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We are delighted to announce that with the continued expansion of both our product offer and customer base Riverside Waste Machinery is gaining a strong foothold in overseas markets.
As one of the UK’s leading providers of waste balers we are predicting a strong performance this year – just two years after breaking away from our sister shredding division.
Having cemented our customer base across the home nations, we are now increasing our overseas portfolio. Balers have been exported to Turkey and the Middle East and the company has recently taken enquiries from the US, China and India.
Managing director Jonathan Oldfield credits much of the company’s success to high quality customer service and investment in its website and online activity. This, he says has provided a wider platform from which to operate and attract international clients.
Jonathan acknowledges that the recent trend for baling as part of the UK’s overall waste management strategy has benefited Riverside. Companies and organisations investing in balers are achieving a return on their investment in a relatively short time – in some case as little as four to six months – as they generate revenues from their waste.
Furthermore, the commodity value of cardboard is at an all time high. Five years ago it returned around £45 per tonne, recently it has achieved highs of around £70 a tonne.
Jonathan adds: “More and more businesses are investing in their waste management and buying equipment like balers – they see them as value-adding assets rather than just capital outlay.”
Riverside’s product range has grown by a quarter in the last two years and it continues to innovate by embracing new technology. The most recent addition is the RWM 60 HD heavy duty waste baler which is ideally suited to baling a range of materials such as aluminium cans, paint tins and drinks bottles as well as cardboard, paper and plastic.
“Valuing and retaining existing clients is paramount,” concludes Jonathan. “And we do that by providing high quality products at competitive prices, including the consumables required for operating balers which are quick and easy to order from our website.
“I’m confident of a good year in what is a tough economic market – our quality, innovative products and great customer service will be what makes the difference between now and the year end.”


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It comes as part of Co-op’s pledge to switch all its fresh bacon and lamb to 100 per cent British from May 1 2017
Co-op has launched a 100 per cent Scottish Ayrshire side bacon range to be stocked across 60 of its Scottish stores.
The bacon is produced under the retailer’s own-brand, premium Irresistible range, and will be sourced from 12 farms across North Aberdeenshire and Angus.
Ben Grant, the Co-op’s chilled goods buyer, said: "We know that Scottish customers want to eat Scottish produce so we’re delighted to be able to launch this new range of Ayrshire bacon which consumers can enjoy, knowing it has been made exclusively from Scottish-reared pork.
"Being able to swap our existing bacon products to 100 per cent Scottish pork provides further evidence of our commitment to supporting the nation’s farmers and gives shoppers another opportunity to buy home-grown products."
Patrick Stephen, a pig farmer from Inverurie, said: “Scottish pig farmers are extremely proud of the Specially Selected Pork we produce which is reared in Scotland to standards which are second to none when it comes to animal husbandry and welfare.
“I look forward to other retailers seizing the opportunity to stock a brand which meets consumers’ requirements for provenance, quality assurance and taste.”
NFU Scotland’s Food Chains Policy Manager John Armour said: "NFU Scotland continues to challenge all retailers to identify ways they can support the Scottish farming sector and give their customers the chance to buy clearly labelled Scottish produce from their shelves.
"Our wider strategy of engagement with all retailers is gaining real traction and this Co-op deal builds on other recent successes in getting more Scottish-labelled beef, lamb and pork into more and more Scottish stores."

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Côte d’Ivoire, located in West Africa, is also known as the Ivory Coast. Agriculture dominates its economy, with oil and natural gases improving economic growth, too. Another aspect helping the economy is foreign aid, and the U.S. benefits from foreign aid to Côte d’Ivoire as well.
A Strong Partnership
- Upgrading the health care system
- Facilitating democracy and governance
- Exploring economic potentials
- Improving security reform
In 1999, a coup in Côte d’Ivoire disputed elections and spurred rebellion. The U.S. assisted Côte d’Ivoire in moving beyond its decade-long crisis by restoring peace, offering more than 25 percent of the funding for U.N. operations in Côte d’Ivoire. Later on, the U.S. Agency for International Development promoted the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which is a U.S. Trade Act issued on May 18, 2000.
U.S. Benefits from Foreign Aid to Côte d’Ivoire in Trade
Since then, the U.S. and Côte d’Ivoire have shared bilateral economic relations, and the amount of U.S imports from Côte d’Ivoire grew from $384 million in 2000 to $1,163 million in 2016. This is just one of the ways the U.S. benefits from foreign aid to Côte d’Ivoire.
Côte d’Ivoire is viewed as one of Africa’s fastest economic growing countries. From 2006 to 2016, Côte d’Ivoire’s gross domestic product has grown from $17.8 billion to $36.3 billion. In 2015, Côte d’Ivoire exported $12.7 billion in products and 29 percent was cocoa beans. Another noticeable product was refined petroleum, which composed 8.8 percent of the country’s exportation.
AGOA created duty-free imports for certain products from several sub-Saharan African countries. This act further stimulates the U.S. and sub-Saharan African trade and investment and integrates sub-Saharan African economy into the global picture.
Côte d’Ivoire’s economy is heavily based on the agricultural sector, especially cocoa beans. The U.S. is one of the biggest cocoa beans consumers and has easier and cheaper access to import cocoa beans from Côte d’Ivoire. In 2016, the U.S. had imported $834 million of cocoa beans from Côte d’Ivoire. AGOA eliminates extra costs for the U.S. on daily necessities. In this way, the U.S. benefits from foreign aid to Côte d’Ivoire.
A Boost for the Future
In Nov. 2017, Côte d’Ivoire signed $525 million compacts from the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation. The money will be spent in a five-year period to stimulate economic growth and eliminate poverty.
The government of Côte d’Ivoire will contribute another $22 million to various projects, such as the Abidjan Transport Project, which can maintain and improve transportation conditions. Another project receiving funding will be the Skills for Employability and Productivity Project, which will facilitate education systems and provide more opportunities to access secondary education.
Côte d’Ivoire is becoming an even stronger country with U.S. support. Its economic development is accelerating, and its social system is improving as well. Now, Côte d’Ivoire is trying to move its economic anchor from agriculture to other aspects. The U.S. benefits from foreign aid to Côte d’Ivoire will increase if Côte d’Ivoire can develop into a more integrated economic model.
– Judy Lu


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This year the iconic Porsche 911 turns 50, which is obviously something that needs to be celebrated good. Porsche just announced a wide variety of anniversary events, which include a special display of all models at Porsche Museum, a special book, and a magnificent world tour.
It will all begin with the ‘Retro Classics’ automobile show in Stuttgart. Four legendary models, including an early-model 911 Turbo Coupé, a 911 Cabriolet study from 1981, a 1997 road-going ‘street’ version 911 GT1 and the pre-series Type 754 T7 – which is the core of the first ever 911, designed by Ferdinand Alexander Porsche – will on display at the museum.
Then begins the year-long world tour with the 1967 model 911. It will be attending rallies, motorsport events, and international fairs, traveling to five continents where it will be shown in places like Pebble Beach, California, China, Goodwood in the UK, Paris and Australia. You can follow this epic journey at Porsche.com/follow-911.
Porsche will wrap up the celebrations with the ‘50 years of the Porsche 911’ exhibition from 4 June – 29 September 2013, and publishing the “911×911” anniversary book.


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Jacqui Gonzalez once spent an hour and a half on the phone helping a customer. The Zappos.com employee enjoys being generous with the online shoe retailer's money, sending gift baskets and thank-you cards to people whose complaints she has solved.
And mostly, she's grateful that she doesn't have a manager to consult in making those decisions.
"We don't have to put someone on hold and ask permission," says the former customer service agent, who is now a tour guide at the company. "We don't have a manager that you need to be transferred to. How refreshing is that?"


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10.13.20 | A new seltzer infused with cannabis derived THC is predicted to be the next multi-billion-dollar beverage. Dollar General expands with a new group of stores where everything is under $5 called Popshelf and PornHub has introduced a new line of “personal pleasure toys” with a campaign called, “Not My Job.” Apparently, people have been using household items in a way not intended and PornHub wants you to stop it.
10.07.20 | Walter Keane is our Business Birthday this week. Keane made millions selling his wife Margaret’s big-eyed children paintings as his own. Caught My Eye celebrates Crazy Eddie pitchman Jerry Carroll. Shop Talk explores two business stories involving Schwinn’s 125th Anniversary, and Pride Media’s owner donates yet again to anti-LGBTQ politicians.
10.06.20 | Not a lot of sympathy for the anti-maskers from us. Wear your mask, it helps. What do you think of the Netflix ‘dun dun’ sound? We explore some aural brand tones. Then, foul-mouthed parrots at a UK zoo are placed away from the general public in the hope of calming their language. Finally, two strangers wanted to travel and rather than going alone, they went together after answering an ad on Facebook. Not sure we would do it, but in this case, it seemed to have turned out well.
09.30.20 | Shop Talk looks at Uncle Ben’s and Cream of Wheat as they eliminate iconography perceived to be racial stereotypes. The Village People songwriter of YMCA will sue you if you say it is a gay song and John digs up an old 70s show featuring chimps—Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp. John T. Nash, niche advertising pioneer, is our #BusinessBirthday.
09.29.20 | Chicago’s famed “Boystown” will now be known as Northalsted. In a recent survey, 20% of the respondents said the male gendered gayborhood nickname did not make them feel welcome. But first, a secret “man cave” is discovered under New York City’s Grand Central Station complete with fridge, microwave, bed, and streaming TV! Then, a New England man dies from eating too much black licorice.
09.23.20 | DC is heating up with the death of RBG. Check out our Tuesday broadcast of #TFGUnbuttoned to hear our POV. Find all of our media at focusgroupradio.com. Flights to nowhere, and sometimes a heart is just a heart Caught Our Eye this week. Sue Ling Gin, the founder of airline caterer The Flying Food Group, is our Business Birthday this week. Shop Talk highlights a perfectly executed marketing campaign from Patagonia which has already garnered loyalty from the consumer.
09.22.20 | A surprising 45% of gay men support Trump for President in 2020 according to a recent poll done by Hornet. Wow. Then, Canadian LGBTQ people experience the same type of discrimination and assault as their counterparts in the USA—despite the notion that Canada is further ahead of us when it comes to LGBTQ rights. Finally, a woman in New Hampshire was told she could not vote if she wore an anti-Trump t-shirt in the polling place. So, she took it off, had no bra on, and went topless to vote!
09.16.20 | Shop Talk looks at a recent study that suggest doing this one thing at night will help you sleep better and has other surprising benefits. But first, an upstate NY Star Trek exhibit and stealing sand Caught Our Eye. Jacob Schick, the pioneer of the electric razor, is our #BusinessBirthday.
09.15.20 | For the first time since 1958, Peeps will not be on the shelves this Halloween. The company also will forego Christmas and Valentine’s Day as it prepares for Easter 2021—something seems off about this to us. But first, most people have depleted their emergency funds during the pandemic and a Finnish Burger King franchise celebrates Pride by releasing a Love Conquers All Campaign that features the Burger King mascot kissing Ronald McDonald. Funny? Creepy?
09.09.20 | Colonel Harland David Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame is our Business Birthday. The Colonel allegedly was too much man for one woman. Caught My Eye looks at ghost ship tours off the coast of England and canned meat that was mistaken for male genitalia. Shop Talk looks at 3 business stories involving that new car smell, dinosaurs, and Christmas music.


