the country.


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SEVEN BRO7HERS today reversed its decision to re-open for ‘takeaway pints’ from its Ancoats beerhouse following the mass street gatherings over the bank holiday weekend.
The brewery was set to open its Cutting Room Square premises this week for draft beer and can sales, encouraging the customers to order through an app for safe and quick collection.
However, the brewery has now reversed the decision and called on punters to remember the more rules broken now, the longer it will take for hospitality to get back on its feet.
Keith McAvoy of SEVEN BRO7HERS said: “While we were looking forward to start serving again, we do not wish to contribute to the potential spread of coronavirus. We have a responsibility to our Ancoats neighbours to keep them safe and not to become part of the social distancing problems we have seen in cutting room square over the bank holiday.”
The brewery closed its Middlewood Locks and Ancoats beer houses, along with its Salford Taproom when lockdown was announced eight weeks ago.
Keith added: “When people push the rules of social distancing, they not only put people’s health at risk but they also delay the prospects of bars and restaurants re-opening fully. The longer hospitality is closed, the more at risk businesses are of permanent closure.
“For us we hoped customers would support us by purchasing take-away draft beers and cans, and enjoy them from the comfort of their homes, we don’t wish to contribute to street parties.”
Before the pandemic SEVEN BRO7HERS beers were sold across select UK retailers and bar groups. With lockdown came the closure of its own Manchester beer houses and a rapid movement to ecommerce, which previously made up 20% of the business, but is now close to 100%.
The brewery was founded in 2014 by McAvoy brothers, Guy, Keith, Luke, Daniel, Nathan, Kit, and Greg, inspired by their dad’s home-brewing efforts in their cellar at home. The business has grown year on year, and in 2019 achieved growth of 53 per cent.
In March the brewery unveiled its #WEARESEVEN rebrand and new ‘family’ of beers – older brew recipes have been tweaked and improved and new flavours welcomed into the fold.
Seven Bro7hers beers are available in select Co-Op stores and online https://www.sevenbro7hers.com/seven-brothers-shop/.


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Yellow Pages firm Hibu in administration
The parent company that owns Yellow Pages, Hibu, has gone into administration.
Hibu, which rebranded itself from Yell in 2012, has 12,000 employees and has been struggling with £2.3bn of debts.
The telephone directory and digital company has appointed the financial services firm Deloitte to manage the administration.
The Yellow Pages business and other subsidiaries continue to trade as normal.
A statement said the move would have no impact on Hibu's employees, customers, partners or suppliers, all of whom interact with the group subsidiaries, not with Hibu plc.
Contracts and other agreements would remain unchanged.
Hibu's debt mountain grew after several acquisitions in the past decade, amid plummeting sales because of the rise of the internet.
In July this year, lenders took control of Hibu in a restructuring deal aimed at saving jobs.
That deal cut £800m of the company's £2.3bn debts.
Creditors included George Soros' hedge fund, US private equity group Blackstone and the investment bank Deutsche Bank.
Chairman Bob Wigley said in a statement: "Our business will continue to operate as usual and will not be affected by the administration of the holding company, a planned step in the restructuring process.
He added: "Our enhanced digital product offering is growing fast and increasingly finding new customers following our recent marketing campaign."


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OREGON: A key lawmaker says a marijuana overdose in an Oregon resort town shows the need to go slowly on making pot-infused candies, cookies and other edibles available to the public.
Sen. Ginny Burdick, a Portland Democrat who co-chairs a committee working on implementing the ballot measure approved last fall that legalized recreational marijuana. She said Wednesday she’s not willing to allow the sale of marijuana edibles until regulators figure out how to control potency and keep them away from kids.
“I don’t think we are in a position to approve any kind of edibles right now,” Burdick said. “We have to figure out a way to package them, label them, and make sure people understand the dosage.”
Commercial pot sales are not expected to start until late 2016, though Oregonians can legally possess up to a half pound of marijuana at home starting in July.


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“We strongly believe that the electrification of vehicles in India will start with two- and three-wheelers and that will co-exist with ICE, which will still remain dominant upto 2030. 80% of all vehicles sold (in India) will still be ICE and upto 20% could be electrification," said Soumitra Bhattacharya, managing director, Bosch Ltd in an online press conference on Friday.
Several auto industry executives Mint spoke to said that the pandemic has not only aggravated the extent of the economic slowdown for automotive manufacturing but may have also derailed the government’s plan of EV adoption by a few years.
Last fiscal, to encourage creation of supply chain for EVs, the government had allotted ₹10,000 crore as incentives under phase 2 of faster adoption and manufacturing of hybrid and electric vehicles or Fame 2 scheme for the FY2020–22 period.
Bhattacharya said FY20 was a major setback for the auto industry and the pandemic will create an even bigger challenge in FY2021.
“The auto volumes will further decline by 30% in FY21. It will take another 4-6 years to recover unless there are special interventions by the government on direct stimulus for the auto industry," he added.
Mint recently reported EV plans of several vehicle manufacturers have already taken a backseat as companies grapple to resume operations amid mounting fixed overheads and two months of no revenues. For example, two-wheeler manufacturer Bajaj Auto Ltd plans to go slow on its EV business wherein it produces and retails electric Chetak scooter.
Bosch, a key supplier of critical parts to the Bajaj Chetak, said electrification will begin from the two- and three-wheeler categories especially in the commercial applications such as fleet, taxi and last mile delivery requirements.
“Total cost of ownership is the most important part and it will work for the two- and three-wheelers. It may also work for the electric cars but for fleet applications. Electric cars for personal applications are some time away," said Bhattacharya.
Suraj Ghosh, principal analyst (powertrain forecast), IHS Markit said ICEs will continue to be the most dominant type of vehicle propulsion technology through 2030, constituting more than 90% of the light vehicles.
“Now that the auto industry is grappling with the impact of the pandemic, not only new investments on EVs look extremely unlikely but it also could affect the committed investments made during the pre-covid time. Any investments by the carmakers on powertrain technologies now would be aimed more at the regulatory compliances rather than on disruptive technologies," Ghosh said.
In its Q4 results on Friday, Bosch reported an 80% drop in its consolidated net profit to ₹81 crore and 18% decline in its consolidated revenue at ₹2,237 crore. The company reported 59% fall in its FY20 consolidated net profit to ₹650 crore on tough market and restructuring expenses.
“We have lot of focus on cash flow, we are looking at receivables and inventory, we are cutting back our capital expenditure on all areas that are not necessary," the senior company executive said adding that the capex for FY21 is slashed by 50%.
The company’s capex in FY20 stood at ₹399 crore.
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All the up-to-the-minute news about all the up-to-the-minute smartphones and industry developments.
Budget phone to gain Face ID. And lose earphone slot?
But company won’t give official figures for each device.
2018 iPhones to drop adapter in bid to force consumers to go wireless.
Price rises for making calls and sending texts to international numbers, too.
New device won’t work with iPhone, however.
iPhone X–style device landing next month.
Is this the next–gen budget iPhone?
Social media service joins list of data-zero services on Go Binge.
Analyst believes company won’t call new devices iPhone 9 or iPhone XS.
Service now available for Sony Xperia XZ1.


