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Debenhams PLC (DEB.L)
27 Mar 2015
LONDON, Jan 23 - Sports Direct founder Mike Ashley said on Friday he did not intend to make a bid for retailer Debenhams, as he increased his financial interest in the firm.
* Termination of put option agreement in relation to 6.6 pct stake in Debenhams Plc
* Shares fall as much as 8.6 pct (Adds analyst, shares, detail, background)
LONDON, Jan 13 - Debenhams, Britain's No.2 department store chain, posted a fall in first-quarter sales, although there were signs of improvement over the key Christmas trading period.
LONDON, Nov 6 - Sports Direct founder Mike Ashley has sold the 4.6 percent stake he bought in Debenhams last month, and taken a complex financial option over a further stake that bets the shares will not fall below a certain level.
* Entered into a put option agreement ( "put option") referencing 74,185,742 ordinary shares of debenhams (representing 6.1 percent of issued share capital of debenhams)
* Shares rise 4.9 pct (Adds CEO, analyst comments, share price)
LONDON, Oct 23 - Debenhams, Britain's No. 2 department store chain, posted a 21 percent slump in annual profit, as expected, mainly reflecting a disastrous first half when warm autumn and winter weather dented sales in the run-up to last Christmas.
LONDON - Britain's biggest sporting goods chain Sports Direct said it had acquired a further 4.6 percent stake in Debenhams , the country's second-biggest department store company, in a deal which strengthens ties between the retailers.
LONDON, Oct 2 - Britain's biggest sporting goods chain Sports Direct said it had acquired a further 4.6 percent stake in Debenhams, the country's second-biggest department store company, in a deal which strengthens ties between the retailers.


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Cloetta was plunged into turmoil recently after the Swedish Economic Crime Authority revealed that certain executives within the company had been detained after being suspected of insider trading.
The people concerned have been kept confidential so their names cannot be revealed, but the detainment is linked to stock sales made by the personnel in question, which took place before Cloetta announced a profit warning on the 14th September this year.
Speaking in a press release addressing the situation, Cloetta kept things brief but said they will fully comply with the authorities and assist in whatever way they can, while also claiming that the company had already investigated the share sales in question.
“Cloetta will fully cooperate with the Economic Crime Authority in the investigation,” the company stated. “Cloetta has previously, at its own initiative, through the law firm Cederquist, conducted an investigation of the share sales.”
The news will come to a blow to Cloetta, who are the market leader in Sweden’s sugar confectionery and pastilles market according to their 2016 Annual Report, which also puts them ahead of Mondelēz International.
In September, the company had warned that their third quarter profits would take a significant dent following a fire at a production lines at one of their key factories in Turnhout, Belgium, back in June.
At the time, the company claimed that their Q3 adjusted operating profit would be SEK 40-50m ($5m-$6.3m) lower than the same stage for 2016.
Cloetta are set to reveal their Q3 results on the 25th October.

domain: news


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SW Battlefront Offline MP Still Investigated But “Promising” Development According To Lead Designer
Possibilities for Star Wars Battlefront Offline MP are still being investigated by DICE, but developments are “promising” according to DICE’s lead designer.
An offline multiplayer mode for Star Wars Battlefront, was first talked about last month when a player asked about the feature on the official SW Battlefront forums. DICE is aware of the request, but the feature has some technical hurdles that need to be solved.
Apart from this, no new details have been released on the offline mode for the highly popular Star Wars shooter. Luckily, the feature hasn’t been forgotten, at least if lead designer, Dennis Brännvall, is to be believed. According Brännvall, he’s answering questions about the feature daily via Twitter.
@Marco_Nardini92 I'm answering this question daily. We just announced two more missions for offline any we're looking into offline MP modes
— Dennis Brännvall (@DICE_FireWall) January 26, 2016
When asked whether the offline mode will for full use of the game’s features, the lead designer replied that DICE is still investigating what the team can do for offline MP long-term.
— Dennis Brännvall (@DICE_FireWall) February 9, 2016Advertisement
New details on the offline mode have yet to be revealed, and when asked when new information will be shared, Brännvall replied that a date hasn’t been set, but developments on the mode are looking “promising”.
@Mystleviathan no date yet. Promising developments
— Dennis Brännvall (@DICE_FireWall) February 9, 2016
We’ll keep you updated when we learn more about Battlefront’s offline multiplayer mode.
Patch 1.04 for Star Wars Battlefront was released some weeks ago, and added new Hoth-themed outfits, private Matches, new multiplayer modes for the Tatooine Survival map, and much more. For the full patch notes, check out this post.
New season pass info was allegedly leaked on the official Star Wars Battlefront last week, and according to the anonymous Star Wars Battlefront user, the first DLC pack, Outer Rim, will be released on March 12th. The pack will include two new game modes called Invasion and Scramble, as well as new weapons and abilities.
Star Wars Battlefront is now available for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.


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Are you one of those people who can’t get through the daily grind without endless cups of coffee? Then one historic Dundee firm might have the perfect job for you.
Coffee and tea maker James Aimer Ltd is seeking to employ its first head tea and coffee taster at its headquarters in a converted jute mill on Milnbank Road.
As well as being able to demonstrate the ability to differentiate and explain the subtleties of different flavours, the successful candidate will have to face a roasting in the interview and demonstrate to bosses they are full of beans.
The job advert, which was posted this week, states: “Long established Dundee private label coffee and tea processing business is seeking the right individual to become an integral part of its future growth.
“The right individual will already possess a passion for coffee, from bean to cup and tea, from leaf to cup, but also an unquenchable thirst to learn far more.
“Specialist coffee and tea training will be given but the right individual must have the appropriate communication skills to be able to discuss this technical knowledge in a non-technical and enthusiastic way.”
The advert adds it would be “advantageous” if the applicant had trained as a barista and possessed good sensory skills.
General manager Rob Sinclair said the salary would be dependent on the qualities of the winning candidate.
He said: “We are looking for someone with a passion for it and the energy to learn more.
“It’s not just about knowing different coffees but learning about where they come from.”
Mr Sinclair said the company was confident it would find the right candidate locally because of the city’s growing reputation for restaurants and cafes.
“With everything that is going on in Dundee in terms of food and drink and the V&A we are hopeful there will be a lot of people interested,” he added.
James Aimer Ltd was founded in 1884 and imports teas and coffees from around the globe including Malawi, Brazil and even Australia.


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Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani is expected to make announcements
Oil-to-telecom major Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) will hold its 40th AGM or annual general meeting for shareholders today, at Birla Matushri Sabhagar in Mumbai. Expectations are high that there could be a host of new announcements related to Jio – from new Jio tariff plans to new Jio services to an affordable 4G feature phone. Chairman Mukesh Ambani is expected to address shareholders at around 11 am. RIL, which announced its June quarter earnings yesterday, posted a better-than-expected 9 per cent rise in first-quarter standalone profit, helped by higher margins from its core petrochemicals business. Profit on a standalone basis, which only accounts for the company’s refining, petrochemicals and oil and gas exploration businesses, rose to a better-than-expected Rs 8,196 crore for the three months to June 30, from Rs 7,548 crore a year earlier.
Here is what to expect on Jio at the Reliance Industries AGM:
Jul 21, 2017 10:55 (IST)
Telecom stocks struggle ahead of Reliance Industries AGM: Idea Cellular, Bharti Airtel down nearly 2%, RCom slips 0.40%
Jul 21, 2017 10:54 (IST)
Market update: Nifty near all-time high as Reliance Industries surges 4% ahead of AGM
Jul 21, 2017 10:44 (IST)
There were 108.9 million subscribers on Jio’s network as of March 31, 2017.
Jul 21, 2017 10:43 (IST)
Since commencement of services on September 5, 2016, Jio has added subscribers to its network at an average rate of 6 lakh per day.
Jul 21, 2017 10:39 (IST)
On a consolidated basis, Reliance Industries reported a record net profit of Rs 9,108 crore – up 28 per cent year-on-year – on revenues of Rs. 90,0537 crore.
Jul 21, 2017 10:38 (IST)
RIL’s net profit was up 8.6 per cent compared with the corresponding period a year ago, while its revenue increased 18.4 per cent to Rs. 70,434 crore.
Jul 21, 2017 10:37 (IST)
Reliance Industries’ Q1 earnings were supported by higher margins from its core petrochemicals business.
Jul 21, 2017 10:36 (IST)
Billionaire Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries on Thursday reported a record standalone quarterly net profit of Rs. 8,196 crore for the April-June quarter.
Jul 21, 2017 10:33 (IST)
At 10:31 am, RIL shares were trading 3.5 per cent higher on the National Stock Exchange, whose benchmark Nifty index was up 34 points at 9,907.
Jul 21, 2017 10:32 (IST)
Reliance Industries shares rose nearly 4 per cent to touch an intraday high of Rs 1,588 on the National Stock Exchange (NSE).
Jul 21, 2017 10:09 (IST)Live stream
Jul 21, 2017 10:04 (IST)
The Rs 399 recharge voucher, available to new as well as existing members of its paid Prime service, also included free voice calls and MyJio app services.
After seven months of free services, Jio decided to charge for its services from April this year. In March 2017, Jio introduced the Prime program wherein customers could subscribe by paying a one-time fee of Rs 99.
Jul 21, 2017 10:03 (IST)
Earlier this month, Jio extended the benefits of its Dhan Dhana Dhan offer with new plans. Priced at Rs. 399, a new recharge option offered by Jio came with 1 GB of high speed 4G data per day for 84 days.
Jul 21, 2017 09:58 (IST)
These 4G feature phones are likely to be priced between Rs 1,000 and 1,500, the agency reported, citing industry sources.
“Reliance has not yet finalised actual unit price of the feature phones, but it is likely to be in the range of Rs 1,000-1,500 a unit. It will be smart feature phone with pre-loaded apps of Reliance Jio like Jio TV, Jio Money etc,” Press Trust of India reported, citing one of the sources who did not wish to be named.
Jul 21, 2017 09:57 (IST)
Reliance Industries plans to sell 200 million 4G feature phones in two years, news agency Press Trust of India reported on July 19, citing industry sources.
Jul 21, 2017 09:51 (IST)
Although Jio started charging for its mobile services from April 1 under its ‘Prime’ scheme, it continued to offer free voice calls and aggressively priced data tariffs.
Jul 21, 2017 09:50 (IST)
Reliance Jio launched 4G services commercially on September 5 last year. It signed up its first 50 million subscribers in 83 days, and 100 million in 170 days.
Jul 21, 2017 09:40 (IST)
Reliance Jio will raise Rs 20,000 crore through a rights issue to meet its funding requirements. This was said by Reliance Jio in a regulatory filing on Thursday.
A rights issue is an issuance of shares to a company’s existing shareholders in the proportion of their existing holdings.


