Category: 3. Business

  • Illegal drugs advertised on social media; more airline competition taking off: CBC Marketplace cheat sheet

    Illegal drugs advertised on social media; more airline competition taking off: CBC Marketplace cheat sheet

    Miss something this week? Don’t panic. The CBC’s Marketplace rounds up the consumer and health news you need.

    Want this in your inbox? Get the Marketplace newsletter every Friday.

    We’re back!

    Good morning. This is Bobby Hristova.

    We’re back to give you consumer news, tips and insider info to help you save cash and stay healthy.

    Next Friday, we’ll be back on air with a new episode about lab diamonds.

    They look identical to natural diamonds, but are lab diamonds changing the jewelry game or just the price tag? We reveal what’s really behind that sparkle. Plus, does the product match the promise? We’re testing fast-food marketing from popular restaurants to find out which chains come up short.

    You can watch on Jan. 16 and 8 p.m. local time and 8:30 p.m. in Newfoundland and Labrador on CBC-TV and CBC Gem.

    ‘It’s like on Amazon’: Illegal drugs advertised online, delivered by Canada Post

    WATCH | Websites are selling illegal drugs online. Here’s why it’s so hard to stop them:

    Websites are selling illegal drugs online. Here’s why it’s so hard to stop them

    Advertisements on popular social media platforms are promoting illegal drugs for sale online, then shipping them through Canada Post. The problem, experts say, is much bigger than a few ads, or stopping some parcels.

    It’s like Amazon for hard drugs: cocaine, heroin and ecstasy, paid for with credit cards and e-transfers, delivered by Canada Post.

    For weeks, CBC Ottawa and Radio-Canada exchanged messages with nearly a dozen people who have been buying these drugs online. Eventually one came forward, offering to talk about their experience.

    “The first time I was like, ‘OK, it’s not true, it’s a scam,’” John said. CBC News has agreed to withhold his real name because he fears the impact of his drug use on his family and his job.

    “You go on the website and it’s very easy.”

    We started seeing ads offering pure cocaine pop up on Facebook and Instagram, with images of white powder. Pretty soon our social media feeds were flooded with them.

    These narcotics are highly addictive and highly illegal, but the ads claim the drugs are tested and safely delivered.

    The drug ads appear on social media platforms including Instagram and Facebook, owned by parent company Meta, which makes more than 90 per cent of its profits from advertising.

    Meta refused an interview request from the CBC. Instead, a spokesperson responded with an email.

    “Content that attempts to buy, sell or trade illicit drugs is not allowed on our platforms. We have removed the flagged ads and pages, disabled the ad accounts, and restricted the account admins from running ads in the future,” the spokesperson wrote.

    Meta says it uses AI and specialized consultants to flag and stop the ads. LegitScript is one company that specializes in flagging ads that sell illegal content online.

    Canada Post also refused requests for an in-person interview, and instead sent the CBC a statement.

    “When our postal inspectors confirm that an item contains an illegal drug, they remove the item from the mail stream and turn it over to the police,” the Crown corporation wrote.

    CBC News reached out to the RCMP over several weeks. Canada’s national police force refused our repeated requests for an interview, but a spokesperson replied in an email.

    “Through co-ordinated investigations, advanced cyber tools, and strong partnerships … we are actively targeting individuals and networks profiting from the sale of illicit substances online,” the spokesperson wrote.

    Read more from the CBC’s Omar Dabaghi-Pacheco and Ryan Garland.

    Viral video on WestJet plane sparks debate over passenger legroom, calls for more regulation

    WATCH | WestJet goes viral over new, tightly configured seating plans:

    Viral video sparks WestJet legroom complaints

    An Alberta family is speaking out after a video showing them struggling to sit in a tight new WestJet seating arrangement went viral. The airline is facing criticism for putting profits before people with the tightly configured, non-reclining seats.

    A viral video showing an Alberta family’s tight squeeze on a recent WestJet flight is prompting conversations about passenger legroom on Canadian airlines and whether the federal government needs to get involved.

    On Dec. 26, 2025, Amanda Schmidt, her mother and her father were flying on WestJet from Edmonton to Toronto, en route to the Dominican Republic.

    The family bought ultra-basic economy seats, which were non-reclining, and found their seating circumstances quite cramped.

