Daily Archives: January 27, 2021

Big Tech faces a ‘tough’ opponent in Merrick Garland as attorney general – Yahoo Tech

Posted: January 27, 2021 at 5:15 pm

As President Joe Bidens term begins, hes widely expected to continue a crackdown on Americas tech giants and experts say his pick for attorney general, Judge Merrick Garland, will be a fair yet tough opponent if hes confirmed.

Garland, a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, while not regarded as an antitrust expert, would bring significant antitrust experience to the job that his predecessor didnt have. Hes written about antitrust law, briefly taught the subject at Harvard Law School, and as a judge, he had an opportunity to weigh in on a number of antitrust cases.

I think Merrick Garland is a very unique take for this job, from an antitrust perspective, Carl Hittinger, antitrust lawyer and partner with BakerHostetler, told Yahoo Finance, speaking generally about Garlands likely antitrust approach but not about particular defendants.

Garland, whose nomination for the Supreme Court was famously thwarted in 2016, has a reputation for being moderate. His perspective as a judge will likely spur him to tailor any antitrust claims to those that he thinks the Justice Department can win, Hittinger predicted. And because the U.S. appeals court judge and former federal prosecutor spent most of his career working for the government, Hittinger said he will be largely free of conflicts that would prevent him from involvement in the cases.

He's not going to bring cases as attorney general, in whatever area, unless the case has a basis of law, and in fact, Hittinger said. I think he will question with all the divisions whether the prosecution they're bringing is the right one...and his antitrust background is going to come to bear in those decisions.

Garlands wealth of experience working for the government could also influence his approach to Big Tech, Global Antitrust Institute and George Mason University law professor Abbott Lipsky, Jr. said.

He is probably an individual very sympathetic to the law enforcement view of the world, and particularly to the federal law enforcement institutions, Lipsky said of Garland. So he will be tough not tough in the sense of wanting to beat up on anybody, but in the sense of wanting to apply the law fairly and wanting to do it in a practical and thoroughly considered way.

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Harry First, New York University School of Law professor, said even more so than Garland, the departments yet-to-be-appointed deputy attorney general for the antitrust division will heavily influence cases against Big Tech. The usual run of antitrust enforcement is controlled by the assistant AG in charge of the antitrust division, First said.

One exception to that rule was a high-profile antitrust lawsuit the Justice Department and 11 states filed against Google (GOOG, GOOGL) in October, accusing it of engaging in anticompetitive behavior in its search and search advertising businesses. Then-Attorney General William Barr reportedly pushed hard to speed up the case against the search giant while the assistant attorney general in charge of antitrust matters was not involved at all due to a conflict of interest.

Then-Assistant AG Makan Delrahim recused himself based on his involvement as a lobbyist in Googles controversial effort to acquire advertising platform DoubleClick, an acquisition woven inseparably into the governments antitrust claims.

Lipsky said while an AGs close involvement in a departments cases is rare, the relationship with each deputy varies from administration to administration.

As for the assistant attorneys general, there are different patterns, Lipsky said. Barr seems to have taken a tremendous amount of responsibility in the investigation of the technology firms, and in bringing the complaint against Google.

A review of Garlands involvement in antitrust cases, the experts said, showed no viewpoint favoring antitrust plaintiffs or defendants. In antitrust cases where Garland participated as a judge for the D.C. Circuit, he joined the majority, but did not author any of the opinions. Reuters Practical Law Antitrust publication noted in a 2016 analysis that Garlands participation in the majority showed a slight pro-enforcement tendency.

One pro-enforcement decision involved a proposed merger of Heinz and the baby foods maker Beech-Nut. After the FTC challenged the merger of Heinz and Beech-Nut back in 2000, Garland signed onto an opinion ruling in favor of the commission and ordering a court to pause the deal while the FTC challenged it in court. Heinz abandoned the $185 million merger after the appeals courts ruling, which found the FTC had raised serious and substantial questions about the deal.

Still, Hittinger said, There are mergers that hes blocked when he was on the court, mergers hes upheld. I don't see any deference, one way or the other.

If hes confirmed by the Senate, Garland will be entering the Justice Department amid a broader movement to rein in Big Tech. In addition to the lawsuit in October, Google was hit with two additional antitrust lawsuits in December one from 10 states focused on ad tech and another from 38 attorneys general focused on exclusionary contracts.

Facebook (FB) is also facing two antitrust lawsuits: one brought by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) seeking to break it up, and another brought by 48 U.S. attorneys general claiming it violates antitrust law by buying up competitors. The competitive practices of Apple (AAPL) and Amazon (AMZN) remain part of ongoing investigations by federal and state officials.

Will the case against Google continue under a Biden administration? While there are instances where the Justice Department under a new administration has dropped or settled charges pending against a defendant, those instances are rare.

Its not unheard of and its not impossible, First said, pointing out that the Reagan administrations Justice Department dropped and settled major antitrust cases it inherited from prior administrations.