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In the last in a four-part series we look at some of the key business travel trends for the year ahead. Part four: hyper-personalisation, buy-on-board and positive psychology…
A survey of 2,000 people in summer 2016 by global travel technology company Sabre found that many UK consumers are now content to share their personal information in return for more bespoke service, with 25 per cent agreeing to share their location with travel companies, and 33 per cent their travel history.
A new feature in the December 2016 update of Uber’s app means trace data from your journeys is collected and stored, which enables it to learn from your routines and predict where you will want to go next. Google launched its free Trips app in September 2016, which is designed to trawl your Gmail account for flight and hotel bookings, store your reservations and propose itineraries.
Lennert De Jong, chief commercial officer for Citizen M Hotels, said: “In the hotel industry, there is a real opportunity to use information from guests to create valuable and seamless experiences for them when they return. For example, you set your room to 18 degrees when you stay at Citizen M; why would we, on your next check-in, give you a room that is 24 degrees?” He added: “Travellers are likely to experience more of this seamless personalisation from their hotels within the near future.”
Skyscanner’s director of hotels Nik Gupta agrees: “[By 2024], advances in digital technology will mean that travellers will have no need to encounter a single human being from the time that they enter their chosen hotel to the time that they check out of their room. The fight back against peer-to-peer travel will see hotels empower their guests with incredible levels of hyper-personalisation through their mobile devices to provide the unique experiences they want.”
Skyscanner also predicts that hotel software will link with guests’ social media profiles so that when they book a particular room, everything is set specifically for them. Some hotels are already looking up VIP guests online and anticipating what they might appreciate when they get there.
For example, Elle magazine’s beauty editor recently arrived at the W St Petersburg to find they had discovered her love of cats, shoes and the tag line of her own range of scented candles “Knit one, Burn one”, and cut the slogan out of knit-print paper and laid it on her bed. She posted a picture of it on Instagram. Some people said “So sweet” and “Now that’s service”, while others commented, “Creepy” and “That’s insane!”
Luxury hotels such as Four Seasons now store information on whether you prefer staying on a high floor or low floor, whether you have any dietary preferences, what newspaper you read, whether you like red wine or white wine better, sweet or savoury. Like all top hotels, staff will go out of their way to remember your name, as well as relevant facts about who you are and why you are in town so they can converse with you.
A spokersperson for the Four Seasons Toronto says: “Personalising the guest stay is a key component to creating a memorable experience. When any guest is booking their room, they are asked a series a questions including the purpose of their visit. This helps us determine minor, yet very significant details about them so that we may create small gestures of customised recognition. For example, if we know a guest is on a business trip but has a very late arrival, then we make sure his or her room is prepared for bedtime right away, and we have an opportunity to leave a tea amenity to aid in sleep or even an energy bar for the next morning.”
The Hilton HHonors app can be used to check in, access your room with a “digital key” instead of the plastic one they give you in reception, and even select your room, just like choosing a seat on a plane (this is an industry first for Hilton). A recent partnership with Google Maps means you can now see which locations face which streets. You can also message the front desk, make restaurant reservations or request champagne on arrival.
Hilton says the digital key is compatible with about 700 hotels so far but will continued to be rolled out across all its hotels and brands. “As of December 2016, the digital key allows you to pin your favourite room so that the next time you stay at the hotel you will have a little love heart on the floor,” says Geraldine Calpin, chief marketing officer at Hilton. Your smartphone will also function as a remote control – when you approach your door, it automatically opens.
Calpin also highlights Hilton’s personalised “dynamic emails”. She says: “Every time you open one the count-down timer will be on, so that if you open an email from us today and then again tomorrow the content might be different. It’s live. The offers will always be accurate and current.”
Starwood unveiled SPG Keyless for smartphones in 2014 – the technology has now been adopted by Marriott (with which it merged in late 2016), and is being tested by IHG and Hyatt. Alyssa Waxenberg, vice-president of mobile at Starwood Hotels and Resorts, said: “SPG Keyless is literally opening doors for SPG members. It is also transformative for Starwood’s hotel associates, allowing them to better-engage with guests. Rather than the first interaction being the swipe of a credit card, hotel associates can now focus on ways to better-personalise guests’ stays.”
When it comes to airlines, every aspect of personalisation comes at a fee, at least for the “economy class VIP”. Sabre’s 2016 survey found that, on average, British consumers are willing to spend £61 on added extras such as preferred seating, enhanced meals and fast-track security. Although a third of respondents said they wouldn’t be prepared to pay anything on air travel extras, 33 per cent said they would pay up to £50, while 18 per cent said they would spend up to £100, and 15 per cent over £101. Premium passengers, of course, are used to crew knowing who they are, and for booking systems to remember their preferences. Big data will continue to play a huge part in this.
Dr James Canton from leading think tank the Institute for Global Futures, says: “The future of travel is really exciting, as we’ll see predictive travel analytics anticipating what consumers want from their experience before booking. The hotel booking itself will be helped along by artificial intelligence software agents, using data mining and intuitive computing. The new travel design science will help create highly personalised in-stay experiences.”
As we reported in our feature “Snack attack”, published in the Dec-Jan issue of Business Traveller, an increasing number of legacy airlines are starting to charge for onboard catering. Following the example of low-cost carriers such as Ryanair and Easyjet, many “full service” airlines have started unbundling fairs to generate profit through ancillary revenue by charging for the “freedom to choose” where you want to sit, how much luggage you want to take and whether you want extra legroom, for example.
US airlines have been offering buy-on-board menus on shorter flights for years – cookies, mini pretzels and soft drinks are free on American Airlines flights over 250 miles, but if you want something more substantial (or alcoholic) you have to pay for it. On United, flights over two hours allow for the purchase of snack boxes, while people on flights of more than 3.5 hours or longer can buy “hot scrambles” and salads from the Bistro on Board for about US$9.
In January 2017, British Airways is scrapping its short-haul meal service in favour of paid-for sandwiches, nuts and Percy Pig sweets (all under £5) from M&S on Euro Traveller and UK domestic flights in and out of London Heathrow (Gatwick and Stansted by this summer). A poll on businesstraveller.com showed that 55 per cent of readers felt not including food and drink in the ticket price was wrong but we can expect more airlines to take similar steps in the near future.
The business traveller is at greater risk than most of stress, fatigue, depression and burnout as they traverse the globe, often sacrificing relationships and their health. A 2016 booking.com survey of 4,555 frequent flyers in found that 93 per cent of them were wrung-out out by business travel. The top causes of anxiety were missing a flight, language barriers and the possibility of losing luggage. Over the last few years, mindfulness, meditation and digital detox have become buzz words among corporates trying to rebalance themselves.
In 2017, positive psychology will be a likely replacement. A relatively new sub-genre of academic study, it’s essentially the science of happiness. Why do the simple things in life make us happy? Why do relationships make us happier than a promotion or pay rise (as discovered by the London School of Economics in a survey published at the end of 2016)? Why do I feel empty when I am surrounded by luxury?
Gaining an understanding of our own mental health can help us make better life choices, and prioritise what is really important. Thinking positively can even improve your health and stave off illness – a study of 70,000 women in the American Journal of Epidemiology last year found that optimists were less likely to get fatal cancer, heart disease, lung conditions and stroke in retirement. Similar findings have been found for men.


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Ryanair has announced a new route from Glasgow Intl to Berlin, and a 4th daily Glasgow – London Stansted service as part of its expanded winter 2015 schedule.
Ryanair will continue to connect Glasgow with Europe’s major centres of business, including Dublin and London, offering business customers the largest range of destinations at the lowest fares, with the most flights, improved schedules and best service.
Scottish customers can choose from 25 routes from Glasgow this summer (9 from Glasgow Intl & 16 from Glasgow Prestwick) while enjoying allocated seating, a free second carry-on bag, reduced fees, a new website, a brand new app with mobile boarding passes, Family Extra and Business Plus, making Ryanair the ideal choice for families, business and leisure travellers.
2015 marks Ryanair’s 30th birthday. In 30 years, Ryanair has grown to become Europe’s biggest airline, carrying 100m people annually, between 30 countries, and saving European customers over €11bn every year.
To celebrate the launch of Ryanair’s 30th birthday celebrations, the airline is releasing 100,000 seats for sale across its European network, at prices from £19.99 for travel in February, March and April. These low fare seats are available for booking until midnight Thursday (22 Jan).
In Glasgow, Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary said:
“Ryanair is pleased to announce a new route from Glasgow International to Berlin as well as increased frequency on our Glasgow-London Stansted service from 3 to 4 x daily for winter 2015, in response to the phenomenal demand from Scottish customers, visitors and business travellers.”


