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View from India: Auto industry gears up for a green journey
Image credit: Dreamstime/Iurii Krasilnov
India’s auto industry has had a bumpy ride, but it is all set for a revival after two tough years.
Revenues, which were significantly impacted in fiscals 2020 and 2021, are predicted to see a steep recovery due to improved demand for automobiles across segments, according to ratings agency CRISIL. This, along with improved ancillary revenues, which is more profitable than vehicle sales, will support overall operating profitability for automobile dealers, and boost cash accruals.
CRISIL says that over the past 12 months the cost of ownership of passenger vehicles (PVs) and two-wheelers (2Ws) has risen by 8-10 per cent following a 15-17 per cent surge in fuel prices. Other factors include price hikes by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to cover Bharat Stage (BS)-VI costs, and costlier raw material. While that affected sales, the nationwide lockdown also slammed the brakes on ancillary revenue.
The Indian automotive components industry stands at Rs 3.2 lakh crore (£31m). It derives 60 per cent of its revenue from automobile original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), with the balance split equally between replacement demand and exports. “The ongoing rebound in economic activity will drive a strong recovery for OEMs next fiscal. Improving fleet utilisation and better availability of finance will also improve demand for commercial vehicles, while demand for personal vehicles (passenger cars and two-wheelers) will be driven by improving urban consumer sentiment, resilient rural incomes, modest vehicle price increases and attractive financing options,” said Hetal Gandhi, director, CRISIL Research.
Recovery in new vehicle sales, and ancillary revenues (through service, spare parts and insurance at 10-12 per cent of revenue and 25 per cent of operating profit) would also help restore operating profitability to pre-pandemic levels of 3-4 per cent for automobile dealers. “We are seeing a turnaround. PV and 2W dealers are expected to see revenue growth of 20-22 per cent and 15-17 per cent, respectively, in fiscal 2022. Healthy rural demand and increasing preference for personal mobility will drive growth for PVs and 2Ws. Revenue growth for commercial vehicle (CV) dealers is expected at 35-40 per cent in fiscal 2022, supported by improving economic activity, increase in budget allocation for infrastructure and low base effect,” explained Gautam Shahi, director, CRISIL Ratings.
With improving operating performance, credit ratio or the ratio of the number of rating upgrades to downgrades, is anticipated to improve next fiscal. This is after two years of weak operating performance which impacted the credit metrics of CRISIL Ratings’ rated automobile dealers. This was evident in credit ratio declining to 0.3 time for the sector for April 2020-January 2021, the lowest in the past five fiscals. Increased support from OEMs and moratorium availed by automotive dealers helped manage liquidity pressures.
Automotive dealers should benefit from continued OEM support and strong demand recovery after the lockdown. Sustenance of recovery in demand across segments, normal monsoon and inventory level at dealers’ end will remain monitorables.
The automotive components sector will see revenue rebound 21-23 per cent next fiscal as domestic and export demand revives after two straight contractions. Higher margins will lift operating profits, too. That, along with prudent capital spending and working capital management, will lead to an improvement in the credit profiles of automotive component makers next fiscal, an analysis of 230 of them rated by CRISIL, which account for 40 per cent of sector revenue.
“Better operating performance, controlled capital spend – given that sufficient capacity is available – and prudent working capital management will support recovery in credit profiles of automotive-component suppliers next fiscal. Gearing of the sample set is expected to be comfortable at 0.7-0.8 time as on March 31, 2021, and improve further next fiscal. The interest cover ratio, too, is expected to recover to 4 times from 3 times,” explained Rajeswari Karthigeyan, associate director, CRISIL Ratings. Hopefully, sustained improvement in consumer spending on automobile will happen.
CRISIL has projected a positive outlook for the auto industry. Along with that, the recently released draft of the vehicle scrappage policy is expected to boost the industry. Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, has announced that the incentivised policy will facilitate the industry’s growth. The turnover of the automobile industry is estimated to scale from Rs 4.5 lakh crore to Rs 10 lakh crore, besides generating 35,000 jobs. Commercial vehicles that are over 15 years old and passenger vehicles that are over 20 years, will be scrapped if they don’t pass fitness and emission tests.
Government-appointed automated vehicle fitness centres will be established in the country, through a private-public partnership between private firms and state governments. These registered vehicle scrapping facilities (RVSF) will determine a scrap value for the old vehicle. This would be around 4-6 per cent of the showroom price of a new vehicle. A road tax rebate of up to 25 per cent for personal vehicles and up to 15 per cent for commercial vehicles will be offered. The scrapping certificate also allows the waiving of the registration fee upon purchasing a new vehicle. This will raise the demand for new vehicles and lower the carbon impact on the environment.
The scrapped parts of the automobile like steel and aluminium can be reused to manufacture auto parts. On the one hand, it can give rise to a formalised recycling infrastructure. On the other, if there is a possibility of reusing many recycled parts for vehicle production or its spare parts, then the overall cost of vehicle production is likely to be lowered in the long run. This will be a step towards being eco-friendly.
The fitness testing of heavy commercial vehicles will commence in April 2023 and other categories will follow suit in June 2024.
It’s only befitting to ease out old vehicles that enhance the noise-air pollution. The atmosphere will be green and clean and reduce India’s dependence on importing crude oil. The newly announced vehicle scrappage policy is in line with India’s pledge made in the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. The target is to achieve lower carbon emission and reduce greenhouse emissions by 33-35 per cent by 2030.
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Andrea Danti - Fotolia
SonicWall has baked SD-WAN software into its Capture Cloud Platform, making it the latest security vendor to integrate...
software-defined WAN into its firewall appliances.
As enterprises move to hybrid cloud environments, they often implement SD-WAN to better support access to the cloud. The technology gives enterprises the ability to use various types of connectivity to route traffic and, as a result, achieve better application performance and resilience. But SD-WAN can also expose networks to additional vulnerabilities and attack threats, especially when traffic is routed via broadband internet.
SonicWall's answer to this security challenge is to provide increased visibility and control with its updated firewall operating system. In addition to the newly added SD-WAN software, SonicWall updated its firewalls with zero-touch deployment capabilities for easier configuration, according to a company statement. Customers can also choose to include Power over Ethernet and 802.11ac support.
Fortinet, another security vendor, recently integrated proprietary SD-WAN software into its FortiGate firewall appliance.
Retail companies turn to SD-WAN deployment
Retailers are feeling the pressure to address the growing complexity in their networks, according to a recent survey conducted by Forrester Research on behalf of Hughes, a satellite and network service provider. To alleviate the pressure, many are looking to deploy SD-WAN software.
Forrester surveyed store operations and technology decision-makers from 100 North American retail and financial services companies, all of which had offices or facilities at more than 200 locations.
Almost 90% of retailers have business-critical applications for personnel management, employee training, inventory and ordering, the report said. But 33% of respondents said network performance with their existing infrastructure was unsatisfactory. Retail stores are also increasingly using mobile point-of-sale systems and mobile payments, in addition to ballooning in-store Wi-Fi requirements, all of which further stress the network.
Only 30% of the surveyed companies said they currently used SD-WAN. But more than half said they intend to either test SD-WAN software in the next year or adopt it within two years.
Among retail and financial companies publicizing their SD-WAN deployments are Gap, Brooks Brothers and Capital One.
Virgin Media Business officially launches managed SD-WAN
Virgin Media Business has launched its managed SD-WAN service, after announcing its intent to do so earlier this year. The service relies on technology from Versa Networks.
Virgin Media's managed SD-WAN is packaged with WAN optimization tools, end-to-end IPsec encryption and an integrated stateful firewall with seven layers of additional security, according to a company statement.
Other service providers using Versa Networks SD-WAN software to support their managed SD-WAN offerings include CenturyLink, Comcast Business, Microland, Tata Communications and Verizon.

domain: news


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PETALING JAYA: MIDF Research remains sanguine on MSM Malaysia Holdings Bhd’s long term business prospects, given that all rectification works in the sugar producer’s Johor refinery have been completed.
“The refinery can now operate at full throttle, increasing its capacity utilisation factor (UF) from 15%-30% to 40%-50%, thereby paving the way to better economies of scale in refining cost structures ahead,” MIDF Research said.
As it is, MSM made a significant turnaround with net profit of RM42.9mil in the fourth quarter ended Dec 31, 2023, against a net loss of RM44.2mil a year ago.
The turnaround can be attributed to its strategic focus on enhancing average selling price (ASP), cost reduction measures, including hedging optimisation, and the expansion of sales volume through the diversification of distribution channels.
Revenue for the quarter jumped 40.15% to RM949.8mil from RM677.7mil a year earlier, mainly due to the 27% higher ASP and 11% higher sales volume, mainly contributed by a 48% increase in the export segment.
“Overall, there was a noticeable uptick in sales volume, especially in the industry and export sub-segments.
“We attribute this positive trend to the vibrancy of local food and beverage (F&B) activity, driven by increased demand from Asia-Pacific countries,” MIDF Research said.
For the full financial year, MSM narrowed its net loss to RM49.9mil from RM178.7mil in the previous year on the back of improved revenue, which rose to RM3.09bil from RM2.56bil.
“As we change our valuation to price earnings (PE) to better reflect mid-long-term outlook, our revised target price (TP) of RM3.43 is based on a FY24 earnings per share (EPS) of 28.5 sen, pegged to a PE of 11 times, which is 20% higher than the international-sector PE of 10 times,” the research house added.
MIDF Research maianted its “buy” call on the stock given a more attractive 47.1% potential return at its revised TP
“We think MSM’s outlook is starting to stablise, as post-rectifications at the MSM Johor refinery would lead to a better utilisation rate in coming quarters.
“On top of that, the quantum of increased ASP and higher sales volume from Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation countries would eventually be able to mitigate the elevated sugar costs,” the research house added.
However, it pointed out there are a couple of factors that could derail MSM’s performance. These include the strengthening of the US dollar against the ringgit, continued EL-Nino weather phenomenon that would hamper sugar production and yield in major producer countries as this will increase raw sugar costs.


