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Organisers of Abuja Literary and Arts Festival, ALITFEST22, have called on relevant stakeholders in the Nigerian art industry to support upcoming artists.
ALITFEST22 will hold a one-week literary and arts festival as part of activities marking its fifth edition slated to start on October 2 and run through to October 8, 2022.
Bamas Victoria, Head of External Communication ALITFEST22 disclosed this in a statement made available to WikkiTimes.
“The ~struggling~ thriving artists” will be the theme for this year’s event which “will be heralded by pre-festival activities and succeeded by post-festival activities.”
She said a hybrid book jam on September 30 featuring award-winning poet Sueedie Vershima Agema and a reading circle forms part of the pre-festival activities.
Bamas said creative workshop which will see Efe Paul Azino (poet), Yewande Omotosho (writer) and Kukogho Ireusiri Samson (writer, poet and art administrator) facilitating workshops on the themes of building a career as a poet and writing compelling characters is part of the main festival activities.
Both workshops will be held virtually from 2–4 p.m. each day, starting with the Writing workshop on October 3 and the poetry workshop on October 4.
While one of the post-festival activities tentatively scheduled to take place in November is a series of activities geared toward teen engagement. Others include the announcement of the short story competition winners sponsored by Roving Heights.
Last year’s short story competition, which saw several people winning cash prizes, can be downloaded here
One of the highlights of ALITFEST22, which interestingly is a new addition to the festival, is the fashion show which is “a mis-mash of young and promising brands in Abuja who cater to street styles, corporate work wear and even fun and spontaneous staples” ALITFEST22 fashion event lead, Aida Olugbemiga said.
Another high point is a stage play by Dike Chukwumerijie’s Simply Poetry titled “Man-made Gods”. The tickets for this can be obtained independently of the festival or with the festival’s here and here.
“The regular N2500 ticket for ALITFEST22 grants you access to the workshops, opening ceremony, poetry slam and closing session, which includes a fashion and music event. The stage play will be held at Merit House and comes at an additional cost of N2000 or N1000 (with PVC). Tickets for the stage play can be bought at the venue or online at a total cost of N4500 or N3500. The breakdown of the festival and venues will be emailed to everyone that buys a ticket,” explains the Festival Director, Teniola Tayo
ALITFEST is an annual week-long multi-genre festival organised by the Abuja Literary Society (ALS) based in Nigeria’s capital city.


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Mad. Sq. Park and UrbanSpace are thrilled to announce the final vendor list for the fall installment of Mad. Sq. Eats! We have a handful of stellar newcomers joining our beloved veterans. It promises to be our best market yet!
The market will be open daily from 11am-9pm from September 27th until October 25th. Follow all of the action by following the Madison Square Park Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. We’ll see you on opening day!
Mad. Sq. Eats — Fall 2013 New Vendors
Mad. Sq. Eats — Fall 2013 Returning Vendors
Red Hook Lobster Pound — Roberta’s — momofuku milk bar — ASIADOG — Arancini Bros — La Sonrisa — Mayhem & Stout– Mexicue — Mighty Balls — Nunu Chocolates —Sunday Gravy NYC — Stuffed Artisan Cannolis — Bar Suzette — Calexico — Charlito’s Cocina — Hong Kong Street Cart — Macaron Parlour — Mason Jar NYC — Melt Bakery— Mimi & Coco NY — Mrs. Dorsey’s Kitchen — Seoul Lee Korean Barbecue – The Cannibal – Sigmund’s Pretzels
To learn more about all the Mad. Sq. Eats vendors, CLICK HERE.

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Indian Premier League franchise Rajasthan Royals’ owners are set to sell half of their stakes in order to give it a much needed financial boost ahead of the 12th edition of Indian Premier League.
The current franchise owners, it has been learnt, has approached key Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officials and intimated their decision to sell around fifty percent of their stakes. Manoj Badale is the principal owner of Rajasthan Royals.
“Yes, Rajasthan Royals are selling a major part of their stakes and the highest bidder will be getting it. What we have heard is that it is around fifty percent and some of the biggest business houses in the country are apparently interested in buying stakes,” said a senior BCCI official.
A former IPL franchise Rising Pune Supergiants’ owner Sanjeev Goenka, allegedly, is keen on buying stakes. Goenka was not available for a comment.
Goenka, who is also the principal owner of Indian Super League (ISL) team ATK, had bought the Pune franchise (Rising Pune Supergiants) for the two seasons when Rajatshan Royals and Chennai Super Kings were banned for their involvement in spot-fixing scandal.
“Mr Goenka has always been interested in coming back after he had a fairly good but short stint in the IPL. His team made it to the final in one of the years. Let’s wait and watch how it all pans out,” the official said.
Royals have won the first edition of the IPL in 2008 under the stewardship of the legendary Shane Warne. Their reputation however took a beating in 2013 when three cricketers – S Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila – were arrested on charges of spot-fixing.


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How Successful Brands & Publishers are Using Facebook Messenger
Instant messaging in the late 1990s, thanks to AOL’s AIM, was accompanied by sounds of doors opening and closing as people entered and exited your Buddy List.
But as the world turned mobile, so too did instant messaging.1
While texting provided a means for instantaneous communication, people ran into issues when texting outside of data plans and the accompanying high fees when texting between countries.
Messaging apps, a generally free and instantaneous means of messaging, filled the gap and have quickly reached 3 billion monthly unique users, more than social network apps, which account for 2.5 billion monthly unique users.2
In early 2016, when popular messaging apps announced they would allow publishers and brands to utilize chat bots–programs which facilitate automatic, highly personalized dialogue and content recommendations based on previous interactions–to communicate with users at scale, many took notice and jumped right in.
Here’s how the most successful publishers and brands are using Facebook Messenger.
CNN, one of the first publishers to join Messenger’s bot platform, sends subscribers a daily digest of top stories within the app and also recommends personalized content based on previous user preferences and interests.
On average, their users spend two minutes with the bot and show a specific interest in politics and social matters. Additionally, Alex Wellen, SVP and chief product officer of CNN, stated that a “double digit” percentage of their users have asked the bot multiple questions either in full sentences or using keywords.3
TechCrunch uses its bot to send trending stories once a day. Additionally, their bot allows for personalized recommendations based on reading history and has the ability to subscribe to specific topics and base delivery time on their users’ location.4
While TechCrunch has not shared specific numbers, the publication has noted that in the course of one month the number of active sessions and subscribers has doubled. Travis Bernard, TechCrunch’s director of audience development, went so far as to say, “In the next few months, if we continue to grow at this rate, [usership] would definitely surpass the TechCrunch app.”5
Fusion created their bot to interact with Messenger’s users who are under the age of 30–which accounts for 36% of Messenger’s audience. To do so, the publisher created a bot fluent in emojis; the user requests news topics with corresponding emojis and the responses automatically recommend articles. Fusion has claimed 42,000 users after only one month, with 20% of those users using the bot on a daily basis.6
While these are promising results, Messenger does appear to be struggling with promoting the bot.
For a majority of users, they have to hunt down the bots. John Borthwick, CEO of Betaworks, a bot developer said, “Facebook is just starting to figure out how to roll it out and promote it.”7
Regardless, the publishers who are utilizing bots on Messenger are primarily doing so for experimentation and for now, they remain in that mindset.
“For CNN, getting in early was a way to reach an audience that’s become bigger than social, and learn how people are using the app so it can improve the experience,” said CNN’s head of social, Samantha Barry.8
Messaging apps are growing in usage and many are questioning whether the future of all online interaction will be through them, ultimately demanding that publishers join and test the waters now.
1. Petronzio, Matt. “A Brief History of Instant Messaging.” Mashable. N.p., 25 OctTomanchek, Jim. “Why Every Marketer Should Be Keeping Up With the Evolution of Messaging Apps.” AdWeek. N.p., 06 Mar. 2016. Web. 01 Sept. 2016.Zebian, Linda. “The Times Rolls Out One-Sentence Stories on Apple Watch.” The New York Times Company. N.p., 31 Mar. 2015. Web. 15 Aug. 2016.
3. Davies, Jessica. “One Month In: What CNN Has Learned from Facebook Messenger Bots.” Digiday. N.p., 30 May 2016. Web. 01 Sept. 2016.
4. Moses, Lucia. “How Fusion, Complex and Other Publishers Are Using Facebook Messenger Bots.” Digiday. N.p., 21 June 2016. Web. 01 Sept. 2016.
7. Moses, Lucia. “Why Facebook Messenger Bots Haven’t Caught on with Publishers.” Digiday. N.p., 28 June 2016. Web. 01 Sept. 2016.


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Underlying profits at Sky increased 24% to £790 million in the nine months to March 31 as new services such as the recently-launched Sky Atlantic channel helped customer numbers grow to 10.1 million.
The latest strong trading performance is likely to place more pressure on Rupert Murdoch's News Corp to offer more money as it tries to buy the 61% of the company it does not already own.
Culture secretary Jeremy Hunt is expected to make a decision on the bid within days after News Corp offered to allow Sky News to be run as a separate company to satisfy concerns over media plurality.
Sky chief executive Jeremy Darroch described the third quarter results as "another good performance in what has clearly been a tough consumer environment".
Revenues grew 14% to £4.8 billion as Sky encouraged more customers to sign up to a package of TV, telephone and broadband services. Some 26% of its customers now sign up to all three products, which represents a 40% increase on a year ago.
This helped the average amount paid per customer to increase 8% to £544 per year.
Net customer numbers increased by 51,000 in the first three months of 2011 as Sky added to its TV offering with the launch of the Sky Atlantic channel featuring Boardwalk Empire.
Sky also reported that the number of customers watching its high definition products increased nearly 50% over the past year to 3.7 million.
Another strong quarter for Sky is expected to add pressure on News Corp to pay more to buy the company. Last year its initial offer of 700p per share, equating to a total price of £7.8 billion, was dismissed by the board as too low.