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Google takes on GPS with navigation feature
Google is taking GPS makers head on with Google Maps Navigation, a turn-by-turn feature that runs on new versions of its Android cellphones.
The company unveiled the new feature, which is downloadable for phones running its Android 2.0 operating system, on Wednesday. So far, the only phone that runs the new operating system is the Motorola Droid, which will be launched next week by U.S. cellphone carrier Verizon.
The new Navigation feature improves upon existing GPS devices in a number of ways, Google said:
- Because it runs on an internet-connected cellphone, the feature always has the most up-to-date maps and information, unlike traditional GPS devices which must be removed from the car and attached to a computer to get their refresh.
- It uses the same search functionality as the Google search engine, so a user can type in a business name or type rather than a specific address. Navigation also has voice search.
- As with its existing Google Maps feature for smartphones, Navigation displays live traffic data, with roads coloured either red, yellow or green depending on how congested they are.
- Like Google Maps and Earth, it has layers — including satellite imagery
- It automatically switches to Google Street View when the user nears his or her destination.
Google's phone-based GPS system, which will go toe-to-toe with market leaders Garmin and TomTom, also has a number of disadvantages.
The Android feature will not work where users can't get cellphone reception. It would also be prohibitively expensive to use outside of the cellphone owner's home country because of high data roaming charges.


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We are still catching up after a very large run of sap on Saturday and more yesterday. Saturday was a perfect sap day with frost the night before and sunshine all day. At its peak the sap was running at the rate of about 1 litre per hour at each tap hole. So our 7000 taps were producing about 7000 litres of sap an hour. We can process sap syrup at 4000 litres per hour and can store about 8000 litres so we did not lose any sap but it was a close call. It looks like the season will continue for two weeks based on the weather forecast of cold weather and possible snow on Friday.
Next weekend is Maple Weekend and we are hoping the weather warms up a bit. We will of course be open as usual from 10 to 5 daily.


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RTR Show of Masters, integral and essential part large scale automotive events in Crocus Expo IEC, will be held within the frames of the Moscow Autosalon.
Dongfeng Motor Corporation will display for the first time in Russia at the Moscow Autosalon six new vehicles including Rich New pickup and DFM 370 microvan.
Suprotec company, producer of tribotechnical compounds and innovative chemical products will exhibit at the Moscow International Automobile Salon and will present a car with the engine operating without oil and a racer of Suprotec Racing team.
Several surprises from AvtoVAZ, premieres from Mercedes-Benz, novelties from Hyundai and an army of Chinese brands – those who are interested in automobile industry will find many interesting. The popular motor show will run in the capital at the end of August - – why it is worth visiting, what will be displayed and what test drives will be available.
Russian premiere of five new Geely models which will become the embodiment of the brand new image will take place at the stand of company within the frames of MIAS.
Dear Mass media representatives! Please be informed that accreditation for MIAS 2016 will be held July 25…
Autonews.ru informs that the sales of the budget crossover will start at the end of July and the premiere is expected at the Moscow Autosalon in August.
China's Dongfeng Motor Corp. will unveil a number of its novelties including its new flagship A9 sedan at the Moscow International Automobile Salon.
LADA presented special limited versions of LADA Vesta and LADA XRAY dedicated to Company`s 50th anniversary. There will be only 500 of each LADA Vesta and LADA XRAY anniversary cars.
AVTOVAZ plans to expand the family of its new “high hatchback”. It is presumed that Xray Cross prototype will be equipped with an all-road dodger and Xray Sport will be equipped with more aggressive bumpers.
OBUKHOV GK, Official dealer Volvo Cars OOO, will display a new family of Volvo 2017 and the latest model of the Swedish brand - Volvo S90 premium class sedan at MIAS 2016.
The organizers of MIAS-2016 consider necessary to declare depreciation of entrance ticket prices for the exhibition this year. This decision will allow making the visit to the Moscow International Automobile Salon more affordable to Muscovites and guests of the capital.


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As influencer marketing continues to become more competitive — and expensive — brands are rethinking their playbooks. Some beauty companies like E.l.f. Cosmetics and Sephora have taken to incubating their own influencers in the hopes of discovering the next big thing. In turn, micro-influencers have been able to raise their profiles. But whether it is through a longer contract or a single paid Instagram post (which run between $200 and $500, on average), monetary deals have become the norm.
“The pyramid that we’ve all seen is you have your mega-influencers, then you pop in mid- and macro-influencers. But we don’t want to be so reliant on a pay-for-play model,” said Marnie Levan, vp of integrated consumer communication at Maybelline. “We want to expand relationships among and beyond the pyramid.”
For Maybelline and other beauty brands like Beautyblender, that means steadily expanding its outreach to makeup artists.
Beginning in January 2019, Maybelline hosted its first Glam Grab events for the professional community to learn about the beauty brand’s launches — it now hosts two events a year. What started as a 40-to-50-person event in Los Angeles a year ago grew to attract 100-plus professionals this past January. It has organically led to usage of Maybelline throughout the 2020 award season and in press. For example, artist Melissa Hernandez used Maybelline products on actress Dove Cameron for SAG Awards parties, and Amber Amos mentioned the brand’s products in interviews with New York Magazine. These were not paid mentions, according to Levan.
To further support its enhanced makeup artist strategy, Maybelline on-boarded Vincent Oquendo and Jenna Kristina last year via contract. Both Oquendo and Kristina used Maybelline products during awards season and did on-call makeup services for influencers, editors and industry tastemakers throughout New York Fashion Week. The L’Oréal-owned brand has had a history of working with the professional community via a NYFW sponsorship, but felt that it could layer both programs together, especially since they overlapped this season. The beauty company would not disclose its financial commitments to its partners.
But perhaps, Oquendo and Kristina’s most powerful asset is their content. A September 2019 video that Kristina posted with model Emily DiDonato on Instagram was ranked in the top 10 performing videos on social for Maybelline. Two other 2019 videos with actress Rowan Blanchard and model SouKeyna Diouf landed in Maybelline’s top 30.
“At Maybelline, we really think of ourselves and the role that we play in the beauty landscape as helping to democratize trends. Makeup artists bring makeup trends to the masses; they make them accessible for everyone,” said Levan.
Expanding that education content via social will be important for 2020, as Levan is hoping to ramp up Maybelline’s YouTube content. The brand is also in the process of considering if it will add more makeup artists to its brand ambassador program.
“YouTube is a very important need, and we see makeup artists and their tutorials as a way to fill gaps from a content standpoint,” she said. “We know YouTube is a channel gap.”
Beautyblender is another company increasing its makeup artist outreach. Since 2016, the brand has hosted pop-up events in Los Angeles in advance of awards to determine which artists it works with in a paid capacity. It also created its Pro Program on Beautyblender.com, which offers a 25%-30% discount on product sales. Recently, the company upped the percentage to 40%. According to the company, this program accounts for about 15% of all direct Beautyblender sales. Partnerships are more of a priority since the brand moved beyond makeup sponges with foundation in 2018 and concealer this month, said founder and CEO Rea Ann Silva.
“A lot of the makeup artists that I’m talking about, you’re not going to see them on Instagram or doing YouTube videos. They’re too busy. They’re making movies for six months at a time in a location,” she said. “We create the looks that the Instagrammers want to emulate.”
As of now, neither Maybelline nor Beautyblender is cutting its spend on social media influencers, but they are looking at ways to better spend their overall marketing budgets.
“As the beauty influencer landscape shifts, we’re watching engagement very closely. We’re trying to figure out where is there still the right opportunity for us to have impact,” said Levan.


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As the whole world faces an unprecedented health crisis, SoftBank Robotics wants to help fight against the spread of the coronavirus.
Since July 20, anyone 11+ years of age must wear a mask in closed public places in France. In many European countries a fine can be given in those situations.
To support businesses and public places, SoftBank Robotics Europe is today unveiling a brand-new free feature for its humanoid robot, Pepper: mask detection.
An efficient deep learning solution with no personal data recording
Thanks to its cameras, Pepper can now scan faces of a group of people (up to 5 simultaneously) in order to check if they are wearing a mask. During the interaction, Pepper displays a green or red circle around the face on its tablet depending on whether the person is wearing a mask or not.
The AI algorithm is based on OpenCV image recognition and Single Shot Detector (SSD) and achieves a high score even on masks with complex patterns.
Pepper can also use its emotional and vocal functions to deliver a positive message to people, such as at the entrance of a store or in an airport, depending on customer needs and developed by SoftBank Robotics Europe partners.
There is no retention and use of personal data.
This new feature, currently being integrated by SoftBank Robotics Europe certified partners in their solutions, can be effective for social distancing by allowing mask wearing control in public places.


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TEHRAN, Young Journalists Club (YJC) -President Donald Trump said last week he would impose a blanket tariff on Mexican imports on June 10 to try to pressure Mexico to tackle large flows of mostly Central American migrants passing through en route to the United States. The move has spooked global markets worried about a new front in the U.S. trade war.
Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said the country was committed to continuing to work to keep migrants from Central America from reaching the U.S. border. Pushing back against Trump’s charge that Mexico was doing “nothing” to help, the government said 250,000 more immigrants would reach the United States in 2019 without its efforts.
Ebrard said, however, that a proposal favored by some U.S. officials to designate Mexico a “safe third country,” which would force Central Americans seeking asylum in the United States to apply for it instead in Mexico, was not an option.
“An agreement about a safe third country would not be acceptable for Mexico,” Ebrard told reporters in Washington. “They have not yet proposed it to me. But it would not be acceptable and they know it.”
Such a designation would in theory cut the number of new Central American asylum seekers to almost zero, and removing it from the discussion leaves fewer negotiating options available for avoiding the 5% tariffs due to kick in next week.
The Mexican economy, which is heavily reliant on exports to the United States, shrank in the first quarter and would reel under U.S. levies.
Goldman Sachs economists on Monday gave a 70% chance of the tariffs on Mexican imports coming into effect on June 10.
Trump’s threat roiled markets already hit by the trade war between the United States and China. The price of oil fell on Monday as U.S. disputes with the two countries deepened concerns about weakening global crude demand.
Markets are concerned that import tariffs would ultimately hit the U.S. economy by adding to the cost of a wide range of goods in the United States, from Mexican-made cars and auto parts to televisions, beer and food.
Mexican Economy Minister Graciela Marquez said in a statement such duties would affect all 50 U.S. states and harm value chains, consumers and trade-related jobs in both countries.
She said Mexico would retaliate if the tariffs were imposed, either hitting back at targeted U.S. goods, or by seeking redress through multilateral organizations.
In the recent past, Mexico has been effective in focusing trade retaliation on U.S. agricultural produce in states that voted for Trump in the 2016 election.
A 5% tariff on imported goods from Mexico, which last year totaled $347 billion, according to U.S. data, would result in a potential tax increase on American businesses and consumers of $17 billion, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce estimated. It said the number would reach $86 billion should Trump’s increase the duties to 25%, as threatened.
The Chamber has said it is looking at ways to challenge Trump’s plan, including legal options.