One dropped case was filed on the last day of the Johnson administration, more than a decade before Reagan took office, and sought to break up IBM. Another, inherited from the Carter administration, sought to curtail suspected price fixing between oil companies. Reagans DOJ also settled one of the departments largest and most notable cases, brought against AT&T under Ford.

With the Google case, First said, he would expect the new administration may want to change the direction of the case or broaden it, though not drop claims entirely.

One major concern is the timeframe set for proceedings against Google, which is not expected to go to trial until September 2023.

He and other experts acknowledged the complexity involved in the case but compared it to one of the departments most famous antitrust suits the case against Microsoft, alleging it engaged in a series of anticompetitive activities such as using exclusionary agreements to protect its Windows operating system, which ended up hurting competition in the software industry.

In the Microsoft case, the complaint was filed in May and they went to trial in September, First said. I was actually a little shocked at what looks to be a very deliberate pace of the [Google] litigation. That strikes me to be not a very good idea.

Lipsky agreed that the Google case schedule poses a risk, especially when dealing with technology and disputes that could become obsolete during the course of the litigation.

In addition, Lipsky said the DOJ and the FTC have long been mindful of the string of aggressive antitrust actions brought between the late 1960s and 1970s against IBM, oil companies, and cereal manufacturers, that failed, in part due the governments decisions to expand charges that lengthened the time for resolution.

All of those cases fell flat on their faces, Lipsky said.

Alexis Keenan is a legal reporter for Yahoo Finance and former litigation attorney.

Follow Alexis Keenan on Twitter @alexiskweed.

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Biden and Section 230: New administration, same problems for Facebook, Google and Twitter as under Trump – USA TODAY

Posted: at 5:15 pm

Delivering his first remarks on the steps of the Capitol overrun by an angry mob two weeks ago, President Joe Biden called for an end to Americas uncivil war.

Politics doesn't have to be a raging fire, destroying everything in its path. Every disagreement doesn't have to be a cause for total war, he said. And we must reject the culture in which facts themselves are manipulated and even manufactured.

Even as he spoke, a conspiracy theory was spreading on social media, that federal troops were not in Washington to safeguard the proceedings but to intimidate conservatives.

News outlet Axios reported that the theory began with Fox News Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity, building on right-wing anger over the perception that the major platforms, Facebook, Twitter and Googles YouTube censor opposition voices.

"Look for this to be a unifying argument of the right as the Biden era begins," wrote Mike Allen, co-founder of Axios, wrote in his morning newsletter.

Twitter purge angers conservatives: Trump allies and Republican lawmakers lost thousands of followers in Twitter purge after Capitol riots

'Burn down DC': Violence that erupted at Capitol was incited by pro-Trump mob on social media

New administration. Same problems.

Under intensifying siege from the political right and left since the attack on the Capitol, the nations leading tech companies can expect the scrutiny that began under Donald Trump to continue under Joe Biden and a Congress narrowly controlled by Democrats.

Bipartisan support to restrain the vast power held bya handful of large corporations grew during the Trump administration and shows no signs of ebbing as Democrats retake the White House.

While the Biden administration is expected to take on privacy and antitrust,the Democracy-shuddering wave of misinformation and disinformation during and after theelection is also expected to get close inspection.

Since losing Novembers election, Trump used the platforms to delegitimize the election results. On Jan. 6, a mob stormed the Capitol after Trump urged supporters to help stopthe certification of Electoral College votes.

Whats top of the agenda for tech companies right now is to sit down and rebuild their policies from the ground up, said Daniel Kreiss, professor of political communication at the Hussman School of Journalism and Media at the University of North Carolina.

The position that theyve been in has simply been untenable. You saw that over the last year, dozens of reversals of policy, inconsistent enforcement action, unclear and shifting rationales for how platforms are going to approach content moderation," Kreiss said. "It seems to me that they really need to lay out their principles about how they are going to act in political societies, have a very clear and consistent framework and apply those policies fairly and equally to all of their users.

US President-elect Joe Biden arrives for his inauguration as the 46th US President.(Photo: OLIVIER DOULIERY, AFP via Getty Images)

Social media platforms have been judged harshly by both parties for how they policed content over the past year, from the COVID-19 pandemic to election-related misinformation and disinformation.

Democrats, including Biden who was sworn in as the 46th president Wednesday, say the social media platforms dont restrict or remove enough harmful content, particularly hate speech, extremism, hoaxes and falsehoods. They have called on companies to play a bigger and more responsible role in curating public debate.

Those on the right say these platformshave too much latitude to restrict and remove content and target conservatives based on their political beliefs. Those grievances boiled over when Facebook, Twitter and YouTube suspended Trumps accounts, citing the risk that he would use his social media megaphone to incite more violence before the end of his term.

In a farewell video from the White House on Tuesday, Trump spoke out against shutting down free and open debate. Only if we forget who we are, and how we got here, could we ever allow political censorship and blacklisting to take place in America, he said.

Throughout his administration, Trump crusaded against Big Tech which fact-checked, restricted and, in some cases, blocked his messages.

