Google today launched an update to its Duo video chat app (which you definitely shouldn’t confuse with Hangouts or Google Meet, Google’s other video, audio and text chat apps). There are plenty of jokes to be made about Google’s plethora of chat options, but Duo is trying to be a bit different from Hangouts and […]

Facebook has diverted from its policy of not fact-checking politicians in order to prevent the spread of potentially harmful coronavirus misinformation from Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Facebook made the decisive choice to remove a video shared by Bolsonaro on Sunday where he claimed that “hydroxychloroquine is working in all places.” That’s despite the drug still […]

Zoom is making some drastic changes to prevent rampant abuse as trolls attack publicly shared video calls. Starting April 5th, it will require passwords to enter calls via Meeting ID, as these may be guessed or reused. Meanwhile, it will change virtual waiting rooms to be on by default so hosts have to manually admit […]

It’s a brutal time for marijuana startups. I’m hearing some are raising at 1/5th of their 2019 valuation amidst rampant competition, tall taxes, and slow legalization. The struggles for marijuana’s best-known startup, delivery service Eaze, continue as today it’s losing one of its top partners. $75 million-funded weed brand empire Caliva has dropped Eaze in […]

Would you pay with a “Google Card?” TechCrunch has obtained imagery that shows Google is developing its own physical and virtual debit cards. The Google card and associated checking account will allow users to buy things with a card, mobile phone or online. It connects to a Google app with new features that let users […]

Instagram founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger have teamed up to launch their first product together since leaving the Facebook mothership. Rt.live is an up-to-date tracker of how fast COVID-19 is spreading in each state. “Rt” measures the average number of people who become infected by an infectious person. The higher above the number 1, […]

Facebook is co-opting some of the top video chat innovations like Zoom’s gallery view for large groups and Houseparty’s spontaneous hangouts for a new feature called Rooms. It could usher in a new era of unplanned togetherness via video. Launching today on mobile and desktop in English speaking countries, you can start a video chat […]

Atlassian is about as ubiquitous to software engineers as Google is to the rest of us. The Sydney-based company, which launched in 2002, develops tools and services for enterprise collaboration and marched efficiently to a public offering in 2015. So it goes without saying that we’re thrilled to have Atlassian co-founder and co-CEO Mike Cannon-Brookes […]

Material Bank, a logistics platform for the architectural and design industry, has announced the close of a $28 million Series B financing today, led by Bain Capital Ventures. Bain’s Merritt Hummer led the round on behalf of the firm and will join the board of directors at Material Bank, along with Jeff Sine, cofounder and […]

Optimization. Efficiency. Data-driven decisions. If I had a nickel for every time I hear these words from founders I’d be long retired. And yet, the process involved in achieving resource optimization, efficiency and making truly data-driven decisions is laborious to say the least, and usually involves an immense amount of talent and resources. And then […]

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo issued a joint call on 24 April for governments to refrain from imposing export and other trade restrictions on key medical supplies and food and to quickly lift those put in place since the start of the year.

The Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) has set up a dedicated webpage and will be organizing webinars to examine the trade impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on least developed countries (LDCs).

The WTO Secretariat has published a new report on the treatment of medical products in regional trade agreements (RTAs) amid current supply shortages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The report examines the extent medical products are traded among preferential partners and the difference in liberalization rates within and outside these trade agreements.

The government of Canada contributed CAD 450,000 (just over CHF 300,000) in 2020 to help developing countries and least-developed countries (LDCs) comply with international food safety, animal and plant health standards, with the aim of increasing their access to agricultural markets.

Food security is increasingly dependent on international trade, making it critical to keep trade in food flowing, WTO Deputy Director-General Alan Wolff noted on 30 April. In remarks delivered on his behalf by WTO Agriculture Division Director Edwini Kessie at the “Trade Dialogues on Food” webinar, he said that, on balance, governments have been quick to recognize the value of international trade for global food security during the COVID-19 crisis and are taking concrete action to protect the global food supply chain from disruption. His remarks are below:

Canada has contributed over CAD 90,000 (approximately CHF 60,000) in 2020 to enhance the trading capacities of developing countries and least-developed countries (LDCs). This donation to the WTO’s DDA Global Trust Fund will finance training workshops and seminars for government officials, with the aim of deepening their understanding of current trade issues and challenges and improving their negotiating skill-set.

The WTO Secretariat has published a new information note looking at how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected e-commerce, including the implications for cross-border trade. It notes the increased use of e-commerce as consumers adapt to lockdowns and social distancing measures and draws attention to several challenges, such as the need to bridge the digital divide within and across countries.