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Washington Black Engagement Network | Washington Football Team - WashingtonFootball.com
HBCU Spotlight | Myles Wolfolk brought a physical mentality to Bowie's defense
In anticipation for the 2022 NFL Draft and in honor of Black History Month, Commanders.com will be highlighting some of this year's HBCU prospects. After starting with Virginia State defensive back Will Adams, next up is Bowie State's Myles Wolfolk.
'We are the leaders of right now': Black Engagement Network's 'Shop Black Small Business Bootcamp' illuminates important opportunities for Black business owners
The Washington Football Team hosted its first Shop Black Small Business Bootcamp on Oct. 2, offering a special opportunity to learn about ways to level up success as diverse business owners in an increasingly e-commerce-centric world.


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A vegan diet can be healthy and eco-friendly, and you can be its ally
All over the world, the vegan diet has been rising in popularity. Every year more and more people are trying this plant-based diet as various data have revealed. In the US, it is estimated that about 6% of its people are vegans, while in the UK, more than a third of the population is interested in making a vegan diet shift in the near future.
There are many reasons to give veganism a go – some do it for their health, while others want to actively address the issues of animal welfare and reduce their environmental impact. Of course, veganism is also more accessible now than ever before, with restaurants and supermarkets taking note and launching an ever-increasing range of products catering to this rapidly growing community. Even McDonald’s, known globally for serving cheap, high-calorie fast food, has launched McPlant, a vegan-certified burger made with plant-based patty. Suffice to say, veganism is no longer a fad but a choice made consciously by millions of individuals worldwide.
What does it mean to be vegan?
A vegan’s diet avoids all animal-related products. Meat, eggs and dairy are the obvious foods to shun, while other animal-derived products such as cheese, honey and gelatine (a substance derived from boiling animal bones with water) may also be given a miss.
Some vegans also choose to avoid wearing leather, silk and wool, along with buying products that are tested on animals.
Every January, many of us start the new year with a renewed interest to lead a healthier lifestyle. This is the time when slimming ads and fitness clubs promote themselves heavily to the masses. Coincidentally, this is also the period when Veganuary, a UK-registered charity that promotes veganism, challenges you and me to eat a vegan diet for the whole month.
Facing up to a meat and dairy-free diet can be intimidating for some, but for those ready to embrace the change, the internet is overflowing with tips and recipes that can help you navigate through Veganuary with ease.
One of the easiest ways to start a vegan diet is with a few simple swaps – swapping cow milk for plant-based milk, replacing hummus with mayonnaise, and using fibre-rich lentils instead of meat in meals. When you’re ready to include more vegan options to your repertoire, you can try to experiment with tofu, tempeh and jackfruit – the latter has gained a global following after versions of jackfruit pulled ‘pork’ were introduced by celebrity chefs and gourmet magazines.
Opting to shop only in the fresh food aisle in your local supermarket is another clever way to stay meat and dairy-free, not to mention the process can also save you some money. Broccoli, carrots, mushrooms and their tasty vegetable cousins usually cost (a lot) less than chicken, pork or beef. And if you’re worried about not getting enough nutrients from fresh vegetables, consider adding beans or even sprinkle your salad with nutritional yeast, which are golden flakes of goodness containing similar proteins found in most meat and dairy products.
The world’s largest medical library, the National Library of Medicine, has over a thousand studies about the vegan diet, anything from its anti-inflammatory effects to whether the diet is detrimental to endurance and muscle strength in healthy young women – it isn’t, in case you’re wondering.
While the pros and cons of veganism are still being studied and arguments from all sides continue, the general consensus from medical professionals is that eating a vegan diet may lower the risks of heart disease, but it may induce a higher risk of stroke, possibly due to a lack of B12.
To address this B12 deficiency, vegansociety.com has published an excellent article covering many aspects. The best B12 vegan sources, according to them, are B12-fortified foods (such as soy products) and B12 supplements.
Saving the planet
There is no denying that what we eat has a direct and unsustainable impact on our planet. Humans have turned large swaths of primaeval lands into intensive farms, growing crops to feed ourselves and animals which we will later slaughter and eat. According to Our World in Data, a not-for-profit organisation that aims to make research and data accessible for all, half of the world’s habitable land, or 51 million square kilometres, is now used for agriculture. Out of this inconceivably large number, just 23% of the land is used to grow crops for human consumption, leaving 77% for livestock farming (counting both pastures used for grazing and land used to produce crops for animal feed).
This unprecedented expansion of agriculture also has an impact on another precious resource – water. In a study by Beckett and Oltjen at the University of California Davis, they found that a pound of beef requires anywhere between 2,000 and 8,000 gallons of water to produce. In contrast, one pound of tofu only requires 302 gallons of water.
When you combine accelerated livestock farming, water wastage, and billions of metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emitted by global food production and link them to a piece of meat you have on your plate today, suddenly this multidimensional issue turns personal. It is at this point that many people realise that they can make a difference by switching to a plant-based diet and leading a more ethical lifestyle.
Veganism is an informed choice – and vegans around the world realise that if more people make the same effort, then the cumulative effort of our actions will help to halt deforestation, limit biodiversity loss, cut carbon emissions, and above all, improve our own health.
Perhaps you’d also like to try out a vegan diet today?


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Agric, Environment & Innovations Editor
Mureza Auto, a company jointly founded by Zimbabwean carmaker Tatenda Mungofa and an Iranian investor will soon roll out its Prim8 model vehicles for the Zimbabwean and South African market.
This comes after the car manufacturing firm was granted a licence to produce motor vehicles in South Africa, helping it to break into the highly competitive African motoring industry.
The company will release two models that include its Prim8 SUV range.
“Mureza Holdings (Pty) Ltd is now a licenced entity to manufacture vehicles in the Republic of South Africa under their Mureza Auto Co brand.
“Our appreciation goes to our dedicated staff, investors, partners and stakeholders who have made this milestone possible,” the company said in a statement recently.
“This is a major milestone in our vision to become the leading car manufacturer in Africa.
“To the African market, the wait is almost over. We are working in the background to ensure we bring quality and affordable vehicles and an untamed motoring experience to the African continent.”
South Africa-based Zimbabwean Mungofa, who spearheaded the launch of a car called Mureza Prim8 in partnership with one of the largest Iranian car manufacturers, SAIPA Group, is a true testimony of the Zimbabwean innovative spirit.
His footprint will reshape the global automotive industry even though they still face challenges related to the penetration of this industry with cut-throat competition.
The company is targeting to sell its models at around US$13 500 in Zimbabwe and R196 000 in South Africa.
Mureza is aiming to produce high quality vehicles suited to the African conditions.
For the past decades, the automotive industry has largely been dominated by European, American and Asian car making giants.
But in recent years, Africans too, are coming up with their own innovative designs, ushering in a revolutionary change in the highly competitive automobile industry.
This is a major plus for Africa which reportedly imports some 2 million new cars every year.
African entrepreneurs and engineering innovators have broken into the lucrative automobile industry.
The great six cars made in Africa include the Kantanka (made in Ghana), Innoson (made in Nigeria), the Kiira EV Smack (made in Uganda), Mobius Motors (Mobius II – made in Kenya), the Turtle (made in Ghana) and the Wind and Solar Powered Car (made In Nigeria).


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A new management team is taking over at MBE Malaysia, the network of Mailboxes Etc retail shipping and business services outlets, with the acquisition of MBE Business Corporation Sdn Bhd (MBC).
MBE Ventures, led by entrepreneur Patrick Leung, has bought 100 per cent of MBC from founder Brian Chow and hence MBC holds the Master Franchisee license.
Patrick, with experience in diversified multinational businesses around the world, took over on November 1 as chief executive officer.
Peter Low is chief operating officer, managing the MBE Malaysia franchise network, and Ken Yee is chief commercial officer, developing new franchising opportunities as well as identify new potential markets.
Peter and Ken are both former MBE franchisees who operated their own MBE outlets.
“We are excited to embark on this journey together with our franchisees, to grow the MBE presence and brand in Malaysia,” said Patrick.
Already the largest network in the Asia Pacific region, MBE Malaysia has 94 outlets currently, with another five to open before the end of 2018.
“MBE Malaysia is planning to grow the network to at least 300 outlets nationwide over the next five years.
“MBE Malaysia is positioned to benefit from the fast growth of online shopping and e-commerce,” Patrick added.
MBE Malaysia is developing more products and services for this sector, and is working to sign up more e-commerce partners, such as Lazada which has teamed up with MBE Malaysia for its drop-off and returns services.
MBE Malaysia is also looking to deepen its brand presence among e-commerce entrepreneurs in the fast-growing Bahasa Malaysia and Mandarin-speaking segments, and customers in smaller towns and rural areas.
“We are also exploring opportunities for our franchisees to grow outside of the Klang Valley and the major cities, and are targeting to expand our presence in the smaller urban and semi-urban centres,” said Patrick.