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Used cars prices up 38% in Springfield from last year, also increasing nationwide amid microchip shortage
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) – If you’re looking for a used car, around the Springfield-area or elsewhere, you might have to save up a little more than usual for one.
It found that used car prices in August increased on average by 26.2%, or $6,454, over the past 12 months. The mark is slightly down from a 31.6 percent increase reported in July.
According to a iSeeCars.com spokesperson, prices in the Springfield, Missouri, area increased on average by 37.9%, or $9,327, over the past year.
The study reported the following findings:
- The vehicles with the highest price increases are a mix of economy cars and impractical cars.
- Cars with the smallest price bumps are mainly luxury SUVs.
- Used car prices came


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The European Commission has approved Estonia's €9.9 million aid plan for tourism companies and sectors directly affected by the coronavirus wave.
The plan was approved on the basis of the temporary framework for state aid and the funds will be disbursed in the form of direct payments, according to the European Commission Representation in Estonia.
Eligible for support are accommodation, travel and catering enterprises as well as stores selling craft products, souvenirs or Estonian design products whose revenues have significantly declined as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. The objective of the plan is to help support recipients cover their liquidity needs and continue operations during and after the outbreak.
The Commission concluded that Estonia's aid plan is in conformity with the terms provided by the temporary framework.
Editor: Helen Wright


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VANCOUVER — Viaggio Hospitality Group has announced the opening of its latest culinary venture — Ancora Waterfront Dining and Patio.
Situated along the False Creek seawall, the highly anticipated restaurant features a 98-seat dining room as well as private dining space and spacious heated patio with panoramic views of False Creek.
Ancora’s menu, created by executive chef Ricardo Valverde, offers West Coast sustainable cuisine with Peruvian and Japanese flare complimented by a raw bar headed by master sushi chef Yoshi Tabo and a spirits program led by head bartender Matt Cooke. The menu offers items such as tiradito scallop and prawn ceviche with aji amarillo crema and cancha, an Ancora glacier: a combination of oysters, Peruvian mussel escabeche, dungeness crab causa, a ceviche and tartare tasting and a selection of sashimi.
“We’re thrilled to embark on this new culinary venture,” says Andrea Vescovi, GM and wine director of Ancora. “The all-star team has created a unique menu sure to make Ancora a great addition to Vancouver’s culinary scene.”


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Many PC and chassis makers these days are trying to address console gamers with computers that are as small as game consoles and fit into the living room design-wise, but which are considerably more powerful and can run games at ultra-high resolutions. When Corsair announced its plans to enter this market with its Bulldog concept a year ago, it was not exactly a big surprise: a company with expertise in cooling and PC chassis is arguably the best possible candidate to offer such kind of products. Even though some chassis designs seem to churn out over weeks, Corsair has taken over a year and a half to bring the final product to the market.
This week, Corsair finally started to sell the Bulldog chassis and...
At CES 2008, we caught our first glimpse of Enermax's two new PSU series. We've been anxiously awaiting the chance to test them for a couple months now, and...
Christoph Katzer on 3/25/2008
Noctua launches fan refinements to improve overclocking performance without compromising quiet. Does the new cooler perform as well as Noctua claims?
Wesley Fink on 3/20/2008
We look at the HR-03 GT VGA Cooler to see how it stacks up against NVIDIA's stock cooler solution and the Sparkle fanless 8800GT.
Matt Campbell on 3/3/2008
We've reviewed many PSUs rated at extreme wattages; now it's time to look at more reasonable offerings in the 650W range.
Christoph Katzer on 2/21/2008
Enthusiast System Architecture now has USB-if HID approval and the new system control standard is moving forward. The monitoring capabilites of a working ESA system are examined.
Wesley Fink on 2/19/2008
We had a chance to speak with the Founder of PCP&C Doug Dodson, and felt the interview questions and answers were worth passing along as a closer look at...
Christoph Katzer on 2/11/2008
PCP&C sent us their new Turbo Cool 860W, with a few extras requested specifically by AnandTech. Read on to find out what extras we wanted and what the Turbo...
Christoph Katzer on 2/4/2008
Alpine 7 is a family of $12 to $15 coolers while the Freezer 7 Pro is a step up to the $25 price range. Can these entry-level coolers compete...
Wesley Fink on 1/29/2008
The last ZEROtherm Butterfly cooler showed impressive performance and low noise levels. Can a ZEROtherm design for all-out cooler performance top our charts?
Wesley Fink on 1/16/2008
We've looked at dozens of power supplies, but we haven't given out any awards. In this recap of the 2007 PSU market, we pick out those offerings that have...
Christoph Katzer on 12/20/2007
In the rush for faster processors and GPUs sporting more cores and pipelines, power supply manufacturers are feeling neglected. If you're in the market for an ultra-high-end system, you...
Christoph Katzer on 12/11/2007
We've got ten power supplies for this roundup, representing the higher end of the PSU spectrum.
Christoph Katzer on 11/22/2007
We test four moderate power supplies ranging from 400W to 450W. What separates budget 400W units from higher quality midrange units? Read on to find out.
Christoph Katzer on 11/6/2007
NVIDIA launches a new open standard for monitoring and controlling computer components.
Wesley Fink on 11/5/2007
Cooler Master has not topped recent cooler tests. Will the mid-priced Hyper 212 turn the tide?
Wesley Fink on 10/31/2007
We test three power supplies ranging from 1200 to 1300 Watts. For those who need as much power as a small business, which if any of these units comes...
Christoph Katzer on 10/22/2007
Earlier this year AMD announced its DTX form factor, and we got a chance to play around with AMD's first DTX reference platform.
Anand Lal Shimpi on 10/22/2007
The Scythe Kama Cross and OCZ Vendetta introduce new approaches to $30-$40 CPU cooling. Do they succeed in providing good cooling value at a midrange price?
Wesley Fink on 10/1/2007
Swiftech has introduced a simpler and more reasonable two-piece water cooling system based on their Apogee water block. We compare it to the external Corsair Nautilus 500 and the...
Wesley Fink on 9/17/2007
As Confucius once put it, "Silence is the true friend that never betrays." We've heard the calls for a review of Seasonic's power supplies, and it's time to see...
Christoph Katzer on 9/14/2007