The COVID-19 pandemic crisis has underlined the need for greater multilateral cooperation, including the need to improve the global trading system, Deputy Director-General Alan Wolff said on 7 May. Speaking at a webinar hosted by the African Institute for Economic Development and Planning, DDG Wolff said trade will play an important role in Africa’s economic recovery from the crisis, particularly through increased intra-African trade.

A new report issued by the WTO on 8 May seeks to help least developed countries (LDCs) better understand the trade-related implications of graduation from LDC status. The product of a joint effort between the WTO and the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF), “Trade Impacts of LDC Graduation” looks at how graduation may affect LDCs’ participation in world trade, including their access to export markets, and implications for their WTO commitments.

High-priced, handmade boutique sports cars typically make their debut where the well-heeled and the media gather. Pagani took a different approach this time around. The Italian supercar manufacturer unveiled its new nearly $3.5 million Huayra Roadster BC in CSR2, the mobile game produced by Zynga . The physical car will eventually get its moment. Pagani […]

Growth means different things at different companies, but correctly identifying avenues for sustainable and scalable growth is a universal priority.

Efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 have led to a global economic downturn, but the gaming industry is booming. With hundreds of millions of people sequestered in their homes, game usage has spiked. And while the economic repercussions will persist after people cease physical distancing, gaming is positioned to fare well during a recession. […]

DoorDash has reached an agreement with Square to purchase on-demand food delivery and catering business Caviar. DoorDash has agreed to pay Square $410 million in cash and preferred DoorDash stock. Square bought Caviar about five years ago in a deal worth about $90 million. Now, Caviar has found a new home with DoorDash, the on-demand […]

In the April Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), EIA forecasts that the United States will again become a net importer of crude oil and petroleum products in the third quarter of 2020 and remain a net importer in most months through the end of 2021. Fewer barrels are available for export as U.S. crude oil production continues to decline. In addition, net exports of petroleum products will be lowest in the third quarter of 2020, when U.S. refinery runs decline in response to lower demand for refined products.

In the U.S., Robinhood has led the charge in upending the stock investing model through its mobile-first, minimal-step, commission-free trading platform. Now a startup out of Germany built on a similar premise is announcing a big round of funding from some top investors to continue its growth. Trade Republic — which lets people buy and sell […]

Apple’s earnings show the impact of COVID-19, NVIDIA’s top scientist shares an open source ventilator design and Amazon anticipates big spending in the coming months. Here’s your Daily Crunch for May 1, 2020. 1. iPhone sales are down, ahead of uncertain times for the industry Apple device sales have taken a hit, but the company’s […]

While global stay-at-home orders have been a blow to most companies, they’ve also created opportunities for businesses helping to keep people entertained. So if you’re a YouTube creator hoping to capture some additional eyeballs while everyone’s stuck at home, online video agency Butter Works has released an interactive report outlining the most promising topics for […]

Apple announces a new MacBook Pro, tech stocks take a dip and Uber Eats shuts down in seven markets. Here’s your Daily Crunch for May 4, 2020. 1. The 13-inch MacBook Pro gets Apple’s much-improved keyboard Following in the footsteps of the MacBook Air and 16-inch Pro, Apple’s 13-inch Pro model is finally getting the […]

Creatively was supposed to launch this summer, according to CEO Greg Gittrich. And then COVID-19 happened. “We made the decision to fast-track the launch when the pandemic hit, because we felt like launching as a beta would really help the creative community,” Gittrich told me. The startup was founded by Stacey Bendet and Joe Indriolo, […]

Modern Games is a new studio working to create games that combine physical and digital play. The company was founded by husband-and-wife team Justin and Amanda Kifer — serial entrepreneurs who previously launched companies including Citizen Local (acquired by MyLife in 2011) and Fidgetly, a fidget spinner company that also created a motion controller for […]

Target makes another acquisition, social platforms struggle with a “Plandemic” conspiracy video and Boston Dynamics’ robot Spot encourages social distancing. Here’s your Daily Crunch for May 8, 2020. 1. Target to acquire same-day delivery tech from Deliv Target, which already owns on-demand delivery service Shipt, is in the process of acquiring technology assets from same-day […]

The average retail price for propane is $2.02 per gallon, down half a cent from last week's price, and down 41.5 cents from a year ago, based on the residential heating fuel survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Propane prices in the Midwest region averaged $1.66 per gallon, down 1.1 cents from last week, and down 16.2 cents from a year ago.