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UE: New measures to stimulate funding for social businesses
Social businesses are companies that have a positive social impact and address social objectives as their corporate aim rather than only maximising profit. It is a growing sector in Europe, already representing 10% of all European businesses and employing over 11 million paid employees. While these businesses often receive public support, private investment via funds that invest in social entrepreneurs remains vital to their growth. However, such specialised social investment funds are rare or are not large enough. Cross-border investment in such funds is unnecessarily complicated and expensive.
With this proposal for a Regulation, the Commission lays the foundations for a strong European market for social investment funds. It introduces a new "European Social Entrepreneurship Funds" label so investors can easily identify funds that focus on investing in European social businesses. The approach is simple: once the requirements defined in the proposal are met, managers of social investment funds will be able to market their funds across the whole of Europe. To get the label, a fund will have to prove that a high percentage of investments (70% of the capital received from investors) is spent in supporting social business. Uniform rules on disclosure will ensure that investors get clear and effective information on these investments.
Internal Market Commissioner Michel Barnier said: "Social businesses embody just the kind of smart, inclusive and sustainable growth and innovation that is so important for today's European economy. Our new measures will help build these businesses across Europe, ensuring they get the financial support they need so that they can grow – especially in these times of crisis."
See the full press release


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BALTIMORE (WJZ) — A massive nationwide federal raid cracks down on the makers and distributors of so-called synthetic drugs. Those busts spanned some 29 states, including Maryland.
Derek Valcourt explains it’s an extensive investigation first launched in January.
Local law enforcement in Maryland has been fighting this disturbing trend for years. Now the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency brings their heavy fist to the fight.
Commonly called “Spice,” it looks and acts like marijuana. But when smoked, the chemically altered plant leaves can have much more dangerous side effects including hallucinations, suicide, violence, heart attacks and brain damage.
The same is true for so-called bath salts–another synthetic drug meant to simulate cocaine or meth.
As deaths and emergency room visits nationwide spiked from these synthetic drugs, Maryland lawmakers banned their sale and use.
Local law enforcement agencies began cracking down on convenience stores and smoke shops that sold them, arresting the…
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The One Metro New York (OMNY) system was supposed to be available across NYC’s entire subway system by October, but coronavirus-related concerns forced the local government to halt its installation. According to The Wall Street Journal, the MTA had to suspend the installation of OMNY’s digital readers out of concern that workers could become infected by the virus. While work on the contactless payment system — something that would be immensely helpful to have right now — resumed in May, installation now won’t be complete until the end of December.
OMNY gives commuters a way to pay their fare with a tap of their phones, smartwatches or credit cards. Users won’t have to touch MetroCard vending machines anymore, though the fare payment cards will continue to work until 2023. The local government started rolling out the system in 2019, so there are quite a few stations that already offer contactless payment as an option. As MTA official Al Putre explained, though: “Unless you have OMNY at both ends of your destination you’re not going to use OMNY.”
Although the technology’s rollout won’t be complete until a couple of months later than planned, it will be available earlier than expected on buses. The MTA has accelerated its installation by six months as a response to the pandemic, and it will be offered on all Manhattan buses by the end of July, as well as on all buses across NYC by the end of 2020.


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Beer brands are driving up their marketing efforts as the weather heats up and Thirsty Camel has identified the best time to convince fans to reach for a cold one.
The bottleshop’s search for Australia’s Beer O’Clock discovered that 53% of the 10,000 voters like to pop the top off a beer between 4pm and 6pm.
The best time to quench thirst for beer was 5pm, with the majority (15%) locking in the typical knock-off time.
When Beer O’Clock hits Corona was the brew of choice, with 22% voting for the brand.
Carlton Draught came second with 17% and 15% voted for a Pure Blonde.
Leah Grinter, Thirsty Camel’s marketing director, said: “Beer O’Clock has been an intangible notion that entered the nation’s consciousness years ago and that has since stimulated conversation in drinking holes across Australia.”
The poll ran from October 14 to November 10 and pulled in 9,759 votes with 38% of those from women. The majority of voters were based in Victoria (56%) followed by Tasmania (19.5%).
In other alcohol advertising news, Canadian Club has issued the latest phase of its ‘Over Beer’ campaign, created by The Works.
The long-running campaign saw the former face of VB, David Boon, switch to Canadian Club in 2011.
In the new instalment a series of outdoor ads employ the use of witty one-liners including: “Tastes Like being upgraded to first class”, “tastes like winning the trifecta. Twice” and “Tastes like the tears of an angel”.
Media includes bus, tram, digital airport signage, street furniture and Facebook (ad pictured below).
CREDITS: CLIENT: Canadian Club AGENCY: The Works CREATIVE PARTNER: Kevin Macmillan COPYWRITER: Nathan Bilton ART DIRECTOR: Guy Patrick CREATIVE STUDIO MANAGER: Chris Hall CREATIVE PROJECT MANAGER: Bianca Wignall.
Lion owned craft beer brand James Squire has today launched a new content-driven digital platform, ‘A World Full of Flavour’.
Reminiscent of a magazine, the site encourages exploration of craft beer with content inspired by the real-life James Squire with each section of the site focusing on stories that “embody the spriti of the ‘charming rogue’”.
The site also features a series of webisodes called ‘Rogue Tales’.
CREDITS: DIGITAL: The White Agency BRANDED CONTENT: Mojo Motion, Publicis Mojo MEDIA: Zenith Optimedia.
Meanwhile, Brookvale Union Brewery has buckled under the pressure of international Hindu leaders who called for the removal of Hindu gods from its bottles.
Locally, chair of the Community Relations Commission of NSW Stepan Kerkyasharian blasted the lables “insensitive”.
“If it’s meant to be a marketing ploy it is a totally insensitive. If it is meant to be light-hearted humour it falls flat,” he said.
“Mixing up the bodies and faces of male and female gods and superimposing the image of a cow, which is held sacred by all Hindus as the giver of life, could only be seen by a rational person as mischievous.”
The small NSW based brewery has since called on designers to create new labels for ginger beer and apple cider bottles.
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In this opinion piece, Alpha Digital’s head of performance Amir Rezaee outlines the impact to brands of a potential banning of TikTok in Australia The six weeks or so since TikTok announced its local Australian office has been a busy period. Aiming to make a similar impression on SMBs as it has on its 1.6m […]
Amid the sadness of magazine closures, the challenges of COVID-19, and industry concern as companies merge or change hands, some magazines are thriving. NextMedia titles such as the much-loved frankie and ABC Gardening Australia magazine have been enjoying a surge in sales during this period of home isolation. Gardening Australia retail sales have been robust […]
In this guest post, MINT’s publicity director, Nathan McIlroy (pictured below), explores the new norm for Australian media and says Bauer’s/Mercury Capital’s recent mag closures should be viewed as an exciting opportunity for the brave… Last week’s announcement that new owners Mercury Capital were to permanently close eight of Bauer Media’s magazines sent shockwaves through […]
In a first for the Australian insurance market, Club Marine, Australia’s largest provider of boat and pleasure-craft insurance, has released a new series of videos to help explain insurance cover. With a few familiar Aussie personalities to help out, Club Marine is helping its members, as well as the broader boating community, to understand the […]
Junkee Media and parent company oOh!media have launched a powerful new way to reach young Australians – the Junkee Network. Combining Junkee Media’s content platforms with oOh!’s leading Out of Home assets in venues and universities across the country, the Junkee Network will be the largest and most influential youth content network in the country. […]
Australian small business owners are turning to skilled local freelancers and upping their digital marketing spend as they move online to connect with customers and keep cash flow positive. The Federal Government’s pandemic response has earned a tick from small business owners as have those of New South Wales and Queensland, but one in three […]
In the last 12 months, Optus’ AI Assistant Chatbot has surpassed two million conversations, with 1 in 6 Optus customers having their queries resolved immediately, providing a seamless experience without needing to speak to a person. Optus Assistant greets every customer that comes through My Optus App Messaging and its Web Messaging service with on average […]


