Business

Europe Starts to Understand Thailand’s Coconut-Picking Monkeys

Coconut milk exports off, blame the monkeys

The Department of International Trade Promotion has said Europe has started to understand the practice of using monkeys to pick coconuts in Thailand. The department chief Somdet Susomboon wants Thai coconut products to return to European shelves soon.

Director-general Somdet Susomboon said Thai trade centers and embassies in Europe were giving explanations. about monkeys in the coconut industry. This comes after European stores removed Thai coconut products from their shelves following a monkey abuse allegation by PETA, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

Operators and consumers in Europe better understood what was happening in Thailand, he said.

“Commercial attaches and concerned officials have talked to representatives of department stores in Europe. They understand Thai culture… Monkeys picking coconuts are a part of long-standing community lifestyles. The picked coconuts are locally consumed and are not used in industries.

Some monkeys do it for shows to tourists,” Mr Somdet said.

Commercial attaches would also discuss the issue with PETA. Saying it was likely that the operators of European department stores would review the issue, he said.

Last week officials of the Commerce Ministry and the Foreign Ministry brought European ambassadors and foreign reporters to witness the collection of coconuts for industries. There they saw people and machines, not monkeys, were used for the task for coconut products.

PETA Tries to Cancel Culture Thailand’s Coconut Picking Monkeys

‘Very few’ animals used to harvest coconuts, contrary to Peta claim

As the cancel culture becomes rampant in the US, animal rights protection group PETA has been accused of double standards and cultural racism. PETA is trying to claim that using monkeys in harvesting coconuts in Thailand is cruel. PETA has now called to ban Thai coconut products.

“Has cancel culture gone too far?” The question felt impossible to ignore this year. Google it and you’ll see pages of op-eds, often concluding, yes, it has gone too far. And the Internet mob is out of control.

On his Facebook post today, Mr. Atthawich Suwanpakdee, secretary-general of the Kla Party, asked about the difference between the use of monkeys to pick coconuts in Thailand and the use of pigs in the search for truffles in Europe.

He said that the use of monkeys and pigs are two different cultures and both are respectable. Adding that, in Thailand, monkeys and men work together to pick coconuts. With the monkeys being properly trained at special schools.

PETA should respect Thailand’s cultural diversity

PATA, Monkeys, Coconuts Thailand

In the West, Mr. Atthawich said pigs have been used for generations to find truffles, which are an expensive delicacy served in restaurants.

“PETA’s concern over animal cruelty is understandable, but its cancel campaign for countries to ban coconut products from Thailand is cruel and even more an insult to our culture.

Nowadays, one should respect racial and cultural diversity,” said the Kla party Secretary-General.

Thai TV celebrity, Ms. Narakorn Tiyanont, has also call out PETA on its cancel campaign. Saying look at the way western farmers raise geese to produce foie gras, or goose liver, which is a delicacy in French cuisine. She says the geese are force-fed using metal tubes to fatten the liver.

Ms. Narakorn also cited the brutal treatment of cows in the dairy and beef industry.

PETA says Monkeys abused in Thailand

Meanwhile, in a statement to Thai PBS, PETA senior vice president and social justice warrior Jason Baker said he believed using monkeys in the harvesting of coconuts in Thailand was cruel.

“When the government tries to explain away extreme cruelty to monkeys, it only makes the public angrier. The world doesn’t want to see these animals being deprived of their natural lives and exploited by the coconut industry.

The government can lead the industry to operate humanely, with an animal-free method. Which the rest of the region has already adopted, or it can be responsible for the industry’s downfall. Because the writing is on the wall.”

“Increasing numbers of consumers are speaking with their wallets, and retailers are listening. Our investigator was told repeatedly that these monkeys are taken from their families in nature. They were kept chained-up, abusively trained and forced to climb trees. They should be with their families, not enslaved,” his statement said.

PETA run by cancel culture hypocrites

PATA, Monkeys, Coconuts Thailand

Since 1980, PETA has made a name for itself as the number-one authority on animal welfare. UK-based YouTube vlogger Calum McSwiggan, however, wants people to consider otherwise. He recently used a scathing Twitter rant to sound off on the organization’s true colors.

After recent investigations, PETA came under fire for a lot more than just the scantily clad women they use for marketing. In a March 2017 press release, the Center for Consumer Freedom revealed that PETA euthanized more than 1400 cats and dogs at its Norfolk, Virginia shelter in 2016.

PETA defends their animal cruelty actions as ethically and economically necessary. But it’s becoming increasingly clear that their attention-grabbing media presence may be more important to them the animal rights and their lives.