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A bright future is ahead for North Texas-based Soulman’s Bar-B-Que. Its 40-plus-year-old brand is seeing booming growth surpassing 500 percent during the last eight years. Currently with fifteen established restaurants, 11 have emerged in the last eight years under the leadership of Brett Randle, CEO of Soulman’s Bar-B-Que.
With plans to continue expansion, Randle explains what makes Soulman’s so successful and why this growth is possible.
“As a team we are passionately committed to keeping things true and simple. Our future growth depends on a daily focus on what makes our restaurants successful–great food, great service and clean environment in which to enjoy it. Preserving our heritage is vital to us at Soulman’s. As a 41 year old brand, we try hard to stay away from trendiness. We are a traditional Texas Bar-B-Que house. We do things the accepted way, the right way, and we’re resolved to continue that through our growth,” says Randle.
This classic style of barbecue enables Soulman’s to pursue continued growth with four more restaurant locations anticipated to open.
“In 2008, we had four locations and we’ve grown to 15. We have 16, 17, 18 and 19 already on the way for 2016,” adds Randle.
And this growth has nothing to do with luck. In a commodity market that relies on fluctuating meat prices, Soulman’s has been able to adjust to these market changes and come out on top. When beef prices soared last year, Soulman’s strategized to provide the best, affordable and tasty options for their customers.
“2014 was a challenging year with regard to Cost of Goods. Specifically, brisket prices sky-rocketed to unprecedented levels very quickly. Considering Brisket makes up approximately 35% of Soulman’s food spend, a near 100% increase in a matter of months was potentially catastrophic. However, our team rose to the challenge. We introduced more efficient products, re-negotiated food deals and created new menu items that would sway our product mix away from brisket. Overall the plan was a great success,” Randle says.
Compared to the national average of restaurant growth, Soulman’s is a standout establishment. According to the National Restaurant Association’s 2015 Executive Summary, “restaurant-and-foodservice sales are projected to top $709 billion, up 3.8 percent from 2014.” In comparison to similar markets, Soulman’s percentage of growth shines.
Restaurantnews.com shares the 2013 Restaurant Chain Growth Report, which compares Soulman’s growth in 2013 with other restaurants with fewer than 20 units. Compared with other lunch and dinner restaurants like El Taco Tote based in El Paso, TX which has experienced a 15 percent growth, Soulman’s increased their business by 22 percent in 2013.
For more than 40 years, Soulman’s Bar-B-Que has satisfied the hardest to please barbecue lovers…Texans! Their selections of meats are cooked “low and slow” over hickory in a time-honored tradition: beef brisket, ham, hot links, sausage, turkey, chicken, pulled pork and, the crowd favorite, ribs. Ranch House Beans and Spicy Cream Corn are among the delicious homemade sides.
Soulman’s currently owns and operates 15 North and East Texas locations in Cedar Hill, Dallas, Forney, Garland, Greenville, Hurst, Lancaster, Mesquite, Quinlan, Rockwall (2), Royse City, Terrell, Van and Allen – the newest location.