    A video posted to TikTok by Amanda shows her father, Manfred Schmidt, who is 6’3″ and approximately 220 pounds, appearing uncomfortable in his seat.

    “I could not get into the seat. I mean, I tried to get my knees in front of me … I’m a little bit taller than normal, maybe, but not a lot,” Manfred said.

    “It was going to be like a four-hour flight. I was concerned about, OK, well, what are we gonna do? I mean, you can’t recline, you can’t move. You’re jammed in there like a sardine.”

    Manfred said flight attendants later allowed him to sit in a seat with more legroom, but Amanda wants to see some accountability from the airline.

    “It’s inhumane, basically, to make people travel like this, and then also that it is a health and safety concern,” she said. “When you buy a seat for a human, you should be able to expect it to fit a human safely.”

    WestJet declined an interview request, but said in an email to CBC News that the airplane in the video is “one of our newly reconfigured aircraft.”

    The airline said it is trying to make air travel available to more Canadians by trying new products, such as aircraft that accommodate an extra row by changing seat pitch, which is the distance between the back of a seat, to the back of the seat in front of it, thereby reducing legroom for passengers.

    Some rows on certain WestJet aircraft have a 28-inch pitch (about 71 centimetres). According to John Gradek, an aviation expert at McGill University, a 30-inch pitch (about 76 centimetres) is typical in the Canadian airline industry.

    Read more from the CBC’s Julia Wong.

    Canadian airlines could be forced to ‘up their game’ as Ottawa allows more competition from Middle East

    WATCH | Eased restrictions on Middle East flights puts pressure on Canadian airlines:

    Eased restrictions on Middle East flights puts pressure on Canadian airlines

    As the federal government eases restrictions on the amount of flights from the Middle East, experts say Canadian airlines may face pressure to upgrade their planes and service level to stay competitive.

    Airlines in Canada could soon be under pressure from customers to improve their services as the federal government opens its skies to more competition from the Middle East.

    Ottawa is loosening restrictions on the number of flights coming from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates after past diplomatic spats had limited flights.

    Aviation expert John Gradek said airlines from the Middle East are considered the “envy of the world” because of the services they offer, which will force Canadian airlines to do more if they want to go head-to-head with these foreign carriers.

    “Canadian carriers are going to have to up the ante and up their game to be able to compete,” said Gradek, who is a lecturer of aviation management at McGill University in Montreal.

    “It’ll push Air Canada, it’ll push WestJet and may push our friends over at Air Transat to kind of look at the service level they’re offering on board the airplane, and the amenities and actual configuration of the airplanes.”

    Canadian MPs and senators, through parliamentary committees, have studied a series of issues hitting Canada’s airline industry in recent years, including a lack of competition, high fares, accessibility complaints and passengers’ rights.

    Some airlines, like Emirates, are famous for their first-class seats. Videos created by YouTubers and influencers have garnered millions of views showing off Emirates’ caviar meals, fancy sleeping pods and showers onboard.

    Read more from the CBC’s Ashley Burke.


    What else is going on?

    Quebec Superior Court approves class action against Ticketmaster over service fees

    Law firm says pricing scheme is abusive, with fees based on ticket prices rather than actual cost of service

    Nestlé recall of some baby formulas does not apply to Canadian products, company says

    Nestlé voluntarily recalled the formula — mostly in Europe — due to potential contamination

    Cheaper obesity medications could come to Canada this summer, as Health Canada reviews generics

    Having generics that might significantly reduce the price is welcome, obesity physician says

    Why car costs keep going up, and what it might take to bring them back down

    The average price of buying a car has increased by more than 40 per cent since 2018

    Warner Bros. rejects revised Paramount bid, tells shareholders to stay with Netflix

    Warner Bros. board says offer hinges on ‘extraordinary amount of debt financing’


    Marketplace needs your help!

    A woman on a phone.

    Have you complained to the consumer protection office in your province or territory? If so, we want to know how it went. Email us at marketplace@cbc.ca.

    A man on a phone

    Are you planning on calling customer service for your cell, cable or internet provider? Or are you looking to cancel your service? Before you do, Marketplace wants to hear from you! Email us at marketplace@cbc.ca.

    Catch up on past episodes of Marketplace on CBC Gem.