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Still debating what to order for Super Bowl 50? Well, there is no shortage of foods and deals to choose from. Here are 8 fast food deals for game day.» Read More
Google has added a new feature for the time pressed.
Brews are about to get more expensive at this sports bar chain.
In the fast-food fight for customer spending, the restaurant giant is struggling.
Wendy's is testing antibiotic-free chicken items as it evaluates a broader move away from antibiotics in the meat.
A worsening drought and unseasonably hot weather is causing pain for Washington's agricultural sector and could result in hops shortages.
From software companies to drugmakers to fast food chains, economic weakness in China is denting multinationals' financials this earnings season.
The company also announced on Thursday that it would be repurchasing another 50 million shares as part of its buyback program.
McDonald's stock turned negative after one executive mentioned a key investor selling point of the Dow component: its dividend.
As NY moves to raise the minimum wage for fast-food workers to $15 an hour, the focus is on governors that have similar power to raise pay.
Starbucks says people will soon be able earn rewards points by using the ride-hailing service Lyft.
Carnitas isn't just another meat option at many Chipotle locations. Its shortage has been a big problem for the chain.
The "Halftime Report" traders give their trades for the second half.
The fast food giant could begin offering breakfast items nationwide all day in October.
Chipotle Mexican Grill beat earnings estimates, but disappointed Wall Street with one key growth metric.
The deep-fried Mars Bar has become synonymous with Scottish cuisine but the crispy, sickly sweet treat could be under threat.
A recent index attempts to shed some light on how customers perceive some of the country's largest dining chains.
If you cook chicken, it's time to check your fridge and freezer.
A new survey finds McDonald's franchisees are more downbeat than ever before on the struggling chain's prospects.
One chain's fried rice recipe is just the latest restaurant casualty of the egg shortage.
No, this isn't a white tablecloth restaurant. This is McDonald's.


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India’s manufacturing sector growth eased slightly in February as factory output and new business orders rose at a slower pace, says a monthly survey.
The Nikkei India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) fell from 52.4 in January to 52.1 in February, indicating a modest improvement in operating conditions.
This is for the seventh consecutive month that the index remained above the 50-point-mark that separates expansion from contraction.
The expansion was primarily driven by a significant rise in manufacturing production, while there were reports of improved underlying demand, with domestic and external sources driving new business gains.
“It was promising to see that India s manufacturing sector remained in growth territory, as the impact of July s Goods and Services Tax continues to dissipate,” said Aashna Dodhia, Economist at IHS Markit and author of the report.
In response to greater production requirements, firms raised their staffing levels during February. Although modest, the pace of job-creation was slightly faster than January.
On the prices front, the survey said that cost inflation accelerated to the sharpest since February 2017, adding to expectations that inflationary risks will continue over the coming months.
IHS Markit upgraded its CPI forecast to 5.2 per cent for financial year 2017-2018 amid a stronger oil price forecast and growing fiscal risks.
“Although companies were able to raise their average selling prices at the fastest pace in a year, inflation remained modest highlighting some customer sensitivity to price changes,” Dodhia said.
The survey further noted that Indian manufacturers remained optimistic towards the 12-month outlook for output during February.


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Huawei has pledged to work with authorities in Poland to alleviate security concerns over its equipment as it faces being frozen out of the market.
Poland’s government is considering whether to join a number of developed markets in forbidding the use of Huawei’s equipment in 5G network deployments.
In response, the company’s Poland chief Tonny Bao said that Huawei would readily set up a cyber security lab in the country “if authorities accept this as a trusted solution”. The company has already established security-focused units in Germany and the UK in a bid to quell concerns over the safety of its equipment.
Speaking at a Warsaw press conference, Huawei’s senior standards manager for Europe Georg Mayer said that the security concerns that have flared up around the vendor had not impacted its sales of end-user equipment. However, he noted that “if the situation continues, at some point it will impact our business as well”.
Huawei is already under significant pressure in Poland, with one of its employees having been arrested in the country last month. Chinese national Wang Weijing was apprehended together with Polish former intelligence official Piotr Durbajlo on suspicion of working for Chinese intelligence agencies. Huawei immediately sacked Wang and disavowed his actions, saying they had nothing to do with the company.


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Last week, we published a Product Bite on the popular Queen Elsa doll. Continuing our focus on toys, interactive electronic gadgets are always much wanted by kids of any age. Wearables and smartwatches have been the “in” thing this past year, and are only going to grow in popularity in 2015. While many adults are anxiously awaiting the release of the Apple Watch, kids are not far behind in wanting to wear technology on their sleeve at all times. Walmart convened a panel of children to compile their “Chosen by Kids” top holiday toys list. At the top of that list is the VTech Kidizoom smartwatch.
This watch lets kids take photos, record videos, play games, and of course, tell the time! So cool. Needless to say, this is a hard find at the last minute. Looking at the aggregated view of the product in the Indix product intelligence app across six online stores where it is being sold, I saw that the average price across all instances has steadily increased since the middle of November.
In the past month, the average price of the product has increased by 14%. Clearly, as demand grows, such changes are expected. The average price was highest on December 11 at $61.67, probably around the time when people started their Christmas shopping. The regular price of the product is $59.99, as was reported by Marketwatch when the story about the top holiday toys was published in September.
Today, the price of the product ranges from $49.89 to $89.99, indicating that some sellers are charging a premium, as demand exceeds supply. Similar to the Elsa doll, the Kidizoom smartwatch is on rollback at Walmart but not currently available for ordering online. The children were certainly not kidding around when they voted this as the most wanted toy of the season!


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Escorts adds Glamour & Comfort to its new Farmtrac Executive Series
Chandigarh, December 17, 2013: Escorts Limited, India’s leading tractor manufacturer, today announced the launch of its new premium tractor series - The All-New FARMTRAC ‘Executive’ Series, country’s most stylish looking tractors. With best-in-class combination of impressive features, modern design, stunning looks, and world-class technologies – this new series is set to revolutionize the high end premium Indian tractor market. Available in 45 HP, 50HP and 60HP, these tractors are designed to cater to the progressive new- age Indian farmer, who are smart, educated and have an entrepreneurial bent of mind. They have adopted farming as a business of their choice and a tractor stands as the symbol of pride for them.
A variant of the New Farmtrac Executive Series has also been launched in Hannover, Germany recently for European and other developed markets.


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All mobile phonemakers know just how important China is to their fortunes. With around a billion mobile phone customers, and many poised to upgrade to smartphones, the industry is at a crucial point.
So Apple followers and investors should be cheered by the company’s announcement on Monday that it sold over 2m units of its new iPhone 5 in China, just three days after the December 14 launch. Game over? Not quite. Read more
When the biggest beast in the jungle decides not to fight you any more, your survival chances go up a lot. That’s the message from HTC shares on Monday.
After the company and Apple announced a global settlement that includes the dismissal of all current lawsuits and a ten-year license agreement, shares in the Taiwanese phonemaker leapt up 6.86 per cent – its daily limit. But is this the turning point for HTC, which saw profits fall 80 per cent in the third quarter? Read more
It’s been the season of high-profile phone launches. Except, sadly, for Acer and Alibaba. Their planned launch of a co-branded phone for Chinese consumers got cancelled at the last minute when Google objected to the version of Android on the phone.
What the last-minute cancellation – and some continued sniping between the companies – shows is how tricky it is to manage China’s booming mobile market. That’s true, apparently, even for Google, whose Android platform dominates in a big way. Read more
Although it is losing sales in the developed world to Apple’s iPhone and Google Android smartphones produced by Samsung and Sony, BlackBerry-maker Research in Motion has been able to console itself with its market leading position in Indonesia.
But that could be coming under threat, according to new figures from market research group IDC, which show that Android has overtaken BlackBerry as the most popular operating system in this country of 240m people. Read more
As Apple wades through patent battles and criticism over working conditions in other parts of Asia, it faces a different kind of resistance in India: a consistently low customer base.
Rival Android-based phones and BlackBerrys overshadow Apple’s flat 2.4 per cent market share as they continue to be increasingly popular with the country’s youth and business markets. Read more


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(Apple Valley)- Enter the Apple Valley Golf Course today and you may be greeted by the aroma of barbecue pulled pork, tri-tip and homemade onion rings, as a new restaurant operator takes over the kitchen.
A group of partners led by Chet Hitt and Kan Loi have entered an interim agreement to operate the restaurant for up to 12 months, while a long-term lease is negotiated.
Hitt is the owner of Wild Willie’s Smokehouse, a barbecue restaurant that served the Apple Valley Airport until recently. Loi owns the China Palace restaurant in Hesperia. The partnership was the only group to respond to the Request for Proposal the Town sent out earlier this year for a new food and beverage operator.
“Breakfast and lunch will be served seven days a week, with a high quality, upscale dinner service to be added soon,” said Dennis Cron, Assistant Town Manager. “The food will include favorites from the Wild Willie’s menu, but be expanded to include new creations and daily special menu selections.”
Breakfast and lunch services begin today. Dinner service will begin in the near future, once the liquor license has been properly transferred through the California Department of Alcohol Beverage Control.
The announcement is good news for service clubs and other groups that meet at the clubhouse. Some remodeling will occur, but Hitt plans to structure the work so as not to impact groups like the Apple Valley Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club of Apple Valley and other service clubs that meet at the clubhouse on a regular basis, should they choose to stay. The organizations were originally told the clubhouse could be shut down for renovations for as long as three months beginning June 30.
“The ultimate goal is to provide great food, good customer service and restore our ties to the rich history of this place,” said Hitt. “We are also looking forward to creating opportunities for jobs – the more people working, the more people spend money, the more it benefits our community.”
For more information, please call (760) 594 8869