The target of that crusade: Narrowing or rescinding Section 230, which shields social media companies from legal liability for what their users post and gives platforms immunity when moderating objectionable content.

The key part of the provision sometimes called the "26 words that created the internet" reads, No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider.

Those protections have been crucial to the growth of tech companies but have now become a proxy for anger on both sides of the aisle.

Those positions have only hardened since Jan. 6 and a subsequent purge of QAnon-linked accounts, making it even more challenging to reach consensus on Section 230 reform, said Jeff Kosseff, a cybersecurity law professor at the U.S. Naval Academy and the author The Twenty-Six Words That Created the Internet, a book about Section 230.

A number of bills that would hold Facebook, Twitter and Google legally accountable for how they moderate content are circulating in Congress, including the EARN IT Act and the PACT Act.Biden has called for Section 230 to be revoked.

You have half of D.C. that thinks there should be much less moderation and the other half thinking there should be more moderation. Its hard to find the solution when you don't have people agreeing on the problem, Kosseff said. Overall, I think its going to continue to be a big issue of debate.

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How can the Biden administration rein in Big Tech? – GZERO Media

Posted: at 5:15 pm

The call for abandoning ideological prejudice in the West, that sounds like, "But out of our affairs, we can do whatever we want to Uyghurs when there are a million in concentration and reeducation camps in our country." And we'll shut down journalists for even mentioning that if they try to operate inside China for that. The idea that the strong should not bully the weak sounds like, "Don't blame the United States. US, you better behave yourself." But what about the way the Chinese are treating Australia right now, or a host of other smaller countries that cross China's political, economic or national security interests? I mean, the willingness of Beijing to really make you pay when you engage in behaviors they don't like, is growing very quickly along with their international capacity to muscle flex.

And then on the pandemic, I mean, China is calling for greater global cooperation, but that also means that they need to cooperate in terms of transparency in what happened with coronavirus. And let's remember that there were, from my perspective, two big obscenities in terms of the world, in terms of coronavirus itself and the pandemic. One is the United States leaving the WHO in the middle of the pandemic, just an extraordinary antithesis of what a country should be doing, a country like the United States. But even more foundational was China lying to the World Health Organization about the lack of human-to-human spread for a month when we could have stopped this thing so much earlier, could have contained it, especially given the capacity we now see that China has to engage in contact tracing, quarantine and lockdown. And they chose not to. And that's a serious problem. For all of those reasons, this speech was not an enormously well-received speech by those watching.

Why did the Italian Prime Minister resign?

Well, I mean, largely it is over disagreement on how money should be spent in terms of massive coronavirus stimulus, sort of like the disagreement, the big disagreement, between Democrats and Republicans on the $1.9 trillion right now. I mean, how green, how sustainable should it be? How much money goes to healthcare? How much money goes to new technologies? How much to the workers? Former Prime Minister Renzi basically pulled out of the governing coalition over disagreements on that. And they weren't able to get a solid majority in a vote of confidence. That makes it much more difficult to governance done. And that's why Conte resigned. He is the 29th Prime Minister since World War II. If he doesn't get elected back in, if they can't put a new coalition together, they will have the 30th in Italy. Italy's kind of like the Doritos of G20 governments. Crunch all you want, they'll make more. That's kind of what we're looking at in Italy. The good news is it's not all that exciting.

Where is the international outrage for what's happening in Ethiopia's Tigray region?

And no question, there's a lot of violence. There are obvious human rights breaches across the board. There's danger of famine. There are tens of thousands of refugees. And this at the hands of a Prime Minister of Ethiopia that had won the Nobel Peace Prize, and some saying he should return the prize, just as they were saying that about Aung San Suu Kyi for some of her nationalist calls to help support minority repression in Myanmar after doing so much to stand up to the authoritarian government. A couple of points here. One is that Ethiopia, talking about this level of conflict at a time when everyone's focusing on coronavirus, everything small and local gets lost in the scrum. But also, Prime Minister Abiy in Ethiopia has led the charge in trying to move away from an ethnic-led federal government, where sort of different groups control political power, to one where it's much more of a traditional political party system, or I should say a modern political party system. And the Tigray in Ethiopia were the group that stood to lose the most party, a minority group that wielded effectively a majority of patronage and power. And so, the willingness to blame Abiy for the violence that we're seeing right now, even though he has the Ethiopian army, there's Eritrean military that's involved. It's an ally of his. I mean, clearly he has more power. But some of the initial violence clearly came at the hands of local Tigray as well who refused to recognize the Ethiopian election process and the suspension because of the pandemic, and instead held their own election, became a breakaway province. And so in these situations, there is so much conflicted narrative in terms of history, and it's very hard to lay responsibility and blame firmly at the hands of one side in this conflict. Those two things together get you why we're not paying as much attention as we perhaps should to a country with over 100 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa, and one of the strongest growth trajectories economically in the entire world.