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  • Jaecoo J5 Official Price in Pakistan Revealed

    Jaecoo J5 Official Price in Pakistan Revealed

    Nexgen Auto has announced the official ex-factory introductory prices of the JAECOO J5 SHS HEV, expanding its hybrid SUV lineup in Pakistan.

    According to the company, the JAECOO J5 SHS HEV Comfort has been priced at Rs. 6,699,000, while the JAECOO J5 SHS HEV Premium carries a price tag of Rs. 7,699,000. Nexgen said the introductory prices will remain valid until March 10, 2026.

    The JAECOO J5 will be offered in two variants. The top-spec version comes equipped with a 1.5-liter turbocharged hybrid engine producing 221 horsepower and 295 Nm of torque, paired with a front-wheel-drive system.

    The vehicle accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.9 seconds and features a 1.83 kWh hybrid battery, with a claimed fuel economy of 18.8 km per liter. In terms of size, the J5 measures 4,380 mm in length, 1,860 mm in width, and 1,650 mm in height, with a 2,620 mm wheelbase.

    The top-spec variant includes an 18-inch alloy wheel setup, dual-zone climate control, and a panoramic sunroof. Inside, the vehicle offers a 13.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system, an 8-inch digital instrument cluster, and an eight-speaker audio system.

    Safety features include six airbags, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), and a 540-degree camera. Additional features include ventilated front seats, wireless charging, acoustic glass, heated side mirrors, anti-pinch windows, and Type-C charging ports.


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  • Record-high electricity production in Finland: Exports continue despite peak demand | Yle News

    Record-high electricity production in Finland: Exports continue despite peak demand | Yle News

    “Electricity consumption is high and we are still exporting – that’s a new thing during a time of peak consumption,” said the CEO of Finnish Energy.

    Power lines in Liminka, near Oulu (file photo). Image: Esko Jämsä / AOP

    Finland’s electricity production set a new record on Saturday evening, according to Jukka Leskelä, Managing Director of the industry group Finnish Energy. In a social media post, he said that generation reached 15,438 megawatts (MW) between 6 and 6:15pm.

    According to Leskelä, brisk winds have boosted electricity production even though the demand for electricity is near the all-time due to severe cold through most of the country.

    “Electricity consumption is high and we are still exporting – [that’s] a new thing during a time of peak consumption,” Leskelä wrote.

    According to the transmission grid company Fingrid, Finland reached its all-time electricity consumption record this week, as usage spiked to 15,553 MW on Thursday evening – just before the country registered its coldest temperature for this winter: -42.8 degrees Celsius.

    Fingrid suggested that while demand was driven up by the freezing temperatures, moderate electricity prices also contributed to the record as consumers did not hold back on consumption for fear of high utility bills.

    On Sunday afternoon, Finland narrowly remained a net exporter of electricity, according to Fingrid, with production and consumption both around 13,000. The average spot price remained moderate at about 11.80 cents per kilowatt-hour.

    Two years ago, the country briefly recorded its highest-ever spot price of 2.35 euros per kilowatt-hour on 5 January 2024.

    Last year, consumers in Finland enjoyed the third-cheapest electricity in Europe.

    In the first nine months of last year, total electricity consumption in Finland rose by one percent from the corresponding period of 2024. However, overall energy consumption in January to September fell by the same margin, with consumption of fossil fuels and peat dropping by nine percent.

    Last year, close to half of all energy consumption was provided by renewable energy sources.

    In 2025, just over 1,000 megawatts (MW) of new wind power capacity was installed, increasing the total capacity to almost 9,500 MW. Meanwhile industrial solar power capacity more than doubled to 352 MW.

    In 2024, 95 percent of Finland’s electricity production was based on fossil-free energy, according to Statistics Finland. Wind power overtook hydropower as the second biggest mode of electricity production, covering 37 percent of consumption – just behind nuclear power’s 38 percent.

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  • New Phase III study results support self-administered Saphnelo as an effective treatment option for systemic lupus erythematosus

    New Phase III study results support self-administered Saphnelo as an effective treatment option for systemic lupus erythematosus

    AstraZeneca reported positive results from a Phase III TULIP-SC clinical trial, showing a statistically significant and clinically meaningful reduction in disease activity with the subcutaneous (SC), self-administration of Saphnelo (anifrolumab) in adults with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The safety profile observed with SC Saphnelo was consistent with the known clinical profile of Saphnelo administered as an intravenous infusion.