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Sony, Panasonic to Collaborate on Next Gen OLED Panels for TVs and Large Displays
June 25, 2012 8:39 AM
comment(s) - last by
Sony XEL-1 OLED TV
Sony and Panasonic wants deliver roll to roll printing construction tech for OLED screens
Sony and Panasonic plan to work together on developing next-generation OLED panels and modules for TVs and large-size displays. The goal of the duo is to develop a method to build OLED panels using a printing method that would be low-cost and enable mass production of large and high-resolution OLED panels and modules.
Sony and Panasonic hope to establish mass production technology by 2013.
Sony was the first company to market with an OLED TV way back in 2007. The problem with that TV was that it was very small at 11-inches and very expensive. Sony's original TV was called the
and sold for about $1,700. The TV sold so poorly that by 2010 Sony had
in its home country of Japan and the TV was only being sold in America and Europe, where sales were slightly better.
Sony also mentions that it has been actively promoting the research and development of next-generation OLED technology such as hybrid OLED element devices and manufacturing technologies. The big technology that Sony and Panasonic will be developing is a cutting edge all printing method where construction is more akin to roll to roll printing of newspapers than the construction of traditional displays and TVs.
Panasonic has been spending a lot of time developing advancements in flexible OLED panels to develop large-size, high-quality sheet type displays. Flexible panels are also expected to find their way into smaller devices such as smartphones.
This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
RE: Oh hey
6/25/2012 4:38:51 PM
I don't think they've ever stopped working on it, they just can't get past the lifespan issues while keeping the cost down. Even on phones the OLEDs aren't uniform and can cause banding, as well as problems with white point tracking as you shift brightness.
I won't hold my breath considering this is the umpteenth time someone has announced work on OLED tech, though I'd love to have one of these screens sooner or later.
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Amazon has announced that their annual Prime Day will return this year on July 16th.
The deals will begin at 3pm ET on the 16th and run through the 17th for a total of 36 hours.
Prime Day will offer members more than one million deals in the US, Canada, UK, Spain, Mexico, Japan, India, Italy, Germany, France, China, Belgium Austria and new for this year, Australia, Singapore, Netherlands and Luxembourg.
The deals will range from TVs, smart home, kitchen, grocery, toys, fashion, furniture, appliances and back-to-school supplies. Amazon’s Alexa-enabled products like Echo, Fire TV and Fire Tablets will also be discounted for Prime Day.
“Prime members will enjoy a day (and a half) of our best deals, with 36 hours to shop more than one million deals worldwide,” said Jeff Wilke, Amazon CEO Worldwide Consumer. “New this year, members can shop exclusive Prime Day Launches from hundreds of brands worldwide, enjoy exclusive savings at Whole Foods Market and experience surprise entertainment events unboxed from giant Smile boxes in major cities. More than 100 million paid Prime members around the world will find our best Prime Day celebration yet.”
In addition to the deals and discounts, Prime members in the US will be able to get a look at the Delta Trinsic Touch2O voice-activated faucet, as well as the Coleman RoadTrip LXE portable propane grill.
You can join Amazon Prime or start your 30-day free trial so you can participate in Prime Day.


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The tussle over management control within the Tata Group has led to a windfall for insurance companies as many small- and mid-sized companies are rushing to secure their board members and senior ...
- Valuation and Fundraising for Tech Startups, Taj Yeshwantpur, Bengaluru, 2020-02-26
- VCCircle India Limited Partners Summit 2020, Trident, Nariman Point, 2020-02-27
- Business Transformation Summit 2020, ITC Kohenur, Hyderabad, 2020-03-14
- VCCircle Consumer Investment Summit 2020, Four Seasons Hotel, Mumbai, 2020-03-20


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A “whatever-it-takes” sales culture at Wells Fargo bank, where managers allegedly “hound, berate, demean and threaten employees” to meet quotas and salespeople not only use “pernicious and often illegal sales tactics” but also open accounts without approval, is getting its day in court.
A civil complaint filed by the City of Los Angeles yesterday also “contends the largest California-based bank violated state and federal laws by misusing confidential information and failing to notify customers when personal information was breached,” according to the Associated Press.
“In its push for growth, Wells Fargo often elevated its profits over the legal rights of its customers,” Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer said in a news conference announcing the lawsuit. The complaint asks that a penalty of $2,500 be assessed for each violation the bank “committed, caused, aided and abetted, or conspired to commit,” as well as restitution to affected customers.
The complaint “echoes” a Los Angeles Timesinvestigative report about the bank’s “pressure-cooker sales culture” published in December 2013, E. Scott Reckard, writes.
“Wells has blamed the problems on a few rogue employees who the bank has appropriately disciplined or fired. The city's investigation, however, found only token efforts by Wells to prevent customer abuses,” Reckard, who reported the original expose, writes.
“In addition to charging fees on unwanted accounts, San Francisco-based Wells Fargo harmed customers by placing them into collections based on unauthorized withdrawals and reported damaging information on their credit reports when unwarranted fees went unpaid, the suit alleges,” Reckard continues.
Yesterday, the bank “said it would ‘vigorously defend’ itself from the suit. But the statement it issued did not deny or even address whether its employees opened unauthorized accounts as charged,” writes Chris Isidore for CNNMoney.
“Wells Fargo's culture is focused on the best interests of its customers and creating a supportive, caring and ethical environment for our team members,” the statement asserts. “This includes training, audits and processes that work together to support our vision & values and our commitment to customers receiving only the products and services they need and will benefit from.”
The lawsuit paints a different scenario.
“The complaint also provided a glossary of terms that it said Wells Fargo employees used to describe unsavory sales tactics, such as ‘pinning,’ or assigning personal identification numbers to customer debit cards without their authorization in order to open an online banking account, which counts toward the sales quota,” writes the Wall Street Journal’s Peter Rudegeair, who also culled the quotes cited in our lede.
Other tactics alleged in the 19-page complaint include “sandbagging” — the practice of “failing to open accounts when requested by customers, and instead accumulating a number of account applications to be opened at a later date.”
Then there’s “bundling” — “incorrectly informing customers that certain products are available only in packages with other products such as additional accounts, insurance, annuities, and retirement plans.”
Sounds like the cable company, no?
The complaint also singles out a cross-selling strategy called “Going for gr-eight.” A brochure the bank published states: “Our average retail banking household has about six products with us,” according to item 20 in the complaint. “We want to get to eight … and beyond. One of every four already has eight or more. Four of every 10 have six or more.”
But the attempt to achieve gr-eightness “puts unrelenting pressure on its bankers to open numerous accounts per customer,” the city charged.
“I worked for Wells Fargo as a banker very briefly. I never did any of this fraudulent activity, and because of that, underperformed the entire time I was there and working there was a nightmare,” writes Brittney Neff in a comment posted to the story on NBClosangeles.com. “I saw other employees do this and it was completely sickening.”
“Having worked there, I can say not every manager pushes the way they describe in the article. I have worked with some that have tried to force unethical behavior on me,” posts Riley Fitzgerald in a comment to the WSJ’s story. “I watched a lot of people get fired for it, but the way the goals are structured made me feel like Wells encouraged that behavior and turned a blind eye.”
The title of Well Fargo’s most recent annual report is “Culture Counts.” The subhed: “An unwavering focus on the consumer.”
Nice thoughts, apparently open to interpretation.


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bet365 has gotten into hot water with the UK’s advertising regulator over an ad featuring former Arsenal player Granit Xhaka. [Image: Shutterstock.com]
The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has deemed a bet365 ad featuring a former Arsenal soccer player to be appealing to underage people. The ad in question was part of a tweet on the Sky Sports Premier League account, showcasing a goal the 30-year-old Granit Xhaka previously scored against Manchester United. The sportsbook operator’s logo was on display in the footage.
Xhaka strongly appealed to people who are younger than 18
The ASA’s Active Ad Monitoring system flagged the tweet. Following an investigation, the regulator concluded that Xhaka strongly appealed to people who are younger than 18 years old. bet365 argued the ruling, claiming that Sky Sports produced the ad in question and explained that it was part of Twitter’s Amplify feature, which meant that only users who were older than 25 would see the message.
The ASA responded by highlighting that the operator promoted the tweet and emphasized that Twitter’s age verification system isn’t sufficiently robust to make sure that underage people do not see these types of messages. As a result of the ASA’s decision, bet365 cannot display the ad again in its current form.


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Domtar Corporation today announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.35 per share to holders of its common stock
Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS) announced that it has entered into an amendment that will extend its existing $1 billion revolving credit agreement
Lagardère announced first quarter consolidated revenues today of €1,805m ($2,677 million U.S.), an increase of 3.1% as reported.
According to Lagardère's press release, the publishing division's first quarter revenues of €390m ($598 million U.S.) are, as expected, down 9.8% from Q1 2010 as reported and down 10.4% on a like-for-like basis.
Courier Corporation, one of America's leading book manufacturers and specialty publishers, today announced fourth-quarter and full-year results for its fiscal year ended September 25, 2010.
In 2008, most chief information officers (CIOs) were forgiven for being unprepared to deal with the global recession, but if another recession unfolds in the next 12 to 18 months, no CIO will be forgiven for being unprepared a second time, according to information technology research and advisory company Gartner Inc.
The world's largest book retailer, Barnes & Noble, announced Tuesday that its board of directors is considering selling the company in order to increase shareholder value. As the bookseller explained today, the board has formed a team to evaluate "strategic alternatives" to make sure it's "taking advantage of [its] compelling digital opportunities."
A "for sale" sign may soon be hanging in the window of bookstore giant Barnes & Noble Inc., the company announced today. According to a press release issued this morning, Barnes & Noble's Board of Directors "intends to evaluate strategic alternatives, including a possible sale of the company, in order to increase stockholder value. The Board came to this decision based on the price of Barnes & Noble shares in the marketplace, which the Board believes are now significantly undervalued."
Barnes & Noble reported an 8.0% decline in third quarter sales. The retailer said that, with trends softening, it was lowering its revenue and earnings projections for the fiscal year ending in April.
When I found out I was going to become a father, I wrote The Monster Alphabet. I wanted a book to read to my son that was filled with nerdy delight, and came up with an alphabet based off the monsters of legend. Initially, I wasn't sure what to do with it. I asked my art partner, Obsidian, if he'd be interested in drawing it, but time was a serious issue for us.