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Revealed: The World’s most expensive city for Business Travellers – London No 10.
Figures from global mobility specialist ECA International reveals the 10 most expensive cities for business travel.
The average business trip to London now costs £444 a day, with the price of a four-star hotel costing £251 a night on average, a report from ECA International has revealed.
New York (£618) is the most expensive city in the world for business travel, with Geneva the most expensive in Europe, costing £553 a day.
London is the 10th most expensive city in the world for business trips, according to research by global mobility experts, ECA International (ECA).
“London business travel has weathered the Brexit uncertainty thus far and it remains one of the busiest business hubs in the world,” says ECA production manager Steven Kilfedder.
“In part this is because demand has been boosted by the fall in the value of the pound after the Brexit vote in 2016, making the UK more affordable for international visitors.”
The ECA’s Daily Rates report reviews the average costs for hotel accommodation as well as meals, drinks, laundry, taxi journeys and daily essentials.
UK business trip daily costs – average price of a business trip per day (GBP)
Business travel in Switzerland still most expensive in Europe, with Swiss cities dominating the top ten costliest locations in Europe for business travel with Geneva leading the rankings.
New York is the only location in the world to rank higher for business travel costs than Geneva with a trip to the Big Apple costing GBP 618 (USD 799) a day on average.
Kilfedder said: “A big proportion of the cost of business travel to New York can be attributed to the high demand for hotels in the city with a room costing £396.
“These costs in combination with consistently high prices for transport and at many restaurants can make trips to the city extremely expensive, contributing to the city being ranked the most expensive in the world for business travel.”
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WRAP today publishes its second annual report for The UK Plastics Pact showing that members have made some good progress against targets.
The progress includes a reduction in the amount of plastic packaging being used and improvements in plastic recycling at home.
WRAP's Chief Executive Marcus Gover commented “It’s great to see UK Plastics Pact members cutting unnecessary plastic packaging by 40% and increasing recycling to 50% in just one year. This was exactly why we set up the Pact - to tackle problematic plastic, increase re-use and recycling, and stop plastic polluting the environment. I am delighted with the progress and very pleased to see leading businesses trialling refill and reuse alternatives.”
The UK Plastics Pact was the world’s first initiative to bring together the entire plastics value chain along with governments and citizens to accelerate more circular use of plastic packaging materials – to achieve four world-leading, ambitious and measurable targets by 2025. Here is a summary of the latest reported progress:
400 million “problematic and unnecessary items” classified under Target 1 were sold by Pact members in 2019.
Most Pact members are on track to eliminate 6 of the 8 items and materials classified as “problematic and unnecessary items” under by the end of this year. The estimated tonnage of this material sold was 16,000 tonnes, showing a 30% reduction on 2018 levels.
While the amount of PVC has more than halved over this time period, from the outset it was clear that in some applications it would not be possible to remove PVC in the time period e.g. when used in pharmaceutical packaging where the product is licensed with the packaging.
Polystyrene remains an issue - Pact members need to proactively remove polystyrene and Danone, for example, has invested in new technologies to produce yogurt pots from PET or PP. Their new PET pots are recyclable and crucially allow recycled plastic content to be incorporated back into the pots.
Pact members reporting in 2018 and 2019 show a 6% reduction in plastic packaging placed on the market. Actions taken by members to address unnecessary packaging include Tesco removing shrink film from multi-packs of tinned foods and Pepsico reducing excess headspace in multi-packs of several leading brands of crisps.
Today, 64% of plastic packaging placed on the market by Pact members is recyclable. WRAP urges Pact members across the value chain to improve this significantly by ensuring that flexible plastic packaging is widely recyclable in the UK.
Several brands and supermarkets are making inroads to reusables and refill including Asda, which launched its pilot sustainability store in 2020. Among plastic reduction and recycling initiatives, it offers common everyday items, personal care products and laundry products in refillable formats.
Asda estimate that the initiatives being trialled will save one million pieces of plastic per year. More trial results need to be shared across Pact members to show how reuse and refill can be commercially viable and scalable by 2025.
Aligned with The UK Plastic Pact polymer choice guidance, members are beginning to make the changes necessary to design their packaging for greater recyclability. Many members have removed non-recyclable black plastic including Quorn. Iconic designs have been altered to improve recyclability such as Ribena.
The amount of plastic packaging that is being recycled increased from 44% in 2018 to 50% in 2019. That’s an additional 107,000 tonnes no longer being burned or buried. The number of local authorities collecting plastic pots/tubs/trays increased from 79% in 2018 to 84% in 2019 across the UK, while all continue to collect plastic bottles.
More people than ever before are recycling, with WRAP’s latest citizen research showing that almost nine in ten (87%) of UK households regularly recycle. Brands and retailers also continue to promote positive recycling behaviours.
Examples include Coca Cola which has created space on its bottle labels to communicate recycling messaging to citizens on pack. Morrisons has included front of pack recycling messaging across many ranges to inform and encourage customers to bring PE film back to store for recycling.
There has also been important investment in the recycling sector by Pact members. Jayplas has invested in a plastic film recycling plant with 100k tonnes of capacity. Veolia, in collaboration with Charpak and Unilever, will develop the UK’s first dual PET bottle and tray recycling facility.
Average recycled content is now 13%, having risen from 9% in 2018. This equates to 700,000 barrels of new (virgin) oil and 66,000 tonnes of CO2e. There is a long way to go to reach the 30% target, but this is still a positive move.
Member actions include Coca Cola, who moved all PET bottles to 50% rPET content across all its brands. All innocent drinks bottles will contain 50% recycled content by summer 2021. Waitrose launched new packaging for its ‘treat tubs’ made from 90% recycled material.
Together we can
WRAP CEO Marcus Gover commented “Of course we will always need to do more to deliver our bold ambition for 2025. I am looking forward to UK Plastics Pact members eliminating more unnecessary plastic and further increasing the recyclability of packaging in 2021. Developing solutions to overcome the challenges of recycling flexible plastic packaging will be a particular priority."
"Collection points for plastic bags and films at supermarkets will be an important step in the right direction, but we need all supermarkets to collect all plastic films to make this work. Together we can. Together we will.”
Ecosurety is a member of the UK Plastics Pact and works with Pact members to help analyse their data and provide insights on where they should be focusing their efforts. Find out more here about how we can help.
Marketing projects specialist
Ben joined the team at the beginning of 2015 and helps drive marketing communications and projects for Ecosurety, including project managing the launch of the Ecosurety Exploration Fund and website content development.


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Waitrose’ total divisional sales – excluding fuel – were up 1.4% last week (to June 18), with year-on-year growth affected by the cool and wet weather.
The grocery multiple’s finance director Loraine Woodhouse commented: “Last week’s unseasonal temperatures meant that instead of firing up their barbecues, consumers opted for warming soups, which increased by 8%. And flower sales rose by 17% as customers added some much-needed brightness to their homes.”
Strong sales of the supermarket chain’s new premium food range Waitrose 1 range helped drive uplifts in a number of categories, with yogurt sales up by 44%, coffee by 13% and pasta by 19%.
Popular Father’s Day gifts included socks and mugs, while sales of brandy and whisky led to an overall increase of 4% in spirits.
Waitrose Make Your Own Father’s Day Card


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IT’S been a wild ride for Sligo’s White Hag Brewing Company since its launch in 2014.
The Ballymote venture has won a raft of awards, including the Oliver Hughes Best Brewery award from Beoir, the national craft beer consumer’s organisation.
Like all small businesses, it hasn’t been entirely smooth sailing but two rounds of over-subscribed crowd-funding, the launch of the successful ‘adopt a barrel’ scheme, and a brewery expansion mean things are on the up.
So, when a hand-drawn, intricate ‘3’ image began to appear on the brewery’s media feeds, questions flooded in.
Was this a hint about a new beer as a follow-up to The Hare and The Hag stout brewed in conjunction with Donegal’s Kinnegar?
A keen eye could also detect the names of cities hidden in each image.
After several days, White Hag announced a simpler explanation: its third birthday bash.
Not for them the usual tap takeover or one-off anniversary brews. Instead, the team is launching its own beer festival — Hagstravaganza — to showcase not only their own beers, but those of specially invited breweries from across the globe, set to take place at its brewery on July 29.
Of the 20 breweries attending, the first four have exclusively been revealed to the Irish Sun.
Among them are some of the fastest-growing and most re- spected in the industry such as Stone Brewing Co (California/Berlin), BRLO Brwhouse (Berlin), 40ft Brewery (London) and YellowBelly Brewery (Wexford). MD Paul Mullin explained: “We’ve been fortunate with our progress to date, exporting our beers into Europe.
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“Over the last two years, myself and the team have travelled to more than 12 countries promoting and showcasing our beers. We have met some great people along the way and developed long-lasting relationships with brewers, which usually end up as collaborations for new beers.”
And Hagstravaganza is so completely focused on the new that it will feature only beers that were “never before poured in Ireland”.
The brewery hopes it will become an annual fixture and highlight the role craft brewing plays in rural communities and the tourism industry.
Like many small and medium breweries, White Hag is a huge supporter of the recently submitted Craft Drinks Bill, which could transform breweries and bring them to the forefront of rural tourism.
TICKETS are available now from thewhitehag.com/hagstravaganza, from €25. Limited to 1,000 tickets. As official Hagstravaganza media partner, we’ll also be giving away tickets over the coming weeks, so keep an eye on these pages for your chance to win.


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The Eden Project is taking on 18 Renault electric vehicles to use on its Cornwall site and also further afield in the promotion of the ever-popular tourist attraction and educational charity.
The vehicles span the full spectrum of the Renault zero emissions range and encompass the Twizy quadricycle, Zoe supermini and Kangoo ZE in both panel van and maxi crew cab body styles.
Renault’s presence at Eden will also extend to an interactive electric vehicle exhibit in the Core building – Eden’s exhibition, science and learning centre.
To be hosted during the school summer holidays between July 23 and September 4, the exhibit is designed to engage with visitors and provide them with an insight into the environmental benefits and workings of electric vehicles.
The Eden Project will use two of its three Renault Zoes to assist with visitor services, 13 Kangoo ZEs – comprising of four maxi crew cab versions and nine panel vans – will be used across the site by maintenance, horticulture, security, live programming and catering teams.
James Boyer, marketing director, Groupe Renault UK, said: “The partnership with The Eden Project is a fantastic endorsement for our passion to develop electric vehicles that are inspired by the environment."
Rita Broe, sales and marketing director at The Eden Project, said: “We are delighted to have strengthened our relationship with Renault and to have this opportunity to showcase a beautiful new fleet of electric vehicles at Eden. We are always keen to promote the benefits of electric vehicles in reducing carbon emissions.
“Having the Renault fleet hard at work across the site, as well as hosting a major interactive Renault exhibit at Eden in peak season, will help inform and educate our hundreds of thousands of visitors about the benefits of owning electric cars in a fun, engaging way.
"Our visitors are already very interested in seeing the vehicles – and the Twizys in particular are causing quite a stir."