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WASHINGTON (US): Fiat Chrysler on Sunday announced that it was creating 2,000 jobs in the nation, coming as President-elect Donald Trump is publicly scolding automakers for investing in Mexico.
The American-Italian firm invested US$1 billion by 2020 by 50 % of the company\’s factories within the Midwestern states of Michigan and Ohio, where new jobs will depend on, this company said from a statement coming on the eve within the Detroit auto show.
The Warren Truck Assembly Plant in Michigan will build the Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer, in addition to the Ram challenging truck which happens to be currently stated in Mexico, the corporation said.
The Toledo Assembly Complex in Ohio will make a new Jeep passenger truck.
“FCA US is further demonstrating its persistence to strengthening its US manufacturing base,” it said, adding that this has created 25,000 jobs near you since 2009.
Trump, who campaigned on promises of developing industrial jobs inside the American heartland, latched onto Twitter earlier this week to blast automakers with operations or promises to build plants in Mexico.
He slammed Automobile for making several of its Chevy Cruze models south with the border, and Toyota, and that is building a new plant there.
On Tuesday, US automaker Ford announced it had been scrapping construction on the US$1.6 billion plant in Mexico to instead get the United States and produce 700 jobs, citing a “vote of confidence” within the economic agenda in the incoming president.
Fiat Chrysler so far has escaped Trump’s Twitter wrath, but it’s resulting from start importing Jeep Compass models from Mexico the instant this month.
The company was rebuilt in \’09 after its predecessor the Chrysler Group went bankrupt and required a federal bailout to remain business. There is three manufacturing sites in Mexico — in Toluca, Ramos Arizpe and Saltillo — where it generates pickups along with the Fiat Fremont additionally, the Fiat 500.
Other auto groups have preemptively said they\’re going to be flexible in the new era of yankee politics.
“I am pragmatic, we will adjust to any situation,” said the chief from the Renault-Nissan alliance, Carlos Ghosn, speaking within the Gadgets Show in Sin city.
In December, American ac unit manufacturer Carrier backed off a structured change in 1,000 jobs on the Mexico, following a take care of Trump – as well as US$7 million in tax cuts.
Mexico’s relatively low wages, its proximity to the US market as well as free trade deals the continent has with 46 countries cause it to be attracting foreign investors.
The main pact could be the American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) that Mexico enacted together with the Us and Canada in 1994.
During the campaign Trump relentlessly attacked NAFTA, promising to renegotiate or withdraw in the agreement as a whole.


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Have a look at the latest Twitter Data Saver Feature:
Well recently Twitter has launched an update related to Data Saver following the path of Facebook. It is out now for both Android and iOS platforms. If you’re using the latest version, you’ll get this update under settings option and data saver. So this data saver feature will really help Twitter user to save some healthy amount of data regularly. It was already there on the windows app and Twitter Lite, which was out previously.
Now this update will help you to prevent auto play of videos whenever you scroll your tweets. It’ll help to load the image in low quality, perhaps you can click and tap on load High quality anytime. The feature was there previously but it wasn’t located at the same place, now it will come under data saver mode.
Twitter previously launched Night Mode for windows and app, it became so popular among so many users. This microblogging app is working consistently in order to get few interesting feature. We all hope we’ll get to see the sudden hike in the number of users already there on the platform.
As per another update by Twitter, now app will take all the emojis as equal characters in the word count. It will surely cut down the confusion on the characters count and emojis count.
Stay tuned for more information on Twitter Data Saver Feature and other Latest Web Technology News updates.
Have a look at few quick links:
- Social Media can influence travel decisions
- You may soon get a blue tick on Twitter
- How to verify twitter account
- Users shifting from Facebook to WhatsApp
- Parents tracking kids activities via social media
- Feeling down? Twitter Facebook may help
Have a look at few top tech news of the day:
- Bengaluru is going to start 5,938 free Wi-Fi Hotspots.
- Users are making the most of Amazon Sale and getting massive discounts on Smartphones.
- Now passengers will be able to file the FIRs from their train’s seat using an app.
- WhatsApp is going to change or modify the delete for everyone feature.
Soon, amazon and flipkart may create lakhs of jobs in India.


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The release of Apple’s iPhone 6 Plus has caused a migration away from the iPad tablet as owners use the 5.5-inch device to consume more media than any previous version of the smartphone.
That’s according to new data released by Get Pocket, which is based on more than 2m articles and videos accessed via the internet bookmarking app.
The report found that users who upgraded to an iPhone 6 Plus now view content on their phones 80pc of the time, with the iPad at just 20pc. That marks a 25pc jump from the smaller iPhone 5s.
It was also discovered that users with both an iPhone and an iPad consumed 33pc more articles and videos inside Pocket after upgrading to an iPhone 6 or 6 Plus than they did with a 5/5S.
Graph via Get Pocket
Apple iPhone 6 Plus owners also open nearly 40pc more videos than those who carry an iPhone 5/5S and 16pc more videos than iPhone 6 users. However, the tablet still rules post-9pm as iPad owners enjoy reading on the bigger screen right before bed.
Pocket also found that over two-and-a-half times more of their users are choosing the iPhone 6 over the 6 Plus. “This tells us that, at least for now, convenience and portability trump a better (and bigger) entertainment and reading experience,” the firm commented.


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Converting classrooms into "smart" rooms
Imagine a classroom setting in a university, where students have their heads bent down - not taking notes as you imagine but looking into smartphones.
Doesn't that seem like an outrageous notion?
Smartphones have invaded our society and are prevalent in our everyday lives, especially among the younger generation.
Therefore, it's not surprising that they are universally found in many college settings.
But that begs the immediate question - Are smartphones beneficial to the educational process or are they a mere distraction?
The answer to this is published in a recent study by a team from a major research university in the United States.
How did the scientists conduct their experiments?
The scientists led a study between 2010-2011 that collected realistic data usage from smartphone activity, by recruiting 24 participants who where undergraduate students from a university.
The participant population was diverse - students belonged to different academic disciplines, coming from different ethnicities and socio-economic status.
Importantly, none of these students had previously used a smartphone nor had used other gadgets such as iPad and tablet computers, in other words were gadget neophytes.
As a part of the study, all students were provided with an iPhone and their cell phone usage was tracked using logging technology.
The researchers then conducted two surveys- The first one asked the students to rate their perception of how the smartphone will assist in their education. At the end of year one, the students answered the same questions but this time it was based on the actual value of their devices towards their education.
The questions in the survey ranged from: "My iPhone helped me get better grades", "My iPhone distracted me from school-related tasks" to that "I used my iPhone for learning outside the classroom".
Students rated these questions on a 5-point scale with an increasing scale of agreement.
Surprisingly, the results of this study revealed that the students perceived their iPhone more as a distraction than help and that it actually hampered their educational activities.
Additionally, students also reported changes in their habitual behaviors of having the need to constantly check their iPhones.
Therefore the students' survey refuted popular belief that technology has the power to enhance learning and performance in classrooms.
Obviously, handing a student an iPhone and left to his/her own devices does not seem adequate in advancing their educational performance.
However, as the authors point out that this study does not address the issue of structured (specific directed learning activities) use of smartphones in an educational environment.
"Some instances of structured learning are activities where the instructor has set out a planned use of the mobile device to accomplish a specific teaching goal. This can take the form of a guided exercise (e.g. "take out your phone and search for information on the Declaration of Independence"), which then leads to a discussion. If might also take the form of the use a specific app that demonstrates some principle (e.g. a physics app that shows conservation of momentum). It might even be as simple as the use of the device for in-class polling or anonymous question asking. In any of these cases the device is used at the direct direction of the instructor," says Dr. Philip Kortum, an author from Rice University, USA who is part of this study.
The findings from the study have larger implications in how technology needs to be integrated in a traditional classroom-centric educational system.
The seeming incompatibility between cell phone usage and college education, probably is not due to the technology in itself, but has more to do with the current education model which does not support an informal learning environment.
Since past studies have shown that when smartphone technology is used with a specific learning objective, they have significantly enhanced the learning experience.
Therefore what is the formula for success?
In future, education policy makers need to introduce organized and more fixed learning objectives that complement the use of smartphones and tablets in a conventional education setting.
Image credit: http://free-stock-illustration.com/check+in+facebook+laptop


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For the first time on the high street, Sony Ericsson has partnered with The Carphone Warehouse and Sony to showcase the full force of wireless connectivity across a range of flagship products from the Sony family.
Drawing on Sony’s extensive range and Sony Ericsson’s products and technology, the recently launched Satio, Aino and Yari handsets, along with other Sony entertainment products, have been brought together to create an exclusive interactive demonstration. The demo went live in 20 Carphone Warehouse stores in November 2009 and in 2010 will be rolled out across a further 20 stores in Q1 and in up to 120 stores by the end of the year.
The innovative units are designed to raise consumer awareness of how the Sony family can be brought together to enhance the overall entertainment experience in the home. In addition to the three Sony Ericsson handsets, the units include the Sony Bravia television, a Sony Vaio Laptop and a Sony PS3, as well as Sony Ericsson wireless speakers.
Shoppers will be able to visit an interactive microsite, running on the Sony Vaio, which will deliver a step by step guide on how to connect each handset to each Sony device. In addition to this, 3D animation on the Sony Bravia screen will provide real life scenarios that show consumers how easy it is to stream music from the Yari to the wireless speakers; display pictures and videos from Satio on a Bravia TV; download movies from a Vaio laptop to the Aino and update social network connections with pictures and videos anytime, anywhere.
“Consumers are still unclear on the true potential of connectivity and Sony Ericsson users have the opportunity to access a truly unique world of entertainment by linking with other Sony products,” explained Dave Hilton, marketing director, Sony Ericsson UK and Ireland. “We wanted to demystify the technology and help customers engage with products for themselves. With the continued momentum of social media and the growing desire to access content and experiences at any time of day and anywhere, 2010 is set to emerge as the age of connectivity and Sony Ericsson and Sony are at the forefront of this trend.”
This is the first time the Sony United network has been brought together in retail stores, encapsulating both Sony Ericssons’ position as the entertainment communication brand and the make.believe message adopted by Sony in 2009.
Alistair Faux, propositions and marketing manager for Wireless Projects in The Carphone Warehouse, said: “Sony United gives consumers the skills and the tools to make the right choice and the freedom to make choices on their own terms.”


