text:
Honda Civic wins 2016 car of the year award
(CNN) – In a big comeback for a beleaguered classic, the Honda Civic has been named the 2016 North American Car of the Year.
The last generation Civic bombed with critics when it debuted in 2011, forcing Honda back to the drawing board. Consumer Reports rated that model too poor to earn its recommendation — the first time a Civic didn’t get the magazine’s coveted seal of approval.
A thorough makeover in 2012 was enough to get back in the good graces of Consumer Reports.
Anticipating a redesign, customers stayed away from Civic in 2015. Civic sales fell last year, while rivals including Toyota Corolla and Hyundai Elantra had banner years.
But now Honda is back in the driver’s seat with a sporty 2016 redesign. Upper-end models offer new turbocharged engines, a first for Honda in mainstream non-performance cars. Lower-cost versions come standard with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder that puts out 158 horsepower. That’s less than the 174 horsepower from the turbo engine produces, but it’s still more than competitors like Corolla and Elantra offer.
The Volvo XC90 won the magazine’s North American Truck of the Year award. It’s a big, three-row crossover SUV powered by a small, 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine that’s supercharged and turbocharged. The little engine produces a surprising 316 horsepower.
It’s part of a new product engineering strategy at Volvo in which a single engine size, tuned to produce varying amounts of power, will be used to drive a wide variety of vehicles.
The XC90 was also the first all-new vehicle produced under Volvo’s Chinese ownership. Zhejiang Geely Holding Group purchased Volvo from Ford in 2009. The XC90 was designed and engineered entirely in Volvo’s home nation of Sweden, however, and plans for the new engineering strategy were underway before Geely’s takeover, Volvo executives have said.
The North American Car and Truck Awards are decided by a group of automotive journalists. In November, the Chevy Camaro was been named Car of the Year in the separate Motor Trend awards, while the company’s Colorado model picked up Motor Trend’s Truck of the Year honors


text:
All entries for January 2007
January 29, 2007
Fearing a backlash like the one that damaged the fur industry, diamond dealers have recently begun to promote “ethical diamonds.” However, there has been widespread criticism of the diamond industry’s attempts to self regulate. DeBeers, which controls 60 _ 70% of the world’s uncut diamonds, has yet to agree to an independent audit requested by Amnesty International. DeBeers recently claimed that after 70 years of running a diamond cartel, it will not continue to stockpile diamonds in order to artificially inflate the price of the stones.
January 27, 2007
How successful where the recommendations to the international community regarding diamonds? Sierra Leone: Amnesty International calls for fast and effective action on diamonds (AI Index: AFR 51/54/00), 30 June 2000, and
Sierra Leone: Cutting the link between diamonds and guns (AI Index: AFR 51/27/00), 31 May 2000.
For further information on Amnesty International’s position on military assistance to rebel forces and the trade in diamonds, see Sierra Leone: Cutting the link between diamonds and human rights abuses “forever” (AI Index: AFR 51/56/00) 14 July 2000,
2000 – sierra leone conflict caputred the minds of the international community
De Beers said they will not buy conflict diamonds
Amnesty: needs to be increased scurtiny of trade with Guinea and Liberia
All change sin the diamond industry are coming about because the it feels it has to ‘clean up some dirty business’
Amnesty International remained concerned about the role of Liberia in the transfer of arms and ammunition to Sierra Leone and of diamonds leaving Sierra Leone. Amnesty International reinterated its call to the Security Council to investigate the origins of diamonds exported from Liberia and other countries in West Africa to ensure that these are not from rebel-held areas of Sierra Leone.
Amnesty International is called on governments and the diamond industry to remain focussed in their efforts to develop a comprehensive, transparent and verifiable system, including a worldwide tamper-proof certification, packaging and monitoring system.

domain: news


text:
NEW YORK (AP) - Will Santa's sleigh be late?
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - When it comes to making coins, the Mint isn't getting its two cents worth. In some cases, it doesn't even get half of that.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Twitter is offering its more than 200 million users a chance to keep a digital scrapbook of all their tweets.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Apple filed an appeal Thursday of a judge's refusal to bar some Samsung smartphones from the U.S. market, extending one of several legal battles raging around the world between the two tech giants.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - From California to New York, teacher and public-worker retirement funds are reconsidering their investments in gun makers and confronting an uncomfortable fact: Their pensions have supported the manufacture of deadly weapons, in some cases the same type of gun used in the Connecticut school shooting.
OLIVE GARDEN OWNER SHIFTS COURSE TO FOCUS ON DEALS: NEW YORK (AP) - After new ad campaigns touting the quality of its food failed to spark sales, the parent company of Olive Garden and Red Lobster is retooling its strategy to attract diners with more promotional deals.
WASHINGTON (AP) - A federal watchdog has found that government-controlled Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac may have lost more than $3 billion from big banks' alleged rigging of a key interest rate.
NEW YORK (AP) - When it comes to fat holiday discounts, better late than never.
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Google is turning on a "scan and match" service for Google Music users to store copies of their songs online, offering for free what Apple charges $25 a year for.
MENLO PARK (AP) - Instagram, the popular mobile photo-sharing service now owned by Facebook, said Tuesday that it will remove language from its new terms of service suggesting that users' photos could appear in advertisements.
REDWOOD SHORES (AP) - Snapping out of a summertime lull, Oracle's latest quarter demonstrated that companies have been splurging on software and other technology as the year comes to a close, despite uncertainty about the economy's prospects.
MENLO PARK (AP) - Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says he is donating nearly $500 million in stock to a Silicon Valley charity to focus on health and education issues.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Apple and Samsung, the world's top two smartphone makers, each scored a significant victory on different continents that will allow both to keep selling their products without legal interference this holiday season.
NEW YORK (AP) - When the Justice Department announced its record $1.9 billion settlement against British bank HSBC last week, prosecutors called it a powerful blow to a dysfunctional institution accused of laundering money for Iran, Libya and Mexico's murderous drug cartels.
DETROIT (AP) - With Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks piling up on dealer lots, General Motors is offering generous deals to thin the stock.
DETROIT (AP) - Detroit's water department defended its shutoff policy Monday and warned that free service to people with unpaid bills could be "very devastating" to the bottom line.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Obama administration cracked down Monday on certain overseas corporate mergers and acquisitions, aiming to curb American companies from shifting their ownership abroad to shirk paying U.S. taxes.
SUNNYVALE (AP) - Yahoo may be losing some appeal on Wall Street now that U.S. investors can buy directly into Alibaba.
• STARBUCKS TESTS LATTE WITH STOUT FLAVOR: NEW YORK (AP) - Starbucks is testing a latte that it says has the "savory toasty malt" flavor of a foamy mug of stout.
NEW YORK (AP) - Procter & Gamble is canceling an on-field breast cancer awareness promotion it had been planning with the National Football League, the latest sponsor to respond to the NFL's growing problems.
SUNNYVALE (AP) - Yahoo is making amends for years of blundering with one smart move: an early investment in Alibaba Group that has turned into a multibillion-dollar boon.
NEW YORK (AP) - Sure, you have a lot to do today - laundry, bills, dinner - but it's never too early to start planning for your digital afterlife, the fate of your numerous online accounts once you shed this mortal coil.
DALLAS (AP) - UPS plans to hire up to 95,000 workers to help deliver packages during the busy holiday season - an increase from last year, when the company was caught unprepared for a boom in online shopping.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - New York's attorney general has settled a false advertising investigation at Wal-Mart, saying some store personnel were citing a nonexistent "sugar tax" on soda.
CUPERTINO (AP) - Apple had more than 4 million advance orders of its new, larger iPhones in the first 24 hours, exceeding its initial supply, the company said Monday.
NEW YORK (AP) - Do you leave a tip in your hotel room for the maid? Marriott is launching a program with Maria Shriver to put envelopes in hotel rooms to encourage tipping.
NEW YORK (AP) - Microsoft's decision to spend $2.5 billion for the creator of the hit game "Minecraft" could help the Xbox maker grab attention on mobile phones, a new priority for the company.
NEW YORK (AP) - Olive Garden is defending its practice of giving customers as many breadsticks as they want, saying the policy conveys "Italian generosity."
NEW YORK (AP) - Maybe there is such a thing as too many breadsticks.


text:
Greek yogurt has new competition: Yoplait has just debuted a "French style yogurt" called "Oui—and it hits store shelves this July.
If you're unclear on what a "French style yogurt" is, you're not alone. According to General Mills' blog, it was introduced to the company by Brice LeRoy, an innovation product designer in the company's dairy group who hails from western France. LeRoy grew up watching his mother make "pot-set" yogurt in his family's kitchen, and the same traditional French method is used to craft Oui.
This differs vastly from the U.S. standard for making yogurt, which involves culturing ingredients in large vats and then filling individual cups with fully prepared yogurt. "It's the simplest way to make yogurt, but it's also the hardest to do at scale," Yoplait director Doug Martin said about the French style in the General Mills' blog.
The result of the French method is a yogurt that is incredibly thick—BuzzFeed likens it to soft butter—but with a sweeter taste than the more tart Greek yogurt. Oui comes in eight flavors: strawberry, blueberry, black cherry, vanilla, coconut, lemon, peach, and plain, and each is packaged in an individual glass pot.
A 5-ounce container of Oui plain yogurt has 140 calories and 5 grams of protein, while a 5-ounce serving of Fage's plain, whole-milk Greek yogurt has 136 calories and 13 grams of protein, and a 5.3-ounce container of Chobani's plain, whole-milk Greek yogurt has 130 calories and 13 grams of protein. That's almost three times as much protein in popular Greek yogurt brands than in the new Oui yogurt. Icelandic skyr yogurt, another Greek yogurt competitor, often has an even higher protein count, with the popular Siggi's plain, whole-milk skyr clocking in at 144 calories and 16 grams of protein per 5-ounce serving.
Yoplait's Oui comes at a time when sales of Greek yogurt are down (nearly 5 percent, according to BuzzFeed), which means that French-style yogurt could be poised to become the latest "it" product in the dairy world. "There's been no big innovation in 10 years," David Clark, the president of U.S. yogurt at General Mills, told BuzzFeed. "Greek was the last thing to happen in yogurt." Until Oui, that is.
Related: Breakfast Yogurt Pops Are Going to Make Your Summer


