Topic “In the News News” — Exporter Magazine

The chocolatier and multinational food company said it would acquire, at an undisclosed price, all shares of the group that controls the Jenny Craig franchise in Australia and New Zealand. Launched on November 30 by Nabix, a South Korean developer, the iPhone application “Honey, it’s me!” is warming lonely hearts with the voice of “Mina”, a 20-something virtual woman. The government plans to spend close to USD$20 billion on new roads and transport infrastructure over the next five years, and a $36 billion metro system is in the pipeline over the longer term. Qatar is also building an $11 billion airport and a $5.5 billion deepwater seaport, according to Standard Chartered Bank. The air conditioner, independently developed by Gree, mainly uses solar power, using normal electricity only when solar power is inadequate, said Huang Hui, chief engineer of Gree Electric Appliances. Announcing grants to 26 companies nation-wide in Christchurch this week, Research, Science and Technology Minister Wayne Mapp said that lifting high-tech export business is critical to New Zealand’s future. A panel at the Geneva-based trade group on Monday said it agreed that the US was justified in slapping a 35% tax on Chinese tyres under WTO provisions that let countries protect local industries and workers from sharp increases in Chinese imports. The fall in vineyard values had increased banks’ “anxiety” about land as security. A large number of companies were on the market, particularly in central Otago and Marlborough, and quite a few were forced sales.