    In the 52-week study, 56.2% of study participants receiving Saphnelo experienced a significant reduction in lupus disease activity at week 52 compared to 37.1% of participants who received the placebo. Results were measured by the British Isles Lupus Assessment Group-based Composite Lupus Assessment (BICLA). In pre-specified secondary and exploratory endpoints, 29.0% of participants taking Saphnelo achieved remission and 40.1% achieved low disease activity by week 52. SC Saphnelo was well tolerated, with the frequency of overall adverse events balanced between the Saphnelo and placebo groups, SC Saphnelo is approved in the European Union and is under regulatory review in other countries, including the United States and Japan.

    Continue to follow the Lupus Foundation of America for updates on lupus drug developments. Learn more about Saphnelo.

    Read the announcement

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  • Instagram password reset emails: Company issues clarification on ‘hacking’ of 17.5 million user data, say – Times of India

    Instagram password reset emails: Company issues clarification on ‘hacking’ of 17.5 million user data, say – Times of India

    1. Instagram password reset emails: Company issues clarification on ‘hacking’ of 17.5 million user data, say  Times of India
    2. Instagram addresess data breach claims after millions reportedly impacted by password reset emails  The Express Tribune
    3. Are Instagram password reset emails a phishing attack? How to protect yours  Jang
    4. Malwarebytes Confirms 17.5 Million Instagram Accounts Data Leak  mezha.net
    5. Instagram hit by major security flaw; data of 1.75 crore users leaked  Kerala Kaumudi

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  • Most Swiss political parties object to proposal to tax electric vehicles

    Most Swiss political parties object to proposal to tax electric vehicles


    The right-wing Swiss People’s Party opposes taxing motorists to the benefit of public finances.


    Keystone-SDA

    The Swiss government’s proposal to impose a new tax on electric vehicles by 2030 is causing an uproar. The political parties, the Transport and Environment Association and the Touring Club of Switzerland (TCS) are all calling for changes or to reject the proposal.

    +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox

    The consultation period on the proposed tax ended on Friday. The government is proposing two alternatives. One is to tax the number of kilometres travelled, taking into account the weight of the vehicle. The other involves a tax on the electricity used, irrespective of the type of vehicle.

    The right-wing Swiss People’s Party rejects the proposal outright, and is particularly opposed to taxing motorists to the benefit of public finances.

    + Electric car sales slowing down in Switzerland

    The centre-right Radical-Liberals propose that the government apply an alternative transitional solution and work towards a viable and fair reform of the taxation of electric vehicles in the long term.

    The centre-left Liberal Greens reject the tax, while the left-wing Green Party welcomes it.

    The Transport and Environment Association wants such a tax to come into force in 2035 at the earliest. Finally, the TCS is calling for a gradual approach.

    Translated from French with AI/gw

    We select the most relevant news for an international audience and use automatic translation tools to translate them into English. A journalist then reviews the translation for clarity and accuracy before publication.  

    Providing you with automatically translated news gives us the time to write more in-depth articles. The news stories we select have been written and carefully fact-checked by an external editorial team from news agencies such as Bloomberg or Keystone.

    If you have any questions about how we work, write to us at english@swissinfo.ch.

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  • Scatec signs landmark PPA in Egypt for 1.95 GW Solar and 3.9 GWh BESS capacity

    Scatec signs landmark PPA in Egypt for 1.95 GW Solar and 3.9 GWh BESS capacity

    Oslo/Cairo, 11 January 2026: Scatec ASA, a leading renewable energy solutions provider, has signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC) for a total capacity of 1.95 GW Solar and 3.9 GWh Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) in Egypt.

    Under the agreement Scatec will deliver one integrated Solar and BESS hybrid system designed to deliver continuous, around-the-clock renewable baseload power. In addition, Scatec will develop two standalone BESS projects aimed at providing essential grid stability and support services. The combined capacity will be the largest solar and BESS installation in Africa and the largest investment in Scatec’s history.

    “Signing this groundbreaking PPA further cements Scatec’s leading position and commitment to delivering reliable, renewable energy at a large scale in Africa. By integrating advanced solar and battery technologies, we are providing Egypt with sustainable, around-the-clock power and grid stabilising services, supporting both the country’s energy transition and the region’s long-term economic development,” says Scatec CEO Terje Pilskog.