text:
The recent prices of games have not been very encouraging for gamers. With AAA titles now launching at $70, in addition to microtransactions and higher-priced versions like the Deluxe editions, many have begun to try fewer new games.
However, the $70 price should be the least of our worries. The reason I say this is because recent events are pointing to an unfortunate future with even more expensive games, and things can only end up in one direction.
Why it matters: A new generation of games is just a few years away. With Xbox seemingly planning to release its next console as early as 2026, another major shift in the industry’s pricing could be coming much sooner than expected.
Splitting AAA Games Into Mulitple Parts
Recent leaks from Insomniac indicate that the next installment in the Spider-Man series will be divided into two parts, each released a year apart for $49.99. The first part is scheduled for release in Holiday 2027, with the second following in Holiday 2028.
The first part will debut with a standalone multiplayer game, which will also be available for purchase at $49.99. When combining the two segments with the multiplayer feature, Spider-Man 3 would cost $150, more than twice the current price of typical AAA games.
Admittedly, this structure and price point alone are not enough to make any conclusions. For all we know, the two parts of Spider-Man 3 could offer content worth two AAA games, but the studio’s willingness to price each game at $50 might be cause for concern.
The gaming industry is no stranger to the concept of cut content. On many occasions, content is held back on purpose to be sold as DLC later, possibly leading to a similar practice becoming more common, thanks to this proposed model from Insomniac Games, driven by extended development periods and substantial costs.
Development Costs Increasing Exponentially
Given the rising industry standards and intense market competition, modern AAA games necessitate longer development times and increased funding, a trend expected to persist and intensify.
Following the leaks, we know that Spider-Man 3 cost at least $315 million. For a game that did not build everything from scratch and had its fair share of quality-control issues, this budget can be shocking.
A cutting-edge release like The Last of Us Part 2 cost significantly less to create, but this is just the future of gaming. With developers spending years to produce one AAA game and teams expanding to hundreds of employees, a AAA title’s budget can get out of hand in no time.
The Publisher’s Outlook on $70 Games
Even when sold for $70, games offer hundreds of hours of content. CEO Strauss Zelnick suggests that games are priced very low, leaving the possibility of a price hike when needed.
This shift could potentially lead to a substantial decline in video game sales. However, I believe it would also amplify the popularity of gaming subscription services like Xbox Game Pass.
Regarding game prices, many are still adjusting to the $70 norm for contemporary AAA games. While this price is justified, in my opinion, considering the current economic state and development costs, I can’t say the same about further price hikes.
Moreover, the gaming industry faces the challenge of incomplete games. While releases like Cyberpunk 2077 are celebrated in 2023, gamers were less than pleased after spending $60 on the title in 2020.
This trend has pushed back a lot of people from purchasing new games. A recent rumor has suggested GTA 6 might cost $100. Based on current information, this is likely false since the game is launching in 2025 but could become a reality in the next few years.
Thank you! Please share your positive feedback. 🔋
How could we improve this post? Please Help us. 😔
Avinash is currently pursuing a Business degree in Australia. For more than three years, he has been working as a gaming journalist, utilizing his writing skills and love for gaming to report on the latest updates in the industry. Avinash loves to play action games like Devil May Cry and has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as IGN, GamesRadar, GameRant, Dualshockers, CBR, and Gamespot.


text:
Four disruptions—Autonomous driving, Connected cars, Electrified vehicles, and Shared mobility—have become the hottest topics in the automotive industry in recent years. McKinsey’s 2019 ACES survey, which examined consumer mobility preferences worldwide, revealed that customers believe traditional OEMs are well qualified to drive innovation in these areas. That finding marks a big departure from previous surveys, where consumers stated that established OEMs lagged behind their Asian counterparts and start-ups in pursuing ACES trends.
Can established automakers truly gain the upper hand in the game of ACES? To answer this question, we took a close look at the 2019 survey results, including country-specific findings. Our analysis revealed that traditional OEMs are well positioned to become leaders in ACES because consumers have faith in their capabilities, particularly in Western markets. But all companies, including traditional OEMs, may encounter several challenges that could limit their gains from ACES.
The ACES survey
McKinsey’s 2019 ACES survey highlighted the urgency and importance of pursuing ACES trends. It involved more than 7,000 respondents in seven countries (China, France, Germany, India, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States) (Exhibit 1).1 These locations account for approximately two-thirds of annual global new car sales.
Our survey included more than 70 questions about ACES trends. It was designed to allow numerous data cuts, including those for city type, gender, age, level of education, and income.
Customers trust traditional OEMs to succeed in ACES
In our 2018 survey, younger Chinese consumers were the most enthusiastic about ACES trends. This year, the survey revealed that Western customers are now more willing to explore ACES than in the past. Western customers also expressed a higher degree of trust that OEMs could deliver ACES capabilities.
Across countries, consumers valued safety more than any other vehicle feature, with 53 percent of respondents citing a desire for higher safety standards as their primary reason for wanting to replace an old car. A desire for a lower total cost of ownership came in second. Vehicle performance and design carried the least weight in the decision to purchase a new car—a finding that might force OEMs to focus on other differentiating features in the future.
Our survey results suggest that established OEMs may have an advantage as ACES trends accelerate because customers view them favorably. For instance, 66 percent of respondents stated that established OEMs are the most likely to bring fully mature—and therefore safe—autonomous vehicles (AVs) to market. There was little variation across countries in this sentiment. Other important findings that suggest OEMs may have an advantage with ACES include the following:
- Autonomous driving. Customer perceptions will help established OEMs over the long run, especially in Europe and the United States. For example, 43 percent of German consumers stated that they would prefer to buy an AV from their traditional premium OEMs, which was much higher than the 25 percent who wanted to purchase from companies that specialized in self-driving cars and the 10 percent who wanted to buy from those associated with high-tech giants. The main regional difference can be seen in Japan, where only 6 percent of respondents stated that they trusted specialist self-driving companies but 80 percent trusted traditional OEMs. Americans were half as likely as Chinese or Indian respondents to state that they would trade in their cars for an AV. This finding means that some of the established OEMs, which are currently lagging behind in developing autonomous-driving technology, might have time to catch up and change customer perceptions before AVs become more common. This trust advantage for traditional OEMs is also present in China and India, albeit to a lesser extent.
- Connectivity. Consumers in the United States typically prioritize connectivity less than those in Asia. While most Chinese consumers (61 percent) stated that they would switch car brands to achieve better connectivity, only 18 percent of Germans would (Exhibit 2). The number of Americans and French willing to make the switch for better connectivity was also relatively low (28 percent in both markets).
- Electric vehicles (EVs). When Americans contemplate an EV purchase, they are 2.5 times more likely to prefer dealing with a traditional OEM over a specialized EV manufacturer. Ironically, however, many US respondents said the latter lead in developing EVs while established OEMs are losing ground.
- Shared mobility. Even if robo-taxis—driverless, on-demand cars—become commonplace and affordable, 70 percent of Germans and 76 percent of Americans want to keep their private cars.
Despite the encouraging survey findings, traditional OEMs still face some headwinds
While consumers believe traditional OEMs have ACES capabilities, they did express some concerns. For instance, our survey found that two-thirds of respondents trusted traditional OEMs—both premium and mass market—to provide vehicles with autonomous features. However, only 43 percent of global respondents stated that traditional OEMs were the leaders in AV development—a drop of 13 percent since 2017. The majority believed that most AV innovation came from “young or rising” car companies or big high-tech players.
Our survey suggests that all automakers, including traditional OEMs, must address consumer concerns about ACES trends. Some customers think that AVs and EVs are too expensive. Others believe that EV range is too limited, or express doubts about abandoning private-vehicle ownership in favor of shared mobility. There are also major questions about the future of ACES in China—the world’s largest automotive market and one in which consumers have exceedingly high expectations.
Price pressure for EVs and AVs
Over 70 percent of German respondents believe EVs will lessen transportation’s impact on the environment, but fewer than 20 percent would pay a premium for them. This finding also holds true in the global market. For battery electric vehicles (BEVs), only 16 percent of respondents were willing to pay a premium over the price for a vehicle with an internal combustion engine (ICE) (Exhibit 3). Of this group, only 9 percent were willing to pay a premium of 16 percent or more. These findings indicate OEMs may potentially face intense price pressure when bringing BEVs to market.
As with EVs, our survey suggests that AVs may also experience greater price pressure in the future.
Additional electric-vehicle pain points
Beyond price, EVs face other challenges. The top concern relates to vehicle range, even in countries where average driving time is limited. In the United States, for instance, more than one-third of Americans drive fewer than five hours a week, but survey respondents were still worried about range. Charging procedures, including access to charging stations and long charging times, may also deter EV buyers. In consequence, there is a large gap between the number of consumers seriously considering a BEV as their next vehicle and the number with concrete plans to buy one (Exhibit 4). Consider Germany, where about one-third of respondents said they would seriously consider a BEV purchase, but only 5 percent had plans to buy one. The largest discrepancy is found in Japan, where 30 percent of respondents were considering a BEV purchase, but only 10 percent had concrete purchase plans.
Shared mobility is growing worldwide. For instance, more than 20 percent of German respondents stated that they used car sharing and e-hailing services, which represents a doubling in the past three years.
According to our survey, about 42 percent of consumers would opt for public transportation if shared-mobility solutions were not available, while 2 percent would not take the planned trip (Exhibit 5). These findings suggest that shared mobility will increase road traffic, since it cannibalizes public transit. That said, it may take years before a significant number of people give up their private cars—the core business for OEMs—and rely entirely on shared-mobility solutions, including autonomous ride-hailing services. Although such services are significantly cheaper than private-car ownership, consumers want to be reassured of a guaranteed pickup—something that may not be possible over the short to medium term.
The important Chinese market will not present an easy win for traditional OEMs. Consider some of the most important challenges:
- Data monetization will be difficult. Although 49 percent of Chinese consumers were willing to share their data with big Chinese conglomerates, only 17 percent stated that they would provide this information to their car manufacturers, which are mainly Western.
- As noted earlier, 61 percent of Chinese consumers would switch to a new car brand if it offered better connectivity features.
- Shared mobility may gain traction more rapidly in China. Young Chinese are 20 times more likely to trade in their cars for a chauffeur service today than are those who are over 50 years old.
- With EVs, premium and mass-market OEMs are still viewed as the best option for purchase, but they may have difficulty retaining their top position. According to our survey, consumer trust in premium OEMs that sell EVs declined by 25 percent from 2017. Meanwhile, trust in non-automotive technology players that sell EVs increased fivefold.
Exploring other ACES findings
In addition to the findings previously discussed, our survey generated a wealth of other insights on ACES trends. For example, it suggests that OEMs should consider establishing their EV dealership networks in suburban areas, where consumer demand for EVs is highest. Other insights include the following.
Two-thirds of respondents would switch from their current automotive brand to another if it offered better AV driving functionalities. Globally, a third expressed interest in trading in their conventional cars for AVs. In another positive finding, 47 percent said AVs will increase road safety and reduce accidents, while 45 percent trusted OEMs and authorities to make AVs safe. Overall, premium OEMs are losing ground in terms of perceived leadership in autonomous functionalities.
Some interesting regional variations emerged about AV attitudes. For instance, 43 percent of consumers in France said they would feel good about family members using fully autonomous cars, as did 46 percent of Italian consumers. In both Germany and the United States, however, only 36 of consumers expressed a similar sentiment.
Connectivity features were most important to consumers in China, India, and Italy, in that order. For instance, 93 percent of Chinese respondents stated that gesture control, voice assistance, and emotion recognition was important, as did 88 percent of Indian respondents and 69 percent of Italian respondents.
Rural consumers are the most reluctant to pay a premium for EVs. In France, for example, 49 percent of rural survey respondents stated that they were primarily concerned about price when buying a new car, compared with 29 percent of respondents in densely populated cities and 36 percent of respondents in suburban cities. These attitudes could keep EVs concentrated in cities.
Most respondents in our survey still used either private vehicles or public transportation. In the United States, which has the highest rate of car commuting, 70 percent of respondents stated that they drove to work, suggesting that employers will need to maintain company parking lots for some time.
Our survey clearly indicated that consumers were open to shared mobility, however. Overall, 53 percent of respondents stated that they would be interested in giving up their cars if an autonomous taxi-driving service were available. Respondents from India were most open to shared mobility, with only 22 percent stating that they would keep their car under these circumstances. Globally, only 6 percent of respondents stated that they would move to autonomous taxis and give up their cars if the costs were higher than those associated with vehicle ownership.
As the ACES disruptions continue to transform the automotive industry, players–both established incumbents and new entrants–need to understand and anticipate the evolving competitive landscape. McKinsey’s 2019 ACES survey substantiates the growing impact of these trends globally and reveals the changing perceptions of consumers, confirming that these trends are not fads. Western OEMs have been strategically astute in preparing for them.