McSwiggan’s savage roasts, that has now attracted over 6 thousand respective likes and shares is both shocking and resounding with Twitter users, most of whom had never dared to question PETA before.

PETA claiming the word ‘pet’ is offensive to animals

The animal rights activists PETA have sparked criticism after an appearance on Good Morning Britain calling for people to stop calling their pets ‘pets.’ A spokesperson from PETA appeared on the show advocating for pet owners to adopt the words like ‘companion’ instead for their dogs and cats.

However presenter Piers Morgan wasn’t having any of this and proceeded to tear into the spokesperson. Pointing out that PETA literally has the word ‘pet’ in their name (the acronym stands for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals).

Jennifer White, PETA’s senior media officer said:

A lot of people at home who have dogs and cats refer to them as pets and they refer to themselves as owners, and this implies that the animals are a possession.

but you want your organization to carry on being called Peta?

Do you see the problem? But pet is offensive. I’m offended by the use of the word pet.

Morgan said:

Oh for God’s sake, you don’t even believe this guff.’ When you refer to animals, not as the living beings that they are, but as an inanimate object, it can reflect our treatment on our animals.

One-trick pony, what’s your problem with that? Tell me why one-trick pony is wrong.

In response, White said:

We don’t need to go through every phrase, we’ll be here all day.

Morgan added:

Actually we do because if you want to change the language, I would like to know why. What is wrong with one-trick pony?

Some ponies also love doing tricks. Have you asked them? Have you asked the ponies?

The confrontation had people scratching their heads after they found themselves agreeing with Morgan, who is a divisive and contrary figure at the best of times.

When it was all over, Morgan surprisingly called it his ‘favourite interview’ during his time on the show while reiterating the point about the name.

PETA did offer some sort of response by asking if people should take the opportunity to use kinder language towards other living beings. Because animals have feelings.

Elsewhere, PETA has found themselves in other storm of controversy. Claiming that they had an advert banned from Sunday’s Super Bowl which depicted animals taking the knee. Also in the same way that NFL players had done to protest police brutality.

Business

PepsiCo Reduces Revenue Projections As North American Snacks And Key International Markets Underperform.

(VOR News) – In the third quarter of this year, Pepsi’s net income was $2.93 billion, which is equivalent to $2.13 per share. This was attributed to the company.

This is in stark contrast to net income of $3.09 billion, which is equivalent to $2.24 per share, during the same period in the previous year. The company’s earnings per share were $2.31 when expenses were excluded.

Net sales decreased by 0.6%, totaling $23.32 billion. Organic sales increased by 1.3% during the quarter when the effects of acquisitions, divestitures, and currency changes are excluded.

Pepsi’s beverage sales fell this quarter.

The most recent report indicates that the beverage and food sectors of the organization experienced a 2% decline in volume. Consumers of all income levels are demonstrating a change in their purchasing habits, as indicated by CEOs’ statements from the previous quarter.

Pepsi’s entire volume was adversely affected by the lackluster demand they encountered in North America. An increasing number of Americans are becoming more frugal, reducing the number of snacks they ingest, and reducing the number of times they purchase at convenience stores.

Furthermore, Laguarta observed that the increase in sales was partially attributed to the election that occurred in Mexico during the month of June.

The most significant decrease in volume was experienced by Quaker Foods North America, which was 13%. In December, the company announced its initial recall in response to a potential salmonella infection.

Due to the probability of an illness, the recall was extended in January. Pepsi officially closed a plant that was implicated in the recalls in June, despite the fact that manufacturing had already been halted.

Jamie Caulfield, the Chief Financial Officer of Pepsi and Laguarta, has indicated that the recalls are beginning to have a lessening effect.

Frito-Lay experienced a 1.5% decline in volume in North America. The company has been striving to improve the value it offers to consumers and the accessibility of its snack line, which includes SunChips, Cheetos, and Stacy’s pita chips, in the retail establishments where it is sold.

Despite the fact that the category as a whole has slowed down in comparison to the results of previous years, the level of activity within the division is progressively increasing.

Pepsi executives issued a statement in which they stated that “Salty and savory snacks have underperformed year-to-date after outperforming packaged food categories in previous years.”

Pepsi will spend more on Doritos and Tostitos in the fall and winter before football season.

The company is currently promoting incentive packets for Tostitos and Ruffles, which contain twenty percent more chips than the standard package.

Pepsi is expanding its product line in order to more effectively target individuals who are health-conscious. The business announced its intention to acquire Siete Foods for a total of $1.2 billion approximately one week ago. The restaurant serves Mexican-American cuisine, which is typically modified to meet the dietary needs of a diverse clientele.