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The new mayor of Mexico City is offering criminals a free Xbox 360 for every handgun are handed into police in an amnesty.
The fabled 120 GB, black Xbox 360 is now official, as Microsoft today unveiled details about the new high-end console.
Bandai Namco will use the supercomputer chip in future arcade machines.
Video game publishing giant Electronic Arts has teamed up with Nettwerk One Music to establish a new music label based in Los Angeles. The new label intends to sign both unknown and established artists around the world for recording, publishing and distribution deals.
Nintendo has altered the circuit layout of its Wii games console in order to block the increasing use of modification chips (modchips).
Thomas Thull, Executive Producer of the box office smash hit “300”, has announced that he is to set up a video game publishing company funded by $150 million in private equity.
British retailer HMV has said that Sony's UK PS3 launch event, where more than £250,000 ($490,000) was given away in freebies, smacked of a desperate PR "stunt".
The governor of the Mexican state of Chihuahua has ordered that all copies of Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 be confiscated, due to claims that it negatively portrays the people of the state as violent.
The recent release of the Folding@Home plug-in for PlayStation 3 game consoles has gotten off to a very successful start.
Microsoft didn't take yesterday's European launch of the PlayStation 3 lying down and sent a colossal reminder to gamers in Paris.
After numerous delays the PlayStation 3 has finally launched in Europe at a price of €599 / £425 ($835) with one million units available across the continent.
The Xbox Live service was not compromised; Microsoft's Major Nelson has been insisting following on from rumors that user data had been compromised by hackers.
Electronic Arts today announced details of its latest Wii game, Boogie, one of the first Wii-specific dance/rhythm games.
Games like World of Warcraft and Second Life have pushed the market for online gaming to a billion dollar a year industry, according to an independent study conducted by Screen Digest.
Rising prices for home consoles and increasing interest for casual games will put handhelds ahead of the Wii, Xbox 360, and PS3, according to analyst firm DFC Intelligence.
Gears of War is heading to the land of Tomb Raider, Doom, and Super Mario Bros as a successful video game that is on its way to becoming a feature film.
Hot Shots Golf, one of Sony's biggest cult hits, may not be the most visually intensive PS3 game in the pipeline, but fans of the series will likely enjoy the HD overhaul nonetheless.
While a good chunk of the world is still waiting for the PS3 to go on sale, some Italian consumers have already purchased theirs.
Google is getting into video game advertising with its purchase of Adscape Media for an undisclosed amount of money.
Mountain View (CA) - Google is getting into video game advertising with its purchase of Adscape Media for an undisclosed amount of money. Adscape and the search engine giant have released a joint FAQ on Adscape's website, but are keeping most of the details under wraps.
The few YouTube users who have managed to become virtual celebrities will be honored at the first annual YouTube Video Awards.


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A Perthshire business support group has claimed that rural firms are feeling a “disproportionate” impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Coupar Angus-based GrowBiz said the combination of a higher proportion of self-employed people, inconsistent broadband coverage, poor transport links and greater distances to food supplies and health services threatens the rural economy.
Chief executive Jackie Brierton said the support for self-employed people announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak on Thursday evening – which included some self-employed people being able to claim 80% of earnings – was welcome.
But she said the delay in payments until June would see many “struggle to survive”.
She said: “The spread of Covid-19 presents enormous challenges for businesses across Scotland and especially for small and micro-businesses in rural Scotland, which contribute £37 billion to the Scottish economy every year.
“The support package announced by the chancellor on Thursday for business owners and the self-employed is obviously welcome but it’s not going to prevent serious financial hardship for many individuals and their families in rural areas.
“With a delay until June for any payments to be made, many will struggle to survive and those who have only recently started a business, and haven’t yet completed a self-assessment return, will have to use the benefits system.
“Self-employed people contribute billions of pounds into the UK economy through tax, national insurance and VAT payments and they also support other self-employed people as contractors, suppliers and customers.
“They are an essential part of our economy and adequate support needs to be delivered in a timely fashion.”
GrowBiz is providing phone and online support to anyone who is self-employed or running a small or micro-business in rural areas of Scotland.
In addition, the group is running a programme of online learning sessions and networking events for the rest of March and into April that are open to anyone looking for support.
Ms Brierton said: “GrowBiz is here to help rural businesses think through alternative strategies and different ways to reach their markets – and provide information on funding.
“We can also signpost to other sources of assistance.
“Our aim is to help anyone who is self-employed or running a small or micro-business in a rural area to get through the next few months.”


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In-game goodies found in the packs include accessories, knives, profile pictures, emblem shapes, dog tags, experience point boosts and paints The battlepacks are available to purchase through Origin, the developer's Battlelog site, Battlefield 4's in-game store as well as through the Xbox Live Marketplace and PlayStation Store. The next game in the series is reportedly known as Battlefield Hardline and is being developed by Visceral Games, according to assets leaked by EA earlier today.
Posted on Jan 27th 2015 8:15AM
Posted on Jan 26th 2015 11:00AM
Posted on Jan 26th 2015 10:00AM


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The British Independent Retail Association has expressed disappointment that the Government has not agreed to the the move by Lord Dholakia to use the current Police and Crime Bill to remove damaging clauses within the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.
Section 176 of the Anti Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 allows anyone accused of shoplifting that’s valued under £200 to plead guilty by post, as if they had been given a parking ticket. However, the Minister responding, Lord Sharp responded that the clause was to increase “efficiency” within a system that needed to deal with “high volume, low level cases”.
Lord Dholakia said “The Government is not wrong that this type of crime is high volume. According to the BRC, shop theft makes up a £935m loss for retailers, and yet it takes an average of 30 times for someone who perpetrates this crime to go to jail. The British Independent Retail Association surveyed its members and the overwhelming majority said that most theft from their business is under this so called “low value”, and the Home Office figures themselves show an overall increase in retail theft of 19.1% between 2014 - 2018, compared to an increase of 4.96% between 2010 – 2014 before this clause was made law. The Government may be looking to increase efficiency, but there is nothing efficient about a system that is not working”.
Andrew Goodacre, CEO of the British Independent Retail Association commented: “Our members are very disappointed that the Government is not listening to the sectors calls on this issue. The Minister of State in the Home Office and Ministry of Justice has said he would review this law. The sector says it needs to be changed and has provided evidence as to why. This type of crime is increasing. Our members are already under pressure. We would urge the Government to look at their position on this again”