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OCSiAl Included in Crunchbase Global Unicorn Company List
OCSiAl, a RUSNANO portfolio company, has been included in the list of unicorn companies according to Crunchbase (The Crunchbase Unicorn Leaderboard), the world’s leading database on investment in innovative companies. The list features privately owned companies that received investment estimates of $1 bln or more. It comprises 496 unicorn companies from all over the world with a combined worth of $1.8 trln, which attracted a total of more than $370 bln in investment.
For OCSiAl, a producer of high-quality graphene nanotubes, this is the second confirmation of its unicorn company status by the global venture capital community. In June 2019, the innovative additive manufacturer was included in the list of companies with an estimated value of more than $1 bln according to CBInsights (The Global Unicorn Club). The company is the only unicorn in the Industrial category.
OCSiAl is the first company in RUSNANO’s investment portfolio whose capitalization amounts to $1 bln. According to these estimates, A&NN, the investment group of Alexander Mamut, purchased 0.5% of OCSiAl for $5 mln from JSC RUSNANO in January 2019. “We are confident that, in the long-term, OCSiAl will continue to grow in value and we are assessing the possibility of increasing our stake in this company,” Rafael Abramyan, the Investment Director at A&NN, stated.
RUSNANO was the first external investor to believe in the Russian team of founders and their graphene nanotube technology. Since then, OCSiAl has attracted about $200 mln from Russian and foreign investors. In total, RUSNANO has invested more than $20 mln in the project, starting with financing the first synthesis unit in Novosibirsk. “OCSiAl, a manufacturer of graphene nanotubes, is the first and so far the only unicorn company in our country in the material based sector. And this is a unicorn company in the fullest sense of the word; it began as a startup in the Academy Town of Novosibirsk with a very ambitious idea: create an absolutely new material of the future; and then it grew into a global market leader,” Anatoly Chubais, the Chairman of the Executive Board of RUSNANO Management Company, said.
OCSiAl is the first company that managed to synthesize high-quality graphene nanotubes on an industrial scale. When the company entered the market in 2014, it offered consumers graphene nanotubes at a price 75 times lower than the then market price, thus opening up access to nanotubes for a number of industries. The company is rapidly increasing production and planning to launch the world’s largest graphene nanotube synthesis plant in Luxembourg in 2022. The company’s customers include global car manufacturers, electronics market leaders and large chemical groups.
The OCSiAl revenue doubles annually, and, according to nanotechnology experts, the demand for graphene nanotubes in the near future is expected to grow dramatically due to their use in mass-produced products. At the end of 2018, OCSiAl accounted for more than 95% of the global sales of the innovative additive.
Graphene nanotubes are called a material of the future; their addition within a few tenths or even hundredths of a percent can radically change the properties of well-known materials. Heavy-duty and conductive, they are widely used in aerospace and automotive industries, construction, mining, electronics and transportation. The most rapid and spectacular introduction of graphene nanotubes will take place in the field of electric transport: nanotubes allow to increase its energy efficiency up to 60% and make it truly mass-produced. Nanotubes make it possible to reduce energy consumption simultaneously at all stages of the product life cycle: by reducing the resources required for production, lowering the weight and amount of materials used, increasing the service life of products, energy consumption during operation and disposal.
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OCSiAl, a RUSNANO portfolio company, is a manufacturer of TUBALL™ single-walled carbon nanotubes, an innovative additive that improves the properties of most well-known materials. Nanotubes have advantages over other additives due to their exceptional characteristics: high conductivity (while 5 times lighter than copper), heat resistance (up to 1,000°C), durability (100 times stronger than steel) and others. A mere 0.01% of TUBALL™ allows you to radically change the specific properties of materials. OCSiAl’s range of concentrates makes it easy to work with nanotubes. TUBALL™ MATRIX makes the materials conductive without any negative impact on the colour of the finished product, improves rheological and physical and mechanical properties of elastomers, composites, coatings and batteries. The company accounts for 90% of the global single-walled nanotubes market. OCSiAl’s production capacity reaches 10 tonnes and will be increased to 60 tonnes by 2018. The company has representative offices in Russia, Luxembourg, the USA, South Korea, China, Hong Kong and India.
For additional information, please visit ocsial.com
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RUSNANO Joint-Stock Company was founded in March 2011 through reorganization of state corporation Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies. JSC RUSNANO contributes to implementation of the state policy on the development of the nanotechnology industry by investing directly and through investment funds of nanotechnology in financially effective high-technology projects providing the development of new production facilities in the Russian Federation. Its primary investment focus is in electronics, optoelectronics and telecommunications, healthcare and biotechnology, metallurgy and metalwork, energy, mechanical engineering and instrument making, construction and industrial materials, chemicals and petrochemicals. 100 percent of RUSNANO’s shares are state owned. Thanks to RUSNANO’s investments, there are currently 138 factories and R&D Centers opened in 37 regions in Russia.
Management of assets of RUSNANO JSC is carried out by Limited Liability Company established in December 2013, RUSNANO Management Company.
Work to establish nanotechnology infrastructure and carry out educational programs is fulfilled by RUSNANO’s Fund for Infrastructure and Educational Programs, which was also established during the reorganization of the Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies.


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Anyone else have a Furby? Or a Lite Brite? Even though newer versions are still in stores, the vintage ones are worth a ton. And those old Star Wars and G.I. Joe action figures might even help you with a down payment on a car.
Fidget Spinners caught on like crazy last year, but the newest trend in fiddling might turn out to be even bigger. Enter The Squishy! Co-workers may already have them, and parents may love them just as much as kids do.
New York's iconic toy store F.A.O. Schwarz is closing its doors July 15. According to an article in The New York Times, the store is closing before its lease ends to avoid the increasing cost of rent in the area.
It's more about giving than receiving for a lot of people during the Christmas holidays. Seeing the joy on a kids face when they receive a gift and the excitement that they have when they get to open that gift is all the payment a lot of people need.
Ever since it was introduced in 1963, the Easy-Bake Oven has been marketed exclusively to girls, leaving aspiring boy chefs out in the cold. But that's about to change thanks to a campaign led by a teen girl on behalf of her four-year-old brother, who loves to cook.
With Christmas coming soon, parents will be headed to the stores to buy that hot new toy that secures them as the coolest parent in their child's eyes. But, the hot toy of the season changes every year. What was popular when I was a child is completely different to the high tech gifts of today.


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After the controversy that enveloped the company and the disappointing sales, Apple is reportedly going to launch three new iPhones this 2019.
According to the Wall Street Journal report, one of these new models will succeed the iPhone XR, which features an all-screen design that saw weak sales leading to disappointment in projections. Apple links the low demand in sluggish sales in China.
New iPhones Specs
One of this year's releases will have triple rear camera, which is touted as the highest-end among the future releases and resembles that of a leak shared on Twitter that was dubbed as the iPhone XI. It is still unclear what the third lens will be capable of. The other two, meanwhile, will sport dual-lens cameras.
As per the report, iPhone XR will continue to use a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen because it had been planned for months and that the plans "can't be altered easily." The Cupertino, California-based company may also move to organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screens by 2020, thereby dropping the LCD.
iPhone XS and XS Max both have OLED screens. Meanwhile, this news adds to the longtime rumors that a triple rear camera phone will arrive by 2019.
Poor iPhone Sales In China
This comes on the heels of reports that Chinese retailers are forcibly selling iPhone units at a discounted price because lesser people are buying the gadgets. Experts say the models were priced too high despite the lack of fresh features in comparison to local brands like Huawei.
Apple, meanwhile, points to the trade pressure between the United States and China as one of the reasons for the poor sales. However, those in the know say that the problem lies within the price points of the iPhone models.
"The trade war is background noise and more of a scapegoat excuse with the real issues being iPhone XR demand and a mispriced product in a competitive Chinese market," Wedbush Securities' managing director of equity research Daniel Ives said.