text:
A fresh food program is expanding its produce credit model following success with this approach in Indianapolis.
Instacart and Partnership for a Healthier America created the Good Food for All Program in 2020 to help families struggling with food insecurity. The program initially provided 50 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables to participating families for several weeks.
In the beginning phases of the Indianapolis program, families still received these pre-packaged boxes. However, Indianapolis families participated in an additional second phase of the program, where they were given $50 per month in “produce credits” for three months.
These could be redeemed online on Instacart’s website or in select grocery stores.
Results from the Indianapolis program released earlier this month reported 80 percent of participants preferred these produce credits over produce boxes. Additionally, more than 70 percent of participants receiving produce credits said they would continue to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables and these credits had helped their families build healthier habits.
Join the conversation and sign up for the Indiana Two-Way. Text "Indiana" to 73224. Your comments and questions in response to our weekly text help us find the answers you need on statewide issues.
According to a press release, participants who used these produce credits found an increase in food security as they had the ability to control the healthiness of food they purchased and the flexibility to support food preferences.
Following this success, the produce credit portion of this program will now be expanded to more than 1,000 families in Denver; Milwaukee; Washington, D.C. and Englewood, New Jersey. Families in these cities will be given $60 per month in produce credits to purchase these fresh fruits and vegetables.


text:
Pizza chain La Favorita is making a pitch for hungry air passengers by setting up a mobile trailer outside Edinburgh Airport.
For a trial period, the Leith-based restaurant from Vittoria Group will offer its rustic wood-fired fare on the plaza outside the main entrance, along with panini, Italian coffee and fresh muffins.
Tony Crolla, chairman of Vittoria Group said: “We are very proud to partner with Edinburgh Airport to bring a La Favorita's menu to travelling guests at Scotland's busiest airport and look forward to serving airport passengers the same delicious, high-quality food and beverages and family-friendly hospitality that they expect from our Edinburgh restaurant locations".
The menu includes the usual favourites including Margherita Pizza Slice, the Spice Slice, the Veggie Slice and Tomato and Mozzarella, Artichoke and Speck and Calabrese panini plus double chocolate, blueberry and toffee & banana muffins.
Linsey Jordon, head of retail at Edinburgh Airport said: “We’re all about offering choice to our passengers, whether that is to one of more than 150 destinations or a range of food and beverage outlets, so it’s great to see La Favorita on the plaza.
"It’s one of Edinburgh’s most well known pizza places and we’re delighted to be offering a slice of the action to the thousands of passengers who walk across the plaza every day.”
La Favorita at Edinburgh Airport will operate seven days a week from noon to 8pm.


text:
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Chinese automaker Lifan Technology (Group) Co., Ltd. (“Lifan Technology”) announced on Oct. 9 that it sold 4,542 vehicles in Sept. 2022, representing a precipitous surge of 2,002.78% year-over-year.
Of the vehicles sold last month, 3,352 units were new energy vehicles (NEVs), indicating a four-digit year-on-year growth of 1,576%.
Photo credit: Maple 60S; photo credit: Lifan technology
As for the year-to-date performance, Lifan Technology sold 31,852 vehicles through the first three quarters of the year, reflecting a 9,581.46% soar compared to the same span of last year. Notably, its Jan.-Sept. NEV sales amounted to 22,787 units, rocketing 7,322.48% from the previous year.
The blooming sales growth was buoyed by a robust surge in production volume. In Sept., Lifan Technology produced 3,610 vehicles, which were 931.43% more than the year-ago level. Its NEV sector scored a 359.43% year-over-year leap with 1,608 units sold last month.
For the first nine months of 2022, Lifan Technology saw its cumulative auto output zoom up 3,439.97% over a year earlier to 23,293 units, 11,389 units (+1,663% YoY) of which were NEVs.
For clarity, the NEV sales reported by the company consisted of the sales volumes of the vehicles produced and sold by Lifan Technology, Zhejiang Geely Automobile Company Limited, and Zhejiang Haoqing Automobile Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


text:
- The smartphone is available at an attractive price of sub-2K Intex Technologies, the no. 1 Indian mobile handset brand, launched the most... ...http://www.itvoice.in/index.php/it-voice-news/intex-launches-its-most-affordable-smartphone-aqua-g2
5.8 Inch (14.73 cm) Display, 1.4 GHz Dual Core Processor, Android 4.2 (Jellybean) (OS), 2 MP Front Camera, 8 MP Rear Camera, 1.5 GB RAM, 8 GB ...https://m.gadgets360.com/shop/samsung-galaxy-mega-gt-i9152-black-8-gb-3536342d383530?utm_source=en_mobile&utm_medium=rhs&utm_campaign=shop_widget
39 Google's latest Marshmallow OS is now running on 4.6 percent of Android devices, claims the company. In a recent Google Play distribution... ...http://m.tech.firstpost.com/news-analysis/googles-android-marshmallow-is-now-running-on-46-percent-of-active-devices-307755.html
/PRNewswire/ -- Easter is that time of the year when people turn their thoughts to renewal of life, resurrection of Jesus Christ and all those... ...http://www.itnewsonline.com/prnewswire/Share-Some-Bunny-Love-This-Easter-With-123Greetings.coms-Ecards/426110
After having launched the Xiaomi Mi5 a the MWC 2016, the high flying Chinese company has now started rolling down an updated version of its custom... ...http://www.gizbot.com/mobile/features/these-18-xiaomi-smartphones-now-receiving-the-miui-7-2-update-via-ota-031828.html
With the ongoing Google I/O...