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Stocks borrowed by an investor and sold at the same time encompassed five major names between 29 August and 19 September. Apple with its record sales of iPhone 6 on the opening weekend, moved up to the third sport. Sirius on the other hand losing most of its short position activity was tough enough to hold on to its first position.
The short fall faced by Sirius XM Holdings Incorporation (NASDAQ: SIRI) was estimated to be around 244.13 million which is almost 10.1%. Immediate buying and selling of shares between investors and brokers respectively has been declining for the company since the past 5 months. The company has been dealing with the short fall for some time and after a fall of about 1%, the shares have started to gain pace and move forward. In a week where the approximate range was in between $2.98 – $4.18, Sirius shares closed at $3.53 this Wednesday.
The Frontier Communication Corporation (NASDAQ: FTR) lost some of its footing when it collaborated with the Dish Network and this fall was recorded to be almost $149.97 million. For the company, during this time the acquiring of stocks and selling off activity lessened. Again after a steady downfall, Frontier Communication Corp. saw a steady increase within a time frame of 15 days. The shares finally closed off at $6.52, with the average market value falling in between $4.09 – $7.24.
Apple Incorporation (NASDAQ: AAPL) on the other hand showed an increase in its shares activity by almost 44%, since the launch of iPhone6. The Apple shares have slowly gained their pace after the launch of their latest model and the shares closed at a high rate of $101.75.
The company that was 124.60 million shares short by the end of Wednesday was Inter Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC). Intel’s stock positioning was only effected by 2.5% which is the least for any company in the year 2014. In the Dow stock market, the Intel shares have been performing really well and it is predicted that it will take almost 5 days for Intel to recover. The shares of the company closed on Wednesday at a price of $34.75 per share. The market average was $22.48 – $35.56.
Micron Technology Incorporation (NASDAQ: MU) showed a 5% increase in their share activity. The short fall that could have taken days to recover, was reduced to only 5 as a result of this increase. The introduction of the Apple Watch has said to have a further positive influence on the shares. Micron shares reached the price of $32.22 on Wednesday, with the market averaging at $16.17 – $34.85.
Rest of the top ten companies were: BlackBerry Limited (NASDAQ: BBRY), Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA), Groupon Incorporation (NASDAQ: GRPN), Staples Incorporation (NASDAQ: SPLS) and finally Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT). Among these companies the biggest activity was recorded in the stocks of Staples Inc. with a down fall in stock positioning of about 13%.


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According to GM's sales charts, the Chevy Volt made it into the loving embrace of 2,035 buyers last month. That's up a whopping 41 percent over the same period in 2014, and more than a 100 percent improvement from the 949-unit result in September. Now, we don't know how many of these were 2015 models and how many were the all-new 2016 edition. Dealers are, no doubt, incentivized to move the old inventory, and the latest and greatest is still only available in a limited number of states.
Breaking out the sad trombones, Nissan recorded a mere 1,238 units moved in October. That's down 52.2 percent from the same month in 2014. That's also nine fewer examples than last month. Despite its recent sales travails, the Leaf still leads the calendar-year-to-date figures by a commanding 14,868 to 11,299 tally. We imagine the Japanese manufacturer is counting on an improvement in the situation once the 2016 model, with its larger, optional 30 kWh battery becomes available.
You can compare these two stalwarts with the rest of the green-vehicle field in our By The Numbers post due out tomorrow.


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Ripple’s popularity and customer base keeps increasing every other day as the company scores more partnerships with various global financial institutions and blockchain-oriented tech companies. The latest score is one that could affect the Ripple and XRP ecosystem across board.
The company, a global IT giant called Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), just entered into a partnership with Ripple to take global remittance services to the next level. TCS is a multi-national conglomerate with its headquarter based out of Mumbai, India.
Quartz And RippleNet
TCS is the company behind Quartz, a cross-border payment solution capable of integrating with various other payment systems.
As such, Quartz can run alongside Ripple’s RippleNet as well as Ripple’s payment solutions like xRapid that uses XRP as the base currency for funds transfer.
RippleNet already has the advantage of lowering transaction fees for customers using its systems, and now that cost could be pushed further down with the new integration of Quartz. Quartz facilitates fast and cheap remittances.
Huge Customer Base
While RippleNet has wooed hundreds of financial institutions across the world and built a large following, the partnership with TCS is bound to increase that customer base by a huge margin.
For one, TCS’s payment solutions, dubbed BaNCS, are currently in use in over 450 installations across the world, with over one billion active accounts.
TCS will bring into RippleNet some notably important clients like General Electric, Citibank UK, and Microsoft. In the year ending in March 31st, 2018, TCS posted $19 billion in revenue.
XRP Use A Possibility
The partnership could also affect XRP’s market status, and in a really good way. That’s given that some of the institutions using RippleNet are also using xRapid, meaning that XRP usage is increasing. I
f this new arrangement leads to more use of XRP as base currency, XRP could soon go wildly mainstream, and that would be great for its price.