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Despite the great volatility of the cryptocurrency market in 2022 and also the weakness of Bitcoin (BTC) to break the $50,000 mark again, metaverse games and games to win continue to attract attention in the market. In March alone, the STEPN game saw its native GMT token rise over 10,000% from $0.01 to over $3.
In STEPN, players are paid in cryptocurrency for running and walking. It is estimated that in the month of March, players had the opportunity to win about 217 dollars for every 11 km traveled, either walking or running.
In addition, games like Metamon, Axie Infinity, Sandbox, among others, announce various collaborations and novelties that range from traditional world brands to famous artists. A recent survey by DappRadar revealed that there are currently more than 150 games to play to win in the cryptocurrency market.
Given this, blockchain-based gaming expert Phil Hall has pinpointed 11 blockchain games that he believes have high return potential for the month of April.
“2021 saw a significant rise of the gaming scene and an explosion of speculation, much of which drove gaming tokens and NFTs to all-time highs, but much of that hype has died down as most Most of these games didn’t have much to show, let alone play. But that’s about to change in a big way in 2022. And the month of April is just a sign of things to come.”
The first game on the list of analysts is Axie Infinity, which even with the Ronin blockchain hack, considered the biggest in the history of the cryptocurrency universe, remains one of the main metaverse and play-to-earn games in the world. market.
“The biggest name in blockchain and play-to-earn gaming on Axie is long overdue for a major revamp of its game. Known as Origin, this version brings a host of new abilities, a revamped combat system and a new system that makes the game free for new players. So it’s a match to pay attention to,” he said.
The second game on Hall’s list is Drunk Robots, who announced the launch at IDO of their $METAL token, which will be the native token of the game and will have great functionality throughout the game ecosystem. The IDO is hosted on three platforms: Liquidifty, Gamefi, and Trustpad, for a starting price of $0.01.
Drunk Robots is a blockchain game that has crazy robots as the protagonists of its future world of The Machines. Players must dominate the city by restoring the game’s drunken robots to sanity.
The game economy is based on a double token system: the $METAL and $JUNK tokens. The $METAL token is the main utility and game token. As the main exchange asset, $METAL is useful as a market offer. Players will also be able to unlock special modes and upgrades with the token.
The expert also points to Sunflower Land, formerly called Sunflower Farmers, who was one of the main culprits in the first Polygon (MATIC) network usability boom.
“All of their contracts have been rewritten to close coding loopholes and try to discourage bot use. The new game will start with a slow release, adding new features over time. It’s a game we have to keep going with,” he revealed.
The analyst also noted that he has his eye on Ascenders, a blockchain game built on top of the Avalanche (AVAX) network. The game is an action RPG and has announced the launch of a free to play version along with a month-long challenge in which users can win up to one million AGC tokens in prizes.
Players can download the game demo and experience the challenge of combat. Those with the 100 highest scores at the end of the month with $AGC, government tokens for Ascendants.
Hall also highlights that he has his eye on Metashooter, which runs on the Cardano blockchain and, according to the expert, is the first hunting game to be built on the blockchain.
The game will take place on an island where players will find all their prey which can be birds, carnivores and herbivores. For each category there are different animals, each with its own rarity and level of difficulty.
“You can also bring a vehicle to help you cover more ground. With a vehicle, you can reach areas of the map that would not be accessible on foot. You can also bring a dog as a hunting companion. And how this game interacts with the Cardano blockchain , all of these assets will be NFT,” he says.
Also on the list of experts is Genesis Worlds, which has announced a new set of rewards for its players, which means that the profitability of the game has also changed, which could attract new players.
Five new worlds open in this version, the first of which, Xoth, will be released in early April and the others seven days later. The game’s native token is GENESIS, which will also be the cryptocurrency for the game’s governance system.
“Also, as the game gets closer to its final release, Mining Claim owners will have the opportunity to convert them to LAND Claim. The exact details of this process have yet to be revealed, but all indications are that players should have the game in his sights for the whole month,” he said.
Although OpenSea is not a game, but rather a platform for buying and selling NFTs, Hall points out that all investors and players in the market should keep an eye on it during the month of April due to the launch of support for NFTs built on Solana.
“All games built on top of Solana should benefit from this and also the price of NFTs should see a rise at launch, which is a huge opportunity for gamers,” he says.
Another game on the list of experts is Tiny Colony, a game in which players can build and develop advanced ant colonies, defend their bases against the dark forces that roam underground, challenge other colonies to battles, form alliances and trade. each other to participate in large-scale community events.
Players will be able to participate in community-wide events such as Community Quests, Battle Arenas, Gladiator Fights, Miniature Wars, Miniature Slots, and much more.
The Tiny Colony base game allows players to start building a colony without the need for NFTs. Players can take advantage of the construction and management simulator elements of Tiny Colony by building a basic set of cells and interacting with the base game characters in the “training grounds”.
Additionally, there are a multitude of NFTs available for players who want to maximize their experience and participate in community events. In-game NFTs can be purchased with TinyBits ($TINY). NFTs can be upgraded with TeenyBits ($TEENY), which can be earned in-game by running an effective and efficient colony and participating and betting on events and battles.
Metwana is a metaverse game built on top of the Solana blockchain. The object of the game is to farm exotic and rare Nugs into powerful Battle Buds to compete in PvP battles for rewards. Each Nug and Battle Bud are NFTs with their own sets of attributes and abilities.
As in most farming simulators, the goal is to take good care of your crops, watering them and protecting them from thieves and other potential dangers. Once you’ve harvested your crops, you can sell them at your dispensary and make a profit in the process. As you level up, you will unlock new resources for your farm and crates containing Nug NFTs.
“The full rewards mechanism has not been revealed yet, but we can expect rewards in NFTs and Highlands Cash, which is an in-game currency only. The team plans to launch the MWANA token in April, which will be the governance token for the next DAO. Certain in-game assets will also be purchasable with MWANA tokens,” he said.
The analyst points out that Green Rabbit has been assembling a complex creation ecosystem over the last year and, although the final fruits of this work have not yet been made public, various details of its 3D worlds have already been released.
In Green Rabbit Adventures, a new NFT game from the Wax network, you will experience a unique story that mixes fiction and fantasy in a unique way while having the opportunity to make real profits.
“It’s a game that has to be on the radar of all players,” he says.
Another game to watch out for is Metamon Island, which has recently announced the burning of 635 of its avatars to balance out the game’s reward system, with the goal of maintaining the game’s value, rarity, and playability.
Additionally, the team also highlighted the release of a test version of Metamon World. To do this, they updated all game servers, causing an interruption of the game for all players. The update, which lasted about 8 hours, allowed access to new content.
The developer has also posted the Metamons entry at level 60 in the Metamon World. However, level 60 avatars, in the new version, will no longer be able to stay on Metamon’s Island to get egg fragments.
Thus, level 60 Metamons can only travel back to Metamon Island by spaceship and rocket. The feature will be released in the next version.
The team has also announced a package of novelties in the profitability of the game. General gameplay updates will be announced later in the first half of the year. These updates include the need to use the RACA token for various in-game tasks and rewards.
Clarification: The information and/or opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views or editorial line of Cointelegraph. The information set forth herein should not be taken as financial advice or investment recommendation. All investment and commercial movement involve risks and it is the responsibility of each person to do their due research before making an investment decision.


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Google is working on a new technology called VP10 that will allow it to squeeze higher-quality video over broadband and mobile networks. And thanks to patent issues with a rival standard, it has a chance to catch on.
The Blink Wire-Free HD Home Monitoring & Alert System takes issue with traditional power-cord-dependent Wi-Fi cameras.
Some of the most downloaded and highest-grossing video games in leading app stores use casino motifs for their designs, raising questions about the potential dangers of gambling apps.
Tesla's latest Model S performed so well in the nonprofit publication's testing that its score was literally off the charts.
Dubbed Project Rigel, the mobile app will let people retouch photos on iPhones and iPads. It is slated to make its debut at Adobe's conference for digital creators in October.
Another version of Windows, another silly three-click process just to shut down your PC. Here are some faster alternatives.
YouTube rules the realm of on-demand video, but live video still has a tournament of contenders. With a YouTube Gaming hub, Google is juicing up live features -- and that may bring you face-to-face with gameplay streams you never knew existed.
The offer is targeted at rival AT&T, which just closed its acquisition of DirecTV and began offering its own bundles of discounted wireless and satellite TV services.
A glut of inventory, Microsoft's offer for free upgrades to Windows 10 and an overall stagnant market combine for a projected decline in sales.
The smartphone's stylus gets jammed when you insert it backwards into the storage slot, which can break it permanently. It's a problem some research analysts say harkens back to Apple's iPhone design uproar.


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Concerns over the Delta variant and supply-chain issues that have made it hard to find items like backpacks are upending back-to-school shopping plans for families, prompting some to curtail spending.
The uncertainty comes just as retailers are gearing up for what has been expected to be record back-to-school shopping. The National Retail Federation predicts that consumers with children in kindergarten through 12th grade will spend $37.1 billion this year, the most since the industry group began conducting its survey in 2003. Back-to-college spending is expected to total $71 billion, also a record.
Walmart Fall Rollbacks - Up to 80% off
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Up to 15% off + free shipping at Wayfair
Nike Push for Greatness Sale: Up to 50% off new sale items for fall
Expedia Weekend Getaway Sale - 30% off your perfect stay
Back-to-School Savings: Up to 50% off + extra 25% off all shopping departments - JCPenney promo code


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China’s State Council Information Office recently held a press conference on China-ASEAN economic cooperation and trade and the 17th China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) and China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (CABIS).
Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Commerce of China Li Chenggang, Vice Chairman of CCPIT Zhang Shaogang, and Vice Governor of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Zhou Hongbo, briefed journalists on the economic and trade cooperation between China and ASEAN as well as the highlights and preparations of the 17th China-ASEAN Expo and China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit.
ASEAN, for the first time, has become China’s top trading partner, opening up bright prospects as China and ASEAN are now largest trading partners for each other.
According to Assistant Minister Li Chenggang, since the outbreak of COVID-19 earlier this year, economies around the world are grappling with growing downward pressure and shrinking international trade.
Against this backdrop, China and ASEAN members strived to minimise the impact of the epidemic and bucked the trend with good trade and economic cooperation.
First, growing bilateral trade. In response to COVID-19, China and ASEAN have opened fast-track lanes to facilitate personnel exchanges, and assisted each other with anti-virus supplies and medical equipment.
Both sides have contributed to regional economic recovery by restarting the economy as quickly as possible, keeping up the momentum in Belt and Road cooperation, enhancing connectivity, and maintaining the stability of industrial chains and value chains.
In the first eight months of this year, China-ASEAN trade reached US$416.55 billion, up by 3.8% year on year and accounting for 14.6% of China’s foreign trade.
Second, dynamic investment cooperation. In the first half of 2020, China’s investment in ASEAN amounted to US$6.23 billion, registering a significant year-on-year increase of 53.1 per cent and accounting for 76.7 per cent of China’s investment in countries along the Belt and Road.
Third, closer cooperation in the digital economy. The COVID-19 pandemic has stimulated the development of new sectors and new forms of businesses.
This year is the 10th anniversary of the China-ASEAN FTA.
With the theme “Building the Belt and Road, Strengthening Digital Economy Cooperation”, the physical exhibition of the 17th CAEXPO will be held on November 27-30; and “Cloud CAEXPO” (online exhibition) will be launched on November 27, with a permanent presence online and regular maintenance afterward.
Mr. Zhou Hongbo said the expo this time has the following four features. First, innovative approaches.
In response to the COVID-19, the CAEXPO and BIS will “go cloud” and hold both physical and online exhibitions.
To be specific, we will hold physical exhibition mainly participated by domestic participants and exhibitors and, in parallel, “Cloud CAEXPO” mainly joined by overseas participants and exhibitors.
The opening conference will be held both online and offline. Leaders from China, ten ASEAN countries and special partner Pakistan, will be invited to give speeches online, while the Nanning International Convention and Exhibition Center will be the main venue.
Second, many highlights. During the expo, a special forum on the 10th anniversary of the China-ASEAN FTA will be held, and three commemorative activities will be held to mark the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Thailand, the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Myanmar, and the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the Philippines.
To implement the Statement of the Special ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), the third China-ASEAN Health Cooperation Forum and sub-forums will be held.
The CAEXPO, committed to the overall epidemic prevention and control strategy focused on imported cases and rebound in local cases, will strengthen responsibilities of local governments, and formulate and implement an epidemic prevention and control work plan and emergency plan.
The upcoming CAEXPO will be a significant event held in the special year of COVID-19. All preparations are well underway.
The Bruneian | CHINA