text:
The San Joaquin Valley is buzzing with activity as one of the world's biggest produce supplying regions picks, packs and ships fruits and vegetables around the globe. The San Joaquin Valley represents over 69 percent of the commodities in California and is home to seven of California's top 10 agricultural producing counties.
The Fresno Food Expo is also buzzing with activity to showcase the vast variety of produce and other food products coming out of its fertile soils and minds.The expo will be held Thursday, July 24 at the Fresno Convention Center in downtown Fresno.
"The first mission of the Fresno Food Expo was to create a greater awareness of the finished and value-added products found in the San Joaquin Valley — many of which are made possible because of their closeness to fresh," said Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin. "The 2014 Fresno Food Expo, now hosted in July, during the San Joaquin Valley's prime growing season, will better bring together the full scope of the San Joaquin Valley's vast food production industry — everything from fresh to finished and value-added will be all on display at the expo and in bigger numbers. With increased participation comes more opportunity for the buyers and the public to connect with our region's food and beverage producers, and continue to discover the vastness and value of our region's food industry."
Often referred to as the breadbasket of the world, the San Joaquin Valley grows, manufactures and distributes enough food to feed over one-third of the nation. The region has branded itself as an ideal place to find innovative products and leading-edge packaging. The region's proximity to fresh products and access to markets around the world has not only made this region one of the most productive places for growing and processing food and beverage products, but it has become a powerhouse for innovation in the food industry.
Several of the largest produce shippers in the industry will be on hand with field fresh fruits and vegetables on display, including show sponsors Fowler Packing, Gerawan Farming and Wawona Packing. A complete list of exhibitors is available at the expo website.
The Fresno Food Expo kicked off its New Product Showcase last month, presented by Baker Peterson Franklin CPA LLP. Voting for the new product award is being tallied at www.fresnofoodexpo.com and the Fresno Food Expo Facebook page.
Last year, public voting on the Fresno Food Expo website and Facebook page captured more than 5,000 votes during the three-week voting period -- eventually Bella Viva Orchards Pure & Natural Dried Fruit Slices were awarded the "Industry Award," renamed this year as the Buyer's Choice Award.
"The Fresno Food Expo provided an opportunity to build an awareness of our products in the San Joaquin Valley, helping to drive consumer demand, as well as connect us with new buyers who didn't have us on their radar," said Brean Bettencourt of Bella Viva Orchards.
Baloian Farms Squash Saute Kits, Bella Viva Orchards Pure & Natural Dried Apple Slices, Flicks Candy Company Milk & Dark Chocolate Covered Pistachios, Sunrise Fresh Dark Sweet Dried Cherries, and Wawona Frozen Foods Organic Day Break Cups advanced to the Buyer's Choice Awards. A celebrity judging panel — comprised of industry experts, including world-renowned chef Erna Kubin-Clanin, owner of five-star Erna's Elderberry House and Chateau du Sureau; Whole Foods "local sourcing guru" Harvinder Singh; and Matt Jones, an influential buyer from Kroger — will judge the finalists during the Fresno Food Expo on July 24.


text:
Cyanotech Corporation (Nasdaq Capital Market: CYAN) was awarded the Presidential “E” Award for Exports by U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Gary Locke at the Department’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. on May 16. The “E” Awards are the highest recognition any U.S. entity can receive for making a significant contribution to the expansion of U.S. exports. “We are honored that President Obama and the Commerce Department have recognized our achievements in exporting,” said Brent Bailey, Cyanotech’s President and CEO. “Our Hawaiian Spirulina and BioAstin Natural Astaxanthin products are now distributed in more than 60 countries on six continents.” Dr. Gerald Cysewski, Cyanotech’s Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, added, “Our valued distributors around the world recognize Cyanotech’s leadership position in Spirulina and Astaxanthin quality as well as our superior customer service and branding. On the consumer level, once people try our products, they understand our intense focus on producing products that help people feel better and live longer.” “Exports are a key driver of America's economic recovery,” said Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke. “President Obama’s National Export Initiative (NEI), which aims to double U.S. exports by 2015 in support of several million American jobs, is a robust, forward-looking trade agenda with an emphasis on domestic job growth. Cyanotech is being honored today for making significant contributions toward fulfilling that agenda. “I congratulate you on your significant export achievement. It is businesses like yours that will help us meet or exceed the President’s NEI goals. Your firm provides an example we hope more American companies will follow,” Locke added. Only 27 U.S. companies were presented with the “E” Award at the May 16, 2011 World Trade Week ceremonies in Washington, D.C. Criteria for the award are based on four years of successive export growth, usually accompanied by a rising percentage of export sales within total sales. An applicant’s demonstration of an innovative international marketing plan that led to the increase in exports is a significant factor in making the award.
Shares of Cyanotech Corporation (Nasdaq:CYAN) have taken a tremendous swing upward. The stock is trading at $8.25 as of 9:30 a.m. ET, 26.7% above Wednesday's closing price of $6.51. Volume is at 16,422, 0.3 times the daily average of 53,500.


text:
As we saw yesterday, during these days the App Trade Centre is being held in Valencia, where large software development companies are showing their new applications for smartphones and wearables . One of them is the real estate portal Fotocasa, which has shown us its new applications for the Apple Watch and Android Wear.
Wilfredo Perez, Tech Leader Mobile of Fotocasa has given a conference during the App Trade Centre in which the future of the technology sector of Fotocasa has been developed and has taken the opportunity to present the new applications for wearables . If one thing has become clear, it is that Fotocasa is strongly committed to reaching users with the latest technology and software .
Wilfredo Perez has been right, the Apple Watch and the devices with Android Wear are a sector in which all the apps should make a place , because the market that there is is very big. Finding properties and managing their sale/rent/purchase with the help of smart watches is quite curious and innovative, so it remains to be seen how everything develops.
We might think that you can’t do much from a clock to see a floor, well, this is not entirely true . From the Apple Watch we will be able to see the new properties that have been put up for sale according to our requirements, see previous images of what these properties look like, consult the basic information about them or even receive directions to the property and see it in person.
The truth is that Fotocasa is betting heavily in this sector , it is true that we will not use the application every day, because we are not every day buying an apartment. But the fact that we can enjoy management on a clock also makes the user experience better and more complete.


text:
MongoDB investigates a cyberattack, customer data exposed
December 17, 2023
MongoDB on Saturday announced it is investigating a cyberattack that exposed customer account metadata and contact information.
MongoDB on Saturday disclosed it is investigating a cyber attack against certain corporate systems.
MongoDB is a US company that developed the popular open-source NoSQL database management system.
The cyber attack was discovered on December 13, 2023, and led to the exposure of customer account metadata and contact information. The American company promptly started its incident response plan and pointed out that it is not aware of any data exposure.
“MongoDB is actively investigating a security incident involving unauthorized access to certain MongoDB corporate systems, which includes exposure of customer account metadata and contact information. We detected suspicious activity on Wednesday (Dec. 13th, 2023) evening US Eastern Standard Time, immediately activated our incident response process, and believe that this unauthorized access has been going on for some period of time before discovery.” reads the alert published by the company.” At this time, we are not aware of any exposure to the data that customers store in MongoDB Atlas.”
The US firm urges customers to be vigilant for social engineering and phishing attacks. The company also recommends active multi-factor authentication (MFA), and regularly rotate their MongoDB Atlas passwords.
At this time it is still unclear how long threat actors maintained access to the compromised systems.
In an update provided by the company on December 16, MongoDB disclosed it is experiencing a spike in login attempts resulting in issues for customers attempting to log in to Atlas and our Support Portal. However, the company states that the activity is not related to the security incident.
Follow me on Twitter: @securityaffairs and Facebook and Mastodon
(SecurityAffairs – hacking, data breach)


text:
bitcoin bank vienna
What is likely the world’s first dedicated Bitcoin bank has opened in the heart of the Austrian capital Vienna.
Named simply ‘Bitcoin-Bank,’ the dedicated physical outlet is owned and managed by a local Blockchain startup Bit Trust.
It is designed to make buying and selling Bitcoin easier and safer than other in-person options such as Localbitcoins meetings.
“It’s just much quicker this way and involves zero middlemen,” Bit Trust manager Magdalena Isbrandt told local news network ORF. “Value and money can be sent straight from user to user.”
As well as Bitcoin ATMs, customers can also get information about Bitcoin. The Bitcoin Bank is located at 49 Mariahilfer Strasse in the center of the city.
Bit Trust is a German Blockchain startup founded in 2014. Headquartered in Berlin, it focuses on payments systems, investments and consulting services.
Have you used the Bitcoin Bank? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
Source: Cointelegraph.com by William Suberg
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Relative Theory of Money v2.718 – Formalisation
What Can You Buy with Bitcoin?
Who’s ready to play the Blockchain game? By Auryn Macmillan
Ledger Wallet – Ledger Nano S – Cryptocurrency hardware wallet
Relative Theory of Money v2.718 – Value field
2016 Powered By Duniter.ch alias @duniter & @duniterum


text:
Red Hat aims to further disrupt the traditional software space, this time attacking traditional licensing models. At the company’s recent Summit in Boston, executives pointed out the expenses incurred around a traditional license.
“Many companies sell you a license, and then they sell you a maintenance fee. Every year they sell you a maintenance fee. [If] you want to upgrade to another version, [they say], ‘Well, let’s go back to the licensing fee.’ That’s the business model that they have,” said Red Hat Vice President of Customer Experience and Engagement Marco Bill-Peter.
“Our business model is different. It’s open source, and it’s around a subscription,” he said.
Bill-Peter said the benefits of the subscription model include “mature open-source software,” global support, certified security, certifications and globalization.


text:
India, the land of 1.21 billion people, may soon be getting its first Starbucks
Although Indians are traditionally considered to be tea drinkers, according to a recent poll, overall domestic coffee consumption rose to an estimated 108,000 metric tons in 2010, which represents an 80% growth in the past decade -- and with numbers like this, you'd better believe Starbucks is sitting up and taking notice.
Moreover, India is considered to be one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, and with U.S. consumer spending still on shaky ground, moving into countries such as India and China is one way Starbucks can continue to increase profits.
India is by no means the first global expansion project Starbucks has undertaken. In 1998, Starbucks opened a location in Taipei, and in 1999, Starbucks opened its first location in Beijing through a licensing agreement with Mei Da Coffee. Since these initial openings, Chinese consumers have responded favorably to Starbucks, and as of the end of 2010, there were more than 750 Starbucks locations throughout Greater China, which includes Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.
In addition, Starbucks Chairman Howard Schultz said in January that in the next five years, Starbucks plans to triple its outlets in Mainland China to 1,500. Clearly, business is going well both in China and internationally in general -- according to Starbucks' Q3 report for 2011, the company had record-breaking third-quarter sales thanks to an 8% increase in global comparable-store sales, and in Q3 FY11, international net revenue come to more than $658 million, which is a 20% increase over Q3 FY10.
Not without peril
Starbucks' expansion into India seems like a golden opportunity, but it does carry a certain degree of risk. Starbucks will have to compete with already established companies like Cafe Coffee Day, a unit of Amalgamated Bean Coffee Trading, which runs the largest chain of coffee retailers in India, and Whitbread, which operates Costa Coffee Stores.
Still, if companies such as Coca-Cola
Other coffee titans have also jumped on the potential for an international java boost. Sara Lee
A perky future
The joint venture between Starbucks and Tata Coffee still has to be completed, but if it does get done, I believe the future of Starbucks in India will mean increased profits for Starbucks shareholders. Starbucks traded up 1% following the news of a possible joint venture on Tuesday. And with the Dow Jones Industrial Average
Want to keep up Starbucks? Add it to your Foolish Watchlist.
The Motley Fool owns shares of Starbucks, Wal-Mart Stores, Coca-Cola, and Chipotle Mexican Grill. Motley Fool newsletter services have recommended buying shares of Starbucks, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Wal-Mart Stores, and Coca-Cola, as well as creating a diagonal call position in Wal-Mart Stores. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools don't all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