    Scatec will be compensated under a 25-year, USD-denominated pay-as-produced Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), linked to the electricity generated by the hybrid system. The plant is expected to deliver approximately 6,000 GWh of renewable energy annually.

    Scatec will provide Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC), Asset Management (AM) and Operations & Maintenance (O&M) services for the projects. By leveraging its proven expertise from similar large-scale hybrid and BESS projects, Scatec will ensure efficient delivery and management through all phases of the project.

    Scatec is the lead developer of the projects and will invite additional equity partners. Further details on capital expenditure, EPC scope and financing structure will be disclosed at financial close, which is expected in the second half of 2026.

    For further information, please contact:
    For analysts and investors:
    Andreas Austrell, SVP IR
    andreas.austrell@scatec.com
    +47 974 38 686

    For media:
    Meera Bhatia, SVP External Affairs & Communications
    meera.bhatia@scatec.com
    +47 468 44 959

    About Scatec 

    Scatec is a leading renewable energy solutions provider, accelerating access to reliable and affordable clean energy in emerging markets. As a long-term player, we develop, build, own, and operate renewable energy plants, with 6.2 GW in operation and under construction across five continents today. We are committed to grow our renewable energy capacity, delivered by our passionate employees and partners who are driven by a common vision of ‘Improving our Future’. Scatec is headquartered in Oslo, Norway and listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol ‘SCATC’. To learn more, visit www.scatec.com or connect with us on LinkedIn.

    This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act

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  • Crude Oil Weekly Forecast 11/1: Upwards in Progress? (Chart)

    Crude Oil Weekly Forecast 11/1: Upwards in Progress? (Chart)

    The rebellion in Iran is firmly within its second week as it continues to unfold. The Venezuelan leadership crisis remains unclear. And the price of WTI Crude Oil is above 58.000 USD rather comfortably.

    After challenging rather magnetic support levels the past few weeks, WTI Crude Oil showed the ability to move higher on Tuesday of this past week. As analysts debated what could happen to important oil producers and supply internationally, concerns about a possible glut did not cause a crushing downturn, instead healthy incremental gains were held onto going into this weekend.

    The price of WTI Crude Oil closed around $58.435 on Friday and will offer day traders plenty of speculative spice when the markets open tomorrow. News from Iran continues to roil and the implications regarding its energy supply are complex if the Iranian regime actually falters. However, supply of oil the world over is healthy and is not going to suddenly evaporate. Oil from producers around the globe are pumping plenty of supply.

    Since the 15th of December the 56.000 USD mark has seen a lot of price action as a magnet for lower momentum, the price of WTI Crude Oil has gone below this lever too over the past few weeks, and did so again last week. Even on Thursday the 8th of January the price of WTI Crude Oil went below 56.000 USD. With the normalization of volume returning to the Crude Oil sector via trading as the Christmas and New Year’s holidays appear in the rear view mirror, speculators will have better liquidity to judge technical moves.

    Thursday’s price action did see a surge higher however that likely caused some raised eyebrows, as the 56.000 juncture suddenly disappeared and WTI Crude Oil quickly broke north of 58.500 USD. Intriguingly for technical traders is the perception that Friday’s trading sustained the 58.000 mark, and closed out the week’s speculative action within sight of the highs for the week which were hit on Friday around the 59.600 ratio. But this might also be a warning, because WTI Crude Oil was selling off as it went into the weekend.

    There will be a lot of noise this coming week regarding what Venezuela and Iran’s developing news means for the oil sector. But one of the things it most likely means, is that the price of WTI Crude Oil isn’t about to jump wildly upwards.

    • The ability of WTI Crude Oil to go into this weekend with a price that is within the upper tier of its one month chart, must be balanced with the acknowledgement the commodity has been traversing lower the past few months steadily.
    • Perhaps day traders may feel there is room for upwards momentum and a retest of the 60.000 level.
    • But Thursday’s lows pushed towards the 56.000 USD ratio and beneath again, this as a reminder for overly ambitious bullish speculators to be careful.

    Speculative price range for WTI Crude Oil is 56.150 to 59.750

    Full market action will be seen this week in WTI Crude Oil. There is a lot of noise in the energy sector currently because of rumors swirling due to Venezuela and Iran. Day traders need to be cautious. The rise in prices last week also saw retests of lows which have been persistent.