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It was while volunteering at the North Okanagan Valley Gleaners Used Furniture and Appliance store that the light bulb flashed above Marjorie White’s head.
White also volunteers her time at Vernon Jubilee Hospital, where word had gone out that they were seeking a piano to be used for patients waiting for long-term care placement.
“I’d been volunteering with the Gleaners for a couple of months and I saw this piano in there,” said White. “I saw it for weeks then months. While volunteering at the hospital, I found out they were looking for a piano and that’s when the light bulb came on.”
White approached Mary Spoor with the Gleaners, and Spoor and her organization were only too happy to oblige.
“We try to help in the community as much as possible,” said Spoor. “This is a great opportunity for us to give back something to the community who are supporting us.”
It’s been quite an inaugural year for the Gleaners’ used furniture and appliance store, which started in an old Kal Tire building on Kal Lake Road a year ago. The tire company donated the building to the Gleaners for a few months, then the Gleaners moved the store to its present location, 4405-29th Street.
The Gleaners store is run by volunteers and takes in used furniture and appliances and sells them at affordable prices.
“All proceeds go to operate the Gleaners plant in Lavington where excess vegetables are dried to make a soup mix for the hungry,” said Spoor. “Most of this soup mix and dried apple snacks are distributed by agencies such as World Vision.”
The Gleaners are doing their part to keep the environment clean. Not only do they recycle furniture and appliances by keeping them out of the landfill, but they are also filling a need for affordable household items.
When moved to the new tower, White will volunteer her time tinkling the ivories for the patients.
The Gleaners Used Furniture and Appliance Store, meanwhile, is celebrating its first anniversary with a week-long sale starting Tuesday.
All items in the store are 20 per cent off and some items are 50 per cent off.
The store, located on 29th Street (across from the old Bakers Dozen), is open Monday to Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.


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Rising costs have dented profits at the family-owned dairy giant Yeo Valley.
Best known for its organic yoghurts and milk, Yeo Valley farms 1,400 acres in Somerset. Sales climbed 4.3% to £284.9m in the year to last May, but profits fell to £10.3m from £11.9m. The fall in the value of sterling after the EU referendum meant fruit and packaging costs rose.
Tim Mead, 54, Yeo Valley’s owner, said: “Turnover is vanity, profit is sanity. Profit’s down, so we’re vain and mad. We’re slow and steady.
“We’re not particularly adventurous, but we do the hard yards.”


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Yesterday the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 73 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. In this particular report we cover two MacBook patents that place heavy emphasis of including a glass cover where the keyboard/trackpad area reside. The second granted patent is a little more radical in that the engineers envision the use of complete glass base to even including raised glass keys. Beyond the two granted patents for glass MacBooks issued yesterday, Apple surprised us back in January 2020 with a wickedly hot glass desktop.
View the original article here: Apple Won Two MacBook Patents Emphasizing the Expanded use of a Glass Body & Keyboard Areas
The article was originally posted on Patently Apple.
Each article is copyrighted to their original authors. We do not own any rights to the news or the images used. Whilst every care is taken to ensure that the news posts published are accurate, we cannot guarantee the authenticity of the news article on every occasion. There’s no copyright infringement intended. The news is for informational purposes only and does not provide legal advice.


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Genesys has appointed Sameer Sankhe as its chief digital officer, the company announced today.
Sankhe will lead Genesys’ global digital strategy and operations and report to CEO Steve Ryan. In his new role, Sankhe will be responsible for playing a key role in developing and executing Genesys’ roadmap for digital transformation across all of its markets.
Sankhe joined Genesys as vice president of product marketing in October 2017. He previously spent seven years at Oracle working on business intelligence products such as Oracle BI Cloud and Oracle BI Analytic Developer.
Genesys has appointed Sameer Sankhe as its chief digital officer. Sankhe will be responsible for the company’s digital strategy and growth in the region. He will report directly to Genesys CEO Dave Staecker.
Sankhe has more than a decade of experience in technology and business development, including roles at companies like Cisco and Google.
Sankhe joins the company from Capgemini, where he was managing director of its consulting practice in India. Genesys has made a new appointment—this time, to its executive team.
Sameer Sankhe will be Genesys’ chief digital officer. He has been with the company since last year and previously served as the global CIO.
“Sameer’s experience in IT is invaluable,” said David Grissom, Genesys CEO. “He understands our customers and how they use our solutions, and he’s built a strong team to help us deliver them.”
GENESYS has appointed Sameer Sankhe as its chief digital officer.
Sankhe will be responsible for leading the company’s digital transformation, including the company’s e-commerce strategy and product development. He will also oversee GENESYS’ brand awareness, marketing strategy, and execution.
GENESYS, a global leader in marketing technology and services, today announced the appointment of Sameer Sankhe as its new chief digital officer.
Sankhe brings more than 20 years of experience in the IT field, including leading teams and developing solutions for various industries. He has also worked with a variety of brands including Unilever, Reckitt Benckiser, and Kellogg’s to deliver innovative digital experiences. Most recently, he served as CEO of Genesys Technology Corporation (GTC), where he drove the company’s growth strategy and expanded its offerings to include customer data management, enterprise software solutions, and analytics-driven advertising solutions.
Sankhe is a former senior executive at SAP, where he was responsible for driving digital transformation across the company’s product portfolio. He also served as global head of digital solutions at Motorola Mobility and held various roles at IBM.
He joins GENESYS after serving as vice president of digital solutions at Verizon Communications, where he helped lead the company’s digital transformation efforts.
GENESYS, the trusted leader in digital transformation, today announced that Sameer Sankhe has been named Chief Digital Officer. Sameer Sankhe will be responsible for driving digital strategy and operations across all business units at GENESYS.
In his new role, Sameer will be responsible for leading GENESYS’ efforts to transform its digital operations and business model by developing a roadmap for growth, enhancing customer experience, and increasing efficiency without compromising on quality.
Sameer joins GENESYS from Microsoft Corporation, where he was most recently a Senior Vice President of Digital Marketing Operations who led the marketing platform organization from inception to rapid scale-out across multiple brands and geographies.


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Internet service providers are adding and expanding their systems for scrutinizing online content as they prepare for the onset of the new Internet restriction law.
Taking effect Nov. 1, the law forces Internet service providers to help the government shut down websites featuring content banned by the new law or otherwise deemed illegal. President Vladimir Putin is expected to sign the legislation, which flew through the State Duma and Federation Council earlier this month.
Leading providers of Internet access for mobile and home users are now ramping up their capabilities for "Deep Packet Inspection," a system for filtering packets of data. Compared with other packet review methods, DPI yields more information about what is being sent over computer networks.
Mobile and Internet companies MegaFon and Mobile TeleSystems have had DPI systems in place prior to the new law, but both are now expanding those systems, the companies said. Vedomosti first reported on the DPI systems Tuesday.
MegaFon has run a DPI system on its mobile networks since 2008 and has used it with various fixed-line telecommunications as well, spokeswoman Yulia Dorokhina said.
"We are now conducting a tender to choose a universal solution for optimizing traffic on fixed and mobile networks," she said by e-mail Tuesday. About 40 percent of its 63 million customers use fixed or wireless Internet services, she said.
MTS also is already using DPI in its mobile Internet networks, spokeswoman Valeria Kuzmenko said. For the new law, MTS will expand the DPI system on its mobile networks, add DPI to its fixed-line networks and set up a network management center for both types, she said.
Currently, MTS has about 70 million mobile subscribers and about 11.5 million household wired Internet subscribers, Kuzmenko said.
VimpelCom, with about 56 million mobile customers and 2 million wired Internet customers using its Beeline services, "is testing DPI on both mobile and fixed networks in a number of regions," spokeswoman Anna Aibasheva told Vedomosti. The company isn't providing any additional details at this time, she said by phone.
Meanwhile, state-owned Rostelecom has a DPI pilot project running in one of its major regional divisions, Kira Kiryukhina told The Moscow Times. She said DPI would be used to meet the new law and to provide tariff options and traffic analysis.
MTS said it expects the full traffic-filtration system required by the new law to cost the company roughly $50 million. The other companies declined to name their price tags.
The government can involve the service providers if the website owner fails to delete the objectionable material and the firm hosting the website then fails to block access to the site, all essentially within less than 48 hours.
Materials that display child pornography, entice underage citizens to participate in activities "of a pornographic nature," exhort or instruct people to commit suicide or encourage either the use or preparation of narcotics are all specifically subject to Internet censorship under the law.