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Task Force Oceania Supports Operation Christmas Drop 2020 in the Republic of Palau – United States Army

Posted: at 5:12 pm

U.S. EMBASSY KOROR The 9th Mission Support Commands Task Force Oceania Team Palau helped the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Embassy at Koror carry out Operation Christmas Drop 2020. The success of OCD 20 was the result of months of planning and coordination between the U.S. military, the State Department, and several Pacific island countries.Task Force Oceanias Team Palau worked closely with local government officials in Koror, Kayangel, Anguar, Peleliu, Tobi, Sonsorol, and Pulo Anna islands to ensure the local communities would be ready to receive the Christmas bundles of food, tools, clothing, and toys.Each year here in Palau, family and friends gather together to celebrate Christmas. It is a time of promise, hope and anticipation. One thing the people anticipate most are the bundles that the U.S. Air Forces C-130s drop from above during this dual-purpose training and humanitarian mission, said Maj. Gamble See, Task Force Oceanias civil affairs team officer-in-charge. This mission to deliver love from above has been ongoing for 69 years and is an annual highlight for young and old alike across not only Palau, but also the Pacific.To overcome the challenge of managing so many drop zones on so many islands, each of the two-person civil affairs team Soldiers traveled separately to a different island each day to provide maximum support across the four-day operation.Even in our tropical paradise, Christmas is an important time of the year, said Sgt. Yangilmau, the teams cultural liaison non-commissioned officer. Everyone was very appreciative and excited but especially in the more remote islands of Anguar and Kayangel where supplies are harder to come by.This training mission is humanitarian in nature and involves low-cost low-altitude air drops from C-130 Hercules aircraft to deliver supplies to more than 20,000 people on islands spread out across 1.8 million square nautical miles."It was great to see how the kids were very excited and happy about the drops, said Tramp Derbai, a local guard force member at the U.S. Embassy. During this pandemic, people are struggling financially, and Operation Christmas Drop will help the people that need it the most, especially during this holiday season where families are trying to make ends meet."Socially distanced teams wearing recommended protective gear on shift work prepared the donations into bundles that were disinfected prior to delivery across the islands, thereby ensuring the safety of everyone who received items from the drops.COVID-19 remains a global challenge that no nation can face alone our strong network of alliances and partnerships is critical to combating this virus. U.S. Embassies, U.S. Army Pacific, and the members of Task Force Oceania across the Pacific stand ready and prepared to operate responsibly in Oceania.

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Best new hotels opening in Asia and Oceania in 2021 – The Week UK

Posted: at 5:12 pm

Some of the worlds most stylish hotels and resorts are opening in 2021 - theyre just waiting for guests to come and experience the plush surroundings.

From ryokans in Japan to paradise islands in the Maldives, we pick out the most luxurious new places you can stay in this year in Asia and Oceania.

1

Australia

From its upstart hipster roots in Portland, Oregon, the artsy Ace Hotel brand has now been reshaping the look of mid-range digs for 20 years, says Mark OFlaherty inThe Daily Telegraph. The brand arrives in Australia towards the end of this year, bringing the usual mix of artisanal coffee, seasonal cocktails and in-room turntables to a new 19-storey, 264-room tower in Sydney. The building is already a landmark in the Surry Hills neighbourhood of the city, which has gone from being a laid-back eastern suburb to a hub for food and design. As we have come to expect from the team behind the Ace Hotel brand, it is working with local designers to create something unique. The rooftop bar and restaurant promise to be quite the sun-drenched scene.

2

Japan

Azumi Setoda is the first hotel of a new brand inspired by traditional Japanese inns known as ryokan, says Claire Wrathall in the Financial Times. It is set to open in March on the island of Ikuchijima in Japans Seto Inland Sea, in a splendid 19th-century building that was once the home of a powerful shipping family. The building has been restored and converted to accommodate 18 suites and four duplexes, each with its own garden or balcony, by Kyoto-based Shiro Miura, an expert in sukiya, a style of architecture dating back to the 16th century that strives to balance the elements. Rather than focus on luxury, the concepts at the heart of Azumi Setoda are culture, community, arts and food. Hence the neighbouring yabune, or public bathhouse, is intended for locals as much as guests. Rates start from 560.

3

Maldives

This 100-villa resort on the beaches of the North Mal Atoll will welcome its first guests from Q2 2021. Villas are built across four paradise islands, all with ocean and lagoon views of the crystal-clear waters. Each villa will be cared for by a dedicated Aris Meeha, or personal host, to tailor guests journey and look after their every need. Guests will be able to dine at seven different restaurants, as well as enjoy treatments at The Ritz-Carlton Spa.

4

Maldives

Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi has unveiled the largest private island in the archipelagic state. The ultra exclusive destination spans 32,000sqm in the heart of the Indian Ocean and is only a 40-minute journey from Mal on the resorts Princess yachts or via a 15-minute seaplane flight. The sprawling estate accommodates 24 guests across two-, three- and four-bedroomed residences, placed across the islands private beach and overwater. The private island also comes with its own dedicated culinary team.