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Spotify is the top music streaming service in the world and as such, its mobile app is among the most downloaded apps on Android and iOS devices. It lets its users stream the countless albums that are available on Spotify on the go, including songs from some of the biggest current artists. But if there is something Spotify has been lacking on your phone or tablet, that the Spotify desktop app can do, it’s the ability to play your own music files that you have stored on your device.Whether you’ve downloaded some songs from SoundCloud or any other website that allows downloads, you can’t really play those tunes in the Spotify app alongside your favorite Spotify songs. At least, not yet.
A discovery from feature leaker Jane Manchun Wong on Twitter (via Android Central) suggests that the Spotify app may soon be able to detect and import your local songs, so you can enjoy them in the app. The said discovery is presented in the form of a screenshot, that shows an option in the mobile app to “Show device files”, followed by the description “Show all audio files on your device in Your Library.” It’s not clear whether this screenshot is coming from an unreleased beta of the Spotify app, or has been discovered and enabled in the current version of the public app.
When the feature will actually come to us is still unknown, but at least now we can assume that it’s coming eventually.
Written by Radoslav Minkov.
View the original article at here.
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SEAT confirms name of new small crossover ahead of its launch in 2017. The SEAT Arona will use the platform of next Ibiza.
We already knew that SEAT was launching a smaller SUV than the Ateca, but now boss Luca De Meo has revealed it will be called ‘Arona’. Confirmed at the 2016 Paris Motor Show, the new small SUV is due on sale in 2017.
The SEAT CEO made the announcement at the Paris press conference, explaining that “the Leon, the Ibiza and the new Arona, together with the Ateca, are going to strengthen SEAT from a commercial, financial and brand image standpoint.”
The Arona name reflects other models in the Spanish brand by being named after an area of Spain. It originates from a municipality in the southern part of Tenerife, in Spain’s Canary Islands. The SUV is expected to launch in the latter part of next year after the new Ibiza supermini, with which the Arona will share its platform.
Our spy photographers have already caught an early development mule of the SEAT Arona testing on European roads. The supermini-based crossover will rival the Nissan Juke and Renault Captur, taking its place as the second SUV in SEAT’s ever-expanding line-up.
Despite being heavily disguised, we can distinguish a few key details that tell us this is the new small SEAT SUV. Look closely at the rear and you’ll notice the rear lights have been lifted from the new SEAT Ateca, while the shoulder and roofline are similar, too. The front is harder to make out, but the bulky bumpers and body work hint at a pumped-up pseudo-4×4 design. It’s likely the production model will get a raised ride height over the Ibiza hatch, which isn’t present on this test vehicle.
On the inside of the Arona, you can just make out the familiar SEAT dials behind the steering wheel. The cabin will be lifted almost unchanged from the next-generation Ibiza though, with plenty of connectivity options including Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
The spy shots match well with our exclusive images, which we drew up following news of its arrival earlier this year. The rear lights have been turned upside-down and the numberplate moved to the bootlid, but the shape and size look to mirror the mule almost exactly. A debut for the production Arona at next spring’s Geneva Motor Show is believed to be likely.
The Spanish manufacturer has been linked to a rapid expansion of its SUV line-up, with a larger vehicle set to join then the range, too. At the firm’s annual press conference in Madrid earlier this year, SEAT boss Luca de Meo confirmed that the Ibiza-based baby SUV will get the nod first, and that it will be built at the company’s plant in Martorell near Barcelona and that it will go on sale in 2017.
“This is excellent news for both the brand and for our main factory,” said de Meo. “Since it is the fastest growing segment and represents a firm step to become the third pillar of the company, with the families of the Ibiza and Leon.”


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LAA Closure Devices: Reaching Critical Mass?
Transcatheter LAA closure devices are starting to amass the level of data required to demonstrate their safety and effectiveness, and, if all goes well, the long-awaited FDA approval of the first such device – Boston Scientific’s Watchman – could finally occur sometme next year. Although LAA closure devices have already taken off in some European countries, US physicians continue to struggle with lingering uncertainties, about the learning curve, procedural safety and how LAA closure will stack up against newer anticoagulant drugs. Regardless of how these issues are eventually resolved, industry leaders see a big opportunity for a successful device in the LAA closure space, with market estimates of $1 billion considered conservative by some.
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DePuy settles bulk of U.S. ASR suits. Tandem Diabetes closes $138 million IPO. AtriCure gets go-ahead for new AtriClip stroke. More news.
The PREVAIL study of Boston Scientific’s Watchman left atrial appendage (LAA) closure device was primarily positive, but will it be enough to win FDA approval for the device?


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Row, row, row … your machine!
Sarasota Crew members are getting pumped up for their fourth annual Ergathon Fundraiser, when they’ll attempt to break three Guinness World Records while rowing on stationary rowing machines to raise money for equipment and scholarships.
More than 180 team members will participate in the event, which takes place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 6, at Whole Foods Market.
The team has spent the past three weeks collecting food donations at its location at Bay Preserve in Osprey and will sponsor an All Faith’s food drive during the ergathon. The event also will feature free drawings for Whole Foods and Michael’s On East gift cards.
For information, visit www.sarasotacrew.org or call 966-9791.
Contact Loren Mayo at firstname.lastname@example.org.
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4 Meet the Sky
5 Volunteer Connect Meeting
11:30 am - 12:00 pm
9 Back to School Bash 2014
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
9 Cat Depot Leash Walking Class
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Heron East Assisted Living Facility held its second annual “Senior Prom” last month.
Sarasota nonprofits the Boys and Girls Club of Sarasota County and Big Brothers Big Sisters are hosting donation drives. The Boys and Girls Club’s drive runs from July 21 through Aug. 2 and is accepting clothing, shoes, books and small household items for Goodwill Manasota.
Vive La France
The Alliance Francaise held a fundraiser in honor of Bastille Day, or La Fête Nationale, Monday, July 14, at Marina Jack.