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Italian police asked to probe Sony copy protection code
And CA has labeled the software as spyware
IDG News Service - The fallout continues over Sony BMG Music Entertainment's controversial XCP copy protection software, with an Italian digital rights organization now taking the first step toward possible criminal charges in the matter.
Separately, security vendor Computer Associates International Inc. said yesterday that it is now classifying Sony's software as spyware and will begin searching for and removing XCP with its antispyware software beginning later this week.
On Friday, the Milan-based ALCEI-EFI (Association for Freedom in Electronic Interactive Communications - Electronic Frontiers Italy) filed a complaint about Sony's software with the head of Italy's cybercrime investigation unit, Col. Umberto Rapetto of the Guardia di Finanza.
The complaint alleges that XCP violates a number of Italy's computer security laws by causing damage to users' systems and by acting in the same way as malicious software, according to Andrea Monti, chairman of the ALCEI-EFI. "What Sony did qualifies as a criminal offense under Italian law," he said in an e-mail interview.
Should police determine that a crime has been committed, prosecutors will be required to begin criminal proceedings against Sony, Monti said.
Sony declined to comment on the situation. XCP, used on about 20 of the company's music titles, according to Sony, prohibits Windows users from making more than three copies of any XCP-protected CD. The software does not run on non-Windows operating systems such as Mac OS or Linux.
Within the next seven days, ALCEI-EFI also plans to ask the European Union to investigate the matter, Monti said. "The irony of the case is that pressure from industry lobbies ... [has] led to weird legislation in Italy that treats copying as a criminal offense," he said. "By spreading a viruslike anticopy device, [entertainment companies such as Sony] become the criminals under another, more reasonable law."
Sony's use of XCP has been widely criticized over the past week, since it was first revealed that the software uses many of the same techniques as spyware and computer viruses to disguise its existence. XCP's developer, a U.K. company called First 4 Internet Ltd., has said these techniques were necessary in order to prevent illegal copiers from circumventing the digital rights management software, but critics say First 4 has gone too far and the product may be a security risk.
In fact, CA has now classified the product as spyware and will soon direct its eTrust PestPatrol product to remove XCP from customers' computers, according to Sam Curry, vice president of eTrust security management at CA. "We have a scorecard, and there are 22 points that we go through examining how the software behaves," he
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Square Enix plans to open a second Canadian studio where at least 100 people will focus on making big games for the new generation of home consoles.
The exact location hasn't been decided upon - it could be Quebec, Montreal or Toronto. Doors are to open probably next year, reported La Presse.
"The new consoles from Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo will require more attention and more staff," commented Eidos Montreal boss Stephane d'Astous. "We want to prepare ourselves."
As yet, neither Microsoft nor Nintendo nor Sony has revealed a next generation console. Of The Big Three, Nintendo is expected to be closest, with many eyeing this summer's E3 as a likely platform for the announcement. But, then, we've said that before.
Microsoft extended the life of Xbox 360 by launching Kinect in November 2010. Sony added PlayStation Move a few months earlier. Their launches represent a rough half-way point in a longer generation cycle, and both Microsoft and Sony appear content with that.
As do developers, with the likes of THQ's Danny Bilson going as far as to say that new consoles now would be "horrible".
Others, however, look forward with anticipation and enthusiasm: Epic Games has already shared its vision of what next generation games running Unreal Engine could look like.


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Plans are under way to develop a blighted, mostly vacant section of the San Fernando barrio into a Latino-oriented supermarket shopping plaza.
Vons supermarket officials and a private developer have approached the city’s redevelopment agency to build one of the company’s Tianguis supermarkets on the site. Tianguis stores are known for their festive street-fair design, with booths featuring Mexican products such as handmade tortillas and fresh sausages, Vons spokeswoman Vickie Sanders said.
With that offer in mind, the San Fernando City Council has taken preliminary steps to acquire two city blocks for the project, which would be the first revitalization effort in the recently approved barrio redevelopment project area.
“Tianguis,” which is the Aztec name for “marketplace,” would be a “terrific anchor tenant” for the San Fernando Mall area, which is undergoing a face lift with street and landscaping improvements, City Administrator Donald E. Penman said.
The area’s heavily Latino population and the need for another supermarket made the San Fernando area a prime location, Sanders said. Other Tianguis stores are in Montebello, El Monte and Cudahy.
The City Council approved a preliminary plan Monday that calls for “attracting as large a single use as possible for the site.” The parcel is bounded by San Fernando Mission Boulevard and Pico, Kalisher and Celis streets.
No homes are in the area. A boarded up former Safeway market and adjacent parking lot occupy most of the land. Also on the property are Mission College offices and a beauty salon.
Penman said it is the city’s intent to use eminent domain as a last resort in land acquisitions. He said the city hopes a project developer will be able to negotiate outright with the 10 property owners in the 2-block area.
The city has the authority to acquire land through eminent domain for redevelopment purposes and force property owners to sell it at market value. The property can then be sold to a developer at a discount so new construction can revitalize an otherwise blighted area.
The council also moved to hire appraisers and relocation specialists to begin researching land acquisition issues.
City officials said they do not know if the full two blocks will be needed. If the Mission College space is needed, it will mean relocation of about 15,000 square feet of student offices and classrooms.
Mission College is already scheduled to move to a new campus in Sylmar in late 1990.
Although the city has not given final approval to a developer, both Vons and city officials have been negotiating with Alexander Haagen Co., the company that developed the former San Fernando Airport land into a shopping center.


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Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ: GOOGL) (NASDAQ: GOOG)'s Google and Facebook, Inc. (NASDAQ: FB)-owned Instagram have the most positive user trends among consumers 18-65, according to an internet site user survey released Thursday by Bank of America Merrill Lynch.
More younger users are tweeting, the December survey found. BofA upgraded Twitter Inc (NYSE: TWTR) from Underperform to Buy and increased the price target from $31 to $39.
Snap Inc (NYSE: SNAP)’s Snapchat, however, received a frowny face emoji. More than 40 percent of respondents who use Snap said they were using it less — a slight increase from when the survey was last completed in May 2018.
“Snapchat data continues to suggest few signs of a turnaround, and share loss to Instagram, and we do not anticipate an improvement in Q4 user trends,” analyst Justin Post said of the platform.
Google has the most stable usage trends, according to the survey: 95 percent of respondents reported stable to increasing use of Google, and 96 percent of respondents said they use the search engine.
Google has less risk from the European Union General Protection Regulation, Post said.
BofA maintained a Buy on Alphabet with a $1,350 price objective.
Forty-four percent of respondents in the BofA survey reported increasing usage of Instagram, more than any of the other sites mentioned. Only 23 percent said they were using Instagram less. Instagram had the largest increase in penetration, rising from 53 percent when the survey was done in May to 60 percent.
Nearly half of respondents — 48 percent —said they use Twitter, and the percentage of users who said they’re using it less fell slightly. The number of Twitter users who said they plan to use the social media platform more also grew along with the number of younger users.
Facebook remains the No. 1 preferred social site: 41 percent of respondents said if they could use only one social networking site, they’d choose Facebook. That number is lower than in BofA's last survey, though, and more than half of respondents also said Facebook has too much advertising.
Still, it’s used by 86 percent of those surveyed, second only to Google.
Snapchat hasn’t fully rebounded from a redesign that users disliked, according to BofA. The percentage of users who said they're using Snap less rose from 37 percent in the second-quarter survey to 42 percent in December.
BofA maintained a Neutral rating on Snap with a $7 price objective.
Twitter Flies After Q3 Earnings; Analysts Weigh In On What To Do With The Stock
Latest Ratings for TWTR
|Jan 2019||Bank of America||Upgrades||Underperform||Buy|
|Dec 2018||Guggenheim||Initiates Coverage On||Buy|
|Oct 2018||Aegis Capital||Maintains||Buy||Buy|
View More Analyst Ratings for TWTR
View the Latest Analyst Ratings
See more from Benzinga
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- Musk's Chinese Trip May Ease Trade Tensions, But Will It Boost Tesla?
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© 2019 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.