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Karan Kathuria Joins Renkus-Heinz with Focus on Asia, Oceania and SAARC Regions – Live Design

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Renkus-Heinz, manufacturer of premium professional loudspeakers, have appointed Karan Kathuria to the position of Director operating acrossAsia, Oceania and SAARC. The role will see Kathuria evolving these regions through the introduction of Renkus-Heinz technologies to the Pro AV community including consultants, integrators and end users.

One of the biggest reasons for me joining Renkus-Heinz is the companys inclination toward cutting-edge technology, Kathuria said. This is a company that understands and appreciates the mechanics and physics of sound at an incredible level, which enables it to address inevitable acoustic challenges across various applications.

Kathurias professional background includes engineering, sales, operations and marketing roles with renowned organizations, including Bose, Harman, and MUSIC Tribe. His most recent position was Senior Director at MUSIC Tribe a position hed held since 2015.

Kathuria said the coming months will be a critical time for pro audio as it plays a role in the worlds return to physical workspaces. Kathuria believes adding Renkus-Heinz solutions to more projects will result in more collaborative and safer environments across the globe.

We need to give people the right setup to return to professional and personal environments, including corporate spaces, schools, houses of worship, sports facilities, large venues and more, Kathuria said. I believe there is a huge opportunity to unleash the power of Renkus-Heinz into different verticals.

"Karan brings a wealth of experience and he will play a critical role in strengthening our presence in the Asia, Oceania and SAARC territories, said Karl Brunvoll, VP of International Sales for Renkus-Heinz. Karan is a tremendous resource, and we're excited to have him on board."

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All-terrain Vehicle Market by Type & Application, Drive, Engine, Fuel, Wheel Number, Seating Capacity, and Region – Global Forecast to 2025 -…

Posted: at 5:12 pm

DUBLIN, Jan. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "All-terrain Vehicle Market by Type & Application (Sport, Entertainment, Agriculture, Military & Defense), Drive (2WD, 4WD, AWD), Engine (&lessThan;400, 400-800, >800cc), Fuel (Gasoline, Electric), Wheel Number, Seating Capacity, and Region - Global Forecast to 2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The all-terrain vehicle market, by value, is projected to grow to USD 4.4 billion by 2025 from USD 3.9 billion in 2020, at a CAGR of 2.4% during the forecast period.

The rising demand for ATVs in recreational activities, mainly worldwide championships, will boost the future growth of the all-terrain vehicle market.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a low impact on the North America and Asia Oceania all-terrain vehicle market. European countries and the RoW region were significantly impacted by COVID-19 and underwent lockdowns, therefore, powersports and recreational activities were stopped. Also, a majority of the ATV manufacturing companies in Europe reported steep decrease in revenues. However, with the resumption of a few power sports and entertainment activities in the coming months, the market is expected to grow in future.

More than four wheels ATVs to be the fastest growing segment in All-terrain vehicle, by number of wheels

More than four wheeled ATVs is projected to be the fastest growing market in the all-terrain vehicle market by 2025. OEMs are planning to be more customer-centric in terms of its manufacturing processes. The growing number of ATV buyers are looking for more than 4-wheel ATVs, especially in military and agricultural applications. Thus, OEMs, component manufacturers, and material providers are jointly working to develop more than 4 wheeled ATVs with better design, performance, and efficiency. Hence, more than four wheeled ATVs is projected to be the fastest growing all-terrain vehicle market.

Utility ATV is the largest segment in All-terrain vehicle market, by type

Utility ATVs are estimated to hold the largest share of the all-terrain vehicle market, by type. Utility ATVs are multipurpose and can be used in different applications such as military, agriculture, construction, forestry, etc. Thus, these vehicles offer lucrative opportunities for all-terrain vehicle manufacturers. In addition, the increasing demand for ATVs in agriculture and military & defense applications in Asia Pacific and North America would further drive the utility all-terrain vehicle market.

North America is estimated to be the largest market for all-terrain vehicles

The North American all-terrain vehicle industry is one of the most advanced industries in the world. Market growth in the North American region is driven by the dominating ATV market in the US and Canada. In recent years, the region has seen the highest ATV manufacturing growth. The US and Canada together accounted for around 96.2% of the total all-terrain vehicle production in the region in 2019. The Canadian all-terrain vehicle industry is a major contributor to the country's economy and provides employment for over half a million people. The country has signed a free trade agreement with its neighbors to strengthen the automotive industry. Technological developments in the US have also impacted the Canadian market and boosted the demand for all-terrain vehicles in the country. Polaris Industries (US), Textron (US), and BRP (Canada) are the leading ATV players in the region. According to analysis, the US will continue to drive the growth of the all-terrain vehicle market. This trend of the all-terrain vehicle market in North America is expected to remain the same in the near future.