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San Mateo, Calif.—Marketing automation company Marketo Inc. has filed for an initial public offering that would net the company about $75 million.
The move signals a continued maturing of, and interest in, the marketing automation sector. Last summer, Eloqua Inc. went public and in December was acquired
by Oracle Corp. In September, interactive marketing services provider ExactTarget Inc.acquired
Marketo said it has 2,000 customers in the business services, consumer, financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, media, technology and telecommunications industries. Customers include CenturyLink, Citrix Systems, Gannett Co. and General Electric Co.


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Chester's self-proclaimed ‘rock and roll' cocktail bar is undergoing a £50,000 refurbishment throughout the night spot.
The new-look Kuckoo bar in Watergate Street is reopening on Friday (January 20, 2017).
At the centre of the revamp will be an ‘Onyx’ style bar – described as ‘a stunning’, modern bar-top and fascia, backlit in red to create a warm glow.
The newly refurbished Kuckoo will also include luxurious leather and velvet seating areas, new washrooms and a black, granite floor with sparkle effect.
Staying true to its creative drinks offering, visitors will also enjoy Kuckoo Chester’s revamped cocktail menu which plays host to 65 classic and cool cocktails to keep guests entertained all evening.
The look of the bar might be new but the music won’t change, as indie rock and roll favourites from various eras will still be on the playlist – with popular tracks from Elvis and The Beatles to Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, The Stone Roses and The Strokes.
Kuckoo Chester founder Richard Powell said: “We’ve taken an already great concept for Chester to the next level, and we can’t wait to showcase the new interior to visitors during our reopening night – which is set to be a superb evening.
“Our ethos is all about having fun and letting loose in a comfortable yet glamorous environment. The idea behind the refurbishment is to maintain an inviting venue for guests, ensuring we’re continuing to provide that feel-good, go-to place for our loyal customers and visitors here in Chester.
“We’re encouraging local people and visitors, businesses and hospitality workers to take a sneak peek into the newly refurbished Kuckoo Chester by coming along to the reopening night. So why not drop in and take a look whilst enjoying a fabulous drink in a friendly and fun atmosphere.”
The grand reopening of Kuckoo Chester takes place on Friday, January 20, 2017 from 5pm and anyone is welcome to attend. Located at 58 Watergate Street, Chester, the bar is open seven days a week from 5pm (serving until 1am on Fridays and 2am Saturdays).
Kuckoo Chester first opened its doors in 2013, following the successful launch of Kuckoo Preston in 2010. For more information, visit www.kuckoorocks.com and follow @KuckooChester on Twitter and on Facebook.


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On a day that saw some meat plants in the U.S. and Canada cancel shifts following a cyberattack on Brazilian meat megaproducer JBS, Walmart announced a move to shore up its own meat supply chain: The retailer is launching McClaren Farms, a private-label line of Angus beef.
McClaren Farms is the first label to come out of a collaboration between Walmart and fourth-generation Texas rancher Bob McClaren of Prime Pursuits and 44 Farms. That collaboration, first announced in April 2019, represents Walmart's first move into end-to-end beef production.
The new label's offerings will include USDA Choice Angus Filet Mignon, T-bone, porterhouse and ribeye steaks as well as short ribs and chuck roast. All McLaren Farms products are produced in the U.S. and contain no added hormones, Walmart stated in a news release.
Customer expectations with regard to supply-chain transparency and traceability are higher than ever, Walmart Vice President of Meat David Baskin said in the release. The debut of McClaren Farms helps meet those heightened consumer demands and creates steady demand for U.S. ranchers, creating a measure of stability in a volatile marketplace, Walmart indicated. Producer prices for beef were up 14.2% year over year in April, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported, with costs rising for feed, labor and transportation.
And while store inventories have recovered since the start of the pandemic, meat shortages persisted in some Walmart stores into early 2021. Dealing with ongoing and evolving supply-chain challenges is a top priority for the company, even as Walmart leaders last month celebrated better-than-expected sales and earnings for the year's first fiscal quarter.
"The mission of Prime Pursuits is to lift beef production from a commodity industry to a specialized business," Prime Pursuits states on its website. McClaren, who is CEO of 44 Farms, stated in Walmart's release: "No bigger paradigm change has taken place in the beef industry than what is happening with Walmart bringing truly high-quality, all-natural, no-hormones-added Black Angus beef to its customers."


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The German car industry is one of the pillars of the country's economy.
German premium carmaker Daimler has reported a 12-percent rise in second-quarter profit thanks to strong demand for its latest Mercedes cars. An efficiency program was also 'bearing fruit,' its CEO says.
Fiat has denied a German magazine report saying the Italian carmaker was in talks aimed at merging with Germany's Volkswagen (VW). VW also rejected the notion, claiming it had no new acquisitions on the agenda.
German premium carmaker BMW has announced a major recall involving more than a million of its BMW 3 models. The step is a precautionary measure, BMW says, and is prompted by faulty airbags.
US trade union United Auto Workers (UAW) has made a new effort to set up shop at the Chattanooga plant of German carmaker Volkswagen. In February, UAW narrowly lost a vote among VW workers to organize labor at the plant.
German luxury carmaker Audi has logged its best half-year sales in the company's history, lifted by booming sales in the world's two largest automobile markets, China and the US.
Daimler sold a record number of cars in the first six months of 2014. While the firm's sales jumped the highest in China, the German carmaker also managed to grow in crisis-stricken European markets.
German premium carmaker BMW has prolonged its cooperation contract with China's Brilliance ahead of schedule. The deal is meant to help the Munich-based company keep up its strong sales in China in the years ahead.
German premium carmaker BMW is reportedly working on a new savings program in an effort to salvage its profit goals. German weekly Manager Magazine said consultancy group McKinsey was in charge of the project.
German carmaker Opel has unveiled plans for compensating workers who will lose their jobs following the closure of its plant in Bochum. The package is costly for Opel parent GM, but workers are disappointed.
German carmaker Volkswagen (VW) has issued more than 10 million new shares to help finance its takeover of Swedish truck maker Scania. Investors could enjoy a discount on VW’s current share price.
German premium carmaker BMW has been able to raise its earnings significantly in the first three months of 2014. The company said the positive results were achieved despite higher technology costs.
Car and truck maker Daimler has said it managed to almost double its operating profit in the first quarter. The company cited strong sales and a successful savings program as reasons for the progress.
German luxury carmaker BMW has announced it's extending its recall of 6-cylinder vehicles with faulty screws in the adjustable camshaft system. The company said the defect could potentially lead to engine failure.
When the Chinese go to buy a luxury car, they tend to turn to German brands such as Audi. The carmaker sold more vehicles in China in the first three months of this year than any previous first quarter.
German carmaker Opel will completely withdraw from China, saying it would be too expensive to build a strong presence there. Opel will instead assemble a new model and a Buick for parent company General Motors.
German carmaker Porsche has reported staggering sales and profit results, with the VW brand hoping to profit further from a recovery of EU economies. But it said it didn't want to provide an overly optimistic outlook.
© 2014 Deutsche Welle | Legal notice | Contact


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MANCHESTER – Cowboy purchasing practices employed by British fast fashion brand Boohoo will this week be exposed in a BBC documentary. A reporter for the broadcaster went undercover at Boohoo’s head office and discovered evidence of staff pressuring suppliers to drive prices down – even after deals had been agreed.
Between April and June this year the journalist worked in the dresses department at Boohoo alongside buyers.
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Mullingar Christmas market cancelled for 2021
Mullingar Chamber have had to announce the cancellation of the Mullingar Christmas market for 2021.
The market planned for Mount Street from Thursday December 2 to Sunday December 5.
In a statement today, Mullingar Chamber expressed disappointment, and said: “The WinterFest team have worked extensively with the support of Westmeath County Council and the Mount Street retailers to try to hold the market this year – however, with the continuing uncertainty around Covid-19 and the community transmission rates at present, we have made the difficult decision to cancel this event in the interest of public safety.”
The spokesperson said they are grateful to the suppliers and traders who have been very understanding in relation to this unfortunate decision, and look forward to 2022, when they hope they will be in a different public health environment.
Mullingar has many events going on this year and you can see some of these on winterfestmullingar.ie/events.
They include a Santa Call Centre from December 2 and a treasure hunt peop;le can participate in as part of the Event and Discount Guide – run by Mullingar Chamber.
Details are on the website winterfestmullingar.ie/events or by email at firstname.lastname@example.org.
Mullingar Chamber encourage all people to shop local, where possible, this Christmas and come into town centre and enjoy the festive atmosphere.
Mullingar has 3km of shop frontage and more than 200 retail and leisure and hospitality businesses in the town centre, and more than 90pc of all retail space in Mullingar is occupied, one of the highest rates of occupancy in Ireland.
Mullingar Chamber aim to sell at least €250,000 of Mullingar vouchers this Christmas.
These are redeemable in more than 100 businesses and make the perfect gift.
You can purchase yours at MullingarChamber.ie or from Mullingar Chamber Office on Market Square or from Mullingar Credit Union.
Mullingar Chamber would like to wish you and your family and happy and healthy Christmas.