text:
Daily Mail gawps at ‘sexy’ underage Lourdes – Madonna might worry
HARD cheese on Madonna’s daughter Lourdes for being grassed up by the Daily Mail for smoking at 15. The paps pounced and flogged photos of the teenaged puffer hanging about with her pal in New York. The Mail says Lourdes seemed “very comfortable with it”. You see, Lourdsettes. It was not her first ciggie. Lourdes has, like, been soo smoking for soooo long.
The bigger worry are the middle-aged men staring at Lourdes. The Mail’s “Daily Mail Reporter”, notes:
Wearing a black and white mini dress with matching shoes, the 10th grade schoolgirl wore dark shades and her long hair loosely around her shoulders.
The survey uncovered a ‘deep pool of unhappiness’ among teenagers at the effect on their lives of early sex….Doctors are battling against a new strain of a sexually transmitted disease that can rob women of their fertility…Experts blame increasing promiscuity-particularly among the young, for the rise in cases of gonorrhoea. It can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease in women and mean they may suffer blocked fallopian tubes.
So. What of Lourdes?
Miniature Material Girl: Lourdes Leon is a copycat of mother Madonna in midriff-baring shirt and see-through skirt. She wore a cropped white top that exposed her midriff and a see-through black skirt that could be described as both funky and sexy. – March 16, 2012
There’s no mistaking where she gets her fashion sense from – even if a mini dress, high heels and flaming red lipstick are not every mother’s idea of what their 14-year-old should wear. – September 22, 2011
The 13-year-old stepped out in an Eighties influenced outfit that wouldn’t have looked out of place in her mother’s most famous decade as she went sightseeing with her siblings. – July 11, 2009
Lourdes is in “Like a Vigin guise” – October 5, 2009
Lourdes appeared onstage with her mother in Tel Aviv last year and in the video for Madonna’s hit Celebration, performing a breakdancing routine and posing coquettishly in make-up and a wedding dress. – August 5, 2010
The raven-haired doe-eyed beauty had bundled her long hair up in a bun to show off the new buzz cut. – 11 February, 2012
While Madonna kept a watchful eye close by, the pretty teen was all smiles as she sped around the Mediterranean on the back of a jet ski with her mystery man – August 29, 2011
Lourdes is underage for sex. But that Daily Mail can still look…


text:
Socialfly Studios has reopened after a COVID-related hiatus and is back up and running for full photo and video production. Despite the addition of temperature checks, masks, and social distancing on ..
Facebook owned Instagram announced the launch of shopping on its long-form video platform IGTV earlier this month. Brands and Influencers can now tag products in their ..
At Socialfly, we’ve had great success marrying two of our core competencies: influencer marketing and paid media strategy. We’ve launched dozens of integrated campaigns, deploying a hybrid whiteli..
The Power of Authenticity
Influencer Partnerships Keep Marketing Alive During Global Pandemic
Production Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic
#ThrowItInTheCart with Instagram Shopping
Maximizing Your Whitelisting Success


text:
GRAND RAPIDS — Restaurant operator Meritage Hospitality Group Inc. plans to invest $100 million to develop 40 new Wendy’s restaurants.
Under an agreement the company signed with the Wendy’s organization, Grand Rapids-based Meritage will receive “significant economic incentives,” including royalty and marketing fee relief, to open the restaurant locations by the end of 2024, according to a statement.
The incentive plan is contingent on Meritage annually updating 10 percent of its existing Wendy’s restaurants to the corporate brand standards.
Meritage (OTCQX: MHGU) plans to use cash on and credit to fund the developments.
“Restaurant development is an important part of our business model, which follows the acquisition and integration of restaurants in designated market areas,” Meritage CEO Robert Schermer, Jr. said in a statement.
Schermer noted the company was poised for a record number of restaurant build-outs in 2019 and 2020 in its 16-state footprint.
Meritage, which operates 320 restaurants, expects sales to grow 10 percent to 20 percent this year. The company generated $435.3 million in sales for 2018.


text:
Kia Canada Inc. turned south of the border to find its new president and CEO, tapping Kyle Lee for the job.
Lee is the former chief executive coordinator at Kia Motors America. He has also held key positions in several European markets.
Lee officially started his new job March 7 and replaces Sean Yoon, who left Kia Canada on March 1 to take on the role of president and CEO of Kia Motors America.
“We’re looking forward to learning from his experiences,” Kia Canada Vice President Ted Lancaster said of Lee.
Meanwhile, Yoon is taking over for Jang Won (Justin) Sohn, who becomes head of Asia-Pacific, Africa and Middle East operations for Kia Motors. Yoon previously worked for the America unit from 2006 to 2012.
Kia's Canadian sales increased 6.7 per cent in 2017 to 76,504 units. February sales fell 4.6 percent from the year-earlier period.


text:
Top-tier global media outlets have been turning to U.S. Dairy Export Council President and CEO Tom Vilsack for perspective on trade policy issues concerning American agriculture in general and the U.S. dairy industry in particular.
Trade policy has been in the media spotlight this week as President Trump continues to say he will renegotiate The North American Free Trade Agreement. In addition, a new Canadian pricing policy is blocking American dairy exports in violation of NAFTA.
Vilsack, a former U.S. Agriculture Secretary and Iowa governor, has been speaking on behalf of U.S. dairy while providing a broader, historical framework to these issues.
Trump Vows Action on Canadian Dairy Pricing
Last week, USDEC and other dairy organizations asked Trump to take immediate action against Canada’s escalating disregard for its trade obligations under NAFTA. Speaking in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Tuesday, Trump promised to take on the issue, saying Canada has been «very unfair» to dairy farmers and «we’re going to start working on that.» A New York Times headline summarized his comments this way: «Trump Vows to Solve Dairy Dispute With Canada.»
The bigger trade policy picture
The Financial Times (subscription required), an influential London-based publication devoted to global business and economic news, took a bigger-picture approach, transcending the Canadian issue. Its article addressed broader trade policy issues for U.S. agriculture.
The article pointed out that the Trump administration is missing key players it may need to renegotiate NAFTA. For example, Robert Lighthizer has yet to be confirmed by the Senate as Trump’s U.S. trade representative.
Just before officially joining USDEC in February, Vilsack personally endorsed Trump’s choice of Sonny Perdue, a former Georgia governor, to be the next U.S. agriculture secretary, a position Vilsack held the previous eight years.
Vilsack said in January that Perdue «knows full well the opportunities and challenges that exist in rural communities» and will «work hard to expand opportunity in rural America.»
But Perdue’s confirmation has also been delayed.
How might that impact U.S. dairy exports? Vilsack told The Financial Times that not fully understanding the needs of U.S. agriculture could open Mexico to U.S. dairy competitors from the EU and New Zealand.
How Canada’s policy affects a Wisconsin dairy family
What sometimes gets lost in media coverage of trade policy is how decisions can jeopardize the livelihood of dairy families. The Washington Post made sure that didn’t happen in its article, «The great dairy trade war that will test President Trump.»
The article focused on a Wisconsin family that has two weeks to find a new dairy processing company to buy their milk and sell it into the market. The contract with their existing buyer is a casualty «of an increasingly acrimonious trade war with Canada over the price of ultrafiltered milk, an ingredient in cheese.»
Vilsack was again quoted, making it clear that the U.S. dairy industry needs governmental enforcement of trade agreements.
“Our federal and state governments cannot abide by Canada’s disregard for its trade commitment to the United States,” said Vilsack, adding that Canadian policies «are choking off sales of American-made milk to the detriment of U.S. dairy farmers.”
U.S. Dairy’s Trip to Mexico
In Mexico City last month, Vilsack and other U.S. dairy CEOs addressed uncertainty about NAFTA, a 1994 agreement that systematically eliminated most tariff and non-tariff barriers to free trade and investment between the the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Since passage of NAFTA, U.S. dairy exports to Mexico have increased 558 percent, to $1.2 billion last year, making Mexico our No. 1 customer.
«Please understand that our industry, together with most of the U.S. agricultural sector, is working hard to impress upon President Trump and his key advisers the importance of maintaining strong trade ties between our nations,» Vilsack told 1,200 attendees at The National Dairy Forum, sponsored by the Mexican Federation of Milk Producers (Femeleche). «Whatever comes out of future trade negotiations with Mexico and Canada, there can be NO backtracking on the important achievements of NAFTA.»


text:
The Guardian Media Group has announced that its iPhone app, which was rolled out on 14 December 2009, has been downloaded almost 70,000 times in just one month of it being launched.
Emily Bell, the Director of Digital Content at Guardian News & Media said that “We are thrilled with our download figures for the first month of the app. The feedback we have received from users has been excellent, yet also informative in terms of features and functionality that can be improved in the future.”
The phenomenal download figures for the Guardian app, which is available for £2.39 from the iTunes app store, prove that iPhone users are willing to pay for news content on their smartphone.
Interestingly, many news organisations like the Financial Times, the Telegraph and the Independent, offer their news apps for free which means that Guardian did take a bet by doing otherwise.
The Guardian news app was initially launched in the UK, Ireland and US before being made available in a slew of European countries where a significant English-speaking audience might be present.
The app, which was designed by an in-house team, was built by 2ergo and it features news stories, photo galleries and audio from guardian.co.uk. The Guardian app for iPhone and iPod Touch can be personalised to fit the tastes of the user.
The app is no longer one of the biggest grossing iPhone apps on the App store. Furthermore, the revenues generated by the application, around £160,000, are only a fraction of what the group generates every year. Ditto for the audience; 70,000 is a mere fraction of a percent of the site's online audience.