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India and China will be among the top five destinations for merger and acquisition activities across diverse sector over the coming year, according to a report by global consultancy Ernst & Young.
"The top five destinations for would-be deal-makers are: China, India, Brazil, United States and Canada," the report said.
It said sectors like life sciences, oil and gas, automotive, consumer products, automotive and technology are expected to see the highest level of activity in M&A deals.
Globally, the number of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) is expected to pick up over the coming year, with 35 percent of companies surveyed likely to pursue acquisitions compared with just 25 percent a year ago.
About 70 per cent of global executives expect deal volumes and deal sizes to improve over the next 12 months.
"All of this is underpinned by growing confidence in a global economy on sounder footing – improving economic conditions in mature economies and more stabilisation in the major emerging markets," E&Y Global Vice-Chair (Transaction Advisory Services) Pip McCrostie said.
The survey found that 65 per cent of executives expect the global economy to improve over the coming year, up from just 22 percent a year ago.
Companies are expected to use more debt and equity to finance deals, instead of relying on cash, it added. The survey was conducted among 1,600 executives from large companies globally and across industry sectors.


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Suffolk business owners now have access to internet speeds as fast as 100 gigabits per second, thanks to improvements from Cox Communications.
The cable, internet and phone company recently spent about $3.5 million installing nearly 30 miles of high-speed fiber internet cables in the city through its Cox Business service. Cox leaders say the move will bring fiber to roughly 1,500 businesses.
Suffolk Mayor Michael Duman welcomed the expansion.
“The investment from Cox to provide broadband internet and phone support to 1,500 businesses is extremely important, as a huge part of any business now is done online and through phones,” Duman said in an announcement.
The network runs through downtown Suffolk, as well as the Chuckatuck and Driver neighborhoods.
The company is expanding in Suffolk and around the region because company leaders believe the area is poised for growth, said Nneka Chiazor, Cox vice president for government and public affairs.
“We decided to make a number of network investments, and that includes bringing fiber out to Suffolk,” Chiazor said.
The Suffolk expansion is part of a larger $100 million Cox is spending to beef up its network around Hampton Roads. The company plans to expand its fiber network and improve its cable internet infrastructure over the next three years, Chiazor said.
In addition to providing internet access, Chiazor touted how the expansion would create jobs, attract vendors and give broadband access to more students.
Around Hampton Roads, Cox is getting more competition from broadband companies moving into the area. Internet provider Lumos announced in July it was bringing an $83 million fiber network to parts of Virginia Beach, Portsmouth and Chesapeake without access to Verizon Fios. MetroNet has been building a fiber network in Norfolk since being announced in April 2021.
Trevor Metcalfe, 757-222-5345, firstname.lastname@example.org


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Walmart’s new smart smoke detector may be able to detect emf and RF emissions from the smart thermostat
Posted On September 5, 2021
An Australian company has developed a smart thermic sensor that can detect emFs, RF emissions and the use of other toxic chemicals, according to the Australian Business Traveller.
The new device, called a RF emf detector that uses electromagnetic radiation to detect the presence of harmful chemicals in a home, is expected to be available in the second half of 2018.
The RF emfs detector uses the same technology that detects air pollutants in a room and is expected in some of the homes that Wal-Mart has recently installed to test the system.
It’s expected that the emf detectors will also be used by the retailer to detect other dangerous substances that may be present in the home.
The device uses electromagnetic energy to create a “flux field” around the room where it detects the presence or absence of a dangerous substance such as benzene, mercury or carbon monoxide.
When an RF emF detector detects harmful chemicals, it generates a high-intensity magnetic field that attracts other particles.
The particles scatter the magnetic field and are reflected by the RF detector.
This phenomenon can be seen by using a simple magnetic field test kit.
A RF emfer detector is a type of emf sensor that uses an electromagnetic field to detect harmful substances.
The EMF detectors are being used in the new smart home project by the Australian company, Aptech.
Aptech says the emfs sensor is “the first of its kind in Australia” and that it has tested it in two Australian homes.
According to the company, its new emf emf detection system is the “first of its type in the world”.
The RF detector is similar to the one used by Philips in its Smart Home System that is designed to detect dangerous substances in the room.
The company says its new system is a combination of the existing RF emfoil detector with a new sensor that detects harmful substances such as carbon monoxy, lead, and mercury.
“We believe our RF emrf detector will be an important tool for both health and environmental monitoring,” said Dr Tim Taylor, the company’s director of product innovation.”RF emf sensors are used by retailers, health professionals and other industries to detect chemicals and other hazardous substances in their homes.”
The device is made up of a copper plate and a battery.
It’s connected to a battery bank and the emrf sensors will be mounted on a wall of a house.
The sensor uses a magnetic field to attract and reflect the electromagnetic radiation.
The sensor will also have an RF filter that can be used to detect various toxic chemicals in the environment such as lead, mercury, carbon monoxides, and other toxins.
The Australian Business Traveler is not the first to report on the potential use of a RF detector to detect hazardous substances.
Earlier this year, the Daily Telegraph reported on the possible use of the device to detect air pollutants.


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The North Gate Pomskies, a small-town, family Pomsky breeder in east central Iowa. Andrea Grimm and Mayse Grimm are sisters-in-law that live and run their kennel in Shellsburg.Our breeding journey started two and a half years ago. We researched a forever friend for ourselves and after may trials and tribulations we decided we wanted to make the process easier for others.
Simply Organic, a pioneer in organic herbs, spices, flavors and seasonings, today announced the latest kitchen must-haves with its new Simply Organic Vanilla Bean Paste and Dairy-Free Cheese Sauce Mixes.Simply Organic Dairy-Free Cheese Sauce Mixes are an easy, dairy-free way to add rich flavor and creamy texture to your favorite dishes, from nachos to noodles to broccoli cheese soup.
East-Central Iowa Rural Electric Cooperative Sustains Damages at Its Vinton Operations Shop Urbana Iowa, March 6, 2022 – East-Central Iowa Rural Electric Cooperative reported today that its Vinton operations center sustained damages from the storms that passed through the Benton County area last evening. The damages were discovered when a line crew arrived at the shop to respond to a power outage.
Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller is focusing on unprecedented increases in fertilizer prices affecting farmers. Since January 2021, anhydrous ammonia has increased 315%. Urea has increased by 214%, liquid nitrogen by 290%, monoammonium phosphate (MAP) by 171%, and potash by 213%, according to the most recent data supplied by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Services.
This annual report will give members a recap of activities and events for the year ending December 31, 2021. Representing our membership was an 11-member executive board consisting of Andrew Elwick, Emily Henkle, Ashley Hesson, Marcy Horst, Tony Islas, Bob Koenigsfeld, Robin Martin, Teresa Meyer, Molly Noren, Karilea Ries, and Raymond Siddell. These board members served on one or more of the six committees.
When a shortage of coffee cups affected Kwik Star convenient stores/gas stations, they released an amusing flyer concerning the situation.The company is offering a $.99 cup refill, or crockpot refill, or wheelbarrow refill...but seriously because of shortages of cups the station needs you to bring your own mug.. or any kind of coffee container. The flyer they put out jokingly sai, B.
Simply Organic, located in Norway, is a leader in organic herbs, spices, flavors and seasonings, today announced the six recipients receive grants from the Simply Organic Giving Fund Grant Program, donating a collective $150,000 to address food insecurity in the U.S.For the 2022 granting period, the Simply Organic Giving Fund selected organizations that are working tirelessly to increase access to healthy and organic foods for communities in need, including refugees, communities experiencing the impact of natural disasters and families living in food deserts.
Dollar General will be closing on Tuesday, February 1st, 2022 while they move into their new location the site of the former 218 Cafe. Several cars from Indiana, Missouri, Pennsylvania, and across the state of Iowa are present to help Set up and organize the new store.The exact opening date for the new store is unknown at this time.


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Despite rumors that swirled earlier in the year alleging the upcoming third season of The Grand Tour was the show's final run, the Amazon motoring program has been renewed for a fourth season. Fans of fast cars and accident-prone middle-aged men, rejoice.
Taking to social media on Thursday afternoon, the show confirmed its renewal while also announcing that it would lose the studio tent and "take on big adventure road trips" instead.
The show will be dropping the admittedly sometimes-awkward studio segments and presumably track tests, power laps, and other smaller items in favor of episode-dominating road trips. Typically referred to as Specials, the epic, episode-long films date back to Clarkson, Hammond, and May's Top Gear days and have often proven to be some of the trio's most popular work.
While I'm sure many fans will welcome the revised format with open arms, the gearhead in me who just wants to watch Clarkson powerslide a Ferrari 488 Pista around an old airfield in 4K while spouting metaphors will miss some of the auxiliary pieces.
Those in agreement need not worry too much though, as Amazon says Clarkson, Hammond, and May all have plans to bring individual spinoff shows of their own to the platform.
"We're proud to say that Prime Video will continue to be the home for Jeremy, Richard, and James,” Prime Video vice president Jay Marine told the Guardian. "They've got some ambitious new ideas that Prime members are going to love. We're excited to bring more Clarkson, Hammond, and May to Prime Video for years to come."
Season 3 of The Grand Tour will begin streaming on Amazon Video on Jan. 18. It'll see its three presenters poke around in new muscle cars, old pickup trucks, British hypercars, and off-road Lambos. Business as usual for now, then.
Anyone in the market for a large, black tent once used to film a multimillion-dollar motoring show can probably find one crop up on Amazon in the coming months.