The beverage segment of Pepsi in North America experienced a three percent decrease in volume. Despite the fact that the demand for energy drinks, such as Pepsi’s Rockstar, has decreased as a result of consumers visiting convenience stores, the sales of well-known brands such as Gatorade and Pepsi have seen an increase throughout the quarter.

Laguarta expressed his opinion to the analysts during the company’s conference call, asserting, “I am of the opinion that it is a component of the economic cycle that we are currently experiencing, and that it will reverse itself in the future, once consumers feel better.”

Additionally, it has been noted that the food and beverage markets of South Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa have experienced a decline in sales volume. The company cut its forecast for organic revenue for the entire year on Tuesday due to the business’s second consecutive quarter of lower-than-anticipated sales.

The company’s performance during the quarter was adversely affected by the Quaker Foods North America recalls, the decrease in demand in the United States, and the interruptions that occurred in specific international markets, as per the statements made by Chief Executive Officer Ramon Laguarta.

Pepsi has revised its forecast for organic sales in 2024, shifting from a 4% growth rate to a low single-digit growth rate. The company reiterated its expectation that the core constant currency profitability per share will increase by a minimum of 8% in comparison to the previous year.

The company’s shares declined by less than one percent during premarket trading. The following discrepancies between the company’s report and the projections of Wall Street were identified by LSEG in a survey of analysts:

SOURCE: CNBC

Business

Old National Bank And Infosys Broaden Their Strategic Partnership.

(VOR News) – Old National Bank, a commercial bank with its headquarters in the Midwest, and Infosys, a firm that specializes in information technology, have recently entered into a strategic expansion of their link, which has been in place for the past four years.

This expansion is more likely to take place sooner rather than later, with the likelihood being higher.

For the purpose of making it possible for Old National Bank to make use of the services, solutions, and platforms that are offered by Infosys, the objective of this expansion is to make it possible for the bank to transform its operations and processes through the application of automation and GenAI, as well as to change significant business areas.

This lets the bank leverage Infosys’ services, solutions, and platforms.

Old National Bank Chairman and CEO Jim Ryan said, “At Old National, we are committed to creating exceptional experiences for both our customers and our fellow employees.”

This statement is applicable to Old National Bank. Infosys is carefully managing the business process innovations that it is putting us through, putting a strong emphasis on efficiency and value growth throughout the process to ensure that it is carried out efficiently.

This is a routine occurrence throughout the entire operation. Because of Infosys’ dedication to our development and success, we are incredibly appreciative of the assistance they have provided.

Old National has been receiving assistance from Infosys in the process of updating its digital environment since the year 2020, according to the aforementioned company.

Ever since that time, the company has been providing assistance. The provision of this assistance has been accomplished through the utilization of a model that is not only powerful but also capable of functioning on its own power.

Infosys currently ranks Old National thirty-first out of the top thirty US banks.

This ranking is based on the fact that Old National is the nation’s largest banking corporation.

It is estimated that the total value of the company’s assets is approximately fifty-three billion dollars, while the assets that are currently being managed by the organization are valued at thirty billion dollars.

Dennis Gada, the Executive Vice President and Global Head of Banking and Financial Services, stated that “Old National Bank and Infosys possess a robust cultural and strategic alignment in the development, management, and enhancement of enterprise-scale solutions to transform the bank’s operations and facilitate growth.”

This remark referenced the exceptional cultural and strategic synergy between the two organizations. Dennis Gada is the one who asserted this claim. This was articulated explicitly concerning the exceptional cultural congruence and strategy alignment of the two organizations.

We are pleased to announce that the implementation of Infosys Topaz will substantially expedite the transformation of Old National Bank’s business processes and customer service protocols. We are exceedingly enthusiastic about this matter. We are quite thrilled about this specific component of the scenario.

Medium-sized banks operating regionally will continue to benefit from our substantial expertise in the sector, technology, and operations. This specific market segment of Infosys will persist in benefiting from our extensive experience. This phenomenon will enable this market sector to sustain substantial growth and efficiency benefits.

SOURCE: THBL

Business

American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack

The largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States stated Monday that it had been the target of a cyberattack, forcing the company to halt invoicing to consumers.

American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack

American Water, based in New Jersey and serving over 14 million people in 14 states and 18 military facilities, said it learned of the unauthorized activity on Thursday and quickly took precautions, including shutting down certain systems. The business does not believe the attack had an impact on its facilities or operations and said employees were working “around the clock” to determine the origin and scale of the attack.

water

The corporation stated that it has alerted legal enforcement and is cooperating with them. It also stated that consumers will not be charged late fees while its systems are unavailable.

According to their website, American Water operates over 500 water and wastewater systems in around 1,700 communities across California, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

SOURCE | AP