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ibtm america 2016 (www.ibtmamerica.com), taking place from June 15-17 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee, has announced that the TECHCollective, the newly launched area located in the Central Hub, will include bite-sized education sessions held by leading event technology providers such as Bizzabo, etouches, Brightbox, Hubvents, DAHLIA+ and Meetoo.
ibtm events (www.ibtmevents.com), the world’s leading showcase for the meetings and events industry, has confirmed that Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau is to become the official ibtm events Global Partner across its portfolio of events on 5 continents.
Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) Announced the Winner and Lucky Voter for Itinerary Contest Campaign
From May to July 2014, MICE organizers, MICE travelers, and the general public from around the world were invited to join the Itinerary Contest,
Bangkok / 16 July 2014 – The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau, or TCEB, has confirmed that Thailand will host major international MICE events during the second half of 2014 and 2015, which include the 74th FIP World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences 2014 and others.
Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) and Thai Airways Search for Best Itinerary for Business Travelers
Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) and Thai Airways International (THAI) recently launched an online challenge: “The Itinerary Contest,” to be held from May – August, 2014, in order to showcase creativity in planning destinations and activities for a given business trip in Thailand. The contest is welcoming trip planners and business travelers from all […]
A check for half a million baht (USD16,000) was donated by Khiri Travel and partners to Operation Smile Thailand on 20 March in Bangkok, Thailand
Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (Public Organization) reveals its online marketing strategy and outreach programme targeting MICE markets worldwide. Also, in line with the innovative initiatives was the development of the state-of-the-art website which will be made in five languages to provide useful and update database.
TCEB launches ‘3Cs’ Marketing Strategy
Includes Special Promotional Packages Offering Financial Support
TCEB partners with TGO to prepare the direction on carbon footprint assessment for the exhibition industry, primarily supporting MICE operators to stage events with more consideration towards the environment and embarking on a journey for a low-carbon society
TCEB joins public-private sectors in a commitment to completing “Chiang Mai MICE Development Master Plan”
Chiang Mai, 15 January 2013 – The Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (Public Organization) or TCEB joined force with eight key government and private organizations in Chiang Mai in laying a framework for further development of Chiang Mai as a world-class MICE destination.
2 leading global professional exhibition companies set up ASEAN HQ in Bangkok Confidence returns in the expansion of oversea visitors in Thailand
Bangkok, 10 January 2013 – Following a buoyant year for Thailand’s MICE industry the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (Public Organization) or TCEB is confident of continuing growth in 2013.
World Travel Market, the leading global event for the travel industry, encourages bloggers and writers to come to the 2012 event and engage with WTM exhibitors, to provide joint business opportunities. A travel blogger contest, called Thailand Reunited #ThaiTales has launched this week to encourage bloggers to visit WTM. The competition is open to all […]
Filipino businesses can maximize their reach at regional and sub regional levels through Thailand international exhibitions Manila, 23 July 2012 – Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau or TCEB has recently hosted a business matching for key trade and business figures in Philippines and international trade show organizers from Thailand. This is a part of its […]
Bangkok, June 26, 2012 – Contestants from Croatia, Taiwan and Australia each have won free week-long holidays in Thailand after participating in an online competition designed to promote the kingdom as a “Creative Tourism” destination. The campaign, bearing the theme “Discover the Other You”, was organised by the Tourism Authority of Thailand in a global effort […]
New event to show regional leadership in Asia Bangkok, 21 June 2012 – The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) in cooperation with international exhibition and event bodies held the Thailand MICE International Forum (TMIF) 2012 in Bangkok. The Forum unites expertise from TCEB and the Asian Federation for Exhibition and Convention Associations (AFECA) and […]
Moving Fast to Implement Government’s Scheme and boost MICE industry Phuket, Thailand: 4 May 2012 – Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau joins pact with Phuket Provincial and Tourism Authority of Thailand in welcoming MICE travelers ‘Amway 2012’ from China. The group includes 15,000 delegates, making it the year’s most distinct record. Highlighting 7 wonders of […]
Thailand is at top-pitch and ready to host the internationally recognized “2012 Rotary International Convention”
This major event enjoys full government support, and is expected to significantly boost Thai tourism and MICE industries as the country promotes its new tourism campaign – “Miracle Thailand” Bangkok: 23 April 2012 – The Royal Thai Government has announced that it will offer its full support on the memorable occasion for the country which […]
Signing MoU in MICE Business to Prepare for AEC in 2015 Hanoi, Vietnam, 16 March 2012 – In the preparation of the AEC formation in 2015, the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) announces the future of ASEAN collaboration in the MICE industry with Vietnam after a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Vietnam Chamber […]
THAILAND WINS GO ASIA AWARDS 2012 AT ITB BERLIN 2012 NAMED “MOST POPULAR DESTINATION” AND “BEST ASIAN TOURISM BOARD” FOR THE TAT
Berlin, March, 2012 — Thailand was again named the “Most Popular Destination” and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) was honoured as the “Best Asian Tourism Board” by Go Asia, at the International Tourism Exchange (ITB) Berlin 2012, the world’s leading B2B platform for the travel and tourism industry. This is the ninth year in […]
More than 300 Muay Thai boxers will be in Thailand between 17-23 March 2012 for the 8th Thai boxing tournament and festival, one of the most unique events on the global sporting arena. As in past years, the week-long event will bring together competitors as well as hundreds of Thai boxing enthusiasts from 30 countries […]
Rotary Thailand, in conjunction with TCEB, to host the world renowned event “Rotary International Convention”
Welcoming over 38,000 participants from the four corners of the world The convention is expected to generate over 3,000 million baht in revenue Bangkok: 2 February 2012 – It will be the utmost pride of Rotarians and all Thais to host this annual international event, “2012 Rotary International Convention.” Rotary, a global humanitarian organization and […]
According to the data of Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the tourist flow from Russia to Thailand increased by 57% in 2011. Thailand received 1 014 000 Russian citizens in 2011. Even the flood in Thailand didn’t affect the tourist flow from Russia. Every 20th tourist was Russian in Thailand in 2011. Russia took the […]
Driving Thailand as ASEAN’s exhibition hub Bangkok: 25 January 2012 –Famed international exhibition organizer Mack Brooks Exhibitions Limited brings to Thailand for the first time the renowned Fastener Fair to cater demand of cost-effective fastening and fixing solutions in Thailand and its neighboring countries, further portraying Thailand as the central hub of exhibition business in […]
Bangkok, January 2012 — The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and ESO Travel, a major tour operator in Eastern Europe, recently welcomed 16 contestants from the “Miss Czech Republic Beauty Contest 2012” to Thailand for a 7-day preparation camp in Bangkok, Pattaya, Ratchaburi, Krabi, Phang Nga, and Phuket. By highlighting the beautiful contestants enjoying the […]
Bangkok, January 11, 2012 — The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will mark the 37th Anniversary of Thai-Chinese diplomatic relations between January 19-29, 2012 with a range of lively, colourful Chinese New Year festivities in Bangkok and ten provinces nationwide. This year’s celebrations will be even more special than the previous years as it coincides with […]
BOI in Collaboration with TCEB Organize CEO Forum with Executives from Leading Multinational and Local Giants
Bangkok: 10 January 2012- “BOI” and the Ministry of Industry are collaborating TCEB to host HIA and CEO Forum at “BOI Fair 2011” by inviting international leaders including former British Prime Minister “Tony Blair, UNCTAD secretary general, ASEAN secretary general” as keynote speakers. Dr.Atchaka Sibunruang Secretary General of Thailand Board of Investment (BOI)said as part […]
Victoria Azarenka and John Isner arrive at InterContinental Hua Hin Resort for World Tennis Charity Invitation 2012
Hua Hin/ 29 December 2011 – The world’s number three female Tennis player, Victoria Azarenka; and John Isner, a popular American men’s player, have arrived at the InterContinental Hua Hin Resort in the late morning. Both are to play exhibition matches against their respective counterparts the world’s number one, Caroline Wozniacki; and Thai tennis legend, […]
Bangkok: December 2011 – Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) led by Mr. Akapol Sorasuchart (Right), the President, and Mr. Paul Willson (Left), Group Exhibition Director of Reed Exhibitions UK join forces to create ‘In-Cosmetics Asia 2011’, the leading exhibition in Asia for personal care ingredients, during 14-16 December 2011 at BITEC Bangna to reassure […]
TCEB Highlights Progress in Bid Preparations to BIE General Assembly Bangkok – The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (Public Organisation) or TCEB attended the BIE General Assembly to make the presentation for the second time on its latest progress on Thailand’s bid to host World Expo 2020. The assembly, held in Paris from 21– 22 November, […]
The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) and the International Association of Professional Congress Organizers (IAPCO) are joining hands to provide professional development training for congress organizers in the Southeast Asian Region. In a ceremony to announce the signing of a Letter of Intent to provide and host regional seminars from 2013 to 2015, the […]
TCEB launches ‘Believe in Thailand – Thailand: Destination of “CHOICES” at EIBTM 2011, Europe’s largest meeting trade show Barcelona, 29 November 2011: Thailand is already beginning to recover from the recent floods that have impacted the country’s MICE industry. In order to ensure a strong and speedy recovery, the government is working closely with the private […]
Bangkok: November 2011 – Thailand’s meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions business is still operating actively in Phuket, Pattaya, Chiang Mai and other destinations around Thailand which are popular with international business travellers, despite the floods affecting parts of Bangkok and surrounding provinces in the country’s central region. Events including the Asia Pacific Gulf Summit 2011, […]
Pattaya, Thailand – Thailand’s coastal resort city of Pattaya has been transformed into Asia’s “golf hub” as golfing dignitaries and decision makers from around the world – including course and resort owners, managers, architects, designers and developers, officials, and players – gather at this vibrant tourist destination for the week-long 2011 Asia Pacific Golf Summit. […]
October 18, 2011, Bangkok: The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) says there is no need for travel agents and tourists to change Thailand travel plans due to flooding to the north of Bangkok. PATA head office is located in Bangkok city centre which is operating normally. PATA Interim CEO Bill Calderwood said today: “As you are […]
Ensuring the Business Events with the Perfect Location for Maximum Success, Cited TCEB Bangkok: 17 October 2011 – Bangkok has been awarded “Asia’s Leading Meetings & Conference Destination” by 2011 World Travel Award. The city ranks first among the 9 Asia’s leading business events cities. The award indicates that Thailand’s business events industry is bouncing […]
No matter which path you choose, success is sure to follow….at IMEX America Las Vegas, NV: October 11, 2011:At IMEX America this week, the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) will launch Phase 2 of its “Believe in Thailand” campaign. A new emphasis is reflected in the campaign’s theme: “Thailand…Destination of “CHOICES” — No matter […]


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Wuerth Consulting Engineers opens new location
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Rebecca Bowden Assistant Editor
Friday, 03 February 2017 08:52
Wuerth Consulting Engineers has opened a company in Brazil, named Wuerth Consulting Ltda.
Located in Sao Paulo, it is a response to the growing needs of the Brazilian cement industry and aims to provide a more efficient service to the company’s clientele in Brazil.
Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/the-americas/03022017/wuerth-consulting-engineers-opens-new-location/
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Wednesday 05 May 2021 09:38
Sustainability Month promoted awareness through activities hosted across the US aimed at inspiring positive action for the planet while celebrating the company’s longstanding commitment to sustainability.


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Amidst all the media-noise about the labor imbroglio in its factories, a silent revolution is unfolding at Maruti Suzuki, India’s top automobile manufacturer. Maruti has undertaken a large-scale project to deliver the benefits of enterprise resource planning (ERP) to its hundreds of tier-2 suppliers using cloud computing.
Maruti’s supplier eco-system is made up of two tiers. Suppliers who sell components directly to Maruti are classified as tier-1. Maruti has 250 such suppliers. Tier-1 suppliers buy parts from five or six smaller suppliers to build the components that go into Maruti automobiles. These smaller suppliers, classified as tier-2, play an important role in Maruti’s manufacturing eco-system since the sub-components they manufacture are made to order for Maruti. The automaker has about one thousand tier-2 suppliers.
“Although small, the tier-2 suppliers are crucial to our business. They must adhere to high quality standards and tight deadlines. On a daily basis, we receive about 24,000 supplies and our permissible inventory limit is less than a day,” informs Rajesh Uppal, executive officer (IT) and CIO at Maruti Suzuki India.
Challenges and their solution
While cloud ERP projects appear exciting on paper, automating and standardizing the manufacturing processes of tier-2 suppliers on such a large scale is no easy task. Uppal says that since these are very small companies, they do not have the financial capability or IT expertise to implement ERP. “A bigger challenge is that many of them have even tested failures with their IT implementations in the past. Convincing them to invest in ERP again is not easy,” Uppal says.
Uppal and his team hope to overcome these hurdles by creating a low-cost cloud ERP delivery model for them. The team has roped in Zensar Technologies to build a public cloud platform for Microsoft Dynamics ERP. The cloud ERP will cover the suppliers' entire manufacturing operations and business processes.
Project objectives and targets
Maruti is playing the role of the mentor on the project and is helping the Zensar and Microsoft teams to adequately test and customize the cloud ERP as per industry benchmarks.
“We want to ensure that the cloud ERP comprehensively covers all business processes of our tier-2 suppliers and is also affordable. With cloud services and some price negotiations, the ERP’s annual cost per user for the supplier is being brought down to about Rs 4,000,” says Uppal.
As of now, Maruti is running a cloud ERP pilot project at eight of its tier-2 suppliers in India. Uppal's target is to bring more than a hundred tier-2 suppliers onto the ERP cloud within one year.