text:
Leigh Dunsford, which co-created Waddle, an affect-centered, lending program obtained because of the Xero to own $80 million inside the 2020, was already creating the idea to possess his 2nd fintech campaign in advance of this new sale closed.
Once beginning the organization into the 2014, former schoolmates Mr Dunsford, Nathan Andrews, and Simon Creighton sold Waddle towards the accounting software monster to have an initial amount of $30 million, followed by an additional $forty-two million secure-away several months that is nonetheless ongoing.
“It’s a problem with me personally that i are unable to remain still. I need to end up being working on anything,” Mr Dunsford told The latest Australian Financial Comment.
“I am simply 40, so i have slightly an extended roadway prior to me to eliminate a great amount of advanced troubles.”
From the Waddle, the group took invoice factoring traditional as a result of a consolidation with Xero one gave enterprises a personal line of credit according to the really worth from a fantastic statements.
Next time round, Dunsford says unlike solving cash flow harm to businesses, he’s worried about enabling people even out their unique bucks disperse by the accessing their cash as they earn they.
“I have a powerful belief that if you will find an industry one is not too attractive for everyone more to eliminate, I like to are in and then try to resolve they,” Mr Dunsford says.
Their the fresh new venture Nine25 (noticable 9-two-five) is a paycheck and cost management app one to you to allows people supply the earnings while they secure him or her. The working platform plugs into alive employment and you may payroll study making credit conclusion about credit group currency towards instances he’s got currently did.
Mr Dunsford distanced the item out-of BNPL users and you will pay check loan providers, saying users will never be struck having focus or later costs, but pay a registration out of 33 dollars 24 hours to utilize brand new software. (The price will most likely be paid because of the businesses or gig platforms offering the service because the good cheer on their workers).
The item is mainly focusing on Gen Z otherwise younger millennials, change and you can concert experts who would like to supply their money when you look at the alive, and prevent him or her taking out fully significantly more predatory types of borrowing, Mr Dunsford said.
“We have been giving them usage of credit that is without difficulty reduced otherwise sensible, so there’s absolutely no additional financial obligation he could be taking up, it’s just taking send the money move they own already generated,” he told payday loans without bank account in Hammond IN you.
This new subscription model, that the team calls paycheck-as-a-service, mode Nine25 isn’t encouraged to loan large swelling amounts so you’re able to pros, Mr Dunsford told you.
Mr Dunsford said loads of Australian enterprises have already finalized up to supply the services to their professionals and organization enjoys a good waitlist in excess of 7000 anyone.
First-upwards raised $step 3.2 million into the late 2021 led because of the Collateral Seeds, an early on backer from Waddle and that is going to continue a good $step 3 mil capital improve to pay for next device development and you can customer buy.
Perhaps not a lender
Nine25 profiles score an excellent BSB, account number and you can PayID handled from the all over the world fintech Zai, underpinned from the Cuscal’s financial rail. Any bills away from being able to access the salary prior to its formal pay-day try reconciled in the event the currency countries in their Nine25 bag.
Mr Dunsford said the business is not dropping the way out of to-be a neo bank – a-start-up cohort that battled due to the fact stand alone businesses throughout the Australian sector – features zero intent in enabling an authorised put-getting establishment licence.
Regarding coming months the company offers a great Nine25 card together with Credit card that will allow users to expend currency he’s got generated straight from the Nine25 account inside the genuine-go out.
The business has also finished an integration with Australian workforce administration and you will payroll application agency KeyPay, that was received of the Work Champion, in order to gets personnel the capability to display the a position research physically that have Nine25.
As to the reasons that it entrepreneur is beginning again shortly after selling for $80m
The organization provides married having a trading and investing-as-a-Service system supply first so you’re able to that is planning to launch within the The southern area of China from inside the 2023.


text:
Apple has officially confirmed reports that some iPhone 14 Pro Max owners may experience flickering horizontal lines on their display when powering up the device
Apple has verified that it is looking into the issue of horizontal lines appearing on the display screens of iPhone 14 Pro models.
Last month, MacRumors released a report stating that an increasing number of iPhone 14 Pro owners were encountering green and yellow horizontal lines flashing across their iPhone display when people powered on the device. At the time, it was unclear whether Apple had addressed this issue or if it was due to a hardware/software glitch.
Apple has recently released a memo confirming that no hardware defect is to blame for the issue and an iOS update is forthcoming. This means that iPhone 14 Pro customers can “report that when they power on or unlock their phone, they briefly see horizontal lines flash across the screen.”
Apple has said in the memo that no hardware problem is causing the issue. It means that “Apple is aware of the issue and a software update is coming soon that will resolve the issue.”
When can we expect the launch of iOS 16.3? It’s hard to predict, as Apple usually launches four or six betas and a Release Candidate just before rolling out major updates. With its current stage in public beta testing at two levels deep, it appears that late February could be when we should anticipate seeing this update arrive.
Considering the issues with iOS 16, Apple is taking steps to rectify them with a series of minor updates. The most recent version released is iOS 16.2.1, which is relatively stable compared to previous versions and has been publicly beta tested for further improvements when needed. Once Apple deems it ready, we can expect the company to release this dedicated fix shortly.


text:
Fuels, mineral oils, distilled products, plastics, non-organic chemicals, fertilizers, clothes, and electric appliances were the main exports in 2022, the agency said.
In addition, Turkish investments in Egypt grew by 30.3 percent during the FY2021/2022, amounting to $179.9 million, against $138.1 million during the previous fiscal year.
Moreover, remittances sent by Egyptian expats in Turkey went up 32.3 per cent during FY2020/2021, recording $21.5 million, against $16.3 million for FY2019/2020, CAPMAS noted.
Earlier Saturday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu arrived in the Egyptian capital earlier in the day for a new round of discussions aimed at normalising relations between the two countries, marking the first high-level visit in over a decade.
During a press conference in Cairo, both Cavusoglu and his Egyptian counterpart FM Sameh Shoukry stated the importance to push forward the economic relations between the countries.
According to Shoukry, despite past strains in official relations, economic ties between Egypt and Turkey remain important.
“Egypt has always been keen to maintain economic relations with Turkey,” Shoukry stated, noting that in recent years, economic cooperation between the two countries had grown.


text:
Patagonia’s CEO has given up his company for the greater good.
Yvon Chouinard’s unprecedented move has made the headlines at a time when the only news that we heard so simultaneously is negative: from the rising cost of living crisis to an ongoing battle with the 1% to the fallout from climate change. It comes at a time when other companies are hosting sales events to further boost their profits. It comes at a time of lawsuits against corporations for consumer rights.
It comes at the right time to show every other CEO who has promised to make the world better that they’re not doing nearly enough to keep those promises.
And that they need to change. That corporations, in general, can do more – and it’s not longer a question of if they should, it’s a question of if they will.
Patagonia isn’t a large company though —
The size of the company is irrelevant.
It’s the promise that they’ve made that matters.
Patagonia is an apparel company with an estimated $3BN annual revenue. It’s true that its revenue is lower than companies like Apple, Tesla, Gucci: other companies of a similar build, similar product, similar way of working.
It’s also true that it has kept its promises, and it has lived by them, since 1973.
Patagonia promised authentic, environmentally-friendly products. It promised to donate to trusts that help protect and champion the environment. It has promised to donate its profits to build a better world for everyone, not just the man behind the helm.
You could argue that they’ve fulfilled their responsibilities above what was required of them.
But as Yvon Chouinard said in his letter, “it isn’t enough.”
So they made an even bigger sacrifice.
Patagonia remains private. It remains functional.
But it no longer makes profit to grow itself.
In the year where most big businesses saw record growth during a cost of living crisis and a rapidly worsening environmental crisis, Patagonia’s news comes as a sharp reminder that businesses can do good – but they have to want to from the highest level.
Most businesses have Corporate Social Responsibility measures, though.
Corporate social responsibility isn’t enough.
Every new Apple release is environmentally friendly. Every new Apple release can be recycled. All of its products are good for the planet.
Unless you try and fix them. Or recycle them.
Promising design that’s good for the planet while also working to ensure that your products’ lifespan is ever-shrinking and that you’ll need to replace your product sooner or later. While most of the iPhone is recyclable, not all of it is – and electronic waste takes time to break down regardless.
Take Starbucks. Their green initiatives are front and centre for every piece of publication – but they still sell single-use cups that have an uncertain lifespan, and therefore no way of telling when they’ll break down, when they’ll be fully gone for the planet, and if, in the process of breaking down, they’ll cause any further harm.
Unilever was the third biggest plastic polluter of 2021. It’s been promising for years that it would halve its use of plastic by 2025 and made headlines with its chemical recycling project – which failed abominably, and which they shuttered quietly and never spoke about again.
IKEA’s sustainability measures dominate a whole page on their website, and their shift towards using more natural materials has made headlines before. However, its product is inherently made up of wood, paper, and particleboard plastic.
None of these companies are outright sustainable. They have all promised to make a change, make a better environment, and build a better world.
What they are doing so far is not enough.
What can I do?
For small and medium enterprises who don’t have a Patagonia-sized influence on the world, it’s easy to write it off as something other companies have to do.
That’s not remotely the truth.
Corporations of any size, their marketing agencies, their strategists, their CEOs: we are all beholden to what’s happening, and we are all owed a better world.
It starts with everyone, all at once.
If you’re a marketing agency, push your clients to make better, significantly more impactful decisions. If you’re a small-medium business, look at your environmental initiatives, look at what you’ve been doing so far, and see where you can go bolder.
And if you’re a big corporation, make changes that matter instead of changes that look good on paper.
Patagonia’s shown it can be done. There are differences to be made, promises that can be kept, and ways in which everyone can protect the finite resources we have of this world, and create a future we can all live in.
Just fucking start.