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Biden launches effort to take down Google in court
A landmark trial in Washington sets the stage for a wave of anti-monopoly litigation against tech giants.
The Biden administration’s push to check the power of the tech giants gets its first big test Tuesday in a Washington courtroom where the Department of Justice will kick off a case designed to curb Google’s dominance in online search.
The trial against the $1.7 trillion company will be “the most significant U.S. monopoly case in a generation,” said Bill Baer, a fellow with the Brookings Institution and former DOJ antitrust head under President Barack Obama.
The DOJ’s suit against Google claims the company has become the overwhelmingly most-used search engine not because of a superior product but because it illegally uses its money to box out its competitors.
With other federal investigations looming into Amazon, Apple, Ticketmaster and others, it could have broad implications for the government’s concerns that modern companies are using their money and power to forge new kinds of monopolies at the expense of competitors and customers.
The trial also marks a key moment for Jonathan Kanter, the attack-dog attorney who President Joe Biden installed as the head of the DOJ’s antitrust division and who helped build the case, initially filed under former President Donald Trump’s administration. The DOJ is hoping to succeed where the Obama Administration took a pass in 2013 when enforcers considered evidence that Google was becoming a digital behemoth, and chose not to sue.
The case centers on a series of revenue-sharing agreements, worth tens of billions of dollars annually, that Google has with Apple, Mozilla, Samsung and others to be the default search engine on web browsers and mobile phones, as well as its control of the ads that populate search results. Google does not disclose the exact value of the deals. The DOJ says these contracts have hindered the ability of rivals to compete and deprived consumers of the benefits of high quality, innovative services that only competition can foster.
According to some estimates, including those cited in the DOJ’s lawsuit, Google controls about 90 percent of the search engine market in the U.S. and globally.
A court loss for Google could force major changes to its business arrangements and even the potential sale of key parts of the company. It would also put Google’s fellow internet giants on edge, as they face their own investigations and lawsuits.
A loss for the Biden administration could cause it to rethink its legal strategy in other pending tech cases. And while they wouldn’t necessarily pull back completely, enforcers could take a more conservative approach.
“How it goes has significance for how U.S. courts and enforcers will treat behavior by dominant companies that entrenches their monopoly power,” said Baer.
According to court filings, the DOJ is expected to argue that Google’s business moves have hurt internet users by restricting their choices: For example, had there been a more competitive search engine market, consumers could have a wider array of privacy protections. DuckDuckGo, a privacy-focused search engine whose selling point is that it doesn’t mine consumers’ data for ads, is a long-time Google antagonist.
Google argues in court filings that its agreements with suppliers and platforms are not exclusive and that the default setting can easily be changed to use rival search engines such as Microsoft’s Bing. It says that it competes vigorously to win those contracts and that it succeeds because it has the best product.
Spokespeople for the DOJ and Microsoft did not have a comment ahead of the trial.
The case will be decided in a non-jury trial by U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, who was appointed by Obama in 2014.
Long road to a decision
Over the next eight to 10 weeks top executives from Google, Apple, Microsoft, Samsung and other companies will testify about benefits and drawbacks of Google’s outsized role in the internet — arguing over whether the company is an aggrieved innovator being punished for its success or has intentionally stifled competition for its own financial gain.
It will however likely take years before a winner is declared. The trial starting Tuesday is centered solely on whether Google broke the law, and Mehta is not expected to rule until the spring. A ruling against Google would result in a second trial to determine an appropriate remedy. After that would come appeals that could ultimately end up in the U.S. Supreme Court, potentially adding several more years of litigation.
During that time, Google will also face another trial, expected in 2024, in which the Justice Department is challenging its online advertising business. The DOJ is also investigating whether Google violated antitrust law with its market-leading mapping service.
In an interview last week, Google’s top lawyer, Kent Walker, said that the default setting for search engines does not ultimately determine Google’s success. “I think everyone will say that the default position is valuable, again that’s why we pay for it. But people are not locked in, and if there was a better search engine, a better browser that came along tomorrow, people would switch quickly.”
Walker said Google is faced with competition from all sides in the search market, including from Amazon, where he says consumers are increasingly turning to for product search queries. “It’s frustrating, maybe it’s ironic, that we’re seeing this backward-looking case and really unprecedented, forward-looking innovation.”
Google points to Mozilla switching its default search engine from Google to Yahoo! and back to Google as evidence that its market-leading role stems from a superior product.
In an exchange in court earlier this year, Mehta asked Google whether the default spot is akin to a 200-meter head start in a 400-meter race. “There’s certainly no factual dispute that the default is a 200-meter advantage,” Google lawyer John Schmidtlein responded. But Google began signing these agreements in 2002, long before it was the dominant search engine, Schmidtlein said. “Google was 350 meters behind in 2008 when it introduced Chrome after years and years of monopoly behavior by Microsoft on Internet Explorer. Google was 350 meters behind in a 400-meter race, and they came around and they surpassed them.”
Regardless of what happened in the past, DOJ maintains that antitrust laws place an obligation on Google to not abuse its dominant position. The default position enables the company to scale its business in a manner unavailable to its rivals, the government says. Being the default browser on so many devices generates a “feedback loop,” giving it access to more users, which then generates more data that’s used to further improve the product and, increasingly, its ability to retain customers.
The DOJ cites the failure of Neeva, a search engine founded by a former top Google executive that shut down earlier this year, as evidence of the inability of competitors to gain traction in the market.
“Two decades ago, Google became the darling of Silicon Valley as a scrappy start-up with an innovative way to search the emerging internet,” the Justice Department said in its lawsuit. “That Google is long gone.”
Google contends that when considered in the broader context of how consumers find information online, it has no monopoly, and argues there are “diminishing returns” to scale.
Looking ahead to the AI landscape
As the world moves to new computing platforms underpinned by artificial intelligence, the DOJ is expected to argue that its search dominance will give Google a leg up at its rivals’ expense.
As the world’s primary search engine, Google is one of the few companies with access to the massive data sets needed for the large language models underpinning chatbots and other artificial intelligence tools. While Google points to OpenAI as a key example of the intense competition it faces, the DOJ is expected to argue that Google is one of only a few companies with a high chance of success in AI.
On Friday, Mehta rejected the DOJ’s arguments around a related emerging technology, voice assistants. The DOJ had said Google’s restrictive conduct extended to “emerging search access points, such as voice assistants,” but Mehta said the DOJ offered no evidence to support that.
Several dozen state attorneys general, which filed a similar lawsuit in December 2020, will also try their case alongside the DOJ. The states are also challenging Google’s default position and also separately argued that Google designs its search pages to discriminate against more specialized rivals like Yelp for local businesses, or Expedia for travel. Last month, however, Mehta threw out the latter argument, saying the AGs offered no evidence that Google’s conduct harmed the specialized search market.
While the DOJ did not bring similar allegations related to the specialized search market, it still intends to discuss at trial the impact of Google’s conduct on those companies.
A Microsoft reunion
The DOJ’s lawsuit leans heavily on its antitrust case against Microsoft from the late 1990s. There the government accused the software giant of monopolistic behavior in making Internet Explorer the default browser in its Windows operating system, using the dominance of Windows to crush potential competitors such as Netscape.
The government initially won that case in district court, including a ruling breaking up the company. That was reversed on appeal, and the case ultimately ended in a settlement where Microsoft agreed to not block rival software companies in its contracts with computer makers.
A number of state attorneys general objected to the settlement, saying it did not go far enough, but were overruled.
It’s a case that Google’s lawyers are well acquainted with. Walker was Netscape’s deputy general counsel from 1997 to 2001, while Google’s longtime outside counsel, Susan Creighton of the tech-focused law firm Wilson Sonsini, authored a prominent white paper outlining the antitrust case against Microsoft.
Schmidtlein, Google’s lead trial lawyer from the Washington law firm Williams & Connolly, represented state AGs in their case against Microsoft, and Mark Popofsky, another outside lawyer for Google from the law firm Ropes & Gray, was on the DOJ team.
Kenneth Dintzer, the 30-year DOJ veteran leading the department at trial, also did early investigative work into Microsoft in the mid-1990s. Other current DOJ lawyers were involved in the Microsoft case as well.
The case remains a key legal precedent limiting how companies can leverage their dominance in one market to gain market share in a separate market. If Mehta follows that precedent from Microsoft, the DOJ believes it will prevail.
“I think the DOJ case asserts law and facts consistent with the Microsoft opinion from [the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals] 22 years ago,” Baer said.
Though the search case was initially filed during the Trump administration, current DOJ antitrust head Kanter has built a long legal career representing the company’s competitors, including Microsoft, and played a key role in shaping the search case first from outside the department.
Google has argued that Kanter should recuse himself, saying the DOJ’s current posture toward the company stems in large part from Kanter’s bias.
The DOJ, meanwhile, has said Google has sought to stymie its investigation and lawsuit at every turn. And while bare-knuckle tactics are common in every courtroom, the government says Google destroyed a great deal of evidence in the form of deleted internal instant messages and abused its legal privilege to withhold other documents. The trial will be peppered throughout with disputes over missing evidence, and Mehta could ultimately sanction the company if he finds it acted nefariously.