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Irish whiskey sector targets 300% growth by 2030
Trade body the Irish Whiskey Association (IWA) is aiming to increase the global market share of Irish whiskey by 300% over the next 15 years as part of an “ambitious” new strategy.
Unveiling its Vision for Irish Whiskey strategy this week, the IWA also intends to double Irish whiskey exports by 2020, from 6.5 million 9-litre cases to 12m cases.
The trade association, which launched in March 2014, forecasts that exports will double again by 2030 to 24m cases, with an estimated €1 billion investment pledged between 2010 and 2025 to increase production by 41%.
In addition, the strategy aims to grow whiskey tourism from 600,000 visitors to 800,000 in the medium term and increase employment 30% by 2025.
Currently, the Irish whiskey export industry is valued at €300m, up 220% since 2003, with 26 new or proposed distilleries.
Bernard Walsh, founder of Walsh Whiskey Distillery and chairman of the IWA, said there is “no reason” why Irish whiskey cannot achieve the same success as Scotch.
“The existing players have driven the global renaissance in Irish whiskey with double-digit growth prospects,” he said.
“The key to our success is to ensure that this growth is sustainable: economically and environmentally. To do this, we are launching a cohesive strategy that will underpin this growth.”
Vision for Irish Whiskey underpins five “key pillars” to support sustainable growth in the industry, including creating an “adequately resourced infrastructure” to support new entrants and allow adequate malting capacity, and the production of clear guidelines on the creation and promotion of Irish whiskey.
The strategy also suggests creating additional capacity to support demand, as well as launching an Irish whiskey trail.
It was revealed by Bord Bia earlier this year that Irish whiskey exports had risen 60% over the past five years, despite a slowdown in its top market, the US, in 2014.


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Article by Aaisha Dadi Patel, Bizcommunity
Lauren Dixon-Paver faced a dilemma a couple of weeks ago when she needed to get a new pair of pants: for over a year now, the 25-year-old graphic designer has made a concerted effort not to buy new clothing from fast-fashion retailers. Dixon-Paver, who also runs a YouTube channel which focuses on craft and sewing tutorials, has been a consistent critic of the fast-fashion industry for two reasons: the ways in which it oppresses workers in far-flung countries, and encourages mindless shopping. She got her first sewing machine when she was 12, and has been making much of her own clothing since.
The fast-fashion industry exploits people in far-flung, often Eastern, developing countries, using cheap labour to quickly mass-produce clothing that keeps up with trends.
These trends are quick-evolving, and as soon as something’s outdated, people simply don’t want to buy it anymore; Bloomberg reported in March last year that H&M had a record piled-up inventory of unsold garments worth more than $4 billion.
A report compiled by Oxfam Australia called ‘Made in Poverty: The true price of fashion’ highlights the human cost of fast fashion. The report, part of the ‘What She Makes’ campaign, surveyed 470 workers at factories in Bangladesh and Vietnam, and found that they live on “poverty wages,” with many earning the equivalent of just over R5 an hour. 100% of the women surveyed in Bangladesh, who are employed at factories which supply brands including H&M and Cotton On, are unable to make ends meet.
Jehan Ara Khonat, co-owner of modest fashion and lifestyle store My Online Souk, says analysing the social structure of trends is integral to understanding how fast-fashion operates. “As soon as the fast-fashion industry catches on to what’s trending, an elite group creates something else to differentiate themselves. Fast-fashion companies make it available for the masses, and the cycle continues.”
What She Makes
The What She Makes campaign is calling for big clothing brands to pay the women who make clothes that they sell a living wage. “The women who make our clothes do not make enough to live on – keeping them in poverty. Despite long hours away from their families, working full time plus many hours of overtime, big clothing brands do not pay garment workers enough money to cover the basics of life – food and decent shelter,” the campaign website reads.
According to the report, available on the website, one factory owner in Bangladesh reported the extensive measures a company had taken to keep the clothing they produced safe in case of a fire, but a lack of interest from the very same company in fire safety measures for the workspaces where the people who sew the clothes spend the better part of their day.
One of the workers that Oxfam spoke to, 20-year-old Fatima, lives in a two bedroom apartment with 10 other people, including her landlord, and sleeps on the floor. When Fatima gets paid late, she stresses about paying rent on time and getting money to her sick mother, who lives in a rural area in Bangladesh. As is sometimes the case with outsourced contracts, Fatima’s seniors don’t always pay her and her colleagues their full agreed-upon wage. “The owner doesn’t know about this, that the line chief keeps our money,” she says. If Fatima has low wages some months, she forgoes her budget for food, sending the money to her mother instead.
Another woman that Oxfam interviewed, 22-year-old Forida, earns the equivalent of R3.50 an hour. This is below the minimum wage in Bangladesh, because deductions have been illegally taken from her overtime wage for mistakes and not meeting unrealistic daily targets.“I feel embarrassed when I am scolded in front of so many people [when I make mistakes] and then I feel bad about myself because I’m not able to do the work properly. If I could do the work properly, then I wouldn’t be scolded so hard and this makes me cry.”
Forida and her family – her husband, mother-in-law, and toddler son – live in a hot and cramped compound with six other families, including her landlord’s. There is just one toilet and place to bathe for the whole compound, and two shared cooking areas. Her income usually runs out before the end of each month, leaving them without food. “If we were paid a little more money, then I could one day send my son to school,” she says. “I could provide food for the last week of the month. We could live happily, we could lead a better life.”
As part of the campaign, Oxfam have initiated a company tracker to monitor the progress that brands are making, with both Cotton On and H&M ranked as having taken action to be transparent and committed to change.
But for now, stories like Fatima’s and Forida’s still remain a reality. “People are working in awful conditions to make clothes for us, so we can buy fantastic bargains,” says Dixon-Paver.