    A trader looking for lower price action cannot be blamed for actually thinking WTI Crude Oil may be able to track incrementally lower again. However large players in the commodity have a lot of considerations regarding outlook as they look ahead a few months. Choppy results may be a highlight over the coming week as traders try to balance their insights, along with their concerns. Unknowns are aplenty, and the fact that WTI Crude Oil has been exploring lower values for a few months should be remembered.

    Ready to trade our weekly forecast? Here are the best Oil trading brokers to choose from.

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  • A preliminary study on virtual fencing – Teagasc

    A preliminary study on virtual fencing – Teagasc

    A preliminary study at Teagasc Moorepark aimed to evaluate the performance of virtual fence collars on a herd of cows grazing in paddocks with multiple daily grass allocations. Read about the study here.

    Virtual fencing enables animal containment within, or exclusion from, land areas without physical fences by conditioning animals to a virtual boundary delimited with an audio cue and an electric pulse.

    The technology typically comprises a mobile phone application through which the user maps the virtual boundary, and a neck collar device on the animal which produces an audio cue when the animal approaches the boundary.

    If the animal breaches the boundary, it receives an electric pulse from the collar. This signal pattern engages the associative learning capabilities of the animal so that they can avoid receiving an electrical pulse by learning to stop or turn away from the virtual boundary when the audio cue is emitted.

    This technology has been highlighted in recent research as a benefit to the operation of farming systems, from farmer, animal and production perspectives, as well as representing an innovative solution for protecting and re-vitalising special conservation areas.

    Studies in Australia, Tasmania and Germany have examined virtual fencing in recent years and have reported positive findings with regard to animal containment, learning, behaviour, welfare and performance. The technology was also found to be successful at remotely herding dairy cows to the milking parlour.

    Virtual fencing opens up new opportunities in reducing the labour-intensive task of fencing, allowing remote animal monitoring and control of forage availability on pasture.

    The technology can increase the flexibility of the interaction of herd and pasture management; it can prevent over-grazing or allow time limited access to a specific herbage, e.g. clover.

    However, it is important to investigate the operation of this technology within a conventional dairy herd in Irish pasture-based systems. This preliminary study aimed to evaluate the performance of virtual fence collars on a herd of cows grazing in paddocks with multiple daily grass allocations (three per day, increasing the challenge of containing the herd within smaller areas), compared to a herd managed with a conventional electric fence receiving a single daily grazing allocation.

    The study

    One hundred and sixty-eight spring-calved Holstein-Friesian dairy cows were assembled. Cows were on average 154 days in milk at the commencement of the experiment. Animals were balanced for calving date, milk yield, parity and bodyweight, blocked into groups of two and randomly assigned to one of two treatments.

    Cows in Treatments 1 and 2 were managed by a conventional electric fence and by virtual fence collars (Norwegian company, Nofence), respectively. Cows in Treatment 1 had 22-h (full-time) access to pasture (24 h minus 2 h for morning and evening milkings) with an allocation of 18 kg DM/cow per day.

    Treatment 2 cows received the equivalent grass allocation over 22 h (but with this allocation given in three portions over the 22 h. Forty five percent of the 22 h allocation was given over the 4 h period (08:00 – 12:00) after morning milking; the next 10 % was given over the 3 h period (12:00 – 15:00) until evening milking; and the remaining 45 % was given over the 15 h period (16:00 – 07:00) until the following morning milking.

    Training of the cows to the collar equipment took place prior to the experimental period. Nofence collars were switched off during milking. Treatments were imposed over four weeks from 22nd July. All audio cues and electric pulses emitted to cows were recorded. Grass measurements were carried out daily, and milk yield and composition were also recorded daily.

    Results from the Virtual Fencing study

    Virtual fence data, grass measurements and milk yield and composition data from cow herds with and without virtual fence collars is shown in Table 1. Average number of audio cues/cow per day and average number of electric pulses/cow per day were in line with those observed in other studies. The audio cues outnumbered electrical stimuli, indicating cows generally responded to the benign audio cues alone and avoided receiving electric pulses.

    Pre-grazing pasture biomass and post-grazing height were similar for the two treatments. Likewise, milk yield/cow per day and milk solids yield/cow per day were similar for the treatments.

