Authentic Canada Goose brand parkas in a store in New York on Friday, December 18, 2015.[Photo/IC]
Coats targeted in robberies Cold Chicago Chicago has recently seen a rise in robberies targeting expensive Canada Goose coats as winter storms blanked the US Midwest city. The robbers really want the status coats - they're using guns to get them, according to CBS. An average Canada Goose parka can cost about $1,000. "At least six times in just eight days, offenders have confronted victims and forced them to turn over their jackets. In each case, the victims were robbed at gunpoint," local police said. Canada Goose coats are marketed as lightweight coats with heavyweight warmth, and they have become a must-have item for celebrations and fashionistas. The Midwest U.S. city of Chicago has recently encountered a winter storm, and robberies against expensive Canadian goose jackets have increased. According to CBS , the robbers really wanted these brand-name jackets and robbed them with guns for this. The average price of a Canadian Goose coat is around $1,000. Local police said: "In just eight days, at least six robberies occurred. The criminals faced the victims and forced them to hand over their coats. In each case, the victims were robbed by guns." The Canadian goose jacket is known for its lightness and warmth, and is a wardrobe essential for celebrities and fashion experts from all walks of life.
Gangtok is the capital of the mountainous northern Indian state of Sikkim. [Photo/IC]
Basic income experiment High in the Himalayas, Sikkim is one of the tiniest states in India. But it is about to embark on an experiment of global interest. Sikkim's ruling party has announced an ambitious plan to implement a universal basic income for every one of its 610,577 cities. A universal basic income is a regular, guaranteed income paid by the government, universally and unconditionally, to all citizens. It is a cash payment that aims to replace the often confusing array of assistance that states offer to citizens and place spending decisions in the hands of recipients. The tourism and power sectors will be tapped to raise the resources. If successful, the scheme would represent the largest trial run anywhere in the world. Sikkim, located on the Himalayan hillside, is one of the smallest states in India, but an experiment that is expected to be conducted here is about to be conducted. Sikkim's ruling party has announced an ambitious plan to provide universal basic income to its 610,577 citizens. Universal basic income is the income that the government unconditionally distributes to all citizens, paid in cash, and aims to replace the complex aid system provided by the government to citizens, giving the right to decide on expenditures to the recipients. Sikkim will use the tourism and electricity sectors to raise funds. If the plan is successfully implemented, it will be the largest pilot in the world to date.
[Photo/IC]
Tissues to get you sick A company based in Los Angeles, the US, said it is offering used tissues to "train your immuno system" to fight off illness. Vaev says its unusual offering allows users to catch a cold on their "own terms", therefore decreases the risk of catching that same strain of cold virus at a later date. Each tissue has been sneaked on by one of 10 sneakers the company recruited, and sell for a whopping $79.9 per box. However, specialists said that there is nothing positive that can come from this, only things that are adverse. There are more than 200 types of virus that cause what we call the common cold, and they're all constantly evolving - that's why there has never been an effective vaccine, according to Charles Gerba, professor of microbiology and Environmental sciences at the University of Arizona. "You're going to have to have to shove about 200 tissues up your nose each time to get a different one," Gerba added. Vaev, a startup in Los Angeles, said it is launching second-hand tissues to "train the immune system" to defeat the disease.Vaev said their tissues are extraordinary and can allow people to catch colds as they please, thereby reducing the risk of being attacked by the same cold virus later on. Each tissue was sneezed by 10 sneezing people hired by the company, and each box was sold for as much as $79.9. But experts say that this kind of tissue has only disadvantages, no benefits. Charles Gerba, a professor of microbiology at the University of Arizona, said that there are more than 200 viruses that cause what we call the common cold, and they are all constantly mutating, which is why there is never an effective vaccine. He also said: "To get infected with a different virus, you need to use about 200 tissues at a time."
An Apple company logo is seen behind tree branches outside an Apple store in Beijing, December 14, 2018. [Photo/Agencies]
Apple sales in China drop Apple sales in China dropped 27% in the final quarter of 2018, with CEO Tim Cook admitting that higher iPhone prices are a "factor" in the decline. The US tech giant said it brought in $13.2 billion in China in the holiday quarter, down from nearly $18 billion during the same period in 2017. Apple registered shrinking sales revenue in China across all of its leading products, iPhones, Macs, and iPads, along with reduced footfall in its stores. Cook explained that foreign exchange issues have amplified price differences in international markets, in particular emerging markets, which tend to move more significantly versus the dollar. He said that Apple is emphasizing trade-ins and installment payments to revitalize iPhone sales. Earlier this month, Apple dropped the price of the iPhone XR and other iPhones for its channel partners in China, allowing third-party vendors to purchase cheaper iPhones and pass those savings to customers. In the fourth quarter of 2018, Apple's sales in China plummeted by 27%. Apple CEO Tim Cook admitted that high iPhone pricing is one of the factors that led to a decline in sales. The U.S. tech giant said Apple's sales in China were $13.2 billion in the fourth quarter last year, down from nearly $18 billion in the same period in 2017. Sales of all Apple's major products, including iPhone, Mac, and iPad, in China, have shrunk, and store customer flow has decreased. Cook explained that exchange rate issues amplify Apple's price spread in international markets, especially emerging markets, and the strengthening of the dollar has led to products becoming more expensive globally. Cook said Apple is focusing on trade-in and installments to revive iPhone sales. Earlier this month, Apple lowered the channel prices of iPhone XR and other iPhones in China, allowing third-party suppliers to purchase iPhones at a cheaper price, thus allowing consumers to ultimately benefit.
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Source: chinadaily.com.cn