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The luxury sector is set to post double-digit growth this year to 191 billion euros driven by the appetite of Chinese consumers for top-quality goods, according to a study by Bain & Company released on Monday.
While “the global economic situation is difficult” the luxury sector “is in good health and is growing above all in Asian markets,” said Santo Versace, head of the Italian fashion house and the Altagamma Foundation of Italian luxury companies.
The growth forecast was revised up to 10 percent from 8 percent, but still falls short of the 13-percent growth the sector recorded last year. Continue reading →
L2, a company that conducts research on digital business innovation, has released a study on the most web-savvy designers.
Burberry, which this week reported a 30-percent revenue rise for the first half of the financial year mainly due to a boom in the Chinese market, came out on top — “proof that digital investments translate to shareholder value,” according to L2.
Judging from its analysis, it is safe to say that those brands that connected the dots between social media and e-commerce fared best in the ranking. Continue reading →
Thousands of rich Shanghai residents have turned China’s most cosmopolitan city into the luxury capital of a country that is expected to become the world’s largest market for the sector between 2012 and 2015.
Shanghai topped China’s luxury market in 2010-11 with 18% of overall sales, ahead of Beijing’s 16% and the eastern city of Hangzhou, with its 13% share.
Second and third-tier cities in the country are still far behind, despite boasting a growing number of wealthy people, according to the World Luxury Association. Continue reading →
You don’t have to tell the people at Prada how valuable the Chinese market for luxury goods has become — the Italian fashion icon is so keen to set up a base out East that it is about to be listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange.
In fact, such has been the rush by the world’s luxury brands to get a foothold in China that there are, apparently, little to no spaces left for them in the malls of the country’s largest cities.
Bad news for the brands themselves — keen to get a slice of a market estimated to be now worth 84 billion yuan (nine billion euros) a year — but it is good news for China’s fast-growing number of online luxury-only shopping portals. Continue reading →
As the buying power of China’s masses continues to spiral upwards, more and more information is being gathered focusing not only on what they like to spend their money on but how they go about spending it.
According to local and international media, Tokyo‘s fashion business is gradually getting back to usual.
After the earthquake hit Japan on March 11, many brands including Louis Vuitton, Prada, and Cartier acted to bring some of their executive staff back to their home countries and closed local boutiques.
News outlets including WWD and Racked now confirm that on March 22, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Dior, Chanel, and Forever 21 reopened their doors in the capital. Continue reading →
Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Gucci, and Burberry are testing the Chinese microblogging service Weibo to research their most promising market of the future from the inside.
The platform, which grows at 10 million users per month, has been attracting an elite of Western luxe brands over the past month, testing ideas for campaigns or other projects directly on their Chinese audience.
“You can immediately see how the market and your following will respond to something if you want to do research” said Leaf Greener, fashion editor of Elle China. Continue reading →
According to a Women’s Wear Daily report, young Japanese shoppers are less impressed by designer brands and more value-driven than their parents.
The consulting firm McKinsey & Co. already reported last July that “almost 30 percent of shoppers under 30 in Japan named price as the most important factor they consider when shopping, compared to just 21 percent for those over age 50″.
As a result of its economic collapse, Japan’s per-head spending has radically declined — a trend that will continue — with the luxury market being particularly affected, having shrunk by 23 percent between 2006 and 2010. Continue reading →
China will be the world’s biggest luxury goods market by 2020 as its economy booms and an emerging middle class spends a growing chunk of their cash on high-end items.
Over the next decade, Chinese consumers — including a surging number of billionaires — will account for 44 percent of global spending on goods such as bags, vehicles, watches, shoes and clothes, the report by brokerage CLSA said.
Luxury-brand awareness is growing among China’s super rich, who recognize 20% more of the lavish brands than they did last year, according to the Hurun Report.
The 2011 Best of The Best Survey, which interviewed 401 Chinese mainland millionaires, each with assets of more than 10 million yuan ($1.5 million), said the super rich in China are developing more sophisticated tastes in luxury products.
“Chinese entrepreneurs are getting more and more sophisticated, discerning and confident in their personal style, and what they aspire to, as they try to turn new money into old money,” said Rupert Hoogewerf, founder of the Hurun Report. Continue reading →
Chinese clothing retailer Trinity Limited said Wednesday it has agreed to buy the Cerruti luxury fashion and perfume brand for a maximum of 70 million dollars.
Trinity Limited said its purchase of Cerruti Holdings “fits in with the Group’s strategy to own intellectual property rights or take on very long term licenses in high-end to luxury menswear brands with heritage.”
Cerruti has been owned since 2006 by MatlinPatterson, a firm which specialises in turning around loss-making companies. Continue reading →
On Monday, November 22, Gucci hit the 3 million fan mark on Facebook. The Italian label may soon surpass Burberry, which boasts 3.2 million fans, as the most widely followed fashion brand on the social networking site.
Gucci’s Facebook milestone follows hot on the heels of the announcement made by Burberry on November 19 that it had broken the 3-million-fan mark.
Just this past weekend, Facebook EMEA Vice President Joanna Shields had proclaimed the UK luxury label as the “most widely followed brand on Facebook.” Continue reading →
China’s ever increasing economic clout has again been reflected in a survey on consumer tastes in luxury goods which has shown the nation not only knows what goods it wants, it most certainly now has the means by which to buy them.
A report released this week by Bain & Company has claimed China is now the fastest-growing consumer of leather goods and jewelry worldwide.
Its overall luxury market has grown 23 per cent this year, meaning it’s on target to reap some 84.3 billion yuan (9.2 billion euro).
But what the world really wants to know is what are the Chinese after. According to this report, Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Gucci are the most lusted-for brands. Continue reading →
Hermes rejected on Wednesday “an attack” on its capital by luxury goods giant LVMH, sounding the start of what could become a bitter battle for control of one of France’s most iconic brands.
The head of LVMH, Bernard Arnault announced he had bought 17 percent of his rival Hermes, insisting that this does not herald a hostile takeover but that he simply wanted to become a “friendly” long-term shareholder.
“If you want to be friendly, Mr Arnault, you should withdraw,” retorted Hermes executives Bertrand Puech and Patrick Thomas. Continue reading →


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Q4 Sales Enablement Tool Facilitates Introduction to Starwood Hotel’s New CFO
The 4th quarter has officially begun and we want you to start it off with the best sales enablement tools. DiscoverOrg’s finance dataset profiles the CFO’s department at your target accounts and provides comprehensive org charts of all of his direct reports, allowing you to keep all the decision makers looped in.
This Week’s Top Finance Moves
Research shows that the first seller in the door wins the business over 60% of the time. With DiscoverOrg’s Scoops, you can be the first to know when a new executive joins a company. Take advantage of this sales enablement tool to receive alerts on this week’s top finance moves, telling you who to get in touch with, when, and how – making it easier than ever to be the first name they hear. Last week, Thomas B. Mangas joined Starwood Hotels as Chief Financial Officer. Effective September 29th, Mangas reports to Chief Executive Officer, Frits van Paasschen.
Starwood Hotels has been aggressively expanding across the globe, with a new hotel planned for 2015 in Nigeria and the recent announcement that the global headquarters will be relocated from the United States to India for a month-long immersion. Starwood Hotels has already signed seven new deals in multiple cities across India. The company successfully relocated to China in 2011 and Dubai in 2013 in order to develop relationships and a global culture to support growth in key markets.
“We are excited to welcome Tom as our new CFO, and believe he is a perfect fit for Starwood with his deep global and consumer brand experience, strong track records in both finance and operations, and tenure working for a large global organization,” said van Paasschen. “Our team will benefit from his leadership as we continue to grow our fee business and footprint around the world.”
Finance and Technology Background
Mangas joins Starwood Hotels from Armstrong Floor Products, where he served as EVP and Chief Executive Officer. In this role, Mangas was responsible for finance, investor relations, information technology, and global business services. He also gained significant global experience in a previous role at P&G where he led a global team of over 1,300 people.
As Starwood Hotels continues to expand across the globe, we will continue to see leadership changes, new initiatives, and more spending. Company expansion creates new selling opportunities and with DiscoverOrg’s sales enablement tools, you will be armed with all the insight you need to get involved.
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As a regular reader of the ShaqFu Radio blog, you know that our man Shaq has his big hands in a number of different businesses and investments. One of his favs is of course his own restaurant chain, called Big Chicken. This week, Big Chicken is getting even bigger, with another new deal signed for a new location.
Seems to be a little pattern developing here. Not long ago, we reported that Big Chicken was opening in Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, home to the newly-minted Seattle Kraken NHL franchise.
Now the latest incarnation of Big Chicken is in another new sports facility, the beautiful new $1.5 billion dollar UBS Arena, the new home of the New York Islanders hockey team.
Originally, Big Chicken started small, with locations in Las Vegas and in Glendale, California. There’s also an outlet of the eatery on board a Carnival Cruise Lines ship. O’Neal is one of the cruise lines big promotional partners. You’ve probably seen some of his TV commercials with Shaq as CFO – Chief Fun Officer.
Seems O’Neal is moving his focus for the restaurant chain to sports arenas. No big surprise, since he knows a lot about the sports business, having been a superstar player for many years, and now keeping his connection as one of the regular commentators on TNT networks “Inside the NBA” program.
As for the new location at UBS Arena, Big Chicken will sell its fried chicken sandwiches during NHL games and other events at the complex. The Arena is located behind the track for the Belmont Stakes and is scheduled to host its first regular-season game on Nov. 20, when the Islanders play the Calgary Flames.
O’Neal attended a recent ribbon-cutting at the arena, while also talking about his favorite menu items. “This is my ritual,” he reporters. “Fried chicken with cheese, pickles and hot sauce.”
O’Neal started Big Chicken with his friend Matt Silverman, and agent Perry Rogers. It’s not his first foray into the food industry. O’Neal owns various Papa John’s locations, and even makes an appearance in a commercial for the pizza chain. In 2019, he joined the company’s board.
But this task is a much different one for O’Neal, because he’s starting the brand from scratch. One of the sandwiches on the Big Chicken menu is called Uncle Jerome, named after O’Neal’s uncle. Another is called Charles Barkley, an nod to the former NBA star and O’Neal’s broadcasting partner on “Inside the NBA.” Barkley’s namesake sandwich comes with mac and cheese on top of the chicken, along with crispy onions and “Shaq sauce.” (OK, now we’re hungry…)
Big Chicken also features the MDE, which stands for Most Dominant Ever, and is meant to describe O’Neal’s career as star center with the Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando Magic and other teams.
So far, there’s no Big Chicken anywhere near the offices of the ShaqFu Radio blog… but we can’t wait to try out the chickeny goodness!