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Aid coming to ag producers as USDA announces second round of farm payments to offset tariffs
SCOTTSBLUFF — U.S. Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue announced Thursday that the USDA will be making a second round of payments to American farmers bearing the brunt of the trade war with China and other countries.
The $16 billion aid package will be issued through the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA). The money is split into three separate programs: the Market Facilitation Program’s direct payments to farmers (MFP-2, $14.5 billion), commodity purchases through the Food Purchase and Distribution Program (FPDP, $1.4 billion), with the remaining $100 million earmarked for the USDA’s Agricultural Trade Promotion Program (ATP).
“Unfortunately, the Chinese decided late in the game to renege on many of the commitments they’d already made,” Perdue said in a call with the press to announce details of the program. “To his credit, President Trump immediately directed me to again create a program. He knew that farmers would bear the brunt of this lack of a trade deal with China once again. So he has demonstrated his great affection and affinity for America’s farmers and ranchers.”
Perdue said that while farmers would rather have “trade than aid,” without a fair trade deal with China and other nations, farmers need profitability support and assistance to be flexible with marketing their commodities once trade and tariff issues are rectified.
“We honestly and sincerely know and believe it is a food security issue which leads to a national security issue,” Perdue said. “Our team at USDA reflected on what went well last year, and what could have been done better when we ran last year’s program.”
MFP-2 and what’s different
Payment rates in this round will depend on the county where a producer farms, rather than on the crop a farmer grows.
Unlike the last round of the $12 billion MFP program, which was based on fixed rates per commodity, MFP-2 will instead be a single rate per county based on the acres planted in a county. The number of acres will be multiplied by the trade damage impact calculated for that county. USDA Chief Economist Rob Johannson said the administration has looked at trade damages per county — not only from the past year’s tariffs, but retroactive to previous actions by China and other trade partners who have levied retaliatory tariffs on American ag exports. Despite the adjustments, the formula is the same; trade with tariffs versus trade without them.
Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey said the non-specialty crops, pork and dairy, and expanded specialty crops will be eligible for MFP payments.
Producers of alfalfa hay, barley, canola, corn, crambe, dry peas, extra-long staple cotton, flaxseed, lentils, long grain and medium grain rice, mustard seed, dried beans, oats, peanuts, rapeseed, safflower, sesame seed, small and large chickpeas, sorghum, soybeans, sunflower seed, temperate japonica rice, upland cotton, and wheat will receive a payment based on a single county rate multiplied by a farm’s total plantings to those crops in aggregate in 2019.
“We looked at the trade damage each county is feeling, then divided that by the acres planted in the county,” Northy said.
While last year’s payments looked at total production of crops that were already planted, Northey said producers this year are still in a position where they are making planting decisions.
“We need to make sure that folks have the complete flexibility in this challenging planting season to plant what works for them,” he said. “They need to make the best economic decision — that economic decision will not be impacted by the payment they receive depending on which (crop) they choose.
“We want to make sure producers are planting for the market, and for their own agronomic situation, and encourage folks — certainly during these challenging times — to not have to worry about what differential payments may be between crops.”
In the second piece of MFP-2, dairy producers will receive a per hundredweight payment on production history and hog producers will receive a payment based on hog and pig inventory for a later-specified time frame.
For specialty crops, tree nut producers, fresh sweet cherry producers (who were included in the last round of MFP), cranberry producers, and fresh grape producers will receive payments based on the trade impact to the commodity times the acres of production.
Payments are set on three increments, the first of which will come in July or August. Northey said that will be sometime after the deadline to report acres planted to county FSA offices.
The second and third increments are dependent on whether or not a trade deal can be reached with China before the fall and what the damage to producers ends up being. Should no such trade agreement come through, the second increment will be paid in November, and should trade disputes continue, the third increment will be paid in early 2020.
While President Trump is expected to meet with Chinese President Xi during the G20 summit in Japan in late June, Perdue said a trade deal from that meeting is unlikely. The gestation period required for negotiations will likely go beyond July or August.
Food Purchase and Distribution Program
Greg Ibach, former Nebraska secretary of agriculture and undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, said the Ag Marketing Service (AMS) will purchase $1.4 billion in surplus commodities affected by trade retaliation such as fruits, vegetables, some processed foods, beef, pork, lamb, poultry, and milk. The commodities will be distributed by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to food banks, schools, Indian reservations, and other outlets servicing low-income individuals.
“One of the main purposes of this program is to clear inventories of products that have been impacted by the tariffs,” Ibach said. “We worked closely with industry groups through the last program to design the purchase specifications to target those segments within each commodity that are most directly impacted by the tariffs.”
Ibach said the purchases will come in phases, which helps match up purchases with the capacity for food banks, but allows hungry citizens who are assisted by commodity programs to have a wider variety of food available to them.
“The second big benefit is feeding hungry people and introducing them to a wider variety of commodities than they’re used to having available to them at a food bank,” he said.
Ag Trade Promotions
The remaining $100 million ear-marked in will go to the Agricultural Trade Promotion Program (ATP) administered by the Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS), Ted McKinney, the undersecretary for trade and foreign ag affairs said.
McKinney said the $100 million is in addition to the $200 million let through ATP funds a year ago that will allow the cooperators to advance marketing around the world.
“You might recall with the program last year, there were some $600 million in requests from our cooperators,” he said. “The desire was to make sure that they targeted those monies to either reestablish markets that might have been in trouble, but also to develop new markets.”