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With some 2 billion adults around the world still lacking access to formal financial institutions, financial inclusion remains a critical concern for policymakers at all levels of government. To gauge progress on this issue, the Financial and Digital Inclusion Project at the Brookings Institution released its 2017 annual report that measures 26 countries along four dimensions. On August 31, the authors of the report shared their findings in an event hosted by the Center for Technology Innovation at the Brookings Institution.
After introductory remarks from CTI Founding Director Darrell West, Research Analyst and Associate Fellow Robin Lewis presented the key findings from the 2017 report. Nonresident Senior Fellow John Villasenor then moderated a conversation with Camille Busette, director of the Brookings Race, Prosperity, and Inclusion Initiative, and Diego Molano Vega, who served as the minister of information and communications technologies of Colombia from 2010 to 2015.
The discussion covered progress on financial inclusion both in the United States and abroad. In the U.S., around 15 million adults do not have bank accounts, and about 51 million American households are “underbanked,” continuing to use financial services outside of banks. Around the world, many of the unbanked lack the necessary documents to open a bank account. Without government-issued identification or a fixed address, gaining access to formal financial services remains a challenge. India’s national biometric identification program is one method of providing universal documentation, but any such program comes with privacy concerns over how personal information is collected and used.
Aside from the barriers to financial inclusion that individuals face, the banking industry in many countries does not seek out low-income customers. This has contributed to an expansion of the financial technology or “fintech” sector that sells financial products and services inexpensively over mobile networks and the internet. For example, offering loans to customers based on digital payment activity can extend credit to customers without formal credit histories.
Using technology to advance financial inclusion heightens the importance cybersecurity. More digital transactions online and though mobile money systems create a risk that money or personal information could be stolen through hacking or other scams. Failure to secure financial products and services adds an additional barrier to engagement with those offerings, in part because it may diminish consumer trust.
The panelists drew a distinction between access to financial services and their usage: More bank accounts will not promote inclusion goals unless customers see their relevance. Delivering government benefits through direct deposit may lead more citizens to open bank accounts, but if customers immediately withdraw the funds as cash, they are not truly engaging with the formal financial sector. Overall, building trust between financial service providers and populations that have limited experience with the formal financial sector is a crucial component of greater financial inclusion.


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The cities, towns and villages of northern Palm Beach County now have a new name: Palm Beach North.
The network of 10 municipalities officially launched as Palm Beach North on Tuesday, with the aim of spurring economic growth in the region.
The municipalities considered part of Palm Beach North are Juno Beach, Jupiter, Jupiter Inlet Colony, Lake Park, Mangonia Park, North Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Palm Beach Shores/Singer Island, Riviera Beach and Tequesta. Under the unified Palm Beach North brand, these communities could collaborate to attract business and tourism.
To contrast itself with more densely populated areas of Palm Beach County, Palm Beach North is hoping to emphasize the region’s blend of business growth with its distinct eco-friendly lifestyle. It has also dubbed the northern Palm Beach County corridor “Florida’s Prosperity Coast.”
In fact, the newly launched Palm Beach North website highlights the area’s “year-round summer climate and active outdoor lifestyle, harmonious government and business partnerships, and ample business sites within a wide price range.”
The movement was spearheaded by an independent steering committee formed by the Northern Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce. A Fort Lauderdale firm helped the committee develop the new brand, according to WPTV.
Going forward, the steering committee will begin implementing a marketing strategy for Palm Beach North. Discover the Palm Beaches, the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County, and Enterprise Florida are expected to offer advice and suggestions.
Watch a video on the launch of Palm Beach North, below:
Correction: This post has been updated to clarify Enterprise Florida and Business Development Board of Palm Beach County’s involvement. They will offer marketing advice for Palm Beach North, but they did not participate in the brand development process. Palm Beach North was developed by an independent steering committee formed by the Northern Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce.
(Image via Facebook/Palm Beach North)


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JUSP chip-and-pin mPOS solution for smartphones and tablets is teaming with Nokia as the first provider of a chip-and-pin mPOS solution to the Nokia Lumia smartphone. JUSP’s solution also works with Windows-based PCs as well as smartphones and tablets running Windows, iOS and Android making it an all-encompassing mPOS solution for both micro merchants and small- and medium-sized retail outlets. JUSP’s mPOS device and operating system flexibility, along with the chip-and-pin security and the all-inclusive pricing launched recently by JUSP, makes it extremely easy, convenient and secure for retailers of all sizes to charge customers using whatever means they choose. JUSP’s mPOS connects through a computer’s USB or audio jack or any mobile device’s audio jack and, because JUSP is ‘bank agnostic,’ there are no bank accounts to change or any other banking requirements or approvals necessary. With its Windows-based solution, JUSP can connect shop owners data to Microsoft-based back-end accounting systems, billing and Excel spreadsheets.
[ihc-hide-content ihc_mb_type=”show” ihc_mb_who=”0″ ihc_mb_template=”1″] Fiserv is helping its clients transition to EMV cards with an integrated, compliant and cost effective path to EMV-enabled debit and credit card issuance. With this unsurpassed experience and expertise Fiserv can guide clients through every step of the migration process “from analyzing their payment card portfolios to optimizing penetration, activation…
BitPay today announces a Series A funding round of $30M (€22M), led by Index Ventures, with participation from Horizons Ventures, Founders Fund, Felicis Ventures, RRE Ventures, TTV Capital, Sir Richard Branson, and AME Cloud Ventures.
Giesecke & Devrient secure payment products and solutions developed and deployed an EMV solution that allows a debit card to meet Durbin Amendment requirements while supporting bank, merchant and consumer needs. As an active member of the Smart Card Alliance’s EMV Migration Forum (EMF), G&D was an integral force in these discussions. Following the EMF’s recommended solution and leveraging decades of experience in developing highly secure payment products, G&D’s EMV debit card products and services offer the most advanced payment deployment, providing extensive functionality to support all of the latest specifications from the major payment brands. A chip embedded in a card serves to provide a higher level of security when compared to present-day magnetic stripe only cards, protecting cardholder data and information stored on the chip. Unlike static magnetic stripe cards, chip cards contain an operating system and support dynamic authentication. Every transaction requires new values produced by the chip to be delivered. Utilizing chip card technology will be seamless to the customer, though they will now be able to execute EMV transactions using a debit card.
FIS banking and payments technology, consulting and outsourcing solutions, continues to provide companies innovative and robust solutions to mitigate risks across their organizations. In response to increasing regulatory demands to enhance enterprise risk management and regulatory compliance, FIS offers Early Risk Manager to financial institutions. Early Risk Manager is a turnkey, secure, cloud-based, next generation solution specifically tailored for financial institutions with a risk dashboard, pre-populated library of risks, risk scenarios, controls, risk assessment templates, metrics, key risk indicators (KRIs), key performance indicators (KPIs), issue management tools, compliance monitoring and testing, third party risk management and more.
Square introduced Square Feedback, which prompts customers to send feedback on their experience directly to the business owner through their digital receipt. Sellers can also respond directly to customers, resolve issues one on one, and protect their reputation. Customers who make purchases from a Square seller can choose to receive their receipt via email or text. With the tap of a button, a customer can answer the question “How was your experience?,” give details, and decide whether to start a conversation with the business. Square sellers receive an email alert when a customer leaves a comment and can respond directly via the Square Dashboard to ask follow-up questions and correct mistakes or misunderstandings. Sellers can manage customer feedback in their Square Dashboard and check it from anywhere in real time.
Maps Credit Union has selected ACI’s integrated online banking platform to power its online banking, mobile banking and bill payment services. Advanced online banking and mobile solutions are critical to driving customer loyalty, building market share and creating new revenue opportunities, which is why Maps selected ACI’s integrated online banking platform for credit unions, ACI Architect Banking. A single end-to-end solution, Architect Banking gives financial institutions like Maps the control, choice and the flexibility to quickly respond to ever-changing consumer and business financial needs. By also leveraging ACI’s bill payment services, Maps benefits from an industry-leading payment offering and a rich heritage of payment services that deliver reliable and accurate bill pay, seamlessly integrated within Architect Banking. ACI’s Electronic Biller Directory technology maximizes payment accuracy for both Maps and its members, resulting in faster payment delivery and minimizing the risk of payment errors.
Contactless payment card shipments accelerated globally in 2013, according to figures released today by the Smart Payment Association (SPA). The SPA reports that contactless technologies were present on 37% of all smart payment cards shipped in 2013. By far the greatest increase was experienced in the Asia Pacific region, where contactless shipments grew by a staggering 193 percent compared to 2012. Other regions around the globe experienced strong growth rates, ranging from 45 percent in the Americas to 64 percent in Western Europe. Whether in the form of a ‘tap-and-go’ credit or debit card or contactless payments via a smartphone, growing consumer and retailer hunger for the convenience and opportunities presented by contactless payment accounts for this rapid growth. In 2013 more than 450 million contactless cards were delivered by SPA members in over 30 countries worldwide, demonstrating that the full potential for consumers, providers and retailers is now being realized. More than 1.5 billion cards were shipped last year, with the highest increased once again recorded in the Asia Pacific region (up 75 percent) driven largely by China’s migration to chip based payments and the initiation of EMV in India. EMEA’s strong growth of 12 percent was in part driven by SEPA rules which enforce chip and PIN and the growth of EMV in Russia. A substantial 37 percent growth in North America reflects the completion to EMV by Canada and the escalating migration to EMV currently underway in the USA.
Xoom Corporation announced a major upgrade to its App that allows Xoom customers to sign up and send money from their mobile devices to friends and family members instantly at the outset. Now, in a few simple steps, Xoom’s new App release allows money senders to sign up and send money to someone new for the first time — in addition to any existing recipients — using iOS or Android mobile devices. To send to new recipients, users provide information about how much to send, recipient details and method of payment and then the money is on its way. Repeat Xoom customers continue to enjoy the Xoom App for best-in-class mobile money transfer. In the 12 months ending March 31, 2014, Xoom processed $1.5 billion in mobile volume and in Q1-2014, 45 percent of Xoom transactions were sent via mobile devices.
Veracity Payment announced its acquisition of Vanco Services electronic payment solutions to faith-based organizations, healthcare organizations, financial institutions, nonprofits, schools, municipalities and other entities.
As part of the acquisition, Veracity and Vanco will be rebranded as “Vanco Payment Solutions.” Vanco processes both credit card and ACH transactions on its robust payment platform. The platform not only supports Vanco’s own proprietary suite of online, mobile, in-person and batch payment solutions, it also provides the back office credit card, debit card and ACH processing for more than 60 different software companies via web services integrations. In addition, Vanco systems enable the end-to-end electronic transfer and posting of consumer bill payments initiated anywhere on the nation’s highly fragmented network of online banking sites – payments that would otherwise be sent by check and require manual intervention. The two organizations now serve a combined total of more than 38,000 clients nationwide and process more than $11 billion in electronic payments. They also collectively support over 200 client partners that include financial institutions, affinity and trade associations, professional services and independent software vendors/developers.
Vantiv, Inc. announced an agreement to acquire Mercury Payment Systems, LLC for an aggregate price of $1.65 billion. Mercury is a payment technology and service leader whose solutions are embedded into point-of-sale software applications and brought to market through their dealer and developer partners. Mercury is currently majority-owned by Silver Lake, a global leader in technology investing.
[ihc-hide-content ihc_mb_type=”show” ihc_mb_who=”0″ ihc_mb_template=”1″] Payroll employment was up 288,000 units in April for a substantial .4% drop in the unemployment rate from March, which now sits at an impressive 6.3%. This was led by employment in construction, manufacturing, wholesale trade, and mining fields. The number of unemployed persons sits at 9.8 million, down 733,000 and…