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Tim Cook On iPhone X: “It’s A Super Bowl Winner” Even If You Wanted It “To Win With A Few More Points”
Apple’s quarterly earnings call took place yesterday and again the company outlined another impressive three months as far as sales and revenue are concerned. All of this has been helped along by strong iPhone X sales numbers, something that had been rumored to be very much not the case up until the call.
Following weeks of claims by numerous analysts and “sources” that the iPhone X was selling so poorly that it is set to be ditched later this year, Apple CEO Tim Cook took time during the earnings call to single out the flagship device, pointing out that not only is it selling just fine but that it is actually the best selling iPhone in the currently lineup.
Cook also confirmed that this is the first time that the most costly device in the iPhone lineup has been its most popular.
Since we split the iPhone line with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in 2014, this is the first cycle we’ve ever had where the top of the line iPhone model has also been the most popular.
Cook also noted that the iPhone X was the most popular smartphone in China during the quarter, something that no doubt helped the overall sales figures.
On the fact that this is the first time Apple’s most costly iPhone has been its most popular, it’s worth nothing that this would normally be the Plus device. Essentially a larger version of the standard iPhone with improved camera capabilities since the introduction of the iPhone 7 Plus, this would suggest that users prefer the smaller form factor afforded by the standard iPhone model, something that the iPhone X continues to offer alongside all the benefits normally associated with a larger Plus device.
Enjoying a sports metaphor for a moment, Tim Cook did suggest that it’s possible the iPhone X could have sold better, but that it still proved to be a “Super Bowl winner.”
I think it’s one of those things where a team wins a Super Bowl. Maybe you want them to win with a few more points, but it’s a Super Bowl winner and that’s how we feel about it.


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Wednesday, Sept. 1
Raised Grain Brewing (1725 Dolphin Dr., Waukesha) won the judged portion of Wisconsin IPA Fest last weekend with Lonesome Citra Hazy IPA. Congrats! The brewery is releasing Let The Games Begin West Coast IPA at 4 p.m. in conjunction with its Back to School Bash, which includes live music, outdoor games and general frivolity.
Ray’s Growler Gallery (8930 W. North Ave.) is pouring Oktoberfest brews from its tap lines from 4 to 10 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 2
A month-long Oktoberfest celebration kicks off at The Bavarian Bierhaus (700 W. Lexington Blvd.) at 4 p.m. You’ve got plenty of time for stein drinking, the event happens every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday until Oct. 3.
Summerfest begins its three-weekend run, which means plenty of music, food and beer (not all of it good). Head to the Water Street Brewery area if you’re looking for a few more beer options than offered by the big stages.
New Baron’s Brewing Co-op is hosting a Hop Pickin’ Party from 6 to 8:30 p.m. The four hops patrons are picking off of fresh hop bines will be used to wet hop the 4×4 American Pale Ale, which will be brewed the next day.
Raised Grain’s pop-up beer garden comes to Mukwonago Park (S100 W31900 County Hwy LO) for the weekend. Hours are 4 to 9 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and 3 to 9 p.m. on Saturday.
Friday, Sept. 3
1840 Brewing Company (342 E. Ward St.) has a big release weekend planned. Barrel-Aged Sea Turtle is an imperial milk stout made with delicious items like pecans and cacao nibs and aged in Old Fitzgerald bourbon barrels. Floating Features is a dry-hopped double IPA. Both should be good, and both are available for presale at 9 a.m. Pickup is after 3 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 5
It’s Family Fun Day at The Tap Yard (1150 W. Sunset Dr., Waukesha) from noon to 7 p.m. They’ll be face painting, inflatables, food trucks, and, for the parents, good beer on tap.


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EROSKI is looking to sell its stores in southern Spain in a bid to reduce its debt pile.
The supermarket intends to retain its Basque Country and Catalonia stores, and is currently in talk with creditors.
It currently owes €2.4 billion to 15 financial institutions as part of a syndicated loan and has a total debt of €3 billion which it is looking to reduce by half.
The company has already been in contact with potential buyers, although it is believed the prices they are willing to pay fall short of the desired rates.
Eroski ran into difficulties following its purchase of Caprabo in the midst of the property bubble.
My local Eroski has almost finished its mammoth renovation. Now it looks like a real supermarket.
For donkeys years (that i know of) its been a total sh**hole.
I wonder why it wasnt profitable????….


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With cities around the world shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many are speculating and planning for the long-awaited re-opening of our beloved cities. But it may be hard to imagine how our cities can reopen after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Here is an overview of how cities are changing during the pandemic, what we can expect moving forward, and what we can do to help our cities open in light of all these changes.
What Is A Pandemic?
A pandemic is a disease outbreak that spreads to a global level. An outbreak turns into a pandemic when a new virus emerges and spreads rapidly worldwide because there is no pre-existing immunity to the new virus.
In December of 2019, a new virus in the coronavirus family, now called COVID-19, appeared in Wuhan, China, and spread rapidly worldwide. To date (April 15, 2020), the WHO has reported 1,812,734 cases.
Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash
How Will Cities Be Changed Post-Pandemic?
1. Renewed Focus On Public Health
With this recent pandemic, people are becoming more aware of various issues within the healthcare systems. Some countries are finding out that their healthcare system is dangerously under strain, while others are dealing with social issues concerning affordable health care, and some others are learning that they are understaffed or underpaid.
On the ground, many people are taking a renewed interest in teaching hygiene to children, practicing better health habits themselves, and taking better precautions against disease. Many people are also becoming more interested in careers and education in health science, and more people are taking online courses in the fields of health, pandemics, and disease prevention.
2. Change In Jobs
With so many people working from home during the coronavirus pandemic, it won’t be surprising if there is a rise in employees working from home, even after the lockdowns are over.
This may happen because employers and companies realize that working from home actually works just fine, and cuts down expenses for office spaces. People may realize the benefits of working from home and may want to shift to a work-from-home position.
With this shift, we may see less need for office spaces and more need for cafes and meeting rooms. More people will be free to move out of the city, since living close to the center will no longer be necessary.
In addition, we will hopefully see a significant upgrade for front-line workers — the workers who have been the most necessary during the pandemic. The public is becoming more aware of the value of jobs which were taken for granted, ranging from grocery store clerks to anyone in the healthcare system.
3. Change In Public Transportation
In light of the pandemic, it will be very important to make airports and other travel infrastructures safe for travelers. Just like the airport security changed drastically after 9/11, we will probably see a big shift in the way that airports take precautions in terms of health concerns.
Inner-city transportation may also see a change in terms of day-to-day choices. The concerns of crowded busses and trains may encourage people to opt for bikes or car sharing services (in cities where taking individual cars is difficult).
And lockdowns around the world have given people a new appreciation for walking and being outdoors. This may also help encourage more walking and biking once people are freed from their homes.
Photo by Zhang Kenny on Unsplash
4. Change In Urban Design
Social distancing in big cities is really difficult due to the way that cities are designed and operated. In light of the pandemic, there may be an emphasis on more space between people in public spaces, for times when physical distancing is necessary.
5. Change In Stores
Local businesses and the economy in general have taken a real hit during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, many small businesses may not be able to make it through these difficult times without a tremendous amount of local and governmental support.
Retail stores, as well, have slowly been replaced by online shopping, and this pandemic may speed up that process. Malls and strip malls may stop being relevant as many retail stores are taken over by Amazon and other online platforms.
We may see a lot of store fronts closing and turning over into housing units or other relevant shops.
The businesses that will continue to be relevant include coffee shops, restaurants, and personal care businesses such as gyms and salons.
6. Change In Education
With most schools and universities closed, many students find themselves studying through distance learning at home.
Studying at home has its pros and cons, but what’s being shown is that online learning is beneficial and reliable, and many students may opt to continue or switch to online education.
Online universities, such as University of the People, offer degrees online in the fields of business administration, health science, computer science, and education. Since it is completely online, students can be anywhere in the world, and school doesn’t close, even when a pandemic strikes.
Key Things We Can Do To Prepare Our Cities To Reopen
1. Temperature Checks
Some cities are implementing temperature checks in public places such as grocery and pharmacy stores, and of course airports. Though it isn’t foolproof, temperature checks may help transmission from flaring up and spreading.
2. Wearing Protective Gear
Many cities are encouraging or requiring citizens to wear protective masks and gloves in public spaces. This is especially important for service workers, but everyone will need to leave their homes eventually, and protective gear can go a long way to preventing transmission as we transition back to “normal” life.
Photo by Julian Wan on Unsplash
3. New Designs For Social Distancing
Public spaces such as big grocery stores and healthcare facilities are already making changes — such as creating distance markers on the floor for lines, in order to create more space between people. This will continue to be important, and small businesses can also learn how to implement safe distances in order to reopen carefully.
This new design for physical distancing will be especially important for large facilities such as airports, stadiums, and convention centers. These facilities may incorporate temperature checks, health checks, more space between people, and protective gear for employees and participants.
4. Support For Businesses
Local and governmental support will be crucial for helping local businesses survive through this time. Businesses related to the arts and travel will be in the risk category after the pandemic. This will be the time to show local support for the culture and arts that you want to see survive, and to invest in traveling in order to support the hospitality and tourist-dependent businesses.
What A Crisis Can Show Us
We are becoming more aware of the socio-economic divide, as some can afford to live and work from home, while lower-income individuals and families are more susceptible to exposure as they continue to leave their homes to go to work. This includes all front-line workers such as nurses, retail clerks, and grocery store workers.
This attention to a large class divide can hopefully be the impetus for positive change, with workers coming together to demand better pay and the necessary protective gear.
Areas That Are More Vulnerable
Areas which are more vulnerable point to important underlying health and social issues. For one, states and cities with a higher demographic of multi-generational and religious families are in danger of being more exposed. “Kid cities,” as they’re called, are ethnic communities with deep religious and social capital, are more likely to be a hot-bed for transmission, as can be shown in the northern cities of Italy where these social factors are prevalent.
Underlying Health Issues
Areas that have a higher rate of obesity, diabetes, smoking, or other underlying health issues are at greater risk of exposure and health complications. This awareness helps shed light on these health issues and the areas in which these issues are more common.
To Wrap Up…
Crises of any kind have a way of changing cities and society from the bottom up. The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting many areas of life, from work, education, transportation, and businesses. It will change the way that we live, work, and go to school.
This leaves many wondering how our cities can reopen after the COVID-19 pandemic. Many hope that the pandemic can also be a chance to become more socially aware of the most vulnerable in our society; including uneducated or lower-income areas, front-line and healthcare workers, as well as small local businesses.
Our cities will be safer to open up again by making protective gear and measures available for both front-line workers as well as the general public. Public spaces can be prepared to welcome people again with these added health measures, and prevent future outbreaks by putting an emphasis on health measures and disease prevention.