text:
iPhone 13 leak shows battery upgrades for the entire series making a 120Hz display even more likely
The announcement of the iPhone 13 series is still a few months away, but more details about its technical specifications are already showing up in the rumor mill. Most recently, a known tipster shared information about the upcoming devices’ supposed rated battery capacities, suggesting that the upgrades are planned for the entire lineup.
iPhone 13 phones will have bigger batteries, new leak claims
Reliable Apple tipster shared information from Weibo tech leaker Digital Chat Station that shows the reported rated battery capacities for the upcoming iPhone 13 series. There are three rechargeable Li-ion batteries listed with model numbers A2653 with 4352mAh, A2656 with 3095mAh, and A2660 with 2406mAh capacity.
It is speculated that the A2660 would power the iPhone 13 mini, the A2656 could be for the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro, and the A2653 would be featured on the iPhone 13 Pro Max. If these are going to be the final components Apple will use for its upcoming phones, the leaked specs represent an overall battery capacity increase this year.
What do the bigger batteries mean for other rumored iPhone 13 specs?
One of the concerns tech fans about the iPhone 12 last year was that the four devices came with smaller batteries than their predecessors. iPhone 12 mini has 2227mAh, while the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro have 2815mAh. These are both lower than the iPhone 11’s 3110mAh or the iPhone 11 Pro’s 3046mAh. iPhone 12 Pro Max features a 3687mAh battery, which is also smaller than iPhone 11 Pro Max’s 3969mAh battery.
AnandTech’s review of the iPhone 12 series battery life dispelled these concerns, though. In the publication's analysis of the latest iPhones’ batteries’ performance when web browsing, the base iPhone 12 model reportedly performed just 11 percent lower than the iPhone 11. It was deemed acceptable due to several factors, such as the lower battery capacity and the iPhone 12’s use of OLED display with higher resolution.
The same report notes that the iPhone 12 battery performance likely benefited from a more efficient processor and from Apple’s decision to retain a 60Hz display. The specs of the A15 chipset, which should power the iPhone 13 lineup, are still unknown. But it has been Apple’s annual tradition to improve the performance and speed of its new mobile processors.
While leaks should be taken with a grain of salt, it also makes sense for Apple to opt for bigger batteries on top of a newer processor for the iPhone 13 series. It can be recalled that the next Pro models are widely rumored to launch with OLED displays that have a 120Hz refresh rate.


text:
Green certification schemes are an impediment to environmental action. There are a plethora of certification schemes which purport to guide environmentally friendly decision making. These sustainable endorsements include everything from labels to industry wide initiatives. However, according to a recent report these efforts are counterproductive and require major reforms.
Research from the Changing Markets Foundation, examined voluntary certification schemes for seafood, textiles and palm oil. The main conclusion of this report is that certification has lost its
The report, entitled “The False Promise of Certification: how certification is hindering sustainability in the textiles, palm oil and fisheries industries”, is based on qualitative research into the identified schemes, interviews with NGO experts and an extensive review of the academic literature.
The researchers concluded that in the vast majority of cases there was little or no evidence to support the claims made by these certification schemes. In some cases companies using the schemes were actively engaged in environmentally destructive practices.
The report indicated that none of the certification schemes have slowed biodiversity loss, deforestation, peatland draining or the loss of biodiversity. The fishing industry and the textile industry are in major need of immediate redress. So is the palm oil industry which is decimating forests and wildlife. It is also killing Indigenous people and destroying their way of life.
The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) is a good example of a dysfunctional certification scheme. This gives the false impression impression that palm plantation who are certified under the RSPO are sustainable. Those who are part of the RSPO claim to respect nature and avoid slash and burn agriculture, however, this is simply not true. Corporate interests that invent such schemes as a public relations ploy is eroding public trust in certification.
The public wants to make better informed choices about the products and services they buy so in the absence of credible certification schemes the report contends there are some things we can do. We can prioritize small scale sustainable fisheries; establish and enforce marine reserves and science-based fishing quotas; introduce a moratorium on deforestation and peatland draining in the palm oil sector, establish
zero pollution policies and demand greater supply chain transparency.
The report also concludes that many current certification schemes should be abolished and in their place we need ambitious sustainability certification schemes that cover the life cycle of products. Reforms should be
based on transparency, independence, a holistic approach with high
traceability, and a drive for continuous improvement.
It is also important to note that the report is explicit in
indicating that such certification schemes do not take the place of
government oversight, regulation and legislation.
Click here to download the report (pdf)


text:
The company has agreed to open 50 stores in Italy and 40 in Mexico, while investement fund Black Toro could be searching options to sale the business.
Spanish shoes retalier Marypaz enters two ore markets. The company, which was rescued from the courts by investment fund Black Toro in 2016, has sealed an alliance to land in Italy and Mexico. The company controlled by Black Toro and partially owned by the Aguaded family, has reached agreements with the groups Hudson and Oseneca after reaching the 100 million euros in turnover in 2018.
With this operation, the Spanish company resumes its international expansion, while investement fund Black Toro could be seraching options to sale the business. The fund began its entry in the fashion industry with the purchase of Marypaz, and later it bought other companies such as Amichi, Forecast or Trucco.
Sources from Marypaz told Mds that the company ended the year 2018 with a turnover of 98.8 million euros, which represented an increase of 16% compared to the 85 million euros of the previous year. Eccommerce represents 26% of its sales.
Marypaz had a turnover of 98.8 million euros in 2018, 16% more
With a gross margin of 54%, Marypaz ended 2018 with a negative ebitda of 3.3 million euros. The company’s forecasts to reach break-even in 2019 and have positive ebitda by 2020.
While the company is reinforcing its online activity with a “digitization process” and the lunch, for example, of a new app, Marypaz drives its brick and morter distribution network. The company currently has 203 stores in Spain and 19 abroad, located in Portugal, France, Malta and Tunisia.
In the expansion process, led by Mango’s historic manager Isak Halfon, Marypaz is preparing its entry in Italy along with Maltese group Hudson. The agreement with Hudson, distribuitor of brands such as Nike, New Look or Kiabi in more than 30 countries, includes the opening of fifty strores in Italy.
The company’s projects to reach break-even in 2019 and have positive ebitda by 2020
In Mexico, the Spanish company, based in Seville, has allied with the local group Oseneca with a plan to open a total of 40 stores in a four-year period. Marypaz, which combines directly-operated stores in Spain and franchises in the rest of the world, also is preparing other openings in Algeria and Morocco.
In spite of Black Toro’s rescue, the company is still led by the Aguaded family, represented by the second generation of the founding family. Carlos Aguaded is chief executive officer, while María Aguaded takes charge of the design area and other brothers are also involved in the management. The company employs more than a thousand people and has a logistics center in Dos Hermanas (Seville).
After becoming one of the largest fashion companies in Spain as a result of an accelerated expansion process, Marypaz filed for preconcurso de acreededores (similar a Bristish CVA) in April 2016. In July of the same year, the company filed to concurso de acreededores (Spanish equivalent of chaper-11) and in September it was acquired by Black Toro.
Black Toro is creating a fashion holding from purchases of companies in distress. The company, which has investments in other sectors such as ADL, Airtificial, Farggi or Irestal, has closed the purchase of three fashion companies in the last three years. In 2017, the company took over Marypaz, in which it injected 30 million euros. One year later, it took control of Amichi for 15 million, and last year it acquired Forecast.


text:
Animoca Brands Corporation Ltd (ASX:AB1) non-executive director Yat Siu introduces Proactive Investors to the company, and also shares all the latest on the popular Crazy Defense Heroes mobile game and other titles. The international games developer and publisher is building upon its mobile gaming business by incorporating aspects of AI and blockchain.
"There's actual technological benefits to being on the blockchain, such as it solves security issues, it also creates an actual real economy in a game economy. So in the game industry in the past we were used to essentially just selling content, a bit like a Netflix-type model; but now with the blockchain you have the ability to put value into those economies in a way that extends beyond just the content that you're selling," explains Siu.
"We believe that gamers are the first and easiest frontier to bring on the blockchain... we want to be - through games - the company that essentially onboards the next billion people onto the blockchain," Siu continues.
The company recently posted a record breaking financial quarter, with extra revenue from a number of recent deals yet to flow.


text:
Our industry is ever-changing. Get insights and perspective from our experts as we share our knowledge and experience on how to successfully navigate the marketing landscape.
We’re honored to announce that AMP Agency was recently named to the 2020 Chief Marketer 200 list. The list highlights the top agencies across the categories of experiential, sports and entertainment, promotion, retail, social media, business-to-business brand engagement, digital, design, business-to-business demand generation, business-to-business experiential and marketing technology. AMP Agency was chosen based on customer testimonials, high caliber and consistent work, case study submissions, innovative and creative executions, and bold and inspiring concepts and ideas that help propel the industry forward. See what our CEO, Gary Colen, had to say about AMP’s inclusion on the list. “We’re proud to attribute our recognition on the Chief Marketer 200 list to our continual commitment to offering our clients data-led total experience management across digital and physical, affecting change at every touchpoint in the customer journey. Our focus on creating highly differentiated, data-driven audience building capabilities has consistently proven to help brands and retailers scale consumer engagement and deliver meaningful results to the bottom line.” Check out the full Chief Marketer 200 list here: https://cm200.chiefmarketer.com/?q=winners
AMP Agency was recently named a leading agency in Boston from Clutch. The rankings showcase six Leaders Matrices that map the firms based on their services offered, client reviews, and past experience. Boston's advertising agencies are recognized for their ability to utilize traditional media alongside their efforts in digital and creative services. “These Boston-based firms vary in skill-set and technical expertise, but what unites them is their ability to deliver strong results,” said Ilse Heine, an analyst at Clutch. “They prioritize the needs of their customers, and take the time to understand their business objectives before selecting the appropriate solution.” Using a proprietary research methodology, Clutch analysts evaluated a number of companies in the relevant segments. In addition to market presence, clientele, and work portfolio, central to the ranking process are client reviews. Clients provide insights including the scope of the project, cost-effectiveness, and how skillfully a company handled communication and organization. Clutch’s ongoing research covers IT services, developers, and marketing agencies. Firms that are interested in being featured are encouraged to apply to be included in Clutch’s efforts. Upcoming press releases will highlight industry leaders in New York City, UK, and Canada. Take a look at our profile on Clutch to see all of our full-length reviews.