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My videos (showing 981 to 990 of 1106)
Show summary: Amazon recently raised the price of Prime to $99 but we'll show you how to save $20 and lock-in for $79.
Category: How toMarch 14, 2014
Show summary: You probably updated to iOS 7.1 but rumors point to new maps, iTunes Radio and more in iOS 8. The Apple TV could bring motion controls and our Steve Jobs figure winners!
Category: Apple ByteMarch 13, 2014
Show summary: Google offers their Android SDK for wearables to all developers, the Chromecast goes worldwide and Samsung releases their Milk Music service.
Category: GoogliciousMarch 11, 2014
Show summary: Apple officially shows off CarPlay to take over your dashboard, the iPhone 6's A8 chip is reportedly in production, and a Steve Jobs giveaway you can't miss.
Category: Apple ByteMarch 6, 2014
Show summary: A next-gen HTC video gets out in the wild with Sense 6.0. Samsung reveals new Chromebooks and a peek at Motorola's Google Watch concept.
Category: GoogliciousMarch 4, 2014
Show summary: Samsung reveals their newest Galaxy S5, so can the rumored iPhone 6 top it? Apple's "Gotofail" security bug gets patched, and our JBL Pulse winners!
Category: Apple ByteFebruary 27, 2014
Show summary: Samsung announces all of it's latest goodies at Mobile World Congress including the Galaxy S5, the new Gear 2 smartwatch, and the Gear Fit fitness band.
Category: GoogliciousFebruary 25, 2014
Show summary: A new patent granted reveals Apple's push into health technology goes beyond an iWatch. Steve Jobs' 30 year mouse is recovered and our JBL Pulse giveaway.
Category: Apple ByteFebruary 20, 2014
Show summary: Samsung's rumored fingerprint scanner looks to do a lot more than Apple's Touch ID. HTC will unveil their next flagship phone on March 25th and Google doesn't like "Flappy" things.
Category: GoogliciousFebruary 19, 2014
Show summary: Apple's first new product in 2014 could be the Apple TV. We'll bring you the latest iPhone 6 news and rumors. And we pay tribute to Flappy Bird.
Category: Apple ByteFebruary 13, 2014


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For Europe’s wealthiest man, retailing kingpin Amancio Ortega, the dawn of springtime has brought good fortune. The octogenarian Spaniard has officially reclaimed his spot as the world’s third-richest person.
On February 17, when rankings for the 2017 Forbes Billionaires list were finalized, Ortega’s net worth stood at $71.3 billion, trailing that of Bill Gates, Warren Buffett and Jeff Bezos. Since then, his fortune has risen $3.7 billion—$1.2 billion in the last five days alone—sending him well past the Amazon founder, who is presently worth an estimated $72.8 billion.
A year ago, Ortega ranked second in the world with a net worth of $67 billion. Then, in September 2016, his fortune spiked to almost $80 billion and he briefly surpassed Bill Gates as the world's wealthiest individual. He held the title for less than a day before falling back to second place. He soon slipped even further.
Ortega is cofounder of Spanish retailing conglomerate Inditex, which is parent to fast fashion clothing chain Zara. A former store clerk, he started Inditex with his late ex-wife, Rosalia Mera, in 1975. The company has since grown into a multinational behemoth worth more than $100 billion.
For years, Ortega, who is no longer involved in his retailer’s daily operations, has worked to diversify his wealth, most notably by investing huge sums in international real estate. He typically collects more than $400 million in dividends from Inditex each year and has plowed much of those earnings into properties spanning Madrid, London, New York and elsewhere.
Ortega’s swap with Bezos was not the only shake-up at the top of the Forbes Billionaires ranks. Carlos Slim Helu of Mexico, who held the sixth slot on the 2017 list, moved back into the top five by supplanting Facebook cofounder Mark Zuckerberg, currently worth $58.7 billion. Slim Helu, who had not ranked lower than fifth in the previous 12 years and was also once the world’s richest person, now holds a $60.4 billion fortune, $5.9 billion greater than the one he held on February 17.
That wealth increase is larger than the annual domestic product of Greenland and Belize combined. But for one of the world’s richest people, it’s just another month’s work.


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Cyber Security Online Learning
CyberSecurity Malaysia, an agency under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) has partnered with VADS Berhad (VADS), Malaysia’s leading Managed Integrated ICT/BPO Service Provider and a wholly owned subsidiary of Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) to drive the nation’s cyber security landscape by enhancing and creating diverse awareness on capacity building on cyber security across all market segments, i.e. the Government, Small and Medium Enterpises (SME) and the Malaysian consumers – aimed at strengthening the nation’s effort in deflecting cyber threats.
In driving this partnership, CyberSecurity Malaysia has established their very own Cyber Security Marketplace on VADS Marketplace, where it will consist of capacity building programmes that will benefit all market segments.
More information : https://marketplace.vads.com/cms/en/industry/cyber-security


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A class action suit out of California has Facebook defending allegations of data mining their users' private messages. Defendants claim Facebook records links in PMs and shares the data with advertisers.
Facebook is facing yet more legal action as a result of its privacy practices, this time surrounding alleged "systematic interception" and commercial use of private messages sent between users on the site.
The case, which is being filed as a class action lawsuit in California, focuses on the ways in which Facebook makes use of links shared in its messaging system, something the claimants say contradicts the social network's promises of "private" messaging.
Claimants Matthew Campbell and Michael Hurley state that Facebook keeps a record of links being shared within its messaging platform, undermining the concept of a private experience. They claim it "enables Facebook to mine user data and profit from those data by sharing them with third parties - namely, advertisers, marketers, and other data aggregators".
The pair cite a 2013 study by Swedish security firm High-Tech Bridge, which found Facebook uses so-called "web crawlers" to study links shared in messages, the data from which is then seemingly used to build link previews and increment any Facebook 'Like' counters that feature on the page being shared. From this, the claimants extrapolate that Facebook is profiting commercially from private messaging data.
The case states that Facebook's user agreement does not make any mention of such methods. This would leave the firm in breach of the 1986 Electronic Communications Privacy Act, which forbids acts such as wiretapping without court consent. Whether this act applies to internet communications made on a commercial platform remains to be seen.
Campbell and Hurley are seeking a sum of $100 for every day Facebook breached the Electronic Communications Privacy Act for each user affected. That amounts to any US user who has sent a link via a private message since the practice has been in effect, which could add up to a hefty amount.
In a statement shared with V3, Facebook said that it would defend itself "vigorously" and that the claims were "without merit".
In 2013, Google came under fire for displaying advertising based on a user's Gmail inbox. However, it rebuffed criticism by saying users should not expect complete privacy in an email service. In Facebook's case, there are no specific mentions of its use of the content of users' messages in any of its user agreements.
Class action suits against the social network have worked in the past. Facebook paid out $20m in compensation in a 2013 case relating to the use of users' images in advertisements.
This article was originally published on V3.
On the heels of a fantastic event in New York City, ClickZ Live is taking the fun and learning to Toronto, June 23-25. With over 15 years' experience delivering industry-leading events, ClickZ Live offers an action-packed, educationally-focused agenda covering all aspects of digital marketing. Register today!
Want to learn more? Join us at ClickZ Live San Francisco, Aug 10-12!
Educating marketers for over 15 years, ClickZ Live brings together industry thought leaders from the largest brands and agencies to deliver the most advanced, educational digital marketing agenda. Register today and save $500!
Michael Passingham joined V3 as a reporter in June 2013. Prior to working at V3, Michael spent time at computing magazine PC Pro. Michael covers IT skills, social media, tech startups and also produces V3's video content.
Gartner Magic Quadrant for Digital Commerce
This Magic Quadrant examines leading digital commerce platforms that enable organizations to build digital commerce sites. These commerce platforms facilitate purchasing transactions over the Web, and support the creation and continuing development of an online relationship with a consumer.
Paid Search in the Mobile Era
Google reports that paid search ads are currently driving 40+ million calls per month. Cost per click is increasing, paid search budgets are growing, and mobile continues to dominate. It's time to revamp old search strategies, reimagine stale best practices, and add new layers data to your analytics.
June 10, 2015
12:00pm ET/9:00am PT