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Back in 2011, Bandai-Namco released Pro Yakyuu Famista 2011 on the Nintendo 3DS. Four year laters, a new entry has finally been revealed, once again for the Nintendo 3DS: Pro Yakyuu Famista Returns. It will come out on October 8th in Japan, where it will cost 5 690 Yen according to Famitsu magazine (which has the scoop on this game).
According to Famitsu, the various game modes will get major evolutions, including online which now allows players to have ranked matches with other players across Japan. Of course, there’s an option that allows you to have a match only against players of the same rank than you.
But that’s not all: Pro Yakyuu Famista Returns also includes a mode a called “Famista Quest”, where you go compete against a rival team controller by aliens. Finally, the game will feature over 500 baseball players, based on the latest data available (from 2015).
We should get more details about Pro Yakyuu Famista Returns before the end of the week.
Pro Yakyuu Famista Returns (3DS) will come out on October 8th in Japan.


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Online retailer Ocado officially joined the FTSE 100 today, while embattled department store Marks & Spencer narrowly avoided dropping off the blue chip index.
Ocado was promoted from the FTSE 250 in a quarterly reshuffle by index provider FTSE Russell that also saw bookmaker GVC promoted.
Ocado’s FTSE jump comes after the retailer’s shares soared over 40 per cent earlier this month in the wake of a deal with American retail group Kroger.
The company’s stock is up 124 percent year-to-date thanks to a string of distribution deals cheered by the market.
Ocado’s market cap has ballooned to £6.1bn, overtaking several FTSE 100 companies and triggering the promotion.
According to analyst group Kantar Worldpanel, the online retailer has attracted an additional 132,000 new households over the past 12 weeks alone and has seen its year-on-year sales increase by 12.7 per cent.
News is not so good for Marks & Spencer.
The High street retailer has seen its shares drop 5.5 percent this year, with its market capitalisation now stands below Ocado’s.
M&S was saved from being kicked off the FTSE100 thanks to security company G4S and South African private healthcare provider Mediclinic, whose smaller size meant they were relegated instead.


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Domestic deliveries declined nearly 7% year over year for Ford Motor (F 5.10%) in January and February. The No. 2 U.S. automaker bounced back in March, though. On Tuesday, Ford reported that its U.S. deliveries rose 3.4% last month.
However, Ford's solid March performance was upstaged by a double-digit sales increase at crosstown rival General Motors (GM 2.78%). While the Ford F-Series truck lineup continued its dominant run last month, Ford is clearly suffering due to a lack of fresh products in key market segments.
F-Series trucks excel once again
In March, Ford delivered 244,306 vehicles in the United States, up from 236,250 a year earlier. Retail sales (consisting of deliveries to individual consumers and some small businesses) ticked up 0.8% to 158,996 -- helped by an extra selling day during the period -- while fleet sales rose 8.7%, mainly due to the timing of deliveries to rental car companies.
The popular (and lucrative) Ford F-Series truck lineup again accounted for a disproportionate chunk of sales last month. Domestic F-Series deliveries reached 87,011, up 7% year over year, accounting for more than 35% of Ford's total sales mix. This was the best March performance for the F-Series lineup since 2000.
Ford's freshest crossover and SUV products also sold well last month. The Ford Expedition achieved a 3.3% sales increase, despite severe supply constraints, including a 46.1% jump in retail sales. Lincoln Navigator deliveries nearly doubled year over year. Finally, deliveries of the Ford EcoSport -- which made its U.S. debut in January -- reached 3,296, surpassing its combined sales total for January and February.
However, there weren't many other bright spots for Ford. The Ford Edge posted a double-digit sales gain, and Ford's commercial van offerings sold well, but Ford's passenger car deliveries continued to plunge (down 7% year over year). Additionally, sales of the Ford Escape, the company's most popular crossover, fell for a third consecutive month.
General Motors deliveries sail higher
GM's domestic deliveries also declined modestly for the months of January and February combined, but the company turned things around in a big way during March. General Motors delivered 296,341 vehicles in the U.S. last month, up a stunning 15.7% year over year. Retail deliveries surged 13.8% to 231,156, while on the fleet side, commercial deliveries rose about 19%.
The sales strength was broad-based last month, as each of GM's four domestic brands -- Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC -- posted double-digit growth. Pickup sales were solid, but not at the same level as Ford, with 85,150 deliveries across the General's four pickup truck models. (Pickups accounted for just under 29% of GM's March sales mix.)
However, the real story for GM was the success of three crossovers for which it rolled out all-new versions last year: the Chevy Equinox, Chevy Traverse, and GMC Terrain. Combined deliveries of those three models surged 51%, from 41,159 to 62,142.
GM also continued to clean up in the subcompact SUV/crossover segment. It delivered a record 15,118 Buick Encores, while Chevy Trax deliveries reached 8,207. Together, these two models outsold the competing Ford EcoSport by more than seven times.
New products can't come soon enough for Ford
For several years, General Motors has been working to fill every major truck, crossover, and SUV market segment -- and keep those products fresh -- to capitalize on shifts in U.S. demand. Those efforts have paid off, particularly in the crossover/SUV market, where GM outsold Ford by about 66% last month.
By contrast, Ford has been a little slower to update its product portfolio. Car sales have fallen dramatically, but Ford has been relying entirely on its F-Series trucks to make up for the lost volume. The Escape and Explorer (Ford's two most popular crossovers by far) are both aging, and Ford hadn't expanded its U.S. crossover/SUV lineup in many years until introducing the EcoSport in January.
Ford is set to make big progress on transforming its crossover, SUV, and truck offerings over the next two years. During that period, it will revive its Bronco SUV and Ranger midsize pickup models, while the Escape and Explorer will get much-needed design updates. This will position Ford for much greater success a few years down the road.


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If there’s one ecommerce giant that hasn’t been shy about flashing the cash during the past couple of weeks it’s Alibaba. Last week the Chinese behemoth injected around $1bn (£705m) into Singapore-based ecommerce firm Lazada as part of its plans to expand across Southeast Asia. But evidently it’s appetite wasn’t sated, as it’s also just confirmed a $1.25bn investment in Ele.me, a Chinese food delivery service.
Alibaba stumped up $900m while its finance-focused affiliate Ant Financial provided the rest of the funding. Ele.me remains independent for now, but it could well lead to an acquisition further down the line. It’s more of an indication the Chinese giant is serious about growing its presence in the on-demand market where consumers use apps to book services from taxis to meals to cinema tickets. And it's a move to square up to rival Tencent in the food delivery space. Alibaba also has a joint venture called Koubei which helps restaurants offer promotions via mobile and it ploughed nearly $1bn into that last year.
Its latest hefty investment in Ele.me also reflects that the food delivery market isn’t stalling just yet. Venture capital database CB Insights found that more than $6.5bn was invested in on-demand start-ups last year, but investment levels started dropping in the fourth quarter, prompting concerns that VC appetite in these firms was waning. For those already at the forefront of the market, from Deliveroo to Just Eat, it hasn’t been such a problem. While Uber clearly thought there was enough room for another competitor – it recently launched UberEATS as the next step in its quest to build a logistics network.
Ele.me, founded in 2008, became China’s third most funded start-up last year with a $630m Series F round at a $3bn valuation (behing Uber rival Didi Kuaidi and smartphone maker Xiaomi). It has managed to entrench itself in what’s now a crowded market – claiming to take $9.5m in daily orders from around 40 million customers. And as many have found, from Uber to Asos, expanding into China isn’t always a smooth journey when incumbents have already won over customers.
It’s easy enough for Alibaba to move into new spaces – it’s certainly got the funds to do so – as long as it picks its investments carefully. And if it gets enough of those right and its expansion rolls on uninhibited, foreign firms could well find it even more of a challenge to break into China. Not least Just Eat, which has made no secret of its global ambitions and currently operates across 15 countries (China isn't among them). Ele.me's new warchest won't make tackling that new territory any easier.


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Welcome! You are viewing an archived issue of SaskSecrets, Tourism Saskatchewan's Online Newsletter, from September 2011. To read the current issue of SaskSecrets, click here.
September 2011 SaskSecrets
Summer may be winding down here in Saskatchewan, but there are still so many great events to take in. Plus, we are proud to announce some new travel tools that will make planning your next trip to Saskatchewan even easier.
Culture Days hits the province this month, and over the next several weeks, harvest and threshing events will be the focus in many Saskatchewan communities.
Tourism Saskatchewan is excited to have just launched a newly designed home page for www.sasktourism.com, and we’re happy to report our fishing app iFish Saskatchewan is doing very well with iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad users.
Our feature package is for anglers who want to get their dream fishing trip in before autumn hits, and our trivia question tests your knowledge of Saskatchewan geography.
Enjoy your September 2011 issue of SaskSecrets.