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Vespa Elegante 150cc launched in India at Rs 95,077
Piaggio India has launched the special edition Vespa Elegante 150cc in India at Rs 95,077 (ex-Pune). The company says that the scooter represents the classy side of the brand and the special edition Elegante is inspired by the pristine beaches in Italy.
The scooter is available in a new Beige Unico colour that looks quite fetching. The scooter is also available in pearl white. Other special edition features include colour-co ordinated, leather wrapped, split seats; a tinted flyscreen and Elegante badging.
Speaking about the launch of the new scooter, Stefano Pelle, CEO and managing director, Piaggio Vehicles Private Limited (India) said that special edition Vespa's classy yet modern design would be a proud possession of the Vespa enthusiast.
The Vespa Elegante will be available at all Piaggio Motoplex stores as well as Vespa/ Aprilia dealerships across India. The Vespa Elegante can also be bought online via PayTM, where customers can avail of cash back offers too.
Besides the Elegante, the Vespa is available in four other variants- SXL125, VXL125, SXL150 and VXL150.
Starts Rs 1,05,000
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Accenture, YouNoodle seek Africa's top 30 tech start-ups
The companies are on the hunt for 'fire-starters', whose core business demonstrates innovation and exponential growth.
Yoco lands R230m in second round of institutional funding
In total, the local point-of-sale payments provider has harvested investments worth R322 million from two rounds of funding.
Fostering economic growth through tech-empowered SMEs
Local SMEs are slower to adopt new technologies such as AI, machine learning and big data analytics, says Microsoft.
Funding remains hindrance to SA entrepreneurs' success
Difficulty in accessing early stage funding and angel investors remains a challenge for entrepreneurial development in SA, says Seed Academy.
DTI to support firms participating in Industry 4.0
The Department of Trade and Industry will focus on aiding companies that are actively involved in the fourth industrial revolution.
Winetech seeks entrepreneurs to disrupt wine industry
Tech entrepreneurs with innovative ideas to change the wine industry can apply to enter the Wine Industry Innovation Challenge.


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NEW YORK (AP) - Consumer-reviews site Angie's List Inc. saw it stock grow by 25 percent on its first day of trading Thursday, showing ongoing investor appetite for Internet companies.
The company’s public debut came the same day that another reviews site _ San Francisco-based Yelp Inc. _ filed for an initial public offering of stock.
On Wednesday, Angie's List priced its offering of 8.8 million shares at $13 each _ at the top of the range it had expected. It follows big IPOs by LinkedIn Corp. and Groupon Inc. this year. And it precedes the public debut of online game company Zynga Inc., which is expected before the end of the year.
Unlike Yelp, Angie's List charges consumers a monthly fee, betting that people will want to pay for the assurance that the reviews are trustworthy. The company bans anonymous reviews and doesn’t let businesses pay for good ratings. It says it has more than 1 million paid memberships.
How much users pay to access Angie's List depends on what types of ratings they want to see and for how long. There are ratings for home, pet and car services, for example, and for wellness businesses, including medical and dental practices. A combined wellness and services bundle costs $5.20 a month. But it goes down to $2.67 per month if you sign up for four years for $128.
The Indianapolis-based company had revenue of $59 million in 2010 and $62.6 million in the first nine months of this year. It says it lost $27.2 million for 2010 and $43.2 million for the first nine months of 2011, largely because it is spending a lot on marketing to attract new users.
Angie's List plans to use the proceeds from the offering, which it announced in August, for advertising and general corporate purposes. Angie's List said it plans to continue aggressively investing in advertising, particularly in New York and Los Angeles. It has also said it is expanding into new categories.
The stock is trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market with the ticker symbol “ANGI.”
The stock rose $3.26 to close at $16.26 on Thursday, valuing Angie's List at about $904 million. It opened at $18 and traded in the range of $15.02 and $18.75 during the day.
By Douglas Holtz-Eakin
The young drop coverage to avoid higher premiums
Independent voices from the TWT Communities
In a world that is increasingly complex, we need to seek greater awareness of the blending of cultures and America's changing role in a global community.
A look at what’s new and what’s worth driving, no matter the budget.
Finding health and health care is not easy. It is changing. Know what's on the rise.
Television commentary, reviews, news and nonstop DVR catch-up.
Benghazi: The anatomy of a scandal
Vietnam Memorial adds four names
Cinco de Mayo on the Mall
NRA kicks off annual convention
California wildfires wreak havoc


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The UK’s decision to leave the European Union will impact negatively on all parties involved in the container shipping segment, says a leading global industry service provider.
Xeneta, a leader in software solutions for containerized ocean freight, believes all sections of the industry will be affected by the decision – from shippers, to freight forwarders and the container carriers themselves.
It says the only thing that is certain now is uncertainty.
“The last thing the container segment needs is further unpredictability and disruption,” says Xeneta CEO Patrik Berglund.
“Rates for shipping 40-foot containers have effectively collapsed over the past two years – with the short term average for Shanghai to Rotterdam now standing at 60 percent below its Summer 2014 level. This has been driven by chronic over-capacity and cut throat competition. Now we have Brexit to contend with.
Mr Berglund says that anything impeding free trade raises costs, but not to the benefit of any of the parties involved in the container supply chain.
“For the last 40-plus years the UK has been part of a mega trading block capable of negotiating the most favourable trade treaties – and therefore import duties – with other blocks and nations, he says.
“Now, all of a sudden, it’s going to have to sign new treaties with everyone, without the bargaining power of the EU in its corner, and that will undoubtedly lead to higher duties, and therefore costs for shippers.”
In terms of supply chain management, the decision looks certain to cause further headaches, as Berglund explains: “Optimal supply chain management relies on a quick and efficient international logistics network, and it goes without saying that guarded border crossings impede that process. The flow of containers will face a new bottleneck, increasing complexity and potentially forcing shippers to consider alternatives – such as more local sourcing (meaning less shipping), or re-positioning facilities in territories more conducive to easier trading.
“Supply chains in today’s globalised trading arena are complex and inter-connected, yet fine tuned to run efficiently, taking the path of least resistance wherever possible. Container shipping is an integral part of this, with all parties relying on smooth operation and predictable deliveries. The Brexit decision is like throwing a spanner in the works of this well-oiled machine.”
Mr Berglund says it’s impossible to predict how the decision will impact on freight rates in the immediate future, citing the fact that the segment was unpredictable enough before this political bombshell exploded.
However, Alphaliner, a leading analyst for the liner shipping industry says Brexit will have minimal impact on container shipping.
The UK’s decline as a container shipping hub started long before the Brexit vote last week, it told joc.com.
British flagged vessels accounted for 3.7 percent of global capacity and UK – and controlled ships made up just 2.2 percent of the world fleet measured in TEUs.
Alphaliner says the steep slide of the pound sterling against key currencies following the vote is expected to reduce UK imports in the short term, especially from Asia.
This will intensify pressure on the “fragile” recovery on the Asia-Europe container trade.
Container volumes from Asia to North Europe grew by 2.7 percent in the first four months of the year, according to Container Trade Statistics, with the UK accounting for less than 15 percent of the market.
According to Alphaliner the risk of an economic downturn in Europe likely will have a bigger impact on container shipping “and a corresponding fall in global container trade volumes could only worsen the current supply-demand gap further.”
Container supply will grow by 3.6 percent this year, outpacing global demand growth of only 1.3 percent, the analyst forecasts.
“The Brexit vote could bring further market uncertainties and raise the cost of capital for container ship owners, particularly European companies, which account for 54 percent of global capacity,” says Alphaliner.


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Amanda’s Style File: New Year, New Jewels
Kick off 2022 with these 15 garnet jewels for January birthdays.
Those celebrating birthdays in January have two opportunities to shine—not only is it a new calendar year, but their next trip around the sun is also starting—and two reasons to celebrate with jewelry.
Garnet, the official birthstone of January, has a rich history fitting of promise. For thousands of years, red garnet has been believed to have healing powers and provide protection, something everyone could use right about now.
With garnets available in nearly every color, finding gorgeous garnet jewelry isn’t the challenge. Narrowing it down to one, however, might be a different story.
Here are 15 pieces of gorgeous garnet jewelry with which you can start your new year.
She previously served as its senior vice president of business development and beneficiation.
The boutique tradeshow, happening first in Tucson then New York City, brings together upscale designers from around the world.
Red Emerald Inc., which is under new ownership, started mining at the Utah site last spring.
The first session is scheduled for Jan. 19 and focuses on addressing racial justice and confronting one’s biases.
A.I. technology is revolutionizing the jewelry business through more accurate and consistent diamond grading.


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Tianqi Lithium plans for expansion
Published: Wednesday, 27 April 2016
News that Tianqi is also planning to expand its hydroxide offering is not a major surprise as the company has aggressively grown in the last few years and is taking full advantage of the bullish market situation at the moment. It does mean, however, that there will be more capacity in China, to sate domestic demand.
Lithium major Tianqi Lithium Industries Inc., said in its
2015 annual results released on Saturday, that it hopes to
expand its lithium hydroxide production by 20,000 tpa over
the next four years.
The Chinese company said it is in the primary stages of
researching the proposed expansion, although...


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Verizon Wireless announced today that it would begin allowing customers to use any device on its wireless network starting in 2008. Verizon says that in 2008 it will publish the technical standards to the development community needed for devices to operate on the Verizon network.
How To: Buy a Pokemon Go Plus
Any product that meets these technical standards will be activated on the Verizon Wireless network. Verizon has a $20 million USD lab that it will use to verify the technical standards.
Verizon also says that any application a user wants to install on a device using their network will be allowed. "This is a transformation point in the 20-year history of mass market wireless devices -- one which we believe will set the table for the next level of innovation and growth," said Lowell McAdam, Verizon Wireless president and chief executive officer. "Verizon Wireless is not changing our successful retail model, but rather adding an additional retail option for customers looking for a different wireless experience."
Via Verizon Wireless