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Portland, OR – Just about anything can be delivered to your doorstep these days.
If Koushi Sunder has a say in the matter, cannabis will soon be the next big thing.
"Our target customers is generally someone who is busy," said Sunder.
Right now, Sunder, a Dartmouth business school grad, is just training and preparing her employees for the delivery service.
"It’s really exciting to be part of this, driver Josiah Westfall said. In college I sold cannabis and you were everyone’s best friend, in this case, that’s going to be the same thing."
It’s not legal to deliver recreational marijuana within the city of Portland yet, though the state has ruled otherwise.
"On a state-wide level the OLCC has approved delivery, the actual code is ORS- 8450252880," Sunder explained. "I know, I say this a lot, so I feel like it’s a phone number I memorized."
The way the law stands now, it’s up to each city in the state of Oregon to decide if they’ll allow recreational marijuana to be delivered. Medical marijuana is currently allowed to be delivered.
Sunder is doing all that she can to convince the Marijuana Policy Oversight Team, or MPOT, that her business Stemless is one that would work in Portland.
"Obviously we would conform to rec laws and we won’t sell you something a dispensary cant, Sunder said. Its very similar to pizza delivery."
"Once you register and sign up with us and you can click to see the participating dispensaries near you, she continued. Once you pick a dispensary you can add products to your cart. It’s all secure it’s all very safe."
For those asking how underage buyers will be restricted from these online sales, Sunder noted there is already a system in place to address the concern.
"Right now people upload their ID’s to system and they cannot place an order until their ID is uploaded," she added.
After that, Sunder says a driver like Westfall would pick up marijuana from that dispensary and deliver it.
Customers will get a text on their phone telling them their order is on its way and they’ll even be able to track that driver’s progress.
"We can’t promise you know we’ll be there in 10 minutes, you know its Portland and there’s a lot of traffic rush hour we all know all know this," Sunder said.
Sunder says her drivers are all well trained when it comes to safety and are taught to check for ID again at the door.
"The app has them take photo of the ID again that we store in our database to show that when we presented the person with their purchase they did have valid ID and they do have to sign for it," she said
"I’m looking forward to their smiling faces and coming to their door with a bag of cannabis," Westfall added.
As of now, the city is considering legalizing delivery but hasn’t officially decided just yet.
MPOT officials told FOX 12 they will eventually make their recommendation to Portland’s city council, who will then vote on the issue. Neither side wanted to comment until then.
"We have every incentive to do it as safely as possible, Sunder said. That reflects on the industry in a positive way. We want other states to do this."
In the meantime, Stemless allows people to buy cannabis from dispensaries online and pick up a to-go order. Sunder’s hoping one day soon they’ll get the green light to deliver.
"Word on the street is we can expect January," she said.
There are other businesses in town that say they too are trying to offer cannabis delivery as a service.
Workers from Celebrity Schleppers told FOX 12 they actively offer beer and wine deliveries and are currently interviewing retail Cannabis outlets to choose four to six geographically well-placed stores to help them provide pot delivery service if the city decides to approve it.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker
Full Article: Entrepreneur Trying To Bring Pot Delivery To Portland
Author: Kaitlyn Bolduc
Photo Credit: KPTV
Website: Fox 12 Oregon


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Australia's flagship airline Qantas International has announced a new partnership with Chinese direct sales platform Fliggy that is aimed at attracting more visitors from China down under.
Fliggy is owned by the Alibaba Group and is designed to make it easier for a large group of people to book travel at one time, meaning it could be useful for groups of businesspeople scouting out investment opportunities in Australia, as well as for groups of tourists.
Users of Fliggy will now be able to book flights directly with Qantas, which is the first Australian airline to join the platform.
Gareth Evans, chief executive officer of Qantas International, and Jerry Hu, vice-president of Fliggy, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, which outlines how the two brands will work together to create a working relationship that includes the potential for joint marketing campaigns.
This would mean that Qantas would be able to put its brand in front of the Alibaba Group's 507 million mobile customers, with the hope of significantly increasing the number of Chinese travellers to Australia.
In particular, it will allow Qantas to better target the millennial traveller market, as around three-quarters of the Alibaba Group's customers are aged 35 and under and are more likely to book travel via mobile apps.
Mr Evans commented: "Australia is one of the top destinations on the wish list for many Chinese travellers and, following the launch of our direct service from Beijing to Australia in January, we now have the Qantas Group's largest ever network in Greater China.
"Qantas' partnership with Fliggy forms another part of our growth strategy for China and the broader Asian region."
Qantas currently operates more than 130 flights between Australia and China each week thanks to its partnerships with China Eastern and China Southern. Qantas also operates 250 domestic services within China, further demonstrating its commitment to connecting the nation's residents with the rest of the world.


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The crypto exchange market has recently seen the birth of new companies to study before entering the sector. With an ever more comprehensive market offer, it is up to the individual investor to understand the industry’s best operator. Keeping in mind that different traders are better suited to different types of investors, today we will impartially talk about BitYard, a Singapore-born trader. Founded in 2019, BitYard is a cryptocurrency exchange that offers a range of services to its customers, as…
US inflation numbers for November are out, and they’re looking bullish for long-term Bitcoin HODLers. According to Labor Department data, The Consumer Price Index (CPI) has risen by 6.8% from November 2020 to 2021. As with last month, Bitcoin’s price briefly jumped on the news before quickly descending back below $48k.
Prices Keep Rising
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics released November’s CPI data at 8:30 am EST this morning. The report indicated a 0.8% increase on last month’s already record inflation, which was up 0.9% from September. This means prices are rising faster on an annual basis than in nearly 40 years.
“The indexes for gasoline, shelter, food, used cars and trucks, and new vehicles were among the larger contributors.” reads the report. Energy is up 3.5%, gasoline 6.1% and food 0.7% on the month alone.
The numbers are sobering, casting away all notion that inflation is a “transitory” phenomenon. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell both recently admitted the description is inaccurate after using it for months.
Commonly cited causes of such inflation include global supply chain disruptions and labor shortages. However, Bitcoiners are more inclined to blame the increasing money supply on this year’s higher prices. As Mark Mobius pointed out, 40% of the total M2 money supply was printed alone within the last 18 months.
Meanwhile, in what Senator Cynthia Lummis calls a “predictable, looming, massive issue.” In October, Congress agreed to raise the debt ceiling by $480 billion to keep the country from defaulting. Two days ago, they voted to raise the roof again by an estimated $2 trillion.
When October’s inflation numbers were released, Bitcoin spiked to an all-time high of $69k before beginning its steady decline for the remainder of the month. Today, it demonstrated similar behavior peaking at $50k before descending to $48k within a few hours.
Bitcoin is gaining recognition as a strong inflation hedge due to its strictly fixed monetary policy and gains against the dollar over the last decade. Bloomberg even called it “the best inflation hedge around” in a recent article.
Young people – especially athletes – are growing intrigued by this quality. From Russell Okung to Saquon Barkley, the desire for a rapidly appreciating asset that protects one’s savings is palpable.


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FOOTAGE of dead and dying sheep on live export shipments would damage Australia’s brand as a clean, safe and ethical food producer and push more people to vegetarianism, Meat & Livestock Australia managing director Richard Norton conceded to a Senate Estimates hearing today.
Under intense questioning from senators from the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee, Mr Norton admitted he was shocked by the 60 Minutes footage of sheep suffering or dead from overheated and crowded conditions on Middle East shipments.
“Would this incident have an issue for a brand ‘Australia’ in global markets? Undoubtedly it would be naïve to suggest not,” Mr Norton said.
He said industry tells the MLA to ensure that Australia’s red meat brand is globally “at its fullest and most trusted that it can be.”
Mr Norton said he had never seen footage like that portrayed on 60 Minutes and it highlighted a “problem” and “major issue” for Australia’s industry.
“I don’t know how you could not be shocked by it at any level.
“I completely agree that industry had a big problem from those events, absolutely, and MLA’s role is to provide data and information back to industry around the impact of these situations,” he said.
Live sheep incidents would promote vegetarianism
Responding to a question from Justice Party senator Derryn Hinch, Mr Norton accepted that the live sheep export footage would push more Australians, especially young consumers, to vegetarianism.
“Absolutely, and I’ve got no doubt that it makes my life and my challenge to meet such a goal in how we give advice to people around strategies to achieve those goals much more difficult, there’s no doubt in the world.”
Mr Norton said industry had a major issue in re-affirming back to the Australian consumers that “please don’t punish Australian farmers in this situation”.
“By punishing Australian farmers it will have a negative income (impact) on the Australian community.”
He said the first round of consumer insight data domestically after the last (live sheep) incidents showed that Australian consumers understood what had happened “and perhaps understand that there is no point punishing Australian farmers.”
Mr Norton resisted efforts to drag him into discussions about MLA and the balance of live animal vs processed meat exports from Australia.
“The market forces determine the balance of the trades,” he said.
Mr Norton said it was MLA’s role to undertake levy fund project expenditure, marketing and provide consumer data and support market strategies as directed by the respective red meat sectors, but it regularly gives advice on industry risks.
Mr Norton said the Australian industry moved to a position of saying that farmers were “not at fault here.”
“The Australian farmers is appalled by what they saw on the TV as much as anyone else.
“MLA’s role is to assist industry as they see fit for MLA to assist.”
Mr Norton said the bulk of MLA’s off-shore marketing funds go into development of the chilled and frozen meat exports.
“The live export sector doesn’t quite have the availability of those funds.”
I can understand why farmers should be responsible for what happens to animals under their direct care, as should anyone who owns an animal. It is difficult to understand how a farmer can be responsible for an animal that is not under their care. I am disappointed by the footage and pleased that the government is imposing stricter regulations on the exporters. I want excellent welfare outcomes for the sheep.
I have stopped eating meat, as have most of my family, as a result of this last live export fiasco. We are disgusted with the whole supply chain. Farmers absolutely know what goes down on those ships and at the destination points. The exporters know and so does the crooked government department that not only turns a blind eye to the obvious cruelty, but funnels our tax payer funds into Asian and Middle Eastern companies that kill and then export our products globally.
Minister Littleproud has just given $146M to Vietnam abbotoirs. Why are tax payers — and lets face it, the bulk of tax payer subsidies come from urban tax payers — paying for foreign companies to profit from exported packaged product that could be done here in Australia, by Australian workers? Live export is killing local employment opportunities, export production that would boost our GDP and it is cruel.
Greed is the common theme that underpins this ghastly industry and it needs to take a good, long, hard look at itself. They have lost their social licence to operate.
I’m with Julie Smith. I haven’t touch all meat for eight years and I tell people to boycott meat. Let it rot on the shelves. I have lost respect for the so-called farmers and I know thousands of others. They have had over 15 years to sort this out I hope the so-called farmers and all those people in this vile trade have karma to them.
Consuming meat feeds the cruelty chain. If people want to eat meat then it should be processed here in a humane way. It is immoral to send live animals on the hazardous journey to the Middle East, summer or not. These animals have to stand the whole way and adjust their footing as the ship sways through the waves. Those that fall are trampled by others. They stand in their own excrement and face the blast furnace temperatures on the journey.
I think MLA will find that this outrage and heartbreak is not going away this time. And absolutely farmers are responsible; they supply the animals. Farmers and politicians will feel the pain from this — calls for boycotts are growing. Geoff Bilney’s comment is disingenuous, but I can see that this would be the farmers’ argument. But if the calls for boycotts extend to all Australian produce — and there’s no shortage of imported produce — perhaps that will make recalcitrant farmers wake up to themselves. Never underestimate the force of public opinion.
I also have proof that a number of Indonesian abattoirs who get Australian cattle have registered their own Indonesian brand name, but also include in large lettering that the contents is Australian Beef.
Julie Smith, where do you reckon the lamb that you didn’t eat went? Most likely onto a boat. Best thing you could do is consume more meat and create greater domestic demand leaving less animals to go live.
I gave up meat several years ago after watching the live exports scandal on Four Corners. It was the only protest I can make. Now I am inviting all my friends to give up eating lamb; as the only protest that we can make about this shocking degradation and betrayal of Australia’s standards and reputation as a decent country. It was not just one ship, it was several ships. And this shows it is systemic. It cannot continue, as it is not humane, no matter what so-called standards are put in place.
I would suggest there is also a brand issue with live animals being exported to the Middle East, and Cambodia I believe, and being slaughtered, packaged and on-sold as “Australian beef” or “Australian lamb”. Along with the potential for very serious blow-back for hygiene issues.