    Table 1: Virtual fence data (audio cues and electric pulses), grass measurements and milk yield and composition data from cow herds with and without virtual fence collars and receiving one or three grazing allocations per day

    Treatment 11 Treatment 21
    Average number of audio cues/cow per day (Week 1: 7.3)(Week 4: 10.9)
    Average number of electric pulses/cow/day (Week 1: 0.3)(Week 4: 0.3)
    Pre-grazing herbage mass (kg DM/ha) 1,344 1,308
    Post-grazing sward height (mm) 50 52
    Milk yield/cow per day (kg) 16.7 16.6
    Milk solids/cow per day (kg) 1.55 1.50
    1 Treatment 1: herd managed with a conventional electric fence and receiving one grass allocation per day; Treatment 2; cows wearing virtual fence collars and receiving three grass allocations per day

    Conclusion

    This preliminary study on virtual fencing showed that the virtual fence retained cows in the areas specified without apparent negative implications for cow behaviour or welfare. But further work is required to interpret the potential for, and implications of, combining grass measurements with virtual fence collar data to create a decision support tool that could optimise grassland management and grazing efficiency while optimising animal performance and welfare, with minimum labour requirement.

    Acknowledgements

    Appreciation is extended to placement students who contributed towards conducting grass measurements, providing grass allocations and cow behaviour data collection. The authors also acknowledge receipt of funding to carry out this research work.

    The above was authored by Bernadette O’Brien, Ilan Halachmi, Violet Ryan and Ricki Fitzgerald and published in the Moorepark 2025 Open Day proceedings (PDF).

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  • Oil gains as market weighs Iran, Russia supply risks; dealmaking for Venezuela in focus

    Oil gains as market weighs Iran, Russia supply risks; dealmaking for Venezuela in focus

    NEW YORK (Reuters) – Oil prices rose 2% on the last working day of the week on Friday on growing supply worries linked to intensifying protests in oil-producing Iran and an escalation of attacks in Russia’s war in Ukraine.

    Brent futures settled $1.35, or 2.18%, higher to $63.34 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was up $1.36, or 2.35%, to $59.12.

    Both benchmarks climbed more than 3% a day earlier, following two straight days of declines. For the week, Brent rose about 4%, while WTI gained about 3%.

    “The uprising in Iran is keeping the market on edge,” said Phil Flynn, senior analyst with the Price Futures Group.

    Worries over potential disruption of Iran’s oil output grew as the civil unrest in the Middle Eastern country intensified.

    “Iran protests seem to be gathering momentum, leading the market to worry about disruptions,” said Ole Hansen, head of commodity analysis at Saxo Bank.

    A nationwide internet blackout was reported in Iran on Thursday as protests over economic hardships continued in the capital Tehran, the major cities of Mashhad and Isfahan as well as other areas around the country.

    The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries pumped 28.40 million barrels per day last month, down 100,000 bpd from November’s revised total, a survey showed, with Iran and Venezuela posting the largest declines.

    Concerns about the spread of the Russia-Ukraine war also added to supply worries.

    The Russian military said on Friday it had fired its hypersonic Oreshnik missile at targets in Ukraine. The targets included energy infrastructure supporting Ukraine’s military-industrial complex, the Russian defense ministry said in a statement.

    Still, global oil inventories are rising, and oversupply remains the main driver that could cap gains, Haitong Futures said. Unless risks around Iran escalate, the rebound is likely limited and hard to sustain.

    Meanwhile, the White House was set to meet with oil companies and trading houses Friday afternoon to discuss Venezuelan export deals.

    US President Donald Trump has demanded that Venezuela give the US full access to its oil sector following Washington’s capture of the country’s leader Nicolas Maduro on Saturday. Trump administration officials have said the US will control Venezuelan oil sales and revenue indefinitely.

    Oil major Chevron Corp, global trading houses Vitol and Trafigura, and other firms are competing for US government deals to market up to 50 million barrels of oil that state-run oil company PDVSA has accumulated in inventories amid a severe oil embargo.

    “The market will focus on the outcome in the coming days for how the Venezuelan oil in storage will be sold and delivered,” said Tina Teng, market strategist at Moomoo ANZ.

    US oil and gas rig count, an early indicator of future output, fell by two to 544 this week, the lowest since mid-December, energy services firm Baker Hughes said in its closely followed report on Friday.


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