The average retail price for home heating oil rose 2.3 cents from last week to $3.08 per gallon. That's down 2.3 cents from a year ago, based on the residential heating fuel survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Heating oil prices in the New England region are at $2.99 per gallon, up 1.8 cents from last week, but down 10.9 cents from a year ago.

The average retail price for propane is $2.01 per gallon, down 6-tenths of a cent from last week's price, and down 42.7 cents from a year ago, based on the residential heating fuel survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Propane prices in the Midwest region averaged $1.64 per gallon, down 9-tenths of a cent from last week, and down 17.9 cents from a year ago.

The average retail price for home heating oil rose 4.7 cents from last week to $3.12 per gallon. That's up 3.2 cents from a year ago, based on the residential heating fuel survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Heating oil prices in the New England region are at $3.04 per gallon, up 5.4 cents from last week, but down 5.1 cents from a year ago.

The U.S. average retail price for regular gasoline fell to $2.57 a gallon on Monday. That's down 8 tenths of a penny from a week ago, based on the weekly price survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The U.S. average retail price for regular gasoline fell to $2.57 a gallon on Monday. That's down 8 tenths of a penny from a week ago, based on the weekly price survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The U.S. average retail price for on-highway diesel fuel fell to $3.06 a gallon on Monday. That's down 1 1/2 cents from a week ago, based on the weekly price survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

In December 2019, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and a group of other oil producers announced they were deepening the production cuts originally announced in December 2018. However, the U.S. Energy Information Administration forecasts that global oil production will rise in 2020 despite the cuts, as expected growth in non-OPEC crude oil production will offset OPEC's reduced output. Non-OPEC production will be driven by continued growth in the United States. Outside of the United States, growing crude oil production in Brazil, Norway, and Canada will also contribute to supply growth over the next 24 months. In its January Short-Term Energy Outlook, EIA reports that U.S. crude oil production in 2019 hit a record annual average of 12.2 million barrels per day. EIA forecasts U.S. production will reach 13.3 million barrels per day in 2020 and 13.7 million barrels per day in 2021. Most of the production growth occurs in the Permian region of Texas and New Mexico.

The average retail price for propane is $2.01 per gallon, up 4-tenths of a cent from last week's price, but down 41.9 cents from a year ago, based on the residential heating fuel survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Propane prices in the Midwest region averaged $1.64 per gallon, down 4-tenths of a cent from last week, and down 17.9 cents from a year ago.

The average retail price for home heating oil fell 1 cent from last week to $3.11 per gallon. That's down 3 cents from a year ago, based on the residential heating fuel survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Heating oil prices in the New England region are at $3.01 per gallon, down 1.9 cents from last week, and down 10.6 cents from a year ago.

The U.S. average retail price for regular gasoline fell to $2.54 a gallon on Monday. That's down 3.3 cents from a week ago, based on the weekly price survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The U.S. average retail price for regular gasoline fell to $2.54 a gallon on Monday. That's down 3.3 cents from a week ago, based on the weekly price survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The U.S. average retail price for on-highway diesel fuel fell to $3.04 a gallon on Monday. That's down 2.7 cents from a week ago, based on the weekly price survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The average retail price for propane is $2.01 per gallon, down 4-tenths of a penny from last week's price, and down 42.1 cents from a year ago, based on the residential heating fuel survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Propane prices in the Midwest region averaged $1.63 per gallon, down 7-tenths of a cent from last week, and down 18.4 cents from a year ago.

The average retail price for home heating oil fell 3 cents from last week to $3.07 per gallon. That's down 10 cents from a year ago, based on the residential heating fuel survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Heating oil prices in the New England region are at $2.99 per gallon, down 2.3 cents from last week, and down 15 cents from a year ago.

The U.S. average retail price for regular gasoline fell to $2.51 a gallon on Monday. That's down 3.1 cents from a week ago, based on the weekly price survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The U.S. average retail price for regular gasoline fell to $2.51 a gallon on Monday. That's down 3.1 cents from a week ago, based on the weekly price survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The U.S. average retail price for on-highway diesel fuel fell to $3.01 a gallon on Monday. That's down 2.7 cents from a week ago, based on the weekly price survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The average retail price for propane is $2.00 per gallon, down 8-tenths of a cent from last week's price, and down 43.2 cents from a year ago, based on the residential heating fuel survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Propane prices in the Midwest region averaged $1.62 per gallon, down 1.1 cents from last week, and down 19.9 cents from a year ago.