分类： News

The federal government is rolling out its air passenger protection regulations on the eve of the summer travel season setting out what compensation airlines must pay for failing to provide adequate services to passengers.

The new regulations announced Friday will be launched in two phases. Some regulations come into force on July 15, while others will not take effect until December 15.

“Our goal was to provide a world-leading approach to air passenger rights that would be predictable and fair for passengers while ensuring our air carriers remain strong and competitive,” Transport Minister Marc Garneau said in a statement.

“After a long and thorough consultation process, I am proud to say these new regulations achieve that balance and will give air travellers the rights and treatment they pay for and deserve,” he added.
继续阅读Federal government announces new rules on airline passenger protection, compensation

Google has cut phone maker Huawei off from some updates to the Android operating system, Reuters reports.

New smartphones made by the company will also lose access to Google’s app store and software such as Gmail, the news agency’s story says.

Huawei declined to comment and Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the BBC.

What services precisely will be severed is still being discussed at Google, said Reuters, citing an unnamed source.

Huawei can still use the version of the Android operating system available through the open source license.

‘Big implications”

On Wednesday the Trump administration added Huawei to its “entity list”, blocking the sale or transfer of American technology without a licence.

“Until there is a clear statement from Google, it is hard to speculate about the ramifications,” said Ben Wood, from the CCS Insight consultancy.

“But should the Reuters report be accurate, it would have big implications for Huawei’s consumer business.”

Several governments around the world have blocked telecoms companies from using Huawei gear in next-generation 5G mobile networks, citing security concerns.

So far the UK has held back from any formal ban.

“Huawei has been working hard on developing its own App Gallery and other software assets in a similar manner to its work on chipset solutions. There is little doubt these efforts are part of its desire to control its own destiny,” said Mr Wood.
继续阅读Google ‘restricts Huawei’s use of Android

Seven-Eleven Japan Co. and Lawson Inc. said Friday they will start discounting rice balls and lunch boxes that are close to their expiration date in order to reduce food waste, a large issue in the country due to the 6 million tons of edible food discarded annually.

The convenience store operators will offer customers enrolled in the chains’ point programs shopping credits worth 5 percent of the value of purchases as an incentive for buying such products. They have been selling products at list price and had all but banned franchise store owners from offering discounts.

The move by the companies to embrace discounts is also expected to benefit outlets struggling with rising payroll costs at a time of severe labor shortages, which is occurring against the backdrop of a rapidly graying population.
继续阅读Japan’s Seven-Eleven and Lawson to discount foods close to expiration in bid to cut waste

The U.S. Commerce Department said on Friday it may soon scale back restrictions on Huawei Technologies after this week’s blacklisting would have made it nearly impossible for the Chinese company to service its existing customers.

The Commerce Department, which had effectively halted Huawei’s ability to buy American-made parts and components, is considering issuing a temporary general license to “prevent the interruption of existing network operations and equipment,” a spokeswoman said.

Potential beneficiaries of the license could, for example, include internet access and mobile phone service providers in thinly populated places such as Wyoming and eastern Oregon that purchased network equipment from Huawei in recent years.

In effect, the Commerce Department would allow Huawei to purchase U.S. goods so it can help existing customers maintain the reliability of networks and equipment, but the Chinese firm still would not be allowed to buy American parts and components to manufacture new products.
继续阅读US may scale back Huawei trade restrictions to help existing customers

WESLEY WARK
SPECIAL TO THE GLOBE AND MAIL

Wesley Wark is a visiting professor at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottawa and an expert on intelligence and national security issues.

U.S. President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order effectively banning the Chinese global telecommunications giant Huawei from any role in the development and deployment of next-generation 5G communications networks in the United States.

There will be many voices in this country calling for us to follow suit. With a Canadian public alarmed by China’s actions, including the detention of Canadian citizens, the Liberals will be sorely tempted to take the seemingly safe and easy road, and jump on the U.S. ban bandwagon – especially during a turbulent election year. The Conservatives have already promised to do so.
继续阅读Canada shouldn’t jump on the Huawei ban-wagon