Key Topics Covered:

1 Introduction2 Research Methodology

3 Executive Summary

4 Premium Insights4.1 Future Opportunities for ATV Industry Are in Utility ATV Segment4.2 All-Terrain Vehicle Market, by Region4.3 All-Terrain Vehicle Market, by Type4.4 All-Terrain Vehicle Market, by Application4.5 All-Terrain Vehicle Market, by Drive Type4.6 All-Terrain Vehicle Market, by Fuel Type4.7 All-Terrain Vehicle Market, by Engine Capacity4.8 All-Terrain Vehicle Market, by Number of Wheels4.9 All-Terrain Vehicle Market, by Seating Capacity

5 Market Overview5.1 Introduction5.2 Market Dynamics5.2.1 Drivers5.2.1.1 Increasing Off-Road Recreational Activities Would Drive the Demand of Atvs5.2.1.2 Increasing Demand for Atvs in Agriculture and Military & Defense5.2.1.3 Increasing Purchasing Power and Spending Capacity of Individuals5.2.2 Restraints5.2.2.1 High Accident Rates May Hamper the ATV Sales5.2.2.2 Restriction on ATV Usage in Wildlife Zone May Hamper the ATV Demand5.2.3 Opportunity5.2.3.1 Increase Use of Technology in ATV to Drive the Demand5.2.3.2 Positive Outlook Toward Electric Atvs5.2.4 Challenges5.2.4.1 Trade Barriers Between Different Regions5.2.4.2 High Cost of Atvs5.2.4.3 Impact of COVID-19 on the Demand for Atvs5.3 Side-By-Side Vehicles5.4 Impact of COVID-19 on the ATV Industry5.5 All-Terrain Vehicle Market Scenario5.5.1 Most Likely/Realistic Scenario5.5.2 High COVID-19 Impact Scenario5.5.3 Low COVID-19 Impact Scenario5.6 Pricing Analysis5.7 Patent Analysis5.8 Supply Chain Analysis5.9 Regulatory Landscape

6 All-Terrain Vehicle Market, by Drive Type6.1 Introduction6.1.1 Research Methodology6.1.2 Industry Insights6.2 2Wd6.2.1 North America is the Largest 2Wd ATV Market6.3 4Wd6.3.1 Europe is the Largest 4Wd ATV Market6.4 AWD6.4.1 Asia Oceania is the Fastest Growing AWd ATV Market

7 All-Terrain Vehicle Market, by Fuel Type7.1 Introduction7.1.1 Research Methodology7.1.2 Assumption7.1.3 Industry Insights: by Fuel Type & Region7.2 Electric ATV7.2.1 Europe is the Fastest Growing Electric ATV Market7.3 Gasoline ATV7.3.1 North America is the Largest Gasoline ATV Market

8 All-Terrain Vehicle Market, by Application8.1 Introduction8.1.1 Research Methodology8.1.2 Industry Insights8.2 Sports8.2.1 North America is the Largest Market for Sports Atv8.3 Entertainment8.3.1 Asia Oceania is One of the Fastest Growing Market for Entertainment Atv8.4 Agriculture8.4.1 North America is the Largest Market for Agriculture Atv8.5 Military & Defense8.5.1 Europe is One of the Fastest Growing Market for Military and Defence Atv8.6 Hunting & Forestry8.6.1 North America is the Largest Market for Other Applications of Atv

9 All-Terrain Vehicle Market, by Engine Capacity9.1 Introduction9.1.1 Research Methodology9.1.2 Industry Insights9.2 &lessThan;400 Cc9.2.1 North America is the Largest Market for &lessThan; 400 Cc9.3 400 to 800 Cc9.3.1 Europe is One of the Fastest Growing Market for 400 to 800 Cc9.4 > 800 Cc9.4.1 Europe is the Fastest Growing Market for > 800 Cc

10 All-Terrain Vehicle Market, by Seating Capacity10.1 Introduction10.1.1 Research Methodology10.1.2 by Seating Capacity, by Region: Industry Insights10.2 One-Seat Atv10.2.1 North America is Largest One-Seater ATV Market10.3 Two-Seat Atv10.3.1 Europe is the Fastest Growing Two-Seater ATV Market

11 All-Terrain Vehicle Market, by Type11.1 Introduction11.1.1 Research Methodology11.1.2 Assumption11.1.3 Industry Insights: by Type & Region11.2 Utility Atv11.2.1 Europe is the Fastest Growing Market for Utility Atv11.3 Sport Atv11.3.1 Asia Oceania is the Fastest Market for Sport Atv

12 All-Terrain Vehicle Market, by Number of Wheels12.1 Introduction12.1.1 Research Methodology12.1.2 Assumption12.1.3 Industry Insights12.2 Four-Wheel12.2.1 Europe is One of the Fastest Growing Four-Wheeled ATV Market12.3 >Four-Wheel12.3.1 North America is the Largest More Than Four-Wheel ATV Market

13 All-Terrain Vehicle Market, by Region13.1 Introduction13.2 Asia Oceania13.3 North America13.4 Europe13.5 Rest of the World (Row)

14 Competitive Landscape14.1 Overview14.2 Market Evaluation Framework14.3 Competitive Leadership Mapping14.3.1 Definitions14.3.1.1 Star14.3.1.2 Emerging Leaders14.3.1.3 Pervasive Players14.3.1.4 Participants14.3.2 Competitive Leadership Matrix14.3.3 Strength of Product Portfolio14.3.4 Business Strategy Excellence14.4 Market Share Analysis - Key ATV Manufacturers14.5 Competitive Scenario14.5.1 New Product Developments