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‘Tis the season to commit fraud this holiday season, ACFE says
- Jenny Halpin
- Freelance Writer- San Antonio Business Journal
Fraud is estimated to increase by 20 percent during the holiday season and top experts say employee embezzlement is the most common during this period.
The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) asked experts whether seasonal pressures brought on during the busiest shopping period of the year lead to an increase in crime.
More than half of those surveyed believe increased financial pressure is the leading reason to commit fraud and employee embezzlement/theft is the fraud scheme most likely to increase. Others surveyed believed that fraud by unrelated third parties, such as identity theft and con schemes, will also increase.
“The survey responses tell us that companies may be more vulnerable than they realize during our traditional shopping season,” says ACFE President and CEO James D. Ratley.
The survey also found that fewer than 7 percent of respondents said their organization, or their clients’ organization, increases their level of resources committed to fraud prevention or detection during the holidays.
The ACFE is the world’s largest anti-fraud organization and is a leading provider of anti-fraud training and education.
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Striking at the heart of slavery in northwest China, the Uighur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) has set Washington on a collision course with Beijing. At the same time, the act is fraught with loopholes and ambiguities, and failure to eliminate them can render it meaningless.
The legislation that It entered into force in the United States on June 21, suggests that all goods from Xinjiang were tainted by forced labor unless proven innocent. This requires importers to confirm beyond a shadow of a doubt that their supply chains are clean. The new law could affect one million businesses around the world that buy and sell everyday goods, and the list of affected key industries runs into the thousands.
Companies around the world found themselves in a minefield of fine print when the US Department of Homeland Security embarked on its reliable mission “put an end to the disgusting practice of forced labor throughout the world”, especially in Xinjiang and its cotton, clothing, tomato and polysilicon industries. Identifying the culprits and their questionable supply chains while facilitating legitimate trade promises to be a Herculean task. DNA traceability testing, research into the provenance of raw materials, analysis of countless assembly operations and determining the extent of outsourcing are some of the issues that will need to be scrutinized by the reinforced border guard. mushroom when push starts.
But the new measures mean nothing without the cooperation of the democratic world. If Canada, Europe and other countries involved in the procurement refuse to take responsibility, the goods will simply be diverted and the new law will not have much impact on the situation.
Sam Brownback, U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedoms (IRF) from 2018 to 2021, speaking at a side event of this year’s IRF summit, wholeheartedly supported the law but called on the world to join it. According to him, Western companies “support China”, demanding that the world community “make a choice” and eradicate human rights violations in trade.
Jew Ilham, daughter of imprisoned Uyghur professor Ilham Tohti, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for separatism in 2014, pleaded with European companies at the same side event not to become a “dumping ground” for Uyghur forced labor. “There is clear and compelling evidence” of slavery, she stressed, calling for full supply chain transparency and courage to hold authorities and companies accountable.
But Canada, still holding on to a Xinjiang-specific trade law, could make or break the UFLPA, at least in the initial stages, notes Sara Teich, an international human rights lawyer based in Canada, who noted the dangers of goods banned in Xinjiang. The United States is simply rerouting through Canada, which has a free trade agreement with Washington. Teich noted that there were not enough opportunities for verification, and last year, although 1,400 products were diverted from US borders, this figure was only one for Canada. Canada will be a vital ally in making the legislation effective.
European Parliament while I completely agree to ban products of forced labor in its market still has to go through the European Commission’s gauntlet, and specific Uighur law has yet to be negotiated.
UFLPA, the latest in a catalog of U.S. efforts to prevent forced labor in its supply chains, comes out beyond the Tariff Act of 1930 in the ban on the importation of goods tainted by slavery and fulfills the US commitment in 2020 to ban the importation of goods produced using forced labor into the country. In particular, with regard to products originating in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China, where violations good labor practices are widespreadthe action focuses on the widely documented abuses perpetrated against Turkic peoples in the center of the Uyghurs.
Beijing’s policy in Xinjiang includes herding hundreds of thousands of Uyghurs. to factories and other forms of forced labor throughout China to produce goods for Western brands under the guise of fighting poverty and resettling ethnic minorities with the so-called “surplus labor force”. UFLPA reason to be, according to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is to assume that “any goods, products, products and goods mined, produced or manufactured in whole or in part” in Xinjiang were manufactured using forced labor, “and that such goods, products, products and the goods are not eligible to enter the United States.”
Analyst firm Kharon has identified Xinjiang as a hub for raw materials of the world market, and thus many industries are inevitably linked to Uyghur forced labor. Twenty percent of the world’s cotton production, 40 percent of the world’s polysilicon for solar panels, and 13 percent of the world’s wind turbine production are produced in Xinjiang. Twenty-five percent of the world’s tomato paste, 11 percent of the world’s walnuts and 10 percent of the viscose also come from this region.
While the facts are clear and the need to curb human rights abuses in Beijing is undeniable, the implementation of the law is a gigantic undertaking that will likely not only significantly disrupt US imports, but threaten supply chains around the world. According to Michael Sobolik, a staff member at the American Council on Foreign Policy, the law was passed amid internal controversy and opposition. Speaking at an IRF side event, Sobolik said the UFLPA had struggled to navigate its way out of the US legislative quagmire and that its opponents “cared more about climate than human rights.”
According to Sobolik, the adoption of the law, although welcomed, was only the beginning. He predicted a rocky, contested road ahead. Western complicity in forced labor-corrupted supply chains is undeniable, but getting the US and other companies out of the labyrinth of forced labor complicity was another matter. Some companies may eventually decide what it will be. easier to move your business to another location. Some textile companies, for example, have already made the decision to phase out cotton from Xinjiang entirely and will source cotton from more remote areas, leaving 3 million tons of raw cotton to languish in factories. according to South China Morning Post.
International law firm Gibson Dunn noted that no stone will be left untouched in the implementation of the law, and that it will be strictly enforced. But their report, based on analysis consulting firm McKinsey & Company, illustrates the depth of detail that will be involved. For example, look at the number and variety of suppliers involved in the production of a car: 250 Tier 1 suppliers of thousands of components such as semiconductors, aluminum, glass, engines and seat fabrics, including 18,000 suppliers across the entire supply chain. . Separating forced labor from this complex and interconnected supply chain would be a laborious and possibly impossible task.
Solar panels are also on the radar of human rights activists and activists who have evidence supply chains riddled with Uyghur forced labor. CBP indicated in its report to Congress that “these silica-based products may include aluminum alloys, silicones, and polysilicon, which are themselves used in building materials, automobiles, oil, concrete, glass, ceramics, electronics, and other products.” in addition to solar panels. the responsibility will lie with the importers whose final products may contain any of these components, to be familiar with the entire supply chain – no matter how insignificant or seemingly insignificant the supplier’s contribution may be.
In a statement late last week, Robert Silvers, US Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Policy and Chairman of the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force (FLETF), reiterated the US government’s disdain for imports of goods made using forced labor. describing them as “an insult to human rights and our national values”.
After passing legislation that he and Senator Jeff Merkley initiated, Senator Marco Rubio told the BBC that “Congress stands ready to work with President Biden and his administration to ensure the full and rigorous implementation of this historic law.”
“The strategy we’ve presented to Congress will lead to significant progress against forced labor as we continue to promote legitimate trade,” Rubio added.
Hayley Bird-Wilt, Associate Editor of The Dispatch, who just published in-depth analysis the process of passing the UFLPA, said that enforcing the act would be a giant undertaking. Addressing the IFR side event, Bird-Wilt noted that implementation, while key, will come with logistical challenges. Hundreds of additional staff would need to be hired, and she wondered if officials were ready for the expected 11 million shipments expected to be returned.
Speaking to the New York TimesAlan Bersin, former CBP commissioner, now executive chairman of Altana AI, a company that proud of himself about “reliable and resilient” supply chains, said the impact on both the US economy and the global economy would be measured in “many billions of dollars, not millions of dollars.”
“The public is not ready for what will happen,” he added.