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BOCA RATON, Florida. — Eating ultra-processed foods could be the cause of many cases of anxiety and depression, says a new study. Researchers at Florida Atlantic University’s Schmidt College of Medicine say they’ve found a link between excessive junk food consumption and more adverse mental health symptoms.
“Ultra-processed” is another way of saying that these products are usually made and ready to eat when they come out of their packaging. They are generally convenient, inexpensive, quick to prepare, and consist of industrial formulations of oils, fats, sugars, starches, and protein isolates. Processed foods also often contain flavorings, colorings, emulsifiers and other cosmetic additives. What they don’t contain much of is whole foods and nutrition.
Common examples of these products include sugary drinks like sodasfast food, potato chips, candy, pastries filled with sugar, and processed meats like burgers and sausages.
Researchers say there have been previous studies that have found a link between consume ultra-processed foods and depression, but few reports have looked at the total number of poor mental health days people spend eating junk food. The new study looked at a nationally representative sample of American adults to see if eating ultra-processed foods increases the number of days of poor mental health.
The team measured mild depression, poor mental health days and anxiety days in 10,359 adults aged 18 and older who took part in the US Health and Nutrition Survey. .
Junk food leads to more “anxious” days
Findings reveal Americans who ate the highest amounts of ultra-processed foods said they had significantly more “mentally unhealthy days” and “anxious days” in relation to people who generally avoid these foods.
People who regularly ate junk food were also significantly less likely to have zero “poor mental health days” and zero “anxious days”. The team believe their findings apply to people living in the United States as well as people living in other “Western Country who share a similar diet.
“Ultra-processing foods depletes their nutritional value and also increases the calorie count, as ultra-processed foods tend to be high in added sugar, saturated fat and salt, while they are low in protein. , fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals,” says corresponding author Eric Hecht, MD, Ph.D., associate associate professor affiliated with FAU’s Schmidt College of Medicine, in a university outing.
“Over 70% of packaged foods in the United States are classified as ultra-processed foods and account for approximately 60% of all calories consumed by Americans. Given the magnitude of exposure and effects of consuming ultra-processed foods, our study has clinical and public health implications.”
The study authors note that they used the NOVA food classification during their research. This system was recently adopted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. NOVA examines the nature, extent, and purpose of food processing before classifying foods and beverages into four groups: unprocessed or minimally processed foods, processed culinary ingredients, processed foods, and ultra-processed foods. .
The results appear in the journal Public health Nutrition.


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iPass Expands Wi-Fi Reach in China Ahead of Beijing Games
More than 600 New Hotspots in Six Key Cities Follow Roaming Agreement with CTCL
REDWOOD SHORES, Calif. — iPass Inc. (NASDAQ: IPAS), a global provider of services that unify the management of enterprise mobility, today announced it is greatly expanding its Wi-Fi coverage in China through a partnership with Coordinate Technologies Communication Limited (CTCL), a systems integrator that provides the Wi-Fi roaming hub for leading Chinese carriers. iPass Wi-Fi coverage in China features 600 live locations from CTCL; these represent the first phase of a rollout that will include the entire CTCL footprint of nearly 1,600 hotspots.
This relationship not only increases iPass’ Global Broadband Roaming footprint in one of the world’s most critical economies, but gives iPass users extensive Wi-Fi coverage across the key cities hosting the Beijing Games in August. With a total of approximately 2,500 active wireless broadband locations available across China and Hong Kong, iPass covers more than half of all available commercial Wi-Fi hotspots*, and complements this with a nationwide mobile broadband and dial-up footprint.
Through its partnership with CTCL, iPass will ensure a seamless connection for the mobile worker in major Chinese business hubs including Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Qingdao, Tianjin, Shenyang and Qinhuangdao. The CTCL network covers a variety of venues including nearly 50 international and domestic airports, more than 700 hotels including the Shangri-La and Crowne Plaza chains, Starbucks coffee shops and conference facilities.
“CTCL’s partnership with iPass will be critical to opening our footprint to thousands of new business users within China as well as overseas travellers who have a need for secure and reliable Wi-Fi access,” explains Jason Liang, CEO, CTCL.
The CTCL network infrastructure has completed iPass’ Enterprise Ready Certification, which ensures high levels of access reliability and compatibility with enterprise systems. These new locations add to the world’s largest active business-class Wi-Fi network of over 100,000 broadband venues including 83 of the world’s top 100 airports.
“Since market reforms took place in China, the country has made rapid advances in use of wireless communications technologies in order to become better connected to the global economy,” commented Chee Leng Loy, managing director of iPass in Asia. “We are very pleased that we can offer iPass users the coverage they need to stay connected across China, especially ahead of the landmark event that will be the Beijing Games this summer.”
* Source : www.jiwire.com
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