15 Company Profiles15.1 Polaris15.2 Textron15.3 Honda15.4 Kawasaki15.5 Suzuki15.6 Yamaha15.7 KTM15.8 BRP15.9 CFmoto15.10 Linhai15.11 Additional Companies15.11.1 North America15.11.1.1 Hisun15.11.1.2 Bennche15.11.1.3 John Deere15.11.2 Europe15.11.2.1 Velomotors15.11.2.2 Ecocharger15.11.2.3 Baltmotors15.11.3 Asia Oceania15.11.3.1 Cectek15.11.3.2 Nebula Automotive15.11.3.3 Taiwan Golden Bee15.11.3.4 Kymco

16 Appendix16.1 Insights of Industry Experts16.2 Discussion Guide16.3 Knowledge Store: The Subscription Portal16.4 Available Customizations16.4.1 Side by Side Vehicle Market, by Application16.4.1.1 Sports16.4.1.2 Entertainment16.4.1.3 Agriculture16.4.1.4 Military & Defense16.4.1.5 Others (Hunting & Forestry)16.4.2 Side by Side Vehicle Market, by Fuel Type16.4.2.1 Gasoline16.4.2.2 Diesel16.4.2.3 Electric16.4.3 Side by Side Vehicle Market, by Region16.4.3.1 Asia Oceania16.4.3.2 Europe16.4.3.3 North America16.4.3.4 RoW16.4.4 Detailed Analysis and Profiling of Additional Market Players (Up to 3)16.5 Related Reports16.6 Author Details

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/vgv4c1

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All-terrain Vehicle Market by Type & Application, Drive, Engine, Fuel, Wheel Number, Seating Capacity, and Region - Global Forecast to 2025 -...

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Engagement with ASEAN and Oceania Region will remain critical element of India’s Act East Policy: Secretary (East), MEA – India Education Diary

Posted: at 5:12 pm

New Delhi: Ms Riva Ganguly Das, Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs today emphasised on the importance of Indias relations with ASEAN and Oceania countries for enhancing collaboration in areas such as Digital connectivity, Information Technology, Fintech, Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals.

Addressing the session Indias Engagement with Worlds Growth Centre ASEAN and Oceania Region, organized by FICCI, Ms Das highlighted the centrality of these two regions in terms of Indias vision for Indo-pacific and urged the industry to explore opportunities in emerging areas of cooperation like Blue economy, Disaster management and Sustainable development, Defence cooperation, building connectivity through India- Myanmar Thailand Trilateral Highway.

Key principles of Act East Policy are promotion of economic cooperation, cultural ties, and development of strategic relationship with countries in Indo pacific region, added Ms Das.

Mr Uday Shankar, President, FICCI highlighted that in order to build new and resilient supply chains with ASEAN and Oceania region, we must upgrade the skilling, improve logistics services, and strengthen the infrastructure connectivity with ASEAN and Oceania region.

He further added that sectors such as Start-ups and innovation, E-commerce, Infrastructure, Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, etc. hold the maximum promise for collaboration between India and the countries in the ASEAN and Oceania region.

Mr Shankar also laid emphasis on business and economic cooperation in areas of mutual interest such as start-ups, and innovation, empowerment of youth and women and the development of MSMEs for elevating the plateau of our relationship with ASEAN and Oceania countries.

Mr Dilip Chenoy, Secretary General, FICCI delivered the vote of thanks.

Indias economic relations with ASEAN and Oceania countries have evolved over the years. Although we share a dynamic relationship, there is still huge untapped potential in trade and investment aspects that can be achieved. India can play a key role in reforming and creating new partnerships with these regions for enabling economic growth. The session also talked about how India can become the next potential alternative to the world, for de-risking business, bringing an opportunity to be part of global value chains.

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Oceania Healthcare Limited (NZX: OCA) Half Year Result and Interim Report – sharechat.co.nz – sharechat

Posted: at 5:12 pm

Oceania records increase in First Half Unaudited Underlying EBITDA

Oceania Healthcare, Aged Care and Retirement Village Operator and Developer, announced today an unaudited half year underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of $35.4 million for the six months ended 30 November 2020, a 2.0% ($0.7m) increase compared to the prior corresponding period (pcp).