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Doing business these days is about more than just profitability. It’s also about sustainability, even for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Despite this, lots of SMEs are standing on the sidelines, hesitant to make investments in sustainability that don’t guarantee an immediate return. So let’s look at these three reasons to invest in SME sustainability initiatives:
- Sustainability is salvation
That’s what the Harvard Business Review concluded in 2009 following the subprime crisis, a conclusion repeated last year by Andrew Winston—the author of The Big Pivot—in the same publication. According to Winston, the only way to stop global warming and keep it from affecting productivity and increasing commodity costs is by lining up the private sector behind the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 5% annually.
This is vital for SMEs, since their profit margins are not always as high and small imbalances can affect their stability and development. The challenge is detecting where the energy and basic resources are being wasted, and doing so in time.
For example, Emerson Network Power found out that their IT servers account for 52% of their total power consumption, while 38% is consumed by precision air conditioning. In these cases, small changes like replacing the servers that are more than six years old—since they consume up to 64% of the power yet do only 4% of the work—with newer and more compact ones is a change that can result in savings. It is also important to replace air conditioning with a free-cooling system, which takes advantage of exterior air temperatures to reduce electricity costs.
- Consumers want green
A poll done by Nielsen in 2014 of more than 30,000 people found that 63% of Latin Americans are willing to pay more for goods and services delivered by companies with better corporate social responsibility.
This is added value that for SMEs could make the difference in a customer’s decision to buy, whether that customer is an individual or a business. While it might be costly for a small restaurant to invest in a full-fledged corporate social responsibility program as many large multinationals do, something as simple as sourcing organic ingredients locally and paying farmers a fair price could provide a selling point vis-à-vis the right clientele.
Today, projects like the Walmart Sustainability Index put the spotlight on companies that are truly focused on being more environmentally friendly. In addition to companies in the U.S., the index covers Chile and five other countries. This bolsters the images of these businesses and adds value to their brands, which can help open doors to working with larger companies. IBM is one example, as it requires its suppliers in Latin America and elsewhere to have systems in place for environmental management and corporate social responsibility.
- SMEs committed to sustainability are more creditworthy
A study done by HealRWorld found that SMEs committed to sustainability are more durable than average. A total of 21% of active businesses in the United States are categorized as higher risk. In comparison, this is true of only 3% of sustainable businesses in the same category. According to the CEO of HealRWorld, the study demonstrated a strong correlation between SME commitment to sustainability and having a good credit profile.
That’s why business owners who invest in SME sustainability are able to increase the social and environmental value of their businesses and compete with larger enterprises, and why the IIC offers initiatives like Sustainability Week, a training event with more than 400 participants from 180 financial institutions from all over Latin America and the Caribbean that’s been held annually since 1999. The idea is to encourage financial institutions to advocate for the sustainability of the SMEs in which they invest. This year, the event will take place in Asunción, Paraguay, on October 5-9.
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Sustainability is a megatrend of the 21st century. The GfK Sustainability Index, published for the first time today, continuously examines the attitudes of German consumers regarding sustainability in a representative survey. GfK's latest data shows that sustainability remains important to consumers despite major changes such as the war in the Ukraine. They are willing to spend more money on environmentally friendly products – despite inflation. The GfK Sustainability Index will be published every three months.
Concerns about the environment are among the most important issues for consumers. For 74 percent of Germans, environmental pollution is a serious problem, and 69 percent fear climate change. Almost two-thirds (68 percent) of Germans demand that companies act sustainably. "Sustainability is deeply anchored in Germans' personal values," informs Petra Süptitz, sustainability and consumer insights expert at GfK. "In a list of 57 personal values measured annually as part of the GfK Consumer Life Study, sustainability ranks 10th place, ahead of values such as health and fitness."
With the new GfK Sustainability Index, GfK now regularly investigates how sustainability aspects influence consumers' purchasing behavior. The index covers planned and actual purchases of everyday products and major purchases such as furniture and electronic equipment. It also measures consumers' willingness to pay a higher price for environmentally friendly products.
GfK Sustainability Index: Only minor fluctuations despite inflation
The GfK Sustainability Index has been surveyed since February 2022. In February, the index stood at a value of 39.0. After the start of the war in the Ukraine, the index for March has increased by 3.3 points to 42.3. Sustainability has become more important for consumers during this period. In April, however, the influences of the Ukraine war, inflation and the general decline in consumer confidence showed in the GfK Sustainability Index. It fell to a level of 39.7. This is still a very stable value compared with the parallel dramatic decline in consumer sentiment, which fell to a historic low in the April survey. The GfK Sustainability Index in April shows that 81 percent of respondents are concerned about rising food prices, and 61 percent about rising prices for major purchases. This also led to a decline in willingness to purchase environmentally friendly products.
Declining propensity to buy also affects sustainable purchases
Last year, around one third of Germans paid attention to sustainability criteria when making major purchases. However, the planning of major purchases has changed significantly in recent months: While 35 percent of consumers in March still expected to make major purchases with sustainability in mind over the next 12 months, this figure fell to 25 percent in April. In the 18 to 29 age group in particular, the propensity to purchase sustainable products fell sharply.
In the case of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) such as food or hygiene products, as many as three quarters of Germans (72 percent) made sustainable purchases in March. In April, the proportion of those who plan to continue paying attention to sustainability aspects when purchasing these categories fell to 68 percent – but this is a much smaller drop compared to larger purchases.
Consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable products
Overall, the decline in propensity to buy coincides with the reserve of German consumers identified by the GfK Consumer Climate for April – this also affects the purchase of sustainable products. Nevertheless, Petra Süptitz is confident: "Above all, consumers who are doing well financially and have few worries about their jobs are paying attention to sustainability and will continue to do so despite the current rise in prices. Germans' very high saving rates allow for this."
At the same time, the GfK Sustainability Index shows that willingness to pay higher prices for sustainable products has remained largely stable since February despite slight declines. "Sustainability will remain an important purchasing criterion despite major changes such as the Ukraine war. Consumers expect companies to act sustainably. The GfK Sustainability Index shows that they are willing to pay a higher price for this added value," Süptitz added. "Relying on a conventional, non-sustainable product portfolio now because of inflation and already high prices would be the wrong move for companies. Manufacturers and retailers should continue to position themselves in an environmentally friendly way – this is the right way to remain successful in the market in the long term."
The next GfK Sustainability Index will be published in August 2022.
About the study
The GfK Sustainability Index shows the importance of sustainability aspects during purchasing decisions for major purchases and fast-moving consumer goods and measures changes. The index covers past purchases under sustainability aspects, planned purchases and the willingness to pay a higher price for sustainable products. For this purpose, GfK surveys a representative group of consumers in Germany on a monthly basis.
These are GfK’s global findings ahead of CES 2024.Read more
Environmental appeal ‘not enough’ to convert non-luxury buyers to EVsRead more
In the latest Green Gauge® study from GfK Consumer Life, more than half the U.S. population (53%) expressed serious concern for the environment, noting it should be a priority for everyone.Read more


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Chief executive Struan Robertson, who took over in January from Sir Christopher Wates, said the fit-out division had successfully taken on market leaders such as Interior and Overbury.
He said: "London is very competitive but for those who are willing to work with clients, there's still money to be made. We are able to offer a competitive service, especially in office and retail sectors."
Robertson said construction turnover was about £450m and said he also wanted to increase the Wates housebuilding business from its current 10% of group turnover. He refused to say what the new target was. Average selling price for its homes was £400,000.
He said it was increasingly difficult to secure good land and was moving the group more towards brownfield developments.
He said: "It's not easy to find the land. The planning system is slow, cumbersome and somewhat fickle.
If you have the land, you have the competitive advantage."


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AUSTIN (KXAN) - If you're in the business of making beer - Texas is the place to be.
Last year, Texas craft brewers produced 133,000 barrels of beer in 2011. That's a 46 percent increase from the year before.
"Since 2010, our sales have pretty much doubled." said Amy Cartwright, co-founder of Independence Brewing Co.
The company started in 2004, with a client list of 30. Cartwright said that in the past two years, the company's sales have skyrocketed.
And now, more than 300 bars and restaurants in Austin serve Independence.
"What's really exciting about the scene now is the public is interested in tasting new beers." Cartwright said.
But with the interest comes competition. In 2010 there were 52 licensed brewers in Texas. Now Texas is home to 78.
Across town, Live Oak Brewing Co. is also banking on the brew business.
"A lot of bars and restaurants have a lot of draft beer right now and seems to only get bigger, " said Chip McElroy, the brewery's owner.
"We're growing at about 30 percent so far this year, " McElroy said.
Right now, microbreweries and brew pubs all across the state are fighting current laws and regulations dealing with beer distribution.
Micro breweries want the ability to sell to individuals directly from their facilities, right now they can't.
Brew pubs currently can only sale in house, but they want the ability to sale to distributors.
According to the research arm of the Texas House. several bills to allow craft brewers and brew pubs to expand their reach have been filed in recent years.
None have passed.
Proposals made last year would have allowed certain small brewers to sell directly to the public or conduct tours of their facilities for a fee. As part of the deal, beer would be provided for off-premises consumption.
Another proposal would have allowed brew pubs to reach consumers by selling to distributors or wholesalers who then could have sold their products to retailers.
Authorities say a suburban Denver student shot at least one other student at a high school Friday before he apparently turned the gun on himself.
Mack Brown was scheduled to meet with University of Texas athletics director Steve Patterson and university president Bill Powers on Friday.
The state's chief financial officer says a booming Texas economy has created an extra $2.5 billion in unspent revenue.
Governor Rick Perry issued a State Disaster Proclamation for the "extensive" flood damage Central Texas experienced at the end of October on Friday.
Ten-year-old Cameron Ferweda is a fan of action-adventure books. Of writing them, that is.
An armed robbery in South Austin set off a search for two men with guns early Friday morning.