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Selfridges Birmingham is promising to put its best foot forward with the opening of the ultimate destination for women’s shoes since the opening in 2010 of the store’s famous Shoe Galleries in London. The new destination in Selfridges Birmingham is also the store’s largest shoe department outside London.
With more than 1,700 styles of the most sought-after footwear from nearly 50 designers including Balenciaga, Valentino and Stella McCartney across over 15,000 sqft of floor space, this is an extraordinary destination for shoe shopping.
Not only will the new destination, which opens on level 4 on March 19, stock Selfridges’ much-loved and established brands, it will also introduce exciting new ranges, including Malone Souliers, Marco de Vincenzo, Alberta Ferretti, Gina, Coach, Mallet and Magda Butrym.
In addition, Jimmy Choo, Christian Louboutin and Gucci will have their own shoe destinations within the space, when they open later this spring. Brides-to-be will be able to select shoes for their special day with the Jenny Packham x LK Bennett bridal collection, which is exclusive to Selfridges Birmingham in the city. Also on offer will be a large selection of styles from Offspring.
To celebrate the opening of the new in-store destination, Selfridges Birmingham will be hosting an exciting special event weekend on level 4. The hugely entertaining London-based Sink the Pink drag collective will be performing on Saturday, March 31 between 4pm and 8pm, while the Psychic Sisters will be doing their renowned readings on Friday, March 30 and Saturday, March 31, between noon and 6pm. Shoppers will also have the opportunity to have their trainers and shoeboxes personalised and illustrated during the event weekend.
Sam Watts, general manager of Selfridges Birmingham, said: “We are very excited to launch this beautiful new space and are confident that it will quickly become the premium shoe shopping destination in the city and beyond. We’re also really deligthed to introduce many new brands to our customers. We’re looking forward to welcoming them, especially our female shoe fans whom I know are many.”
For further information visit www.selfridges.com


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ARI reports overseas profits up 19% in 2015
ARI’s share of after tax profits from its operations and joint ventures outside Ireland increased by 19% to €22 million in 2015. This was a 19% increase on 2014, according to its parent company, daa, which published its Annual Report today (May 18).
ARI’s overseas retail operations and investments performed strongly during 2015, with some locations enjoying double digit sales growth. ARI operates in 10 countries across North America, Europe, the Middle East, India and New Zealand and is also responsible for managing the Loop business at Dublin and Cork airports.
The daa Annual Report does not provide separate profit figures for ARI’s operations in Ireland, which are incorporated in the overall performance of the Group.
In Ireland, total sales at Dublin and Cork airports, including retail, food and beverage sales by concessionaires, increased by 20% to €273 million last year. An €8 million upgrade to the main retail area at Dublin Airport’s Terminal 1 and growing passenger numbers at Dublin helped deliver a 28% increase in sales at ARI’s directly managed stores in Ireland, as annual sales in these outlets surpassed €100 million for the first time since the abolition of intra-EU duty free sales in 1999. Average passenger spends at ARI’s directly managed Irish stores increased by 12% last year.
“ARI had an excellent year both at home and abroad in 2015,” said ARI Chief Executive Jack MacGowan. “There was a strong uplift in ARI’s overseas profits and retail sales at the Irish airports increased ahead of passenger growth. ARI has also been working to lay the foundations for future growth, winning key contracts in Abu Dhabi and Muscat in recent months.”
The impact of the award-winning new walk-through stores in Terminal 1 in Dublin contributed strongly to the sales growth at ARI’s Irish stores. The first phase of the new T1 airside retail area, which comprised the core categories of liquor, P&C, confectionery and souvenirs, opened in mid-March and a new restaurant and bar area, Marqette, began trading in September.
“The innovations we have delivered with Terminal 1 have been very well received by passengers and have also been recognised within the industry globally,” Mr MacGowan said. “We were delighted to win the Best Airport Retailer category at the Frontier Awards for our Terminal 1 offering at Dublin, and our new Candy Cloud confectionery store was also named Speciality Concept of the Year.”
Managed turnover increased by 19% last year across all ARI’s locations. The daa annual report noted that ARI Middle East’s joint venture operations continue to perform very well, with Beirut Duty Free again demonstrating a resilient performance, despite the impact of the ongoing conflict in neighbouring Syria.
Turnover at ARI’s joint venture at Delhi International Airport increased for the fifth year in a row since this business began trading in 2010. Sales increased by 9% to $140 million last year, helped by increased traffic and innovative marketing and promotional activity. The Canadian business also saw strong growth during 2015.
Currency did have some impact on ARI’s trading during the year, according to daa’s annual report. Strong sterling and the US dollar boosted the performance of Euro-based operations, but ARI businesses which trade in US dollars – mainly in the Middle East – were less attractive to Euro passengers.
The weakening rouble and the ongoing economic issues in Russia also had an impact on trading in Cyprus, where ARI owns and operates the retail business at Larnaca and Paphos airports. Due to these issues, the volume and spend from Russian passengers declined at both airports.
ARI’s profits outside Ireland include the contribution from daa’s 20% shareholding in Düsseldorf Airport in Germany, which is not separately reported. Passenger traffic at Düsseldorf increased by 3% to 22.5 million last year and the investment in the German airport continued to make a positive profit and cash contribution to ARI.
ARI has also had a strong period of successful business development in the last 15 months winning three major contracts. In January 2015 it won a seven-year contract to operate 2,300 sq m of retail space at Auckland Airport and it began trading in Australasia last summer.
In December, the Abu Dhabi Airports Company appointed ARI to retail the perfume, cosmetics, sunglasses and fashion jewellery categories at its new Midfield Terminal Building. ARI’s contract is for 10 years from December 2017 when the new terminal opens.
ARI also recently won the duty free contract for the new Muscat International Airport in Oman. ARI, which has operated in Oman since 2003, will have more than 5,000 sq m of retail space at the new airport for core duty free products as well as watches, toys, gourmet foods and confectionery.
Jack MacGowan said “Successfully retaining the Muscat concession following on from our win in Abu Dhabi reinforces our position as the leading multi-location retailer in the Middle East. These are very significant contract wins for ARI due to their scale and growth potential, and the fact that most of our industry competitors were involved in both tenders.”


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Work is continuing to create Devon’s largest multiplex despite the uncertain future of the movie industry.
The boss of Merlin Cinemas, Geoff Greaves, said new seats, for the first phase of development, will be delivered soon at the former BHS store in Torquay. Planning permission for the 13-screen cinema was approved in August 2019 making it the biggest multiplex in Devon.
But that was before the coronavirus pandemic hit the UK and seriously affected the industry, which has seen a number of firms shut their doors - including the temporary closure of Scott Cinema’s Alexandra, in Newton Abbot.
Meanwhile, the Cineworld chain, which runs the IMAX-led multiplex in Plymouth’s £53million The Barcode leisure complex, has closed all its UK and US venues, following the decision to delay the release of the new Bond epic, No Time to Die, until April 2021.
The Merlin chain has has itself closed its Torquay and Kingsbridge cinemas, while those in Okehampton and Ilfracombe are open with reduced hours.
And the cinema chain's founder admitted that the lack of a big "tentpole" new movie release means he is in no rush to complete the work behind the scenes inside the old BHS store in Union Street to create the first phase.
"There's no point in us rushing. If we were finished for Christmas there's no big movie for us to show," Mr Greaves said.
But despite the gloom following the announcement that the release of the Bond blockbuster has been pushed back to next year, Mr Greaves said work goes on in Torbay.
The cinema will have 13 screens over three levels ranging from 23 to 120 seats and will open from 8am to 3am.
The ground floor will have three screens, a restaurant and ice cream bar. There will be four screens and a party room in the basement, and six screens and a private bar on the first floor.
"With regard to Torquay, obviously we have been strongly hampered by coronavirus and not being able to get most of the team in there," Mr Greaves said.
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"But we are slowly getting there and the new seats are being delivered next week. We are hoping that as soon as the restrictions are lifted a little bit more we will be ready to open the first phase.
"We were all devastated by the news that James Bond is not coming out - we thought that would be the one to get people back into the habit of coming to the cinema again.
"We need a big tentpole movie and the ones we're waiting for are Peter Rabbit 2, Wonder Woman 2 or the new Dune sci-fi. But a couple have already been moved back into next year.
"Until they release something major to bring back the average cinema-goer it's basically impossible to get the business up off the floor."
The huge multiplex is a key part of Torquay Union Street's conversion from shop to leisure use. The high street has suffered from the departure of big names, with New Look leaving in April 2020 and the 10,0000sq ft store H&M closing in the former Woolworths building in October.


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The dream of one young man, his passion for comics and creativity has evolved into one of the world’s largest licensors and animation studios.
The newest Winx Club film, The Mystery of the Abyss, was just released across Finland this weekend.
Free-to-air Brazilian channel TV Cultura has picked up season five and six of Rainbow's "Winx Club."
Rainbow is planning the first-ever "Winx Club" reunion, which will take place in Jesolo, Italy, (near Venice) from Sept. 3-6.
Rainbow has teamed with the Malaysian broadcaster NTV7 to host "Winx Club"-themed talent show.
Rainbow is bringing three of its top kids' shows to the MIPTV television marketplace this week–"Winx Club," "Royal Academy" (working title) and "My American Friend."
Rainbow's third "Winx Club" movie, The Mystery of the Abyss, will hit cinemas across Greece beginning April 10.
Rainbow is highlighting its top brands including "Winx Club" and "Mia and me" at both the Bologna Licensing Trade Fair and the Bologna Children’s Book Fair this week.
To celebrate 10 years of its "Winx Club" brand, Rainbow has launched a live musical show inspired by the TV series that will tour the world.
Witty Toys, a Rainbow Group company, has launched a new range of Winx Club dolls today at the Spielwarenmesse Toy Fair.
Family entertainment company Rainbow celebrated its 20th birthday this year at MIPJunior and MIPCOM, taking place now in Cannes, France.
Polish broadcaster PULS 2 has picked up season six of Rainbow's girls' series "Winx Club," which is began airing earlier this month.
©2015 ADVANSTAR COMMUNICATIONS INC. All rights reserved.