Highlights

A 2.0% increase ($0.7m) in unaudited underlying EBITDA compared to the prior corresponding period

Unaudited Reported Net Profit after tax (NPAT) of $24.8m, up $9.9m on the prior corresponding period

Sales volumes (for both independent living apartments and villas, as well as care suites) 44% ahead of the prior corresponding period

Successfully navigating the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, with no COVID-19 cases recorded to date in any of Oceania Healthcares aged care centres or retirement villages

The completion of 28 apartments and 61 care suites at Green Gables (Nelson) in September 2020

On track to complete 217 new independent living units (apartments and villas) and care suites prior to 31 March 2021

Operating cashflow increased 30.9% to $74.6m as a result of strong sales volumes

Total assets increased to $1.7 billion, up 11.8% ($177.1m) on November 2019 primarily due to significant development capital expenditure during the period

Completion of a heavily oversubscribed retail bond issue in October 2020, raising $125 million

Interim dividend of 1.3 cents per share (not imputed) announced. This will have a record date of 10 February 2021 and will be paid on 24 February 2021. The Dividend Reinvestment Plan will apply to this dividend

Oceania Healthcare Chair Liz Coutts advised the Board declared an interim dividend of 1.3 cents per share (unimputed). The record date is 10 February 2021 and payment date 24 February 2021. The Dividend Reinvestment Plan (DRP) will apply to the dividend payable on 24 February at a discount of 2.5% to the volume weighted average price of shares sold on the NZX Main Board over the period of the five trading days starting 9 February 2021.

See the links below for more details:

Media Release

Results Announcement

Distribution Notice

Interim Report

Results Presentation

Source: Oceania Healthcare Limited

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Oceania Healthcare calls for aged-care to be priority for COVID-19 vaccinations – New Zealand Doctor Online

Posted: at 5:12 pm

Leading aged care provider Oceania Healthcare wants the Government to reconsider its approach to a Covid-19 vaccine by prioritising our most vulnerable those in aged residential care and their nurses.

Under the current COVID-19 Sequencing Framework, should New Zealand remain in a position of low/no community transmission, our elderly will be among the third group to receive the vaccine.

But looking at how COVID-19 has already taken a toll on the elderly in New Zealand with almost all the countrys 25 victims being residents of aged residential care facilities Dr Frances Hughes, Oceania Healthcare General Manager of Nursing and Clinical Strategy, says this plan is not good enough.

If they get really sick, they will swamp the system, or they will die.

At the peak of the period of COVID-19 incidence in New Zealand, five significant clusters were identified in aged residential care facilities. Those residents are particularly vulnerable to the complications of COVID-19 infections.

Oceania Healthcare has over 3,600 residents, contributing to the 38,000 beds across all aged residential care facilities in New Zealand. That total is three times the number of hospital beds available across all District Health Boards combined. With this ratio comes a risk that infected elderly will take up hospital beds that could otherwise be used for people with other illnesses.

It puts pressure on the total system if they dont provide an accessible preventable approach as soon as we get a vaccine, Dr Hughes says.

She adds the vaccine will also need to be made available to staff and healthcare workers of aged residential care facilities as a priority, to protect residents they closely care for.

The importance of this was highlighted when reviewing the cases in aged residential care facilities the most common vector of COVID-19 to aged residential care facilities was a staff member.

We have spent the last year keeping our residents safe and this is the final leg. We dont want to trip on the last hurdle, Dr Hughes says.

As the current COVID-19 Sequencing Framework stands, the first two groups to receive the vaccine will include those working at the border, in isolation and quarantine facilities, and in frontline healthcare and emergency services.

Dr Hughes, and Oceania Healthcare, agree this border and frontline workforce should be a priority and are asking that New Zealands elderly, their carers, and those with chronic illnesses, are included in the first group.

We have to look at the next vulnerable, and that is the elderly and those with chronic illness.

Unless changes are made, aged care residents and those over 65 years will only be given the vaccine in the first group should the country be experiencing widespread community transmission at the time of the vaccine arriving in the country.

To help alleviate the pressure put on vaccinators, nearly 80 Oceania Healthcare registered nurses are currently undergoing the Provisional Vaccinator Foundation Course established by the Immunisation Advisory Centre (IMAC).

That gives each Oceania Healthcare facility at least one vaccinator.

We want our Oceania Healthcare nurses to undergo the same standard of quality control so we can contribute to the growing pool of vaccinators in New Zealand.

Not only will this support the rollout of the vaccine across Oceania Healthcare and prevent residents from clogging up the health system, it will also contribute to better results of the vaccine.

Dr Hughes says giving the vaccine is not a one-size-fits-all approach, and Oceania Healthcares nurses know the condition of the residents and their allergies, and can most importantly ensure consent is given.

It is important vaccinators know the population they are vaccinating, Dr Hughes says. You can imagine how challenging it can be to vaccinate someone who is cognitively impaired.

About Oceania Healthcare:

Oceania Healthcare is a leading provider of premium healthcare services in New Zealand. Home to over 3,600 residents across 44 sites in New Zealand, Oceania Healthcare is transforming the retirement and aged care experience, and redefining what it means to live in a Village.

About Dr Frances Hughes, Oceania Healthcare General Manager of Nursing and Clinical Strategy:

CNZM, BA, MA, PhD (Nursing)

Dr Hughes is a Registered Nurse with over 30 years nursing experience. Dr Hughes has held senior management and nursing positions on a global level and was formerly the Chief Executive of the International Council of Nurses. She has worked for the World Health Organisation and has also served on boards in Queensland, Rwanda and Switzerland. Dr Hughes was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to mental health in 2019. She joined Oceania in October 2019.

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