text:
Details about the upcoming Google Nexus tablet has been leaked through a training document revealing that Google at its I/O conference wiil announce a 7-inch, Nexus-branded Asus make tablet called the "Nexus 7."
The Asus Nexus 7 tablet will sport a 1.3Ghz quad-core Tegra 3 processor, GeForce 12-core GPU and 1GB of RAM with two different storage variants: 8GB and 16GB, reports Gizmodo who obtained the documents.
The Nexus tablet will also feature NFC and run Google Wallet (probably only in the US) and Android Beam. The screen is an IPS display with a 178-degree viewing angle, running a resolution of 1280×800. The device will also sport a 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera.
The 8GB model will set you back $US199 and the 16GB will cost $US249. No word in the document on local prices.
The leaked document also reveals that the device will be the first to run Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, new version of Android mobile operating system, which could address the fragmentation problem.
Also, Digitimes reporting that "Quanta Computer" is actually Google and ASUS's ODM.
"Quanta Computer is expected to ship 12-15 million tablet PCs to become the largest ODM maker of non-iPad tablet PCs in 2012, according to Taiwan-based supply chain makers.
Quanta will undertake exclusive ODM production of Nexus, a 7-inch tablet PC jointly developed by Google and Asustek Computer and reportedly to be unveiled at Google I/O 2012 during June 27-29, the sources said, adding Quanta will ship three million units of Nexus in 2012," Digitimes reported.
Amazon will launch a new version of the 7-inch Kindle Fire dubbed Kindle Fire 2 in the second half of 2012, with Quanta to be responsible for ODM production, the sources said, adding that Quanta is the maker of the first-generation Kindle Fire.
The ODM production of new 7-inch Kindle Fire will begin in July and shipments are expected to significantly increase in August, the sources noted.


text:
Chevron Products Co. announced that its diesel engine oils, including Delo, Ursa and RPM, now meet the new API CJ-4 diesel engine oil service category. According to Chevron, these oils “offer improved performance for existing and 2007 engines operating on ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD).”
“API CJ-4 is the most robust API oil category ever developed for diesel engine,” said Jim McGeehan, global manager of diesel engine oil technology for Chevron Global Lubricants. “The new category includes nine fired engine tests and six bench tests. Chevron and Texaco products provided excellent performance in all these tests thanks to our advanced additive technology and Group II base stock. With CJ-4 testing behind us, our attention is now firmly fixed on PC-11 and the 2010 emissions regulations.”
The CJ-4 products, to be known as Delo 400 LE (Low Emissions) Multigrade SAE 15W-40, Texaco Ursa LA (Low Ash) SAE 15W-40 and Chevron RPM LA (Low Ash) SAE 15W-40, will be available October 15, 2006.
Chevron will offer both CJ-4 and CI-4 Plus versions of its diesel engine oils.


text:
GOLD COAST businesses are being urged to keep an eye out for counterfeit money during the holiday period.
The Gold Coast Major and Organised Crime Squad is looking in to several reports of people manufacturing and distributing counterfeit $50 and $10 notes across the Coast.
Detective Inspector Knowles has urged businesses as well as the community to be mindful of people using large value notes to make low value puchases.
ARTICLE CONTINUES AFTER THIS ADVERTISEMENT
“In many of the transactions involving counterfeit notes we are seeing people buying a soft drink and handing over a fake $50 note to get legitimate money back,” Detective Inspector Knowles said.
“Shop attendants and business owners should check notes for the security features including the coat of arms watermark, the red and green diamond-shaped pattern lining up correctly, the clear plastic window is part of the note and not stuck on, and the Southern Cross stars look genuine and do not scratch off with moderate rubbing,” said Detective Inspector Knowles.
For information on how to spot a dodgy note click here.
Anyone who may have any information concerning the manufacturing and distribution of these notes is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.


text:
Los Angeles, CA – (January 24, 2023) OneUnited Bank is proud to announce its new Empowerment Network, with more surcharge free ATMs than any other bank in the country. A historic moment on the eve of Black History Month, the nation’s largest Black owned bank launches the nation’s largest surcharge free ATM network.
OneUnited now has over 100,000 surcharge free ATMs, including Chase Bank and Citibank branches and neighborhood retailers such as 7 Eleven, Costco, CVS, Target, and Walgreens. OneUnited continues to break records to empower customers with better access to their money.
The Empowerment Network also includes OneUnited Card Command to empower customers with more control over their OneUnited Bank Visa® Debit Card. Customers can instantly turn on-and-off their card, get real time transaction notifications, add their card to their digital wallet, set travel plans and even set spending limits in the mobile banking app.
“We listened to our customers who want better access and more control over their money,” said Teri Williams, President & Chief Operating Officer of OneUnited Bank. We’re proud to make history by offering the Empowerment Network, the nation’s largest surcharge free ATM network, while also providing better card controls through OneUnited Card Command. Quite frankly, we’re elevating the BankBlack Movement by offering best-in-class services and state-of-the-art technology to better meet customer needs.
The Bank is launching the Empowerment Network with OneUnited Card Command to customers and then through a nationwide advertising campaign including social media, radio, and influencer marketing.
About OneUnited Bank
OneUnited Bank (www.oneunited.com) is the largest Black-owned bank in America, the first Black-owned digital bank, a Minority Depository Institution (MDI), and a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI).


text:
The Indian furniture market is one of the sectors in the country that has witnessed an evolution of its own by expanding beyond chairs and tables to designed interior wardrobes, sofas, consoles and more. India being the fifth largest furniture producer in the world and the fourth largest consumer of furniture, the Indian furniture market had been valued at USD 17.4 billion in FY21, and is predicted to reach USD 37.7 billion by 2026, growing at a double-digit CAGR of 13.37 per cent during 2020-2026, informs a report by Invest India.
The past three pandemic years witnessed the investment of value-added furniture into consumers’ living spaces, courtesy of the work-from-home phenomenon. Additionally, the growing middle-class population, rising disposable income and the growing number of urban homes have also contributed to the expansion of the Indian furniture market. As we embark on a new beginning, Furniture Design and Technology (FDT) foretells the trends and design shifts of the furniture industry with expert opinions. Before that, let’s jump onto a quick recap from 2022 that witnessed an interesting turn of events for the furniture industry where consumers’ wants and needs observed a drastic change.
The trend of the need for a personalized space within the house for the work-from-home situation continues in the post-pandemic world where hybrid working conditions have become the new normal. “This led to the demand for study tables and ergonomic chairs throughout 2022,” informs Mr Hussaine Kesury, Chief Category Officer, Pepperfry.
Consumers have realised the importance of comfort after spending months and years in lockdown. Sachin and Neha Gupta, Interior Designer, Beyond Designs believe that post-COVID, when we were still craving comfort in 2022, furniture design saw a focus on softly curved and textured furniture. Mr Erik Jan Middelhoven, Home Furnishing and Retail Design Manager, IKEA India adds, “We see an increase in the desire for comfort – softer edges, round shapes, tactile surfaces and organic/natural materials.”
Over the past two years, multi-functional furniture also gained traction in India. Mr Middelhoven, points out that most Indians struggle with storing and organizing as one of their biggest frustrations in life at home. “A continued development can be seen in smart and affordable home organizer solutions such as wardrobes with smart and personalized interiors,” he adds.
Sustainable furniture was the talk of the market in 2022. Mr Srikanth Varma, Founder and Principal Designer, Esvee Atelier reflects, “Post-COVID, customers have been keen to understand what material is being used. People have now started practicing conscious living.”
Ar Anupriya Sahu, Founder and Design Head, Alankaram states that as the awareness of the need to protect the environment grows, the demand for eco-friendly furniture also increases. “Consumers are becoming more interested in purchasing furniture that is made from sustainable materials. Several new materials, such as bamboo and recycled plastic, are being used to create furniture that is not only stylish but also environmentally friendly,” informs Mr Dinesh Pratap Singh, Co-Founder, Woodenstreet.
Customers experimented with fabrics like velvet in seating and sofas, upholstered beds, marble top centre tables, dining tables, etc. Natural wood tones, rattan and vintage furniture that evoked nostalgia warmed the heart, while textured surfaces and natural tactile textiles were sought after. “Cotton, linen, velvet and boucle fabrics became popular. Earthy hues, as well as soft pastels brought comfort to anxious minds,” adds Sachin and Neha. Another key trend shaping the Indian furniture market is the rise of new materials and manufacturing methods. “New manufacturing methods, such as 3D printing, are being used to create unique and customized furniture pieces,” adds Mr Singh.
As per Invest India, the size of the online furniture retail segment grew from USD 300 million in 2017 to USD 920 million in 2020 recording a CAGR of 32 per cent. According to Mr Singh, “The Indian furniture market in 2022 saw an increasing popularity of online furniture stores. Online furniture stores offer many advantages over traditional brick-and-mortar stores such as a broader range of products, more competitive prices and greater convenience.” For Mr Kesury, “Shopping in furniture has truly become an omnichannel, and therefore, furniture brands are ensuring that they are available for their target consumers online as well as offline.”
Sajal Lamba, Co-Founder and Director, Wriver listed other aspects that garnered prominence, “Enhanced tech and process innovations across various stages ranging from production to delivery and logistics have impacted the furniture value chain in India. Product innovations with options to create elegant, low-maintenance, easily installable designs have become popular. In particular, the opportunity to customise furniture in terms of materiality has offered more versatility to the consumer.”
This article is a part of our exclusive Cover Story ‘ FURNITURE DESIGN TRENDS’ which is originally published in Furniture Design & Technology (FDT Magazine) January 2023 print issue. If you want to read the full story, please subscribe Furniture Design & Technology Magazine here:
Furniture Design India and the magazine FURNITURE DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY (FDT magazine) are from the trusted 22-year-old media house of SURFACES REPORTER and PLY REPORTER.
FDT is a B2B monthly bilingual magazine from India that shares the pulse of the furniture business in India and connects the manufacturers, OEMS, product designers, architects, showrooms, designers and dealers.Read More