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Brown-Forman: U.S. Trends Normalizing, Third Quarter Sales Up 4%March 8, 2023
Brown-Forman saw sales increase 12% to $3.2 billion on an organic basis for the nine months through January, representing the first three quarters of its fiscal year. Operating income was up 9% to $829 million on an organic basis, but fell 13% on a reported basis, as the company booked a $96 million impairment on the Finlandia brand and higher operating expenses, including “certain post-closing costs and expenses in connection with the acquisitions of Diplomático and Gin Mare.” Those two purchases, made last year, were reportedly worth a combined $1.25 billion.
In the three months through January, Brown-Forman’s sales grew 5% globally and 4% in the U.S., where the company has noted that trends are “normalizing” after a three-year run of elevated growth, echoing the statements of other top players early this year. U.S. growth has lately been led by Woodford Reserve, which jumped 14% to nearly 1.3 million cases in calendar 2022, according to Impact Databank. Other brands on the rise last year included El Jimador and Herradura Tequilas, as well as Old Forester Bourbon and Jack Daniel’s RTDs. In the wine category, Sonoma-Cutrer had a particularly strong year, growing 17% to 543,000 cases.
Brown-Forman noted that it has ramped up advertising on key brands, with advertising expenses rising 24% organically for the nine-month period, “driven by increased investment to support Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, Woodford Reserve, the launch of Jack Daniel’s Bonded, and Herradura in the United States.” For its full fiscal year ending in April, the company is expecting sales growth of 8% to 10%, coupled with high single-digit organic operating income growth.
“Brown-Forman continues to deliver strong net sales growth year-to-date, as we executed our strategic priorities and invested boldly behind our brands and our people,” said president and CEO Lawson Whiting. “Even as trends begin to normalize, we believe our business will remain robust given the premiumization of our portfolio, the health of our brands, and the resolve of our people.”—Daniel Marsteller
|Brown-Forman—Top 10 Spirits Brands in the U.S.
(thousands of 9-liter case depletions)
|1||Jack Daniel’s2||Tennessee Whiskey||5,570||5,434||-2.4%|
|5||Gentleman Jack||Tennessee Whiskey||458||439||-4.2%|
|7||Jack Daniel’s RTDs5||Premixed Cocktail||260||419||61.0%|
|Total Top 10||10,418||10,677||2.5%|
|1 Based on unrounded data.
2 Excludes flavors and RTDs/FMBs; includes Single Barrel, Bonded, Rye, No. 27 Gold, and Sinatra.
3 Includes Double Oaked and Reserve Rye.
4 Includes 86 proof, 100 proof, and craft.
5 Excludes Country Cocktails (malt-based)
Source: IMPACT DATABANK © 2023
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Tagged : Brown-Forman, El Jimador, Herradura, Jack Daniel's, Old Forester, Woodford Reserve
GET YOUR FIRST LOOK AT 2021 DATA AND 2022 PROJECTIONS FOR THE WINE AND SPIRITS INDUSTRIES. ORDER YOUR 2022 IMPACT DATABANK REPORTS. CLICK HERE.


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1 Min Read
MUMBAI (Reuters) - Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd(MAHM.NS), India's largest utility vehicle maker, said it would halt production for up to three days this month at its automotive factories to align output with sales requirements.
"The management does not envisage any adverse impact on availability of vehicles in the market due to adequacy of vehicle stocks to serve the market requirements," the company said in a statement to the stock exchange on Saturday.
The Indian auto industry is facing a second year of falling sales as high interest rates and fuel costs keep a lid on consumer spending in a slowing economy.
Reporting by Aradhana Aravindan; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore


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At the suggestion of Google and Huawei for settlement, you can pay the two companies for millions phone phone Google Nexus 6P up to $ 400 dollars, and that after that the raise some of the users class action lawsuit on problems in their devices.
Read Also: phones Nexus 6P encounter malfunction after the latest system update
Settlement awaits final approval from the court, and the total amount for up to 9.75 million for the lawsuit were first introduced in April 2017, where they indicate a problem in the phone lead to stop some women from working altogether, even in the case of a factory reset due to a major problem in the battery lead to stop the work for even if it was charged enough.
Read also: review Nexus 6P: Google hit phones 2015 the strongest Android phone
This phone made by Chinese company Huawei for the company Google, with a screen size of 5.7 inch and the Ram 3 is and processor Snapdragon 810 and a battery capacity of 3450 mAh.
Sources: scribd | scribd


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Twitter for iOS not displaying mentions for someIt was reported on Thursday that @mentions have not been showing up on both Twitter's official app for iOS, and more specifically for iPhone, and third party apps like Tweetbot.
The apparent bug in Twitter's service, first discovered by Favstar.fm, appears to be have affected how mentions are displayed, with some notifications being replaced by older retweets or not showing up at all.
Mentions seen in the third party app Tweetbot. | Source: Favstar.fm
Initial reports claimed the glitch was limited to Twitter's official iPhone app, however it seems the issue can be replicated in third party software as well.
Initial reports saw the glitch only in Twitter's official app.
From Favstar's blog post:
It turns out @Twitter for iPhone will sometimes not show a mention on their Connect -> Mentions tab. This seems to happen when an older mention has been retweeted by another user, which takes the place of the mention that should be there.
While the mentions are not being displayed correctly on iOS versions pulling from Twitter servers, the micro blogging company's web client has not been affected, possibly pointing to a bug in the service's API.
On Topic: General
- Pinterest absorbs offline reading service Instapaper
- Apple to reopen Thousand Oaks store on Saturday, close Cambridge shop for renovations
- Lyft president says ridesharing service isn't looking to sell, blames Uber for rumors
- Apple patent details visual-based AR navigation, confirms Flyby Media acquisition
- Samsung adopting Apple-like plan to sell refurbished smartphones


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Madeline Kizer of Wallingford hosts clothing swaps to promote second-hand shopping, aiming to raise awareness of fast fashion’s impact on the environment. A documentary on the fashion industry sparked Kizer’s interest to learn more about fast fashion. So, she decided to do her own research. Fast fashion is based on a low-cost, high-volume business model that has come under fire in recent years for its impact on the environment and workers in the supply chain, Quartz Magazine reports. The mass production of clothing contributes water pollution and emits large quantities of greenhouse gases, and according to a Vogue Magazine report “20% of global water waste is caused by the fashion industry.”
According to a study by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, “The textiles system
operates in an almost completely linear way: large amounts of non-renewable
resources are extracted to produce clothes that are often used for only a
short time, after which the materials are mostly sent to landfill or incinerated,” under-utilizing recycling.


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BUSINESS: Entrpreneurship Summit in South Africa
Recent Gauteng Business News
Successful economies around the world are characterised by a dynamic entrepreneurial culture, and entrepreneurship is recognised globally as a powerful job-creation engine.
The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2008 reports that “high-impact entrepreneurs in particular make an outsized contribution to job creation, sometimes providing for the totality of new net job creation in the economy.”
In South Africa, however, rates of participation in entrepreneurship stand at just 5%, putting the country far behind its peer emerging market countries like Brazil (12%) and Indonesia (19%).
During Global Entrepreneurship Week in November 2009, top decision-makers and key stakeholders will lead a Summit to debate the state of entrepreneurship in South Africa, and investigate possible solutions to the country’s low rates of entrepreneurial activity.
Entitled “The State of Entrepreneurship in South Africa: Strategies for the Future”, the Summit is being made possible by Endeavor SA, official host of Global Entrepreneurship Week in South Africa, along with sponsor First National Bank (FNB) Commercial Banking .
It will take place on 19 November at the FNB Conference and Learning Centre in Sandton.
“As an NGO that supports high-impact entrepreneurs, Endeavor SA is heavily invested in driving debate and influencing policy regarding entrepreneurship in our country,” says Malik Fal, MD of Endeavor SA.
The Summit will kick off with a headline panel discussion that will outline the state of entrepreneurship in South Africa, strengths and challenges. This will set the stage for five breakaway panels dealing with Access to Capital; Incubator Support; Culture of Entrepreneurship; Access to Skills; and Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment and Enterprise Development. Delegates will be able to choose which of these five interactive panel discussions they wish to join.
“We are thrilled to have the likes of Adrian Gore, Hlumelo Biko, Alec Hogg and Mike Herrington on the panels, along with other key stakeholders, decision-makers and successful South African entrepreneurs. The discussions arising out of these panels will be captured in a multi-authored White Paper that will cover key issues and propose innovative solutions to drive a dynamic culture of entrepreneurship in South Africa,” explains Fal,
The keynote address will be delivered by Jonathan Ortmans, Head of Global Entrepreneurship Week at the Kauffman Foundation for Entrepreneurship, Kansas City, USA.
The Summit will also see the official launch of the South Africa Fast Growth 100 list. Founded by AllWorld Network, Professor Michael Porter of the Harvard Business School and Endeavor SA, this initiative will identify and rank the country’s fastest-growing entrepreneurial companies and in so doing, map the South African entrepreneurial landscape.
AllWorld Network co-founder, Deidre Coyle explains, “The fastest-growing entrepreneurial companies across South Africa will become role models of success, inspiring others to pursue entrepreneurial ventures, and thereby foster a culture of entrepreneurship in the country. The South Africa Fast Growth 100 List will also provide real time data into where South Africa is most innovative and best-positioned to create jobs.”
Details of the event can be found at www.endeavor.co.za
Business News